Musicvox Spaceranger 12-String Bass
Matt Eichen playing the unique Musicvox Spaceranger mirror finish 12-string bass.
The first Musicvox 12-string bass
Musicvox founder / president Matt Eichen was a big fan of Cheap Trick. Eichen stated, “I had the opportunity to speak with Tom Petersson a number of times since he is a big guitar collector. The first time we spoke Tom had phoned me in my office and left a message with my secretary after seeing a mirror Spaceranger in one of the guitar magazines. I called him back thinking it was a patient by that name and was shocked that my teen favorite had tracked me down. That started a nice relationship with him and the band for a couple of years. Super nice gentlemen, he has played them all and seen them all. He is a very kind and genuine person who was very nice to us and had been very complimentary about our products in a print interview."
"I decided to surprise him with a custom mirror 12-string bass as a gift on the 20th anniversary of the Budokan album tour. Tom did not know about this and was not involved in the design or choice of electronics. It was just a surprise gift. I had a great luthier in Hollywood make it as a one of a kind custom piece. I had it made with a mirror finish since that was the finish that Tom saw in a magazine that sparked his curiosity about our instruments.”
Cheap Trick’s In Color album is reflected in the mirror finish of the 1998 Musicvox Spaceranger 12-string bass.
Philip Ralph was given the job of creating this unique instrument. Ralph decided to build the Spaceranger 12-string bass in the 32″ medium scale. The mirror finish covers the front and back of the body. A royal blue aniline stain covers the sides of the body and the front of the headstock.
The body is mahogany and the neck is maple. It has active electronics with two volume controls and no tone knobs. The output is stereo. Graphite nut and locking Sperzel tuners. It has the usual Spaceranger body style with a set neck. The headstock was modified and extended from the traditional Spaceranger style in order to accommodate the 12 tuners.
About this 12-string bass Matt Eichen remarked that it is, “Pretty lightweight and the neck is just the sweetest, most finely crafted piece of handwork I’ve seen. It’s a set neck which also might be pretty unique in 12 string bass circles.” A chrome Schaller 471 8-saddle bridge with built-in tailpiece was used. Philip Ralph signed and dated the back of the Spaceranger headstock.
The truss rod cover is inscribed, “Tom Petersson”.
Philip Ralph signed and dated the back of the Spaceranger headstock. This bass is reported to still be in Tom Petersson’s possession as it has been seen in his house.
The mirror finish had been previously used on the 4-string Musicvox Spaceranger bass.
Jaron Lowenstein of the band “Jaron and the Long Road to Love” playing the mirror finish Spaceranger 4-string bass at the 1997 Nashville NAMM show.
Matt Eichen’s reflection in the mirror finish Spaceranger 4-string bass.