...not sure, but MAYBE Jimmy Johnson was playing an Alembic 5 in the latter '70s.
We already discussed "Havona" in a thread dedicated entirely to that tune; my take is to play some ghosted notes to pull off the needed shift at tempo(ie keep one's plucking hand in the 1/16 note feel while shifting with one's fretting hand).
...and I still can't play it!

anyone know what bass he used on Havona, especially that one bar riff
(you know the one)

the reason i am asking is because it is a doddle on a five but hell itself on a four

did five strings even exist then?

someone educate me http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/redface.gif

Thanks in advance

Jaco always played a Fretless Jazz with W.R.

I think that 5 strings were already a concept by that time and people were starting to build them, but nothing major.

Will C. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/cool.gif

------------------
I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy.
-BW

Pretty sure Jimmy was "using" by the early 80's on the Flim & the BB's stuff. I don't recall seeing a real five at a store until about 1981 or 82. Anthony Jackson had already been using a six for while by then.

"OK"...found it; GUITAR PLAYER mag, May '89(Hendrix cover)has a feature on Jimmy Johnson.

First question-
GP-"You were among the first 5-string bassists.
JJ-"Yeah, I got my first one in '76; unfortunately, it was stolen out of Alan Holdsworth's truck a year-and-a-half ago. Anyway, the idea came from my dad, because all the orchestral basses have extensions that allow you to go down to low C.
...so I got in touch with Alembic, who was making 5-string basses, but with the high string on top, rather than the low one. Nobody had asked for a low B. I got in touch with GHS & asked for their largest gauge; it was basically a huge E string a .120. I'm using .125 now. Some guys use really huge ones, like a .140."


BTW-
Don't forget Fender was already making a 5-string bass; Jamerson even played one(though very, very briefly as it sez in STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN). http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Jim, if you've ever played one of those early Fenders, you know how weird they were. Loooong body, short, fanned neck and sound that was a complete "blah". Any idea what rocket scientist designed it and why they stuck with that design.

I wasn't saying Flim didn't use a 5 in the 70's, I was just saying I wasn't aware of him using until the 80's http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif His band was recording direct to disc back then (the first)and it was a very big deal in the audiophile world. That... and the cannon shot at the end of the 1812 Overture http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif You could almost smell the gunpowder.

[This message has been edited by Brad Johnson (edited July 24, 2000).]

Brad-
I recall seeing/having/losing an 1812 Overture cd(it may be on my copy of The Nutcracker Suite)with the warning, "Caution: Digital Cannons Are Used On This Recording blahblah".
...and I remember the big deal about DMP doing DDD cds.

I did play one of Fender's early 5s...what a piece of S***! What it have, about 14 frets?
It looked more like a cheap MusicMaster than any thing else in Fender's line. There's a picture + a story of it in THE BASS BOOK(Miller Freedman Prod).

With the exception of Jack Bruce briefly using the famous Fender VI in the mid sixties, I don't recall anyone using anything other than a 4 string during the 60's and up to the early 70's. I can't recall ever hearing of Jaco using anything other than his beloved Fender Jazz bass for recording. Even in his later years, when he fell on tough times, I think he stuck to Fenders exclusively.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JimK:
&lt;snip&gt;I did play one of Fender's early 5s...what a piece of S***! What it have, about 14 frets?
It looked more like a cheap MusicMaster than any thing else in Fender's line. There's a picture + a story of it in THE BASS BOOK(Miller Freedman Prod).<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now see, Jim! Here I was, trying to be a bit more umm...diplomatic about the Bass V. I thought "weird" was pretty polite. Unfortunately "piece of S***! " is definitely the quickest way to sum it up. I keep saying there are very few "crap" basses, well.. here's the exception to that rule http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I had an opportunity to buy a dead mint Bazz V for about $500. I suggested they put it on eBay http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

My local bass only store has a 1966 fender five string! It's exactly what you guys have described!! ugly son of a... but I'd play it http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/smile.gif

Thrakster, on _Heavy Weather_, Jaco played his "Bass of Doom," a '62 or '63 defretted Jazz. The only player I can think of who had a low B at the time is Anthony Jackson with his contrabass.

BTW, you stole my name! I was going to be Thrakster but had to go with my AIM screen name. At least there's another King Crimson fetishist out there...*grin*