I Compiled this from various threads and things and figured it would be useful and save people asking question that might be answered.

I've written it as if Justin said it which for the most part is true as it just various quotes and things.



In terms of gear I have loads(45 + basses, 8 + amp rigs, mountains of pedals) my favourite basses are:

'66 Fender P & Starfire Reissue tied

http://www.bassplayer.com/oldcontentimages/web/w/n/m/bp0307_transjmj.jpg

But I also hold very dear:

beat-up customized T-Bird
Gibson RD Artist
Geddy Lee modded Jazz
Wal Mark I
Vox Cougar
Eko
'66 Jazz
Harmony solidbody shortscale

List of most of the basses - From Bass Player Magazine

Engelhardt ES-1 Supreme upright, with K& Bass Master Pro pickup system
’78 Electra MPC Outlaw, brown sunburst (“A ridiculous bass for the cybernetic Southern rocker in everyone, complete with modular, onboard effects.”)
’67 Fender Coronado, wildwood green
Fender 1975 Jazz Bass Reissue, black/maple
Fender 1964 Jazz Bass Custom Shop Reissue Closet Classic, sunburst/rosewood (“My main live bass with Beck for years. Those Fender Custom Shop boys do amazing things.”)
Fender Mustang, Olympic white/rosewood
Fender American Standard Precision, black/maple (“My favorite P-Bass—a pure, lovely rock tone.”)
’75 Fender Precision, root beer brown/maple (“Sounds like a funky cardboard box. Not much sustain and a classic, old tone.”)
Fender 50th Anniversary Precision Reissue, blond/maple
Fender 1951 Precision Reissue, natural/maple
’74 Gibson Ripper, natural/maple
Gibson Thunderbird, natural (“My main live bass with Ima Robot. It’s got a nice growl and it’s very loud. T-birds have thin necks that are a lot of fun.”)
Gibson Thunderbird, pelham blue
Gibson Thunderbird, natural sunburst
’79 Gibson RD Artist, natural/maple
’86 Gibson 20/20, silver
Guild Ashbory
Guild B30E acoustic bass guitar, natural
Guild Starfire, transparent red (“This one is beat to ****, but it just records and plays wonderfully. Palm-mute with a pick and you’re done.”)
Guild Starfire, natural
’71 Guild JS100, transparent brown (“Endless booty—got airtime on Macy’s record. Plays badly, but I don’t mind.”)
’73 Guild M-85, transparent brown
Hofner Club hollowbody, sunburst (“Good for a deep fundamental with a pseudo-upright flavor; has the classic Hofner tone.”)
Lakland Duck Dunn Signature, three-tone sunburst/maple
Lakland Hollowbody, sherwood green (“The best-playing hollowbody I’ve ever met, with a flexible sound. Lakland has something special going on.”)
’77 Ovation Magnum II, transparent brown
Rickenbacker 4003, fireglo
Two Roland G-77 Synth Basses, white (“A Beck live staple, mainly for the silly look. Luckily it sounds okay. I’ve got a Guyatone MD-2 delay pedal taped onto one.”)
Fretless Schecter Traditional J-style, black/rosewood
Schecter Hellcat 8-string, black
Schecter Hellcat 4-string, metallic blue
’83 Steinberger L2, black (“I bought this on a lark, but it turned out to be a cool-sounding bass that simply cannot break, even when thrown at the drummer.”)
’79 Wal Pro IIE, natural
Wal Mark 1 Custom, African shedua (“This is my favorite bass overall. It’s hard to put down, because it has an undeniable magic. I’m scared to tour with it!”)
Wal Mark I Custom, olive ash
Yamaha BB3000, wine red burst

Justin uses D’Addario chrome flatwounds on the Fender Coronado and 50th Anniversary Precision, Gibson RD Artist, the Lakland Duck Dunn Signature and Hollowbody, the Ovation Magnum, and the Guild Starfires and M-85; he strings the ’75 Fender Precision, Fender Mustang, and Guild Jazz 100 with D’Addario Half Rounds, and uses D’Addario XL 160 .050–.105 nickel roundwounds on everything else except for the Hofner, which has its original Pyramid flatwounds.

Beck Rig

Pedalboard

http://i25.tinypic.com/2vjsdjk.jpg

Back Row: Black Box is an A/B box to switch between Bass and Synths, Mxr Micro Amp, MXR Micro Amp, Xotic RC Booster, Chunk Systems Brown Dog, Boss SYB-3 Bass Synth, Line 6 DL-4, EHX Holy Grail, Ibanez Modulation Delay.

Front Row: Boss TU-2, Guyatone MD-2, Guyatone PS-2, Boss OC-2, Boss HM-2, Sansamp GT2, Crowther Prunes and Custard Mk1, EHX LBM, MXR M-80, Silver Box is a splitter to send to 2 preamps a Sansamp RBI and a Ampeg SVPCL

Then the big thing at the front is individual loop switcher for most of the pedals.

Amp

http://i32.tinypic.com/2d1oe2g.jpg

http://i30.tinypic.com/4j8ga9.jpg

This has changed as I was experimenting with the compressors they aren’t there now and I’m mainly using my Mesa Boogie Titan V12 and the preamps mentioned above.

Studio Rig

http://i29.tinypic.com/ofvfx4.jpg

Furthest away board

Back Row: Line 6 Expression Pedal - Line 6 DL-4 - Roger Linn Adrenelinn 2 - Zvex Fuzz Factory - EHX English Muff'in

Front Row: EHX Holy Grail - EHX Small Stone - Pefftronics Rand-o-matic - EHX Bass Micro Synth - Moog Ring Modulator - Moog Low Pass Filter - Moog Murf

Kinda off and inbetween the 2 boards with loads of cables: TC Electronics SCF - Ibanez DML10 Modulation Delay II

Closest Board

Back Row: EHX USA Bassballs - Guyatone MD-3 - Jacques Tubeblower - Ibanez BC-9 BI Mode Chorus - Boss TU-2 - Zvex Woolly Mammoth - Radial Tonebone JXL-2PRO Switchbone

Front Row: MXR Bass Auto Q M-188 - Crowther Prunes and Custard (Older single switch version) - Tech 21 Sansamp GT2 - Boss HM-2 Hyper Metal - Boss OC-2 Octaver - Guyatone PS-3 - Guyatone MD-2

Amps Top to bottom: Mesa Boogie Walkabout - Traynor YBA200 - Aguilar DB750 - Ampeg V4

DI: Closest to use is the Radial JDI

Cables: The pedalboards are done in George L's, there is one Planet waves one going into the JDI.

Dixie Chicks

http://i30.tinypic.com/2zg9mye.jpg

Fender P Bass, Guild Starfire, Mesa rig (Mesa Titan V12 and 8x10), and a Boss Tuner with my tech Donny.

IMA Robot Rig

One of my favorites. Studio: T-Bird through B-15R, Marshall JTM-45 with Tube Screamer always on into Fender ToneMaster cab, and Evil Twin DI.

Live, T-Bird and Ripper through pedalboard into Radial DI into two SVT 4 Pros, both bridged, one driving SVT410-HLF, one driving 810AV

http://i25.tinypic.com/aop7id.jpg

Pedals just lying around

http://i27.tinypic.com/1581jb9.jpg

Back Row: EHX Q-Tron, Guyatone MT-2, MXR Carbon Copy Delay, Ibanez Dual Chorus, Pigtronix EP-1, Pigtronix Disnortion

2nd to Back Row: EHX Steel Leather, Switchbox, Guyatone TZ-2, Boss SYB-3, B K Butler Real Tube Blue Tube, Dwarfcraft Stopping Double Square Snakes, Malekko B:Assmaster, EHX Frequency Analyzer

2nd to Front Row: Guyatone FL-3, CAE/MXR Boost/Overdrive, USA EHX Bassballs, Dwarfcraft The Great Destroyer, Boss OD-1, EHX Russian Sovtek Big Muff, EHX POG

Front Row: EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Maxon AD999 Analog Delay, Sansamp Programmable Bass Di, EHX Octave Multiplexer, EHX Stereo Polyphase, Chunk Systems Agent OOFunk

Other board

http://i27.tinypic.com/333ltgz.jpg

Back Row: Boss TU-2, Boss OC-3, MXR M-188 Bass Auto Q, Empress Tremelo, Sansamp Para Driver Di

Front Row: Xotic BB Bass Preamp, Guyatone MD-2, MXR EVH Phase 90, Maxon Overdrive OD808, Zvex Woolly Mammoth, Tech 21 Boost D.L.A, Line 6 Verbzilla

Synths and Circuit Bent

Octave Cat

http://i31.tinypic.com/15hlfn9.jpg

Casio SK-1
Glitchmachines SK-1
Glitchmachines Syntax Cataract

http://i32.tinypic.com/332rvab.jpg

Prophet '08
Alesis Ion (my biggest not-so-secret weapon)

http://i27.tinypic.com/11bomlc.jpg

SH-101

http://i25.tinypic.com/168s9x0.jpg

Not pictured: Korg MS-2000, MicroKorg

Lists of other gear used - From Bass Player Magazine

Amps & Cabinets
Ampeg B-15R flip-top tube combo
Ampeg B100R solid-state combo
Ampeg SVT tube head
Ampeg SVT-810 cabinet
Aguilar GS 112 cabinet
Mesa/Boogie Walkabout amplifier
Mesa/Boogie 1x15 cabinet
SWR Redhead combo

Studio Rack
API 560 graphic EQ
API 525 compressor
API 312 mic preamp/DI
Empirical Labs Distressor compressor
Line 6 Bass PODxt Pro
Moog Three-Band Parametric EQ
MXR M-80 Bass DI+
Tech 21 SansAmp Bass RBI

Enjoy

Holy pedals Batman!

Added a new pic with the Starfire and moved some things around so the match the pictures better

Added some info on "Other basses" that I found over at Bass Player

Here's a few more gear pics I found from http://www.gibsonbass.com:


http://www.gibsonbass.com/graphics/JMJ7.jpg

Gibson RD Artist, Guild B301, Starfire, Fender Jazz and 1979 Wal Pro IIE



http://www.gibsonbass.com/graphics/JMJ2.jpg

Ebony Ripper and late 90s natural Thunderbird



http://www.gibsonbass.com/graphics/JMJ5.jpg

1969 and 1974 Ampeg B-15's



http://www.gibsonbass.com/graphics/JMJ8.jpg

Wal, Fender, Guild, Gibson, Rickenbacker, Hofner, etc, etc

http://www.gibsonbass.com/graphics/JMJ5.jpg

That's the hottest picture of the bunch! I WILL have one of those 70's B-15N's by the end of next month! My wife went way over-budget on our new house, so I no longer feel bad when I buy new gear that I don't really need ;)

Justin, Do you still have a Fano Rhythmstar bass? I'm a big XTC fan, especially Colin Moulding's bass playing. He played a Fano and a Vox Apollo on their last albums and read your review of a Fano also. Figuring out what Colin played caused me to buy a Wal long before they became unobtainable.

Justin, Do you still have a Fano Rhythmstar bass? I'm a big XTC fan, especially Colin Moulding's bass playing. He played a Fano and a Vox Apollo on their last albums and read your review of a Fano also. Figuring out what Colin played caused me to buy a Wal long before they became unobtainable.

I have a Fano Rhythmstar, yes. It's pretty damn cool, I don't play it enough. Sounds great, plays so easy. Great midrange voice.

JMJ

with the amount of gear you have, im sure lots of basses dont get enough attention =p
man i wish i had that life

with the amount of gear you have, im sure lots of basses dont get enough attention =p
man i wish i had that life
Dude, I went over 15 years playing professionally with only one bass because it was all I could afford. You can only play one at a time. Yeah, it's fun now to own a few basses for variety, but owning a buttload of basses won't make or break you. People hire Justin for his playing first.

oh yes. by life i mean the talent as well =p

Dude, I went over 15 years playing professionally with only one bass because it was all I could afford. You can only play one at a time. Yeah, it's fun now to own a few basses for variety, but owning a buttload of basses won't make or break you. People hire Justin for his playing first.

+1. No one cares about my bass collection but me. Rick Rubin or the Dust Brothers or Butch Vig don't bat an eye when they see cartage rolling in with three giant trunks. It's actually pretty standard for myself and my peers. I do have too many basses, and mostly, let's get real, they are not really that important. I could get by with two or three if needed, butthat'snevergonnahappensogivememylaptopbacktoIca ngolookonebay!!!!!!!!!!
:D

Seriously though, there are some clients who hire me because I HAVE specific basses. One guy loves my Ricky, another T-Birds, another wants my whole collection of hollow bodies and junkers over there when I do a session.

JMJ

Well at least you can justify them because its your living. I have no reason to have more than one (ok, two) other than my ocd-ish short attention span, crow like tendencies. Look! Something Shiny!

Hopefully my wife will believe they are a good investment a while longer.

butthat'snevergonnahappensogivememylaptopbacktoIca ngolookonebay


This is the best word ever made up

Rick Rubin or the Dust Brothers or Butch Vig don't bat an eye when they see cartage rolling in with three giant trunks. It's actually pretty standard for myself and my peers.

What do you do, bring a cargo-van to recording sessions? (This is a serious question. ;))

This is the best word ever made up
It's so good that I'm going to steal it and use it when he's not looking ;)

It's so good that I'm going to steal it and use it when he's not looking ;)

Really? Of all the things you could steal from JMJ when he's not looking you're going to take a word? :eek::eyebrow::confused:






:D

yeah. now if i lived around him =p...

What do you do, bring a cargo-van to recording sessions? (This is a serious question. ;))

I use a cartage company. Most of my gear is stored there, too.

http://loncohen.com/storageframe.html

I was wondering whether you do all maintenance on your basses yourself. That's that question answered - thanks.

Wish I had a bass butler. Or the need for a bass butler.

I use a cartage company. Most of my gear is stored there, too.

http://loncohen.com/storageframe.html

That place is amazing, and what a lifesaver for guys who DON'T own all those cool basses, but find themselves in a situaton where you know you better show up with that Hofner or whatever to cover the . . .basses:) A great array of rental axes. His rates are super reasonable--he could charge more.

I use a cartage company. Most of my gear is stored there, too.

http://loncohen.com/storageframe.html

I had no idea such a place existed. Man I am sheltered... :rollno:

That place is amazing, and what a lifesaver for guys who DON'T own all those cool basses, but find themselves in a situaton where you know you better show up with that Hofner or whatever to cover the . . .basses:) A great array of rental axes. His rates are super reasonable--he could charge more.

Lon's the best in town. And I've brought him several noteworthy clients...he deals mostly in bassists and guitarists, but also does storage/cartage for producers, drummers, touring bands, etc.

JMJ

Say Justin, do you know of/recommend anybody in NYC providing a similar instrument rental/cartage service?

Yo justin.. what's that silver and black piece of gear in your ima robot rack above the two ampegs?

Ilove your gibson ripper - they look and sound awesome!

I don't know who does cartage in New York, but I'm sure a quick Google search will yield at least some results. It would be worth asking other pro players there. When I'm there and need something, I usually just rent from S.I.R.

That thing in the rack is a crappy Behringer EQ. Since banished from my world. :-)

JMJ

haha - I just got hold of a second hand behringer rack compressor.. thought it looked familiar!! Im not expecting too much from it haha!

Do you use rack compressors much? It said in the original post you had some in your rack u were experimenting with?

haha - I just got hold of a second hand behringer rack compressor.. thought it looked familiar!! Im not expecting too much from it haha!

Do you use rack compressors much? It said in the original post you had some in your rack u were experimenting with?

Live compression on my bass rig doesn't work for me. I've tried several, but it just didn't suit what I want it to sound like. I like hearing that monster breathe.

JMJ

Justin, do you use any of the same distortion pedals that Silverlake-based "Secular Doom Fusion" artists JESUS FIST (http://www.myspace.com/jesusfist666) use?

This electric bass/laptop duo conjures up Satan on several occasions on these free "Jesus Fist Tapes (http://www.ruinerseverhead.com)".

Feel free to download, for free, to kids, for Satanists.

We use Metasonix, Scrotum Smashers, GI Fuzz pedals, and other things that mangle, modulate, and make people angry.

See you in Silverlake!!

Cheers,

Jay
(Freetard "blacklisted" by mulletard from "cool" LA music scene by offering sick bass tracks for free via my blog (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=8491620&blogID=374100568))

Wow, that sounds alluring. But no, I don't have any of those pedals, should check 'em out sometime. Thanks, Jay.

JMJ

Live garage mangling and reamping, courtesy of RUINER SEVERHEAD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVNvqDXshfs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEO2cb6sTPc&feature=related

We used quite a few of these pedals on my "Jesus Fist Studies" record that we just tracked in San Francisco.

The main problem with some of these pedals is cost-effectiveness and size. It's difficult to slip a $500.00, 10 lb. oversized Metasonix pedal into a gig bag for a Beck acoustic show in LA. LOL! But, yeah, you should definitely sneak it in. :)



Wow, that sounds alluring. But no, I don't have any of those pedals, should check 'em out sometime. Thanks, Jay.

JMJ

Kind of a spin off from you post on the Jack Casady thread, do you find that you are using flatswounds or roundwounds on most of your basses? ;)

Half and half. I have a P with flats, then a similar one with rounds. I have a J with flats, and a similar one with rounds. A ripper with flats, a ripper with rounds. An RD Artist with flats, an identical twin with rounds. 2 starfires with flats, one with rounds. Other basses with ancient rounds that I'll never change, 'cuz they sound so funky.

JMJ

Justin,

Do you have an opinion on Warwick basses? If so, i'd love to hear thoughts. I didnt see any Warwicks listed in your arsenal...

Thanks, jk

Do you prefer your MXR M-80 or your Sansamp Para Driver Di?

Warwick basses? I'm sure they're quite well-crafted, but that's pretty distantly removed from my style of instrument. Wrong look and wrong tone for me. I touched one once...felt nice with that oiled plain wood finish.

I like the MXR M-80 for a straight DI, 'cuz I prefer the EQ. Para Driver has sick amp modeling, as well as decent eq. Para Driver might win because the sans amp tone is in there.

JMJ

I like the MXR M-80 for a straight DI, 'cuz I prefer the EQ. Para Driver has sick amp modeling, as well as decent eq. Para Driver might win because the sans amp tone is in there.

JMJ

Hi Justin, I see from the pictures of your pedalboard that you boost the mids on the MXR. Is that to help the distortion cut through if you use it? When you use it as a straight DI do you use the EQ and color button much? You seem to have plenty of other tone shaping options.

Thanks

Half and half. I have a P with flats, then a similar one with rounds. I have a J with flats, and a similar one with rounds. A ripper with flats, a ripper with rounds. An RD Artist with flats, an identical twin with rounds. 2 starfires with flats, one with rounds. Other basses with ancient rounds that I'll never change, 'cuz they sound so funky.

JMJ

I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes some funky old rounds! I've got some ancient GHS boomers that rock my world.

Hi Justin, I saw a DunlopTV - Bass Player Live! 2006 vid recently where you say you use two MXR M80's, one for a straight DI as you say above and one for distortion. Do you use the first one as a straight DI, with no eq? The distortion has a bit of a love/hate thing with people on TB so good to hear you're using it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iatcMvCXTM

Interesting viewing, thanks

Beck actually really likes the sound of the M80 distortion, I'm not as much as a fan. That was the one part of the tone of that box which I told them I didn't like when they were doing R&D. I find it too grainy. The way it was set for him was just a tiny bit of it added to the blend.

The clean one has a bass and mid boost of about 2-3 db on the EQ. The EQ on that pedal really shines, I feel.

JMJ

The clean one has a bass and mid boost of about 2-3 db on the EQ. The EQ on that pedal really shines, I feel.
JMJ

I agree, the EQ is very transparent as long as you don't use the color button. It sounds like you don't on the clean channel I presume.

:cool:

Justin,
See you have a Traynor YB-1 Head for recording.

I have a 50 watt version of this.

These a very underrated recording heads.
I love there tone.

Can you remember any songs you have used this head while recording?

I love the Traynor BassMaster heads, yes. I've used it a bit, not sure what records, too hard to remember.

JMJ

JMJ!!!

Shame on you!

you've been holding out on us.

Please won't someone get us a clearer shot of Justin's custom Fender Jag Bass as seen here in NIN "mood lighting"

http://www.frcphotos.com/showimage.php?cat=193&mode=big&img=1397

there is a better photo and some info in the bass player magazine article, fyi

Right now, it's only played live on two songs, so it's an elusive thing to photograph!

JMJ

Hi Justin,

Do you engage the Color button when using the MXR M80 or do you find the mid scoop a bit overpowering?

I don't use...too much scoop, and brightens it up in a way I don't like.

How often do you buy new gear? Basses, amps, pedals etc.

Not too often any more, I have too much stuff. Pedals are more often than basses, basses more often than amps.

Hey Justin.

How do you like the Line 6 Bass Pod XT Pro? Have you tested it live?

You see I do not have the drivers license and cant take with me big pedalboards and stuff, so its kinda problematic to take with me a cab, head and pedalboard, so I wonder i the Bass Pod XT Pro is something you will say its ok live, it doesent have to be great! just ok ;)


- Mathias