Great example of flatwound strings in hard rock!

[Ryan Mohr]

I thought this would be a good reference for all the people that post things like "can flats work in rock/metal?"

Not Today by Ben Kenney

That's a youtube clip of Ben Kenney's "Not Today" off of his latest album Distance and Comfort. For anyone that doesn't know him, he is the current bassist for Incubus and the former guitarist for The Roots. He also has a few solo albums.

On the song, he is playing his USA Lakland Joe Osborn (alder/RW, passive, 4-strings) The bass is loaded with Lindy Fralin single coils and strung with GHS precision flats. He is playing with a pick in between the neck and bridge pickups. As you can hear, the "passive J bass + flats + pick" yields a really percussive tone that sits very well in the mix.

[Mongo Slade]

Anyone who thinks that flatwound strings cannot be used for hard rock/heavy metal has obviously never heard of Iron Maiden.

Peace

[stflbn]

Can't hear the bass on my speakers here at the office just tons of tinny guitars.

Will have to try to check at home.

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by stflbn

Can't hear the bass on my speakers here at the office just tons of tinny guitars.

Will have to try to check at home.

Tinny? I think his guitar tone (Les Pauls through Mesas) sounds really meaty and sweet.

[Caca de Kick]

Ben Shepard of Soundgarden was another heavy rock bassist who used flats (And I think it was all the time, not just at times).

[Roda]

Phil Lynott used flats.

[J. Crawford]

Why is it that I knew this was a Kenney reference just by seeing who started the thread?

I love me some Kenney, and Incubus.

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by J. Crawford

Why is it that I knew this was a Kenney reference just by seeing who started the thread?

I love me some Kenney, and Incubus.

Haha, you can't have enough Kenney.

[madbassplaya]

hadn't heard this song before, but i really like it. i am a fan of ole benny boy in Incubus. I liked his guitar playing with The Roots too. He's a solid musician, I would be honored to play in a band with him.

[agreatheight]

Great tune, great tone too!

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

hadn't heard this song before, but i really like it. i am a fan of ole benny boy in Incubus. I liked his guitar playing with The Roots too. He's a solid musician, I would be honored to play in a band with him.

Originally Posted by agreatheight

Great tune, great tone too!

+1, his solo albums are really underrated. He sings, plays bass, plays rhythm guitar, plays lead guitar, and plays drums.