Paul Jackson Sound (Herbie Hancock)

[lijazz]

Does anyone know what bass/strings/amp setup, etc. Paul Jackson used on the 70s Herbie Hancock recordings? I was listening to Mr. Hands (1980 release) and was really digging Paul's sound on that album (well 4 of the 6 songs anyway, other two songs were Ron Carter and Jaco). Sounds like a P Bass w/ flats, but I am guessing.

Thanks.

[narud]

i think i read an article with him years ago where he said he used half wound strings. by then, he was also using that tele bass with hi-a pickups in it. paul's only on shiftless shuffle though. maybe your diggin' the p basses played by byron miller and freddie washington?

[miles'tone]

I know he played a 70's P-bass with a maple fingerboard on the Headhunters album. CLASSIC funk tone. The maple neck seems to give a "spank" to the sound. Also I know he uses D'addario XL rounds now - not that helpful I know - but I'd love to know what strings he was on then too.

[Timboech]

That was a standard P-base. Later in the 90´s he recorded with Mike Clark - The funk stops here. On the cover you can see a bit of his bass. On his last Funk album (which in my opinion sucks) you can see many details on the cover. There has been a lot of customizing been done.

Best albums: Flood /Hancock and V.S.O.P (2cd set, 2 funk tracks worth buying it!)

I use a Fender 75 Jazz reissue USA with a mesa boogie walkabout and had the honour to play with one of Jaco´s former drummers. We played some kind of Headhunters grooves and in combination with Fender standard strings and a Mesa Boogie Walkabout amp it sounded pretty much like what you´re looking for.

Once I had Tim Lefebvres base in my hand, a 77 P bass with the same kind of feel and sound as the 75 J reissue. There is definitive a difference to the standard Jazz in feel and sound.

I think about doing some myspace stuff. I´ll let you know as soon as it´s on. Fortunately I recorded the sessions

Do you know Fela Kuti with Ginger baker live - also a nice P sound.

There is also a headhunters album featuring Jaco - live. Still - I would go for Paul Jackson.

And the new Headhunters stuff with T.M. Stevens
I told Mike Clark that he should buy T.M. a P bass. He was playing Cort and Warwick
That sounded crap!!

May the funk be with you

[lijazz]

Originally Posted by narud

i think i read an article with him years ago where he said he used half wound strings. by then, he was also using that tele bass with hi-a pickups in it. paul's only on shiftless shuffle though. maybe your diggin' the p basses played by byron miller and freddie washington?

I didn't know that that BM and FW were on that albumn. Thanks for the info. At any rate, whomever is on the 4 tracks I speak of sounds great. Great 70s bass tones.

[ebozzz]

Originally Posted by lijazz

Great 70s bass tones.

Great bass tones, period!

[Baryonyx]

The most important thing in getting that Paul Jackson sound is to have a whole lot of funk in your fingers!

I'd really like to hear the Headhunters live album with Jaco on it, I remember reading about that!

[jumbosilverette]

Jackson's a big man. Look at how tiny that bass is in his hands. ANd he's been my favorite player since 1972 or thereabouts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFcpBB4Yy_M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXuQ9OJw4l4

Jackson's sound comes in part from his close working association with Clark; they played together before Hancock found them, in East Bay funk groups.

[jumbosilverette]

To whit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPGRiSmjf-w

[narud]

Originally Posted by Baryonyx

I'd really like to hear the Headhunters live album with Jaco on it, I remember reading about that!

youre not missing anything. as much of a genius jaco was, he didnt have anywhere near the amount of funk paul jackson has and those tunes suffer quite a bit.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by narud

by then, he was also using that tele bass with hi-a pickups in it.

This is something I've read in several interviews (though I can't find a link ATM). He says he used the P-bass live and in photo shoots, but it was really the Tele with two Hi-A pickups that he used in the studio for recording.

[Wilbyman]

Originally Posted by narud

youre not missing anything. as much of a genius jaco was, he didnt have anywhere near the amount of funk paul jackson has and those tunes suffer quite a bit.

Jaco was amazing. But he wasn't very funky and didn't really swing either. If anything I think he had great feel for latin music. I can't think of any funk bands or straightahead bands that want somebody who plays like Jaco.

W

[Timboech]

Hi guys,

finally I made a myspace page. I once had the chance to play with the former Jaco drummer Tommy Borocz (1986) during a session in september. It took me a drink (or two) to get on stage (I´m an amateur) but when he was playing I had to take a go for it. We did some kind of Old school funk.

Please listen to it and leave comments!

http://www.myspace.com/timboech

It´s the Tim & Tommy Funk groove and the Funky Sax tune. 75 reissue Jazz USA with Mesa Boogie Walkabout amp.

I played with a lot of drummers but the way he listens and reacts to the actual playing was a lot of fun. The guitarist is also great. I wished for more soloing but you know how singers are. They sometimes don´t stop!

What do we learn - Paul Jackson sounds better with... Mike Clark

[Groovy Bastard]

Originally Posted by Wilbyman

Jaco was amazing. But he wasn't very funky and didn't really swing either. If anything I think he had great feel for latin music. I can't think of any funk bands or straightahead bands that want somebody who plays like Jaco.

W

Man, you need to listen to the right Jaco recordings. One of the most swinging and funkiest players ever. Different than Paul Jackson, both super great.
Hancock's 4 A.M., Jaco + Mike Clarke, one of the most amazing tracks ever. Try to play a groove like that, never one bar the same but always always in the groove. Listen to the 1st bar of Herbie's solo, that pickup (or absence of) is unbeatable.

[LHbassist]

As in another post, where it is on here I can't quite remember....I saw The Headhunters with Return To Forever opening,(!) at Carnegie Hall, circa the first HH album. The show was pretty amazing. Paul Jackson had a mocha brown Fender P-bass with a maple neck. NOT a tele bass. I'm a total gearhead, and that's the bass he seemed to favor during the era. He was playin' through a Fender Bassman amp, pretty lightweight next to the Acoustic 370 Stanley used in the prior set. I love his playing, especially on the Thrust album, which might be inmho the funkiest album ever made!

[Bruce Lindfield]

This thread is kind of funny - in that Paul Jackson has played several different basses - I remember seeing him play a Neuser - but he always sounds like him and nobody else!!

I think his career shows how the player is more important than the gear!

[narud]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

This thread is kind of funny - in that Paul Jackson has played several different basses - I remember seeing him play a Neuser - but he always sounds like him and nobody else!!

I think his career shows how the player is more important than the gear!

well we are talking sound not style right? you can hear the difference in tone between the headhunters album and secrets just a few years later. secrets and the headuhunters album, survival of the fittest, have the spongier sound. kind of similar to the basses hes using now with musicman pickups.

[Bruce Lindfield]

It just sounds like him to me...

[Timboech]

If you look at Paul in the 70´s with his P bass there was the right sound/feeling. Now on his last records I don´t like his sound that much. The P fits his playing style best.

There is a Hancock Japan live recording featuring Marcus Miller. Playing Headhunter tunes. Very different...very good

But if you listen to the last Headhunters live double Cd... T.M. Stevens just don´t have the right sound. His time is tight, his ideas are good but it´s way to metallic. Mike complained in Vienna that T.M. is way to loud - and they have played many gigs before... In the US. they play with George Porter now. I´d like to see him. Great bass player.

On one Gov´t Mule CD/DVD they have a bunch of bass players - Paul Jackson and George Porter too!

Donald Duck Dunn has that typical P bass sound. Sweet home chicago is a classic tune. Check out Blues Brothers live in Montreux - great rhythm section stuff!

[Mojo-Man]

When I seen them then. (3 times)
Paul used the Tele-bass once. (This bass was highly modified)
And the brown P-bass with a maple neck.