Country players..

[deltadave]

Hey all!

I'm getting back into the scene and am going to be auditioning for a few established country bands soon and I am very excited.

I was hoping to see your country rigs.. amps, basses, pedals, anything... for inspiration to see what my options are as far as a new rig, which I will be springing for very soon.

I'd appreciate if you could post pics and let me know what you play.

Thanks!

Dave

[rockstarbassist]

Originals, covers, both?

The scene nowadays pretty much requires you have a 5 string with a thick tone. I did a pretty big cover country gig about 2 years ago for an 18 month stint, and used a Modulus Q5 through various Eden and Mesa rigs. If I were to do it again, I'd either use my 400+ or go for an Aguilar DB750. It just has "that" tone for the thick fundamental I like. And I always got compliments on my tone w/ the Q5. Our soundguy was on staff so he'd always boost my signal b/c it rocked so hard!

[totallyfrozen]

Do you really need a 5 string for Country?
Why?
(not a troll post; a legit question)

All the country songs that I've played and all the songs I hear on the radio (NEW songs: Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Billy Currington, Keith Urban, etc.) can all be played with a 4 string. At least it seems that way to me. I've never heard or played a country song where I've found myself hearing (or needing) any notes below an open E.

[deltadave]

Thanks for the input.. They play a lot of covers, but also write original material. I have been debating buying a 5 string as I've always played 4.. I think it makes sense to have the 5 in case its ever needed..

[Zooberwerx]

The only constants are my Acme cabs and Crest & QSC power amps. I swap amongst 4 different rack pre's and 10 five-bangers. Nobody seems to care what I use...provided I show up on time and my socks match. FWIW, my flavor-of-the-month is the Roscoe Century V...a best buy in my book.

Welcome back to the scene!

Riis

[billiam5billion]

Jazz bass, flats.

[deltadave]

I was thinking about doing a Fender V jazz but am not too familiar with what type of amp setup I should lean toward. I'm not expecting to play in stadiums and will more than likely go through a PA but I want something that will hold up on its own.

Thanks for the replies! Giving me some things to think about...

[Aaron_D]

Fender fretless Jazz, shuttle 6.0, two STL-210t's, flats

[Marginal Tom]

Fender J & P, G&L JB2 & L-2000 (all four-bangers), Little Mark Tube, EarCandy Sovereign 112.

[DavidE]

I play in a country cover band. I need a d tuner on my 4 string as lots of the tunes are in drop D.

[deltadave]

Do you play a lot of newer songs? If you dont mind me asking.. Whats your setlist look like? I am trying to learn as much as I can prior to meeting up with everyone.

Originally Posted by DavidE

I play in a country cover band. I need a d tuner on my 4 string as lots of the tunes are in drop D.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by DavidE

I play in a country cover band. I need a d tuner on my 4 string as lots of the tunes are in drop D.

I don't have one but could sure see where it would be useful.

[gm2_in_co]

Originally Posted by deltadave

Do you play a lot of newer songs? If you dont mind me asking.. Whats your setlist look like? I am trying to learn as much as I can prior to meeting up with everyone.

My band is old and alt country. A lot of songs in the key of D so it would be nice to drop to that low D.

[David1234]

I'm playing backup for a country artist. My active/neck-through 5 string basses don't really have the right tone so I'm using passive 4 strings, and missing those low notes: so I'm looking to buy a bolt-on/passive 5 to better suit the music.

[JimmyM]

i've done plenty of country on a number of different rigs, and as long as i play what i'm supposed to, it all seems to work very well.

[RustyAxe]

Well, you won't SEE my rig ... I don't take pics of it like I would family members. I'm running a GK Backline 600 (yeah, cheap ... but sounds great) to Ampeg B115 and/or Ampeg B410he cabs. Using a Fender MIM Jazz, MIM P-Bass, MIM Jazz fretless, or my 3/4 blond acoustic upright bass.

[masmasbasso]

I use a 4 string Jazz bass tuned down a whole step (DGCF) and a Precision tuned down a three half steps (C#F#BE) both with nickel rounds> pedal board> U5 > SVT and an 810.

It took me a minute to get used to the strings at that tension and I also had to make some set up adjustments. I really love the way my bass sounds tuned down. It has a nice growl and I have never really been into the way B strings sound for most things. So it works for me. Jimmie Lee Sloas also does this for all of his sessions.

[DavidE]

Originally Posted by deltadave

Do you play a lot of newer songs? If you dont mind me asking.. Whats your setlist look like? I am trying to learn as much as I can prior to meeting up with everyone.

I use the d tuner on some old (Devil Went Down To Georgia) and newer tunes (She's Country - Jason Aldeen). We do play more modern tunes than old ones, but I use the d tuner on both. Off the top of my head in addition to the above:

Garth - Calling Baton Rouge

Aldeen - Hick Town

Gretchen Wilson - Here for the Party

Montgomery Gentry - What do You Think About That

Montgomery Gentry -Gone (Like a Freight Train)

[Munjibunga]

I played in a country band for 10 years and always played 5-strings. I don't generally play 5-strings for the low notes, rather, to player higher up the fretboard. However, in country music, there are a ton of songs that have bass lines that go below low E. I used this rig more than any other for country (minus the WT-300). The bass was usually a Fender Jazz Deluxe Plus or a Lakland 55-94.

[shoot-r]

Old beat-up 4 string passive Fender jazz with round wounds.
"08" 4 string passive Fender jazz with flats.
G.K. MB2-500 head into either one or two Avatar Neo 210 cabinets.