The all inclusive... "Who has the best bass tone?"

[steamboat]

I'd have to say my favorite tones are Jack Bruce's overdriven sound (his tone on Crossroads has got to be my favorite of the sounds I've heard from him), pretty much anything done by John Paul Jones, John Entwistle- pretty much the tone I go after, and also Les Claypool's bass sounds.. particulary the Brown album.... I love it.

[NJXT]

Originally posted by Dave Siff

His name is Bakithi Kumalo.. he's from South Africa. He has a couple of solo albums out.

Thx. Do you recommend the albums ?

Originally posted by Dave Siff

Actually, I have heard of FFF.. if I'm not mistaken, I remember reading an interview with Bill Laswell where he talked about happening upon them in Paris, and eventually producing an album for them.

In fact, I believe he produced one of their albums. And Spike Lee did one of their video clip. They play a funk/rock fusion style. Love'em. Live, they have a monster sound and energy.
They have produced 4 studio albums and one live. I know they tour out of France, but not much. Though 90% of lyrics are in french (the rest in english), if you can catch them live, I strongly advice to do so. They recently change the bass player (he recorded the last album but didn't want to tour) and the new one is not that good.

[killer B]

My favorite tones would be:

Justin Chancellor-TOOL
Tony Levin
Eddie Jackson-Queensryche (especially on Promised Land)
Les Claypool
Mike Starr (original bassist for Alice In Chains)
Eric Avery -Jane's Addiction
Flea
Duff Mackagen (say what you will about G N'R but the bass sound rocked)
Steve Harris-Iron Maiden
Tim-Rage Against the Machine
And my the newest addtion to my list:
Ryan Martine from MuDvAyNe man that guy rocks!

[killer B]

Dude, I totaly forgot one of my all time favorite players and tones. Billy Gould from Faith No More. Who new Peavey gear could sound that good.

[Dave Siff]

Originally posted by NJXT

Thx. Do you recommend the albums ?

Nathaniel, I can't give you a recommendation either way, I haven't heard the albums. But if you do a search here, I think the albums have been mentioned a couple of times in other threads.

[Doug]

Originally posted by killer B
My favorite tones would be:

Eddie Jackson-Queensryche (especially on Promised Land)

Good call! Eddie's got my vote for the best tone.

Also:
-Geddy Lee-This is a no brainer.
-Billy Sheehan-An aquired taste. To hear him live and up close seals it for me.
-John Myung-When you can hear it.
-Steve Harris
-Anthony Jackson

[smoothergroover]

There are too many people out there with excellent tone to mention IMHO but that is not surprising considering that the average skill level and quality/variety of gear has increased a lot since the 1950's.

That said I do admire Melvin Gibbs for the varied tones he has produced, from clear ringing piano tones to fat, punchy, or the apocalypse. 'Come in and Burn' (Rollins Band) has good examples.

[arther daily]

tis a good topic indeed.

I would have to say in no particular order:

Flea, in the studio. I know but I cant help it, I'm a big peppers fan, it's just the energy in his playing that come through in his sound, I love it.

This guy named Silvio who plays down my local jazz club in Reading - amazing player, he pumps up the bass and has this booming, amazingly warm and fat fretless tone. Fantastic.

Larr Graham - I only have 1 of his albums, but SHOOT is he funky, his slap just booms and bounces,,, really meaty.

Bootsy.

[smoothergroover]

BTW arther where is this Jazz club in Reading? I'm only 30 mins away so I'd love to come down and check it out.

[arther daily]

Smoothgroover:

Do it mate, I guarantee you'll love it!

The place is called JWs it's on the corner of Gun St, Castle Hill, St Marys Butts and Bridge St in Reading centre.

It's not strictly a jazz club, they just have live jazz every Thursday - with different musicians.
Drums & bass, and a lead or two, trumpet, sax, tenor, hammond or whatever.

It's free to get in and they play from about 8pm till midnight. It varies from modern jazz through to real blue-note funky stuff... it's always good.

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

fave tones;
Steve Harris
Geddy Lee
Doug Pinnick (on the "Dogman" album)
Billy Sheehan (I'm not a fan of his long hair + spandex image or his guitar hero show-off stuff, but his tone's great)
Flea
Billy Gould

and less mentioned players;

Jean-Jacques Burnel (The Stranglers) P-bass, pick + distortion esp. on "The Raven" and "La Folie" albums.
Simon Gallup (The Cure- jangly hollow EB-2 and Stingray sounds on "Disintegration" and "Wish", chorused Stingray and P-bass)
Colin Moulding (XTC, esp. on the "Black Sea" album)
David Ellefson (Megadeth- the Jackson tone on "Rust in Peace" and "Countdown to Extinction")
Jason Newsted- The Black album and "Load"
Rex Brown (Pantera)



[Edited by The Mock Turtle Regulator on 02-10-2001 at 10:09 AM]

[smoothergroover]

Originally posted by The Mock Turtle Regulator
fave tones;
....Rex Brown (Pantera)

A fair one Turtle, but on their first few albums you can't really hear him because is must-cut-mids sound is drowned out by Dimebag's powerchords/whammy madness. Is he more audible live? Are the albums badly engineered or is that tone his choice?

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

yeah, I don't like Terry Date's production in general on Pantera's albums or on Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, where the snare and the bass drum sound exactly the same, but Rex's tone, where it isn't buried under the guitars and you can hear it is pretty good IMHO.
I don't think the Stingray was the right bass to use for this sort of music (on "Vulgar Display Of Power")- more high mids are needed- he got a much better sound (from a Spector NS2) on "Far Beyond Driven".

[Wes I AM]

Sam Rivers from Limp Bizkit on the first album. grrr

[smoothergroover]

On Vulgar Display Rex didn't sound like he was playing a 'Ray at all IMHO- if he was it certainly disproves the myth about it being a 'one sound' bass!

[Brad Johnson]

Jimmy Johnson (especially with James Taylor & David Benoit)
Randy Hope Taylor
Jimmy Haslip
Anthony Jackson (any time)
Bob Glaub (with John Fogerty)
Nathaniel Phillips
Vic, Jaco, both MM's, JJ.

[Peter McFerrin]

Anthony Jackson

Tony Levin on King Crimson's '80s albums (the clicky Stingray sound he has on the '90s ones is just a bit too cliche, IMO); also, his electric upright sound with ProjeKCt Four

Paul Jackson--classic. Oooooooooooooooold school.

Geddy Lee on Grace Under Pressure and Permanent Windows--I don't care how stupid Steinbergers look, the sound is perfect for hard rock.

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

Originally posted by smoothergroover
On Vulgar Display Rex didn't sound like he was playing a 'Ray at all IMHO- if he was it certainly disproves the myth about it being a 'one sound' bass!

......but I thought you said you couldn't really hear him
the album liner notes say he used Musicman basses, plus there's a pic of him playing a Stingray 5. at the beginning of "Walk" you can hear a typical 'Ray sound.

on one track on "Far Beyond Driven" (Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills) he's definitely using the Stingray 5.

[mchildree]

I think my favorites change frequently, but for a long time, I've continued to be amazed at Flea's tone on "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Also, John Paul Jones' tone is a biggie for me, although I wonder what it would sound like solo'ed. I have a feeling that Bonham's drums played a large part of JPJ' tone...and that is as is should be, IMO.
One guy that's lesser known who has a tone that really gets me off is John Jordan, who used to play with Chris Duarte. That guy could really fill up the space in a 3-piece format.

[smoothergroover]

Originally posted by The Mock Turtle Regulator
......but I thought you said you couldn't really hear him
the album liner notes say he used Musicman basses, plus there's a pic of him playing a Stingray 5. at the beginning of "Walk" you can hear a typical 'Ray sound.

on one track on "Far Beyond Driven" (Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills) he's definitely using the Stingray 5. [/b]

Fair one Turtle...serves me right for speaking from memory/bottom! I agree about the 'Driven track but the production on Vulgar Display...I think the Darrell brothers must have pushed the bass channel fader down when Rex wasn't looking...