Bass players who's tone/style you love, but wouldn't ever go for yourself

[MikeBass]

This is a take off of another thread about bassest who style you like but hate their tone.

So, who do you really dig, but would never go for their tone/style.

TB'r Matt Walsh (Matrok) has a MONSTER tone that's just grindy enough not to be full out distortion.
He uses a Reverand PJ thru a Trace V-Type head and some Schroeder cab.

I LOVE his tone (and playing). Just wouldn't go for that sound myself.
But man the guy is killin'.......

Here's a pic of him with that bass:

[kb9wyz]

I totally dig on Matt Freeman's tone and style. But I would not ever try to replicate it. I have a different style and tone preference. I might go for Steve Harris, though.

[BurningSkies]

Is Matrok still around? Haven't seen him in forever. Met up with him once a few years ago...super nice guy.

[benjammin420]

Flea is one of bass heros (one of the main reasons I switched over from guitar) but I'm not really that big a fan of slapping. I guess becauses its been done so much, and so well, I don't feel compelled to master it or anything.

Jack Bruce is another hero, I love his late 60s distorted tone, but I would never want that for myself

[zachoff]

Eric Wilson of Sublime. His tone rules.

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Is Matrok still around? Haven't seen him in forever. Met up with him once a few years ago...super nice guy.

He's actually the music director at the campus I play at for my church. He still gets on here, but he's been fairly busy lately. We still grab coffee every monday. I'll tell him you said hi today.

Mikebass, Matrok is also running a programmable Bass VT for everything now, and I agree.

The other two players I'd put in that group.

Rocco Prestia: his dull thud would never work with my playing but obviously kills.

Dug Pinnok: My hard rock days are done, but I can't think of anyones tone that works better with his bands music and it must be experienced live. Live it sounds like a bass and a couple of brown tone Les Pauls playing in unison, unreal.

[plangentmusic]

In general, if you like what someone's doing, you're going to like their sound -- even if it isn't for you.

A couple of exceptions where I just don't like someone's sound would be...

Victor Wooton

Gary Willis

Les Claypool

[Meddle]

I love Geezer Butler's tone on the early Sabbath albums. However that tone only has limited scope and would not work in my current musical activities.

Chris Squire's Rickenbacker tone is also awesome, but I have no need for it. I use fingerstyle as much as pick style and I doubt that bass tone would work so well with fingers.

Scott Reeder of Kyuss/Goatsnake has an awesome tone. Its like rumbling thunder with all the highs cut to reduce the handling noise (he's a rough player). It worked for Kyuss but once again I'm not sure my band would like me doing that.

[plangentmusic]

Ah...misunderstood the question. Actually, any tone would work for me depending on the situation. That's why I have nine basses.

Yeah, Squires sound isn't what you'd bring to a session or a club date. But it's awesome.

[MikeBass]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Is Matrok still around? Haven't seen him in forever. Met up with him once a few years ago...super nice guy.

Matt is still on here from time to time.
Yeah, real sweet guy.

Originally Posted by burk48237

He's actually the music director at the campus I play at for my church. He still gets on here, but he's been fairly busy lately. We still grab coffee every monday. I'll tell him you said hi today.

Mikebass, Matrok is also running a programmable Bass VT for everything now, and I agree.

The other two players I'd put in that group.

Rocco Prestia: his dull thud would never work with my playing but obviously kills.

Dug Pinnok: My hard rock days are done, but I can't think of anyones tone that works better with his bands music and it must be experienced live. Live it sounds like a bass and a couple of brown tone Les Pauls playing in unison, unreal.

I'm not surprised he's using a VT Bass to be honest.
Does he use that without his rig at KCC????

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by MikeBass

So, who do you really dig, but would never go for their tone/style.

Pretty much everyone who's style and/or tone I dig I would never go for myself; it's all about being your own self.

Plus most of the bassists whose tone/style I really dig are either A) such iconoclasts that it would just be silly to try to incorporate that into any music other than theirs; or B) chameleonic session players who blend so well as to not have a conspicuously recognizeable musical personality...in which case it would just be silly to proclaim "Check me out, I'm copping a (insert name of anonymous session chameleon here) vibe here, ain't I cool?"

[MikeBass]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Pretty much everyone who's style and/or tone I dig I would never go for myself; it's all about being your own self.

Plus most of the bassists whose tone/style I really dig are either A) such iconoclasts that it would just be silly to try to incorporate that into any music other than theirs; or B) chameleonic session players who blend so well as to not have a conspicuously recognizeable musical personality...in which case it would just be silly to proclaim "Check me out, I'm copping a (insert name of anonymous session chameleon here) vibe here, ain't I cool?"

I was waiting for someone to chime in like this......

C'mon, play along.
I would never go for that thuddy flat-wound on a Jazz Bass played with a pick sound that Joe Osborne (and so many others) gets, but I dig it.
And it would work for pretty much most of what I do really.

Me, I pride myself as sounding as generic or "Not Like Me" as I can. It keeps me working.


As for being yourself etc....the title of my thread is just that, who's style & tone do you dig, but wouldn't go for yourself?
It's really that simple.
No need to make things anymore complicated or off topic than that.

[AztecViking]

Certain things Victor Wooten does I have no desire to do myself only the guy is simply a jaw dropping player all around.

[schmig]

Scott Thunes

[gregoryisrael]

Originally Posted by Meddle

I love Geezer Butler's tone on the early Sabbath albums. However that tone only has limited scope and would not work in my current musical activities.

Chris Squire's Rickenbacker tone is also awesome, but I have no need for it. I use fingerstyle as much as pick style and I doubt that bass tone would work so well with fingers.

Scott Reeder of Kyuss/Goatsnake has an awesome tone. Its like rumbling thunder with all the highs cut to reduce the handling noise (he's a rough player). It worked for Kyuss but once again I'm not sure my band would like me doing that.

Squire's tone is the only tone I ever tried to mimic 100% (when I was a young lad of 16). Even now I love hearing it, and elements of his tone and style are still influental on mine, but sometimes he just gets obnoxious ("parts of Perpetual Change" from "Yessongs"). Like, "you need to be the bass player right now, dude!"

[brett7276]

A few come to mind for me

Billy Sheehan- love the semi overdriven thing- but I wouldn't use it - to much of sonic monster to control

Geddys Wal tone on "Presto" - I love to try to get that sound when I'm goofing around on my Wal at the house- but probably would have soundmen/bandmembers try to kill me if I used that in mix live

Michael Mannring- love the sound...can't play a fretless worth a damm and even on a fretted bass I couldn't do anything close to what that man is capable of - but he sure is inspiring to listen to...

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by MikeBass

I'm not surprised he's using a VT Bass to be honest. Does he use that without his rig at KCC????

Yeah lately, he's been going direct with the VT.

[The Mouse]

Les Claypools tone is pretty out there..

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by MikeBass

As for being yourself etc....the title of my thread is just that, who's style & tone do you dig, but wouldn't go for yourself?
It's really that simple.
No need to make things anymore complicated or off topic than that.

Right. To which I responded

Originally Posted by Hoover

Pretty much everyone who's style and/or tone I dig I would never go for myself

...so if I were to "play along" I'd have to list everyone whose style and/or tone I dig.

Tony Levin
Mick Karn
Bill Laswell
Jeff Berlin
Chris Squire
Will Lee
Anthony Jackson
Paul Jackson
Nathan East
Lee Sklar
Jimmy Johnson
Alphonso Johnson
Doug Wimbish
Mel Schacher
Steve Swallow
Myles Boisen
Paul McCartney
Jon Camp
Stanley Clarke
...can I stop now?

[MikeBass]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Right. To which I responded


...so if I were to "play along" I'd have to list everyone whose style and/or tone I dig.

Tony Levin
Mick Karn
Bill Laswell
Jeff Berlin
Chris Squire
Will Lee
Anthony Jackson
Paul Jackson
Nathan East
Lee Sklar
Jimmy Johnson
Alphonso Johnson
Doug Wimbish
Mel Schacher
Steve Swallow
Myles Boisen
Paul McCartney
Jon Camp
...can I stop now?

Ugg.......
Can't things just be simple anymore?
No need to complicate it.

You want to talk about being yourself and having your own "sound" and identity fine, but that's not what this is.
List one, two, or in your case a dozen or so and move on.
Simple.
Just giving respect to those who you dig who may not be what you normally gravitate towards.
That simple.......

And sorry, to comment on your first post, for you it's all about being your "own self".
And if that works for you. Make you happy. Brings you the kind of artistic freedom you desire, then awesome.

Having never heard you play, I may totally dig your tone/style, but woulnd't go that road myself.

I started this thread as just a light hearted way to just have friendly discussions.
Simple.