Bassists you love with tones that you would hate to have

Deluge Of Sound · #1 11-08-2007, 01:42 AM

I'm curious to see who else-if anyone-has run into the same situation: you hear a bassist and love their playing, but if you plugged in and their tone came out you'd break down and start to cry.

For me, it's Meshuggah. I absolutely love their music (esp. Catch 33) but if I found myself with Dick Lövgren's pissed-off ball bearing sound, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

I'd also like to list some metalcore bands, but I don't think I've ever actually heard a metalcore bassist.

g4string · #2 11-08-2007, 02:01 AM

I saw Andy Hess (Govt Mule) several weeks ago in Chicago. Great player........but his live tone sucked. His studio tone is pretty good.

Jaco could have some nasaly tone. However, that was his 'sound'. It's just not for me! I think Jaco's tone was extremely limited by the quality of gear being developed during his 'hay day'. Had Jaco been born 20 years later and was just now busting on the scenene he might have a completely different sound compared to what we are used to hearing. Mainly due to the abundant choices that bass players currently have regarding the many different manufacturers who produce quality gear.

capnsandwich · #3 11-08-2007, 02:42 AM

I love Billy Sheehan's playing but sometimes I listen to his stuff and I'm disgusted by the tone that's coming out. His fingers are flying but his bases are so distorted that it really doesn't do him or his bass any justice.

Sometimes I'll be listening to Bela Fleck and some of Victor Wooten's lines sound very clacky and thin. Again, another case of monster chops going down the toilet IMO.

double-muff · #4 11-08-2007, 03:10 AM

Les Claypool.

Big fan of his music but i do not think his tone would be good for Sludge/Doom

arai · #5 11-08-2007, 04:30 AM

agree with the les, sludge doom comment.
somone's going to say jaco. oops , i did. but i dont think i love him.
my one is cliff burtin. ok im not a die hard fan .but he was the reason i got an aria.( more since) mine sound sweet , his sound s#!t

Hoover · #6 11-08-2007, 08:18 AM

Stanley Clarke. Great player but jeez, who told him that was a good bass tone? He certainly gets an...uh...interesting tone, but it sounds more like a berimbau (or a rubberband strung over a cigar box) than a bass. No way I could work with that little low end foundation.

melt · #7 11-08-2007, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

Stanley Clarke. Great player but jeez, who told him that was a good bass tone? He certainly gets an...uh...interesting tone, but it sounds more like a berimbau (or a rubberband strung over a cigar box) than a bass. No way I could work with that little low end foundation.

Stanley has one of my all time favourite tones. Admittedly I wouldn't use his tone in my band but then he fulfills a rather different role, and IMHO his tone suits his style and role perfectly. Saw him recently, he played one note and that was it for me.

I'm also not a big fan of Victor's tone, Billy Sheehan's or Marcus Miller's. Great players all, but their tone just doesn't do it for me. Not overly keen on Jaco's either, other than for soloing.

Dr. Cheese · #8 11-08-2007, 09:55 AM

I don't much care for Steve Swallow's tone, but he is a phenomenal player.

jel · #9 11-08-2007, 10:00 AM

Chris Wood (Medeski, Martin and Wood) is probably my favourite player around at the moment but his electric tone just doesn't do it for me the same way his upright does.

Methinks the man doth need some flats.

Would'e? · #10 11-08-2007, 10:04 AM

Geezer.

I love, love, love his playing. But his tone is way too round and warm for me. I prefer something more along the lines of Justin Chancellor or Frank Bello for tone.

RL6 · #11 11-08-2007, 12:04 PM

Jonas Hellborg is one of my favourite bass players. But I wouldn't want to have his tone, even if I could... Same thing with Matt Garrison: also one of my favourite bass players and yet, I don't find his tone particularly appealing. In fact I really don't like it, most of the time, but I really like the music he does. Currently I have Improvision on heavy rotation... wow! I can't get enough of it.

The reverse is also an interesting question: tone you like, but music you don't care for. For me, Marcus Miller comes to mind immediately. Magnificent tone (extremely competent musician, no discussion there) and yet.. doesn't do it for me. But I wish I could sound like that - which obviously goes beyond having the same gear.

melt · #12 11-08-2007, 01:43 PM

Just goes to show, as I love Geezer's and Matt Garrison's tones, despite them being world's apart, and as I said, am not keen on Marcus's.

I always think it's fascinating to find that a tone that you love someone else thinks is terrible, and vice versa. I wonder where that comes from; possibly defined by the music you've listened to? Or does it run deeper than that? Is it inherent?

T-MOST · #13 11-08-2007, 01:44 PM

I can't get into anyone who's sound (tone as you say) irritates me. I simply would not listen enough to appreciate anything they might be playing.

pbass2 · #14 11-08-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jel

Chris Wood (Medeski, Martin and Wood) is probably my favourite player around at the moment but his electric tone just doesn't do it for me the same way his upright does.

Methinks the man doth need some flats.

I agree, except for some stuff where I believe he was using a Longhorn w/flats . ..

Chipsonfire · #15 11-08-2007, 02:15 PM

I don't care much for Wooten when he's being super fast and flashy. He sounds more like a bad drummer than a legendary bassist

That being said, I LOVE Marcus Miller and Les Claypool!

roflol · #16 11-08-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

I'm curious to see who else-if anyone-has run into the same situation: you hear a bassist and love their playing, but if you plugged in and their tone came out you'd break down and start to cry.

For me, it's Meshuggah. I absolutely love their music (esp. Catch 33) but if I found myself with Dick Lövgren's pissed-off ball bearing sound, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

I'd also like to list some metalcore bands, but I don't think I've ever actually heard a metalcore bassist.

the guitarist does all the bass on the albums so probly explains why it sounds like a train hitting a wall

dougness · #17 11-08-2007, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I don't much care for Steve Swallow's tone, but he is a phenomenal player.

+1 Swallow is so highly regarded, but I don't get his tone at all. It's mushy and has no focus or punch.

John Patittucci. I don't like his electric tone. Actually, I prefer his upright playing and totally dig that tone, but his electric tone doesn't work for me.

nasaldischarges · #18 11-08-2007, 06:35 PM

steve harris, his tone sucks. same for frank bello, and duff mckagan. chris squire, jaco, billy sheehan. james jamerson, bill dickens, victor wooten, the guy from foghat, upright bass players, etc. all their tone sucks.

the only way to get good tone is to play a washtub with a stick and a string, through a behringer head with the treble all the way up, no mids or bass, but use the ultrabass and crank that, gain to eleven and master to 3.

anyone who doesnt use this configuration sucks.

Waspinators · #19 11-08-2007, 06:41 PM

Hey another Meshuggah fan! I've been wanting to figure out how to get that tone, it's almost like Rex Brown's tone only a little heavier.

As for me, I'd have to say Steve Harris. I love the way his P-bass sounds, but I wouldn't know what to do with that sound.

funkalicious101 · #20 11-08-2007, 06:48 PM

Jaco's tone sounds way to floppy for me... like his strings are rubber or something.

And I cant say that I like the pizzicato tone of upright basses form the most part. love it with a bow though.