Berry Oakley- what a stud

bencwalker · #1 02-22-2009, 05:27 PM

I was just jamming along to Whipping Post and "In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed" (two of my favorite songs, by the way) and it kindled some newfound respect for this cat. The way he just melodically anchors the band whilst Greg and Dickey furiously solo is just so tight.

I know he used a jazz with two jazz pickups at the bridge and a humbucker near the neck, but is it possible to achieve that tone with a standard jazz bass? How can I EQ to sound like Berry? Thanks

But I can't get enough of the Allman Brothers now- all the bass (in fact, all instruments) are just KILLER.

Feel free to use this thread to discuss Berry Oakley's tone/basslines/music/etc.

Cheers

Jim Carr · #2 02-22-2009, 05:33 PM

Darkstar near the neck, IIRC. Search for "Tractor" threads.

Ps. RSguitarworks has reissues of B.O.'s Tractor. A TBer has one.

PBass101 · #3 02-22-2009, 05:37 PM

I'm a big Allman Brothers fan, and I really dig Berry Oakley. But I think people get too wound-up over "tone." Berry's was just straight bass; I doubt he boosted or dropped any frequencies over another. Just a Jazz bass with a humbucker - the "Tractor Bass" - into tube bass amps.

If you want to sound like Berry, concentrate more on style and technique that some magic formula for "tone."

Dr. Cheese · #4 02-22-2009, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBass101

I'm a big Allman Brothers fan, and I really dig Berry Oakley. But I think people get too wound-up over "tone." Berry's was just straight bass; I doubt he boosted or dropped any frequencies over another. Just a Jazz bass with a humbucker - the "Tractor Bass" - into tube bass amps.

If you want to sound like Berry, concentrate more on style and technique that some magic formula for "tone."

+1, what you play is always more important than how you sound. Whatever you play, you will get closer to his tone if you really learn his style.

bencwalker · #5 02-22-2009, 05:47 PM

Ok awesome- it's just a shame that there are so view videos that give you a good view of berry- I'll do some youtube searching in a bit, however.

I had been an Allman Brothers fan for a while, but it wasn't until recently that I realized the power and importance of his bass lines in their music.

In fact, I saw 'em a few years ago here in Milwaukee with Oteil on bass, who was pretty sweet also.

But Berry is just a complete cat- no other way to describe him.

**Chef** · #6 02-22-2009, 06:41 PM

It wasn't a humbucker, it was a Hagstom/Guild StarFire single coil.
Read more about them here:
http://www.hammoneng.com/

nortonrider · #7 02-22-2009, 06:57 PM

Yeah, a Guild PU is what I always heard. The Tractor was built by Berry and his Tech.

I'm a big ABB fan and it's a real bummer that there isn't more video of their bass players.

Those guys really liked the pick players.
Berry Oakley, David Goldflies, Allen Woody.

......Just imagine the chops required to keep up with Duane Allman and Dickey Betts - that kind of tells what kind of player Oakley was.

vinxbass · #8 02-22-2009, 07:39 PM

Berry laying it down.

bencwalker · #9 02-22-2009, 08:01 PM

Yeah, not to mention, Berry's tractor basses came in pretty badass finishes. I'm partial to his sunburst one-

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...s/BO4-9-71.jpg

Looks sick with the inlays.

bThumper38 · #10 02-22-2009, 08:16 PM

Berry is definately one of my biggest influences, and I also think it's more style than set up. If you can nail that style of playing, finding the sound is the easy part. I just recently ventured into making my own frankenjazz basses. I think i'm now hooked on Fenders for life=)

Dave R · #11 02-22-2009, 08:43 PM

Barry is under-appreciated in my view. He had a very different style from other players of his era. And still pretty unique. I don't know of anyone else who can be so melodic while still anchoring the song and keeping the groove going.

One of my favorite Barry tunes is "Blue Sky" from Eat a Peach.

jerry · #12 02-22-2009, 09:12 PM

The Allman Brothers live at the Fillmore East is like the Godfather movies, a classic that I can go back to year after year and still discover great stuff. I'm old and lucky enough to see Berry a few times, he was a huge influence on me and continues to be so.

**Chef** · #13 02-22-2009, 09:14 PM

That's one of my three fave live albums...along with Waiting for Columbus by Little Feat, and that live from NY by Franks Zappa...both bands with other great bassists.

jerry · #14 02-22-2009, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef

That's one of my three fave live albums...along with Waiting for Columbus by Little Feat, and that live from NY by Franks Zappa...both bands with other great bassists.

No argument from me on those other two either. In fact I got into Little Feat big time around '74 when the Allmans starting to fall apart, for all the same reasons I dug the Allman Bros.

nortonrider · #15 02-22-2009, 09:29 PM

I have the Allman Brothers CD in my Tascam right now. I've been playing along with it for the past few days. Blus Sky is a great jam along song.

bencwalker · #16 02-22-2009, 09:53 PM

Yeah, the entire Fillmore East album is golden. It's the kind of thing you could just set on repeat for an entire day or listen to on those long haul car rides- it just doesn't get old (for me, at least) no matter how many times I listen to it- something that can be rare in today's music.

GM60466 · #17 02-23-2009, 05:54 AM

Barry grew up around here. Even as a young gun he was the guy that every other bassist wanted to be like.

There are hundreds of basses being made with a single coil up front and two jazz bass pickups next to each other in the back. I have yet to hear one get close to Barry's vibe.

G

Ric5 · #18 02-23-2009, 06:04 AM

Part of his sound was pick playing.

bassbully · #19 02-23-2009, 09:02 AM

The guy was huge...great player who left us to early.

RickC · #20 02-23-2009, 11:21 AM

Early on, Berry was also using a blonde Guild Starfire, again with the Hagstrom "Dark Star"-style pickups. You can hear that bass on some cuts on the first ABB album.

So yeah, skill and chops and attitude have a lot to do with his sound, but it's also true that the Haggies are there on pretty much everything he recorded.

/rick