Billy Sheehan's Tone. Like or dislike?

[80'sRocker]

I first saw Billy Sheehan way back in the late 70's/early 80's in his band Talas (a semi local band at the time) and I was, as you can imagine, totally blown away!! My only problem over the years is that his sound has become empty and thinner with very little bottom end, and has that over processed bass tone. I just tried to watch a Mr. Big Farewell DVD and his bass sound was, dare I say, dreadful. A very tough listen. Still much respect to Billy's playing so please don't misread this thread. What do you think of his tone?

[NKBassman]

I have some kind of weird blues album at home that has all kinds of famous rockers getting together playing old blues tunes, and Billy's tone on a few of those songs made my jaw drop.

I hear what you're saying though. Sometimes it sounds incredibly hollow, like there's no real substance behind the notes. Other times though, it sounds great.

[jgroh]

I love his playing but Im not the biggest fan of his tone. Now, go to his website and find the audio clip of him playing Geddy's Wal in a soundcheck jam with Alex and Neil, and THAT is the tone he should have all of the time!

[Rickett Customs]

Billy loves that "Ratty" sound, so far it's worked for him....... good or bad, it's recognizable..

[NKBassman]

All the recording I've done with my Yamaha Attitude bass doesn't sound anything like the tone he normally gets, so I'm assuming it's something in his amp rig. My guess would be the Pearce preamp, based on clips I've seen of other people using them on youtube.

[Stealth]

It's the fact he's still using dual preamps and dual amps, one for the fat, deep bottom end, one for the overdriven mids and highs. Since you've got an Att, you can probably guess how diverse your sound can get if you create a completely different signal chain for each pickup's output.

I like the tone no matter the context, and I'd heard Talas, Mr. Big and his solo stuff.

[greenboy]

Sounds pretty damn right for the mix on Niacin's BLOOD SWEAT BEERS and on the LIVE IN TOKYO DVD.

[fullrangebass]

I've seen him live several times, both in concerts as well as in clinics. His tone is unique and really works for him (as well as giving him a "tonal" identity). I love his tone (esp in Niacin) but I'm nowhere close where Billy is, tone-wise.

[NKBassman]

Yeah, loved the tone on Niacin's Blood Sweat and Beers. I should probably bust that cd out again some time soon.

[Bob C]

I find his tone exciting and pleasing about half of the time. To me, sometimes it is "so-so", but not unpleasant (unpleasing?).

Some of his Mr Big stuff is really "growly". He can be "in your face" when he chooses to. The David Lee Roth material has more of a "Van Halen-y" mix.

[BassmanAd]

Billy did a cllinic at the music school I work at a couple of months ago. He used my SVT 3 Pro, IIRC the tone controls were set fairly flat but he ran the pre-amp hard and had the graphic set to a frown - mids way up and little or nothing on the bass and treble. It's definitely a difficult tone to listen to. I guess it works for the shreddy stuff he does high up on the fretboard and probably sits quite well in a mix with scooped metal guitars but out on it's own, it's pretty weird. Not really my thing but each to his own.

[greenboy]

Originally Posted by NKBassman

Yeah, loved the tone on Niacin's Blood Sweat and Beers. I should probably bust that cd out again some time soon.

Yeah, I like his tone and depth a lot more there than on his earlier career stuff. Maybe it's also because I wasn't into the hair band vocalist tendencies of that earlier incarnation either.

[NKBassman]

Originally Posted by Bob C

The David Lee Roth material has more of a "Van Halen-y" mix.

Great playing there though. Elephant Gun is probably one of my favorites. I can't remember how the tone sounds in particular, but I remember the playing on that track was wild.

[Livewire]

I honestly can't stand his tone. It's so nasally and doesn't even sound like a bass guitar most of the time. The dude's a great player, great technique, but his tone is just ugly.

[greenboy]

So you've heard the Niacin stuff?

[Ian the bassist]

Originally Posted by 80'sRocker

I first saw Billy Sheehan way back in the late 70's/early 80's in his band Talas (a semi local band at the time) and I was, as you can imagine, totally blown away!! My only problem over the years is that his sound has become empty and thinner with very little bottom end, and has that over processed bass tone. I just tried to watch a Mr. Big Farewell DVD and his bass sound was, dare I say, dreadful. A very tough listen. Still much respect to Billy's playing so please don't misread this thread. What do you think of his tone?

I always thought his tone was a hit and miss affair. Sometimes he'd get it spot on and it would have the boom factor to it as well as a nice cleanness. Others well.... Dreadful. If that makes any sense. haha. But was never a Billy Sheehan fan. I always thought his solo's were boring and had no depth. I can see his skills and think he can definately play. But for me he has no soul. On the tone issue thought I think he's gotten worse over the years. He did have nice tone with the double neck solo with Paul Gilbert last year though.

[bassplayerbob]

I have Live at the Astoria and I think he sound fits great with Vai's wall of sound.

[sobie18]

I love it!

[Stealth]

Edit: forgot to mention his Niacin stuff. The tone he gets on Gelatin is pretty much why I like it so much.

[WJGreer]

Sheehan is one of those guys whose tone is just as unique as his playing. I think it's pretty cool, although I would never try to emulate it. For better or worse - and he may not even care - a bass player with such a distinctive tone probably goes without a lot of opportunities. Figure that, if you ask Sheehan to play on your record, it will feature him whether you like it or not. So if you don't like it, you probably won't ask.

He sounds fantastic with Dennis Chambers on the Niacin records though. I can't get enough of the track "Elbow Grease."