Dave Pegg Bass Tone

[Rezlax31]

Hi, I just wanted to ask if anyone could help me with how to set up my bass rig to get a sound similar to Dave Pegg's during his time with Jethro Tull. I am not new to playing the instrument but am rather clueless when it comes to settings and the like. If you have the jethro tull reunion DVD youll know what type of sound im talking about.

[Kink Rimson]

Around the Rock Island era, the good Mr Pegg was playing an early Ibanez SDGR 5-string.
On the DVD, the B string sounds noticably floppy and ill-defined.
I remember it being quite a trebly , cutting tone, with lots of picking near the bridge.

[Rezlax31]

Thanks for replying Kink Rimson Yes I suppose to achieve his sound you would need to raise the highs. Im kind of trying to get the sound he had on the clip from that dvd where they play "Songs From the Wood".

[Kozmyk]

I actually have one of Dave Pegg's pair of old Ibanez 5 Strings.
Midnight blue sparkle.
I never could identify the model number, not even Ibanez who gave it to him could help me with that info despite having the serial number....
It's the one he had defretted while still on tour.
The story I got was that Ian Anderson wanted to include a song in the set that he had written with Steve Bailey and Dave would need a fretless, fast.

It's a sweet bass with no low B problem.
The strings Dave put on it were LaBella Deeptalkin (.130" B I think, I'll check)

It has EMG J-types going through the original Ibanez PCB.
I don't know if Ibanez did this or not but there are a pair of Strat type 6-pole p/u's underneath the J-types.
I guess they're doing an Alembic style hum-cancelling job.
There's also a master volume preset pot sunk into the rear scratch plate.

I loved this bass so much I got a fretted one to match, tonally.
That one looks very Warwick like thanks to the choice of woods.
I'd love to know where I could get a truss rod cover for this cos I've lost it in the house somewhere.........

[Kozmyk]

Turns out it is a 1987/1988 SR05 model.
Identified through an Ibanez fansite.

http://ibanezrules.com/catalogs/index.htm

There's no mistaking that bridge.

[Rezlax31]

Thank you Kozmyk! You've been a big help!

[Kink Rimson]

Slightly off topic but if you're a fan of Pegg have a listen to the Fairport Convention album 'Babbacombe Lee - lot's of juicy bass goodness! Very different sound though, it's an old P bass, but great playing.

[vegas532]

Slightly off topic, but I wanted to post a great bass performance courtesy of Mr. Pegg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1RPvjlshOU

[Jools4001]

Originally Posted by Kink Rimson

Slightly off topic but if you're a fan of Pegg have a listen to the Fairport Convention album 'Babbacombe Lee - lot's of juicy bass goodness! Very different sound though, it's an old P bass, but great playing.

That was the very first album that I learned all the basslines to when I was around 13 or 14. Didn't have a bass at the time so I learned it all on a cheap classical guitar with the two highest strings cut off.

I did read an interview with Peggy once where he described his tone as 'wild dog treble'

[BIGREDSIX]

I always loved his tone on "Sloth" from the live Fairport Convention album with Sandy Denny. Just about as good as it gets AFAIC....