John Deacon's Tone?

ChristianS · #1 08-10-2009, 07:53 PM

Hey guys, this is my first post and it is a pleasure to be here!

I would like to start off by asking how does John Deacon of Queen get the sound he does?

I especially like his live sounds at Wembley. Here are two videos with the best tones, in my opinion. Which I don't think it changes at all throughout that entire concert.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTrNXcurSyE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wihX1KCS-d4

Share your thoughts on how he gets that tone because I am sure it's much more than just the bass itself...I know that he uses a 67' P-Bass, maybe it has to do with his live gear?

Thanks!
-Christian

Jaymi · #2 08-10-2009, 07:58 PM

stingray or P bass....put aside the wood and the amp, the rest is in the hands...

Cheers!

ChristianS · #3 08-10-2009, 08:04 PM

He is using a 67' P-Bass there...

The sound just doesn't seem like "it's all in the hands".

-Christian

SlingBass4 · #4 08-10-2009, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaymi

stingray or P bass....put aside the wood and the amp, the rest is in the hands...

+1 - my guess: a P-Bass run direct (...and the rest is in the hands)

king_biscuit · #5 08-10-2009, 08:08 PM

I got this whole concert on DVD. I don't think Deacon ever even pics his Stingray up -- although it is in a stand behind him, presumably as a backup for his Precision. He even plays Another One Bites the Dust on the Precision.

Kink Rimson · #6 08-11-2009, 06:56 AM

Precision with flats. These Wembley clips sound very 'DI' to me, I much prefer his warmer, furry sound from the early days. But isn't that always the way?

Lady Kayri · #7 08-11-2009, 10:20 AM

I've also got the concert on DVD. While he mostly plays fingerstyle, there are a few songs in there where he is using a pick...in some cases, you can actually see one or two picks stuck into the edge of the pickguard on his P bass. Don't have my DVD handly so can't tell you just now which songs he's using a pick on.

RTL · #8 08-11-2009, 10:31 AM

John Deacon didn't use flats. It's been widely documented that he preferred Rotosound rounds.

I personally thought the bass tone on the Wembley disc(s) was absolutely horrible. His tone on the records is sublime though. One of my all-time favorite players.

zuokinis · #9 08-12-2009, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTL

John Deacon didn't use flats. It's been widely documented that he preferred Rotosound rounds.

I personally thought the bass tone on the Wembley disc(s) was absolutely horrible. His tone on the records is sublime though. One of my all-time favorite players.

He used Rotosound flats not rounds.

Hamrhed · #10 08-13-2009, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuokinis

He used Rotosound flats not rounds.

Bingo- you can see in many early pics (including a recent BP article) that he uses flats... and the sound is undeniable.

phxlbrmpf · #11 08-13-2009, 05:43 AM

I thought I read somewhere that he liked to use half rounds because they were less noisy but still had a bit of "zing". But yeah, based on how smooth his sound often is, he might well be have been using flats. "Another One Bites the Dust" is definitely a Ray strung with flats.

RTL · #12 08-13-2009, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuokinis

He used Rotosound flats not rounds.

Rotosound "Superwounds" are what he preferred. Those weren't flatwounds, were they?