Pino's fretless P-bass

RudeMood · #1 06-16-2006, 09:18 AM

I understand Pino Pallandino plays fretless P-basses. Is his Fiesta red a fretless...? Some of the songs on TRY with John Mayer sound fretless to but I read that he played the Fiesta red bass during that tour and I thought that bass was fretted.

Does anyone out there in TB land play fretless for funk/soul material?

JAUQO III-X · #2 06-16-2006, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RudeMood

Does anyone out there in TB land play fretless for funk/soul material?

I do and prefer to play a fretless in that context.

jerry · #3 06-16-2006, 09:53 AM

I'm pretty sure Pino is only playing a fretted P-bass with Mayer.

fretless Bob · #4 06-16-2006, 10:36 AM

i think that the fretless that you are talking about is his famous 1979 musicman stingray fretless.

Dave

Funkzfly · #5 06-16-2006, 12:14 PM

Nope, Pino used a fretless 1979 Musicman, famously heard on 'Where Ever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)' by Paul Young, as well as 'I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down', as well as Don Henley's 'New York Minute' and some other very famous tunes back in the 80's. He used to have to get his fretless neck replaced a lot because of the wear and tear he got from slapping it...as much as I hate the sound of slapped fretless bass, Pino pulled it off somehow...

It's only in slightly more recent years he's tried to distance himself slightly from the fretless fad of the 80's and has been using fretted P-Basses strung with flatwounds playing with the likes of D'Angelo, The Who, Dave Gilmour, Jeff Beck, etc. He did do some fretless stuff with D'Angelo, as well as using his Larry Graham Moon Basses (two of them to my knowledge, one strung with flats and the other with rounds).

Pino's Fiesta Red P-Bass is fretted. Again, to the best of my knowledge he hasn't been playing fretless with the John Mayer Trio, but I can easily find out for you.

Mojo-Man · #6 06-16-2006, 01:54 PM

JMT is all fretted bass.
Pino did use a fretless Status on some resent studio dates.

stretch80 · #7 06-16-2006, 02:02 PM

For some great Pino fretless playing, check out the Pete Townsend solo record "White City". Pino's cranked up and given a lot of space.

Once you've been playing fretless a lot, you get some phrasing in your playing that carries back over to fretted basses too. I've found that myself, anyway.

RudeMood · #8 06-16-2006, 02:07 PM

Thanks for the info guys. I've heard Townshend's White City a lot - didn't realize that was Pino. I remember some great licks in Give Blood from that album that sounded fretless - guess that was him.

bassist15 · #9 06-16-2006, 05:25 PM

Ive always heard talk about Pino and until I bought TRY! I had never acually heard him. Now I'm really starting to get into him . so for those who have a big Pino collection I would like to know what essential albums to get. So keep on talkin about his performances. Thank you

fretless Bob · #10 06-17-2006, 07:34 AM

get a best of Paul Young and the Don Henley album that has new york minute on it.

thats all i can think of righ now, im sure there is more out there

Dave

bassist15 · #11 06-17-2006, 11:35 AM

What are some the the albums he did ( on fretted or fretless) with Clapton , david Sanborn,Dave Gilmour, Jeff Beck, ect?? Im jsut trying to find alot of albums featuring Pino

jerry · #12 06-18-2006, 07:16 AM

For something a little different from Pino that shows how versatile he is, check out the late Michael Kamen's Concerto For Saxophone featuring David Sanborn. It has Pino shining in an orchestral setting.

Essexbass · #13 06-18-2006, 11:33 AM

Last night The Who did a gig at Leeds Uni which is where the classic "Live at Leeds" album was recorded in 1970.

Pino was on bass with the band last night

Haven't seen any pics from the gig as yet & the BBC news coverage from last night didn't show him, so I don't know if he was using his Pink P-Bass..

Can anyone supply info?

Cheers,
Essexbass.

tightbidness · #14 06-19-2006, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassist15

Ive always heard talk about Pino and until I bought TRY! I had never acually heard him. Now I'm really starting to get into him . so for those who have a big Pino collection I would like to know what essential albums to get. So keep on talkin about his performances. Thank you

D'Angelo's album Voodoo. Pino's feel and tone are out of sight, especially on the tune Devil's Pie. Great bass playing by Raphael Saadiq on that album as well.

dukerutledge · #15 06-19-2006, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

I do and prefer to play a fretless in that context.

I agree, I think the fretless tone matches funk/soul better (not necessarily slides and lots of vibrato though). It is deep and soulful. It sings, but has the deep vibes to keep your body moving.

pauljacksonfan · #16 06-20-2006, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tightbidness

D'Angelo's album Voodoo. Pino's feel and tone are out of sight, especially on the tune Devil's Pie. Great bass playing by Raphael Saadiq on that album as well.

Awesome album. And Pino's playing is fantastic. Unfortunatly he doesn't play devil's pie on the album. That's sequencer bass for you. My favorite cuts are Feel like making love where he has an amazing Sly Stone vibe going on, and One Mo' gin where he combines an ultra deep groove with beautiful fills in the upper register.

Also check out his work with Roy Hargrove's RH Factor (Hard groove, Strength EP) and Erykah Badu(Mama's gun).

A warning to anyone who wants to cop his neo soul chops though; he plays a vintage '63 P-bass that's tuned DGCF and a Moon Larry Graham bass tuned C#F#BE. So even though it looks like he's playing a four it ranges a whole lot lower. Results are an amazing tone and depth he'd never be able to get if he played the same notes on a five string.

tightbidness · #17 06-20-2006, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauljacksonfan

Awesome album. And Pino's playing is fantastic. Unfortunatly he doesn't play devil's pie on the album. That's sequencer bass for you. My favorite cuts are Feel like making love where he has an amazing Sly Stone vibe going on, and One Mo' gin where he combines an ultra deep groove with beautiful fills in the upper register.

Also check out his work with Roy Hargrove's RH Factor (Hard groove, Strength EP) and Erykah Badu(Mama's gun).

My mistake, Playa Playa is the tune I was thinking of from Voodoo. That rhythmic feel is amazing to me. A while back I posted here about Pino's tone on that particular song, because it's unlike anything else. The RH Factor is good stuff as well.