Robert DeLeo/Stone Temple Pilots

Nasnederis · #1 10-13-2008, 09:37 PM

I can't believe nobody talks about this great bassist. Robert DeLeo has an amazing tone, he is my favourite rock bass player that came out in the 90s. He always uses flatwounds strings and has all the James Jamerson and the John Paul Jones influence, besides he is an amazin songwriter. Please check his tone on "Pruno", "Black Again", "Church on Tuesday", "I Got You" and many more.

Aumakua · #2 10-14-2008, 01:07 AM

+1 here, I love the Jamerson vibe he puts into the context of a hard rock group. I dug his playing as a bassist years before I ever learned to play an instrument or had much concern for any aspect of the music besides vocals!
His material on Tiny Music in particular has a ton of character ... love that album.

fastback · #3 10-14-2008, 01:21 AM

one of my favourite bassists too.. great musician and songwriter

tapp01 · #4 10-14-2008, 01:21 AM

+1 on a great player.

STP influenced me as a teenager more than anyone else and alot of it had to do with Robert. Just heard "Big Empty" this weekend and was not only taken back to high school but also amazed with his tasteful playing. Great band all around (the DeLeo parents obviously had the right idea with their kids). And I agree, Tiny Music really charted new territory for him and his bandmates.

Fendr1320 · #5 10-16-2008, 02:20 PM

Agreed, I've always loved his bass lines, songwriting, and tone. STP, AOA both.

I've wondered how he gets his tone though, and I know the basic gear he uses but I suspect it's something more in the way he plays or his technique. He plays P/J and Jazz setups, and he plays with his fingers (early on I assumed he played with a pick because how much attack there was), and I know there's some distortion/overdrive in there sometimes. Maybe there is a piece of gear that he uses that is key, I don't know.

Is there anything unusual about the way he plays to get that attack? I've tried just playing harder, but that doesn't get it. I've messed with the EQ on my amp (I have 9-band on my head, and I thought boosting the high mids would get me closer but it just gets "clacky"). I use a P-Lyte, a StingRay and a Jazz.

Anyone more familiar with DeLeo and his playing style who can offer some insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ihateusernames · #6 10-16-2008, 02:26 PM

He gets about as much mention as his bands do. DeLeo is one of my two main influences on bass, I really enjoy his songwriting and fills. Great tone as well.

()smoke() · #7 10-16-2008, 02:34 PM

yep, i always like to hear his lines

DaLaklandGroove · #8 10-16-2008, 02:37 PM

+1 He is way under talked about. I have always loved his basslines. He's sooo tasteful in what he plays. I seen them live just a few months back and he was just phenomenal, and his tone was to die for as always. He played his Schecter P/J Basses. He used 2 different ones that night and he was using Ampeg gear. I believe 2 Ampeg SVT CL heads and 2-8x10's. I'm not sure what he was using as far as pedals and what not. Anyway, he's great!

Fendr1320 · #9 10-16-2008, 02:56 PM

Agreed, I've always loved his bass lines, songwriting, and tone. STP, AOA both.

I've wondered how he gets his tone though, and I know the basic gear he uses but I suspect it's something more in the way he plays or his technique. He plays P/J and Jazz setups, and he plays with his fingers (early on I assumed he played with a pick because how much attack there was), and I know there's some distortion/overdrive in there sometimes. Maybe there is a piece of gear that he uses that is key, I don't know.

Is there anything unusual about the way he plays to get that attack? I've tried just playing harder, but that doesn't get it. I've messed with the EQ on my amp (I have 9-band on my head, and I thought boosting the high mids would get me closer but it just gets "clacky"). I use a P-Lyte, a StingRay and a Jazz.

Anyone more familiar with DeLeo and his playing style who can offer some insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Nasnederis · #10 10-17-2008, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fendr1320

Agreed, I've always loved his bass lines, songwriting, and tone. STP, AOA both.

I've wondered how he gets his tone though, and I know the basic gear he uses but I suspect it's something more in the way he plays or his technique. He plays P/J and Jazz setups, and he plays with his fingers (early on I assumed he played with a pick because how much attack there was), and I know there's some distortion/overdrive in there sometimes. Maybe there is a piece of gear that he uses that is key, I don't know.

Is there anything unusual about the way he plays to get that attack? I've tried just playing harder, but that doesn't get it. I've messed with the EQ on my amp (I have 9-band on my head, and I thought boosting the high mids would get me closer but it just gets "clacky"). I use a P-Lyte, a StingRay and a Jazz.

Anyone more familiar with DeLeo and his playing style who can offer some insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I think the key is: Ampeg+Flats+Fingers+Incredible Taste.

KPAX · #11 10-20-2008, 08:24 AM

For STP live, he used to use SansAmp preamps, QSC poweramps and eden 4x10 and 2x10 cabs. In the studio, from Tiny Music onward, he used a marshall tube head and marshall 8x10 keyboard cab. That's how he got all that great distortion - though live he's able to closely reproduce that sound with modeling preamps. He also didn't use flats, he used SIT roundwounds.
In AOA and the STP reunion tour he's used digitech modeling preamps, same QSC poweramps and ampeg 8x10 cabs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaLaklandGroove

+1 He is way under talked about. I have always loved his basslines. He's sooo tasteful in what he plays. I seen them live just a few months back and he was just phenomenal, and his tone was to die for as always. He played his Schecter P/J Basses. He used 2 different ones that night and he was using Ampeg gear. I believe 2 Ampeg SVT CL heads and 2-8x10's. I'm not sure what he was using as far as pedals and what not. Anyway, he's great!

Nasnederis · #12 10-23-2008, 10:10 AM

Yesterday I went to see Stone Temple Pilots and Nine Inch Nails on the same show. I can´t explain how incredible the bass tone is from Mr. Deleo.

owenbiddle · #13 07-07-2009, 10:20 PM

Just saw STP here in Lansing, MI and got to meet the man. The show was amazing and it was surreal to see him play all those great lines and to get to tell him how much I've admired his writing and playing over the years.

paul_wolfe · #14 07-08-2009, 11:11 AM

He's a very underrated bassist - can't believe there are no STP bass books out there!

carneyc · #15 09-13-2009, 04:01 PM

Love how he plays around the beat, melodically, and always in the pocket! Underrated like many greats!

Wyrm74 · #16 09-13-2009, 04:14 PM

Shamefully underrated! STP is to this day, the single best live band I have ever seen. They were the tightest/best/coolest/etc, etc and I have seen a mountain of live concerts.

Deleo is a great writer, has wonderful taste, and killer tone. He should be talked about much more than he is!