Robert Sledge

[RexNFX79]

Always loved Robert Sledge's bass playing in Ben Folds Five as well as his tone. Looks like he's playing an Epi Les Paul in this clip. It also looks as though he's using an Ampeg head with some type of Orange Cab. Anybody know anything about the gear he used? I'd really like to know how he got his fuzz tone. Great stuff!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XfUlMp3t9g

[CDuff]

EXCELLENT bass player.

Back when my BFF (Ben Folds Five, not Best Friends Forever) phase was in full swing, his playing pulled me out of the 'rank beginner' level on bass and towards 'amateur'. Such fun, memorable bass lines and a tone that I loved. I think I read that he used a EHX Big Muff for his fuzz tone. He may also have been the bassist who recommended getting a crappy, el cheapo guitar distortion pedal to use as a bass fuzz.
I got one at the time and got a lovely fuzz tone out of it, much better than any dedicated bass distortion pedal I'd played.

Anyway, yes he's a great player and was inspirational to me back when I was in a band
Other than the Gibson Les Paul bass, I don't know much about his setup.

[JimmyM]

Looks like an SVT into an Orange 410 and a Marshall 412 to me.

[RexNFX79]

Originally Posted by CDuff

EXCELLENT bass player.

Back when my BFF (Ben Folds Five, not Best Friends Forever) phase was in full swing, his playing pulled me out of the 'rank beginner' level on bass and towards 'amateur'. Such fun, memorable bass lines and a tone that I loved. I think I read that he used a EHX Big Muff for his fuzz tone. He may also have been the bassist who recommended getting a crappy, el cheapo guitar distortion pedal to use as a bass fuzz.
I got one at the time and got a lovely fuzz tone out of it, much better than any dedicated bass distortion pedal I'd played.

Anyway, yes he's a great player and was inspirational to me back when I was in a band
Other than the Gibson Les Paul bass, I don't know much about his setup.

Funny that you mention the crappy distortion pedal. I ran through my college roomates old crate guitar amp a few times to get a dirty distortion for my bass. That's probably the closest I got to the Sledge tone.

[avvie]

Serious thread resurrection...

I was listening to BFF yesterday and it made me think of this guy. I was a big fan of his when he played for Toxic Popsickle in Greensboro; I still listen to their EP Friends Of Zid. At that time Sledge was the lead singer as well as bassist and was playing an Explorer bass (or Epiphone copy, don't remember which). Great exploratory band... funk, metal, African percussion and punk all rolled into one massive attack. I lived within walking distance to the Blind Tiger in Greensboro... the main local stage to see great bands. BFF played there many, many times, and I never saw them... was totally unaware of who/what they were at the time. As Ben would sing later, "...Regrets.....Regrets...."