Are there any "popular" bassists that have never used a P?

[JimK]

Originally Posted by jerry

I don't think he was on the whole album[have to dig out the vinyl] but he killed on Brother Louie, some of my favorite playing on a pop hit, ever!

Agree...awesome, Rainey-esque.

Originally Posted by jerry

I thought in the band Sausage, Claypool used either a J-bass or P-bass. My memory is fading......

Pretty sure it's a Jazz...in the Sausage video, it's a Jazz for sure.

[NWB]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

Les Claypool is probably the only one not mentioned yet. I'm pretty sure he never used a P.

I think you have to ignore anyone who recorded with one, because it may not have been theirs. I have recorded four albums of my own stuff (back in the day) and have recorded many tracks that appeared on albums, and I'd say at least a third of 'em the engineer in the studio handed me a P bass when I walked in with everything but.

I recently recorded a song for my wedding, and the first bass line was recorded in a studio and the engineer refused to use what I wanted, my Vaccaro Gen X. So I told him I'd do it as long as he didn't charge me for the time I recorded using the P.

I went home with the files, and dubbed in my Vaccaro Gen X and using both a Hartke VXL pedal and the dry signal blended. I brought the files back the next day and finished the keys and guitar, without telling him I erased his P bass. He marvelled at how his recording was sooooooo good and how the bass just popped nice.

Then I showed him the files. He nearly crapped.

Slight diversion, but for the most part every bass player, famous or not, has been forced to record with a P because that is what most engineers are familiar with working with.

So, having said that, I would probably take this thread slightly different, and say which bassists have never used a P bass in public.

Kenny Aaronson
Graham Maby
Geddy LeeGene Simmons
et al....

Sorry man. It's been clearly established that Geddy's first bass was a P. I have the Rush documentary showing him playing it live too.

[dave64o]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

...
Kenny Aaronson
Graham Maby
Geddy Lee
Gene Simmons
et al....

I thought Graham Maby used a white Precision copy (Yamaha?) on the first couple of Joe Jackson albums. IIRC, that one sold on eBay not too long ago.

[rtslinger]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Gene Simmons.

Jimmy, Gene used a P I've seen pics of the early days in the studio and I seen it on stage on a stand back in the 70's

[CapnSev]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Roy brought up Flea...interesting story about him...I don't recall seeing him with a Precision, but he played on the Mars Volta's first album, and when he showed up, Omar the guitar player asked him if he would play Omar's Precision. And he did.

This is a good lesson for people who always whine about someone in their band wanting them to play a certain bass or amp when they'd rather play something else. Flea showed up to play on an album by relative unknowns at the time, and gave them what they wanted without argument.

About half the tunes on RHCP's first album are Flea with a P.

[iamthebassman]

Originally Posted by dave64o

I thought Graham Maby used a white Precision copy (Yamaha?) on the first couple of Joe Jackson albums. IIRC, that one sold on eBay not too long ago.

GM played an Ibanez Jazz copy on ther first JJ album.

[Bass_Thumper]

Originally Posted by JimK

Pretty sure it's a Jazz...in the Sausage video, it's a Jazz for sure.

I got to see Sausage back in the day and he was using a jazz on the tour supporting the record.

[rtslinger]

recent pix of Simmons and a Fender p

[Pj,Rj,Hj]

Mick Karn

[Zoa]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

Les Claypool is probably the only one not mentioned yet. I'm pretty sure he never used a P.

Family Man was/is a more important bassist than most mentioned on here so far, and I'm pretty sure he never used anything but a Fender Jazz.

[ripman3]

Has flea ever played a P? I don't think he has.

edit

Wow, i learned something new!

[peanutsfan1995]

Cliff Burton never used a P.

[Demon_Hunter]

Originally Posted by 5StringBlues

Not a Fender,but he has been playing a Lakland P in recent years,as stated above by iamthebassman.

Does he still get that "Chris Squire tone" with the Lakland P?

[DogBone]

Originally Posted by Demon_Hunter

Does he still get that "Chris Squire tone" with the Lakland P?

I bet he gets that "Chris Squire" tone with any of the many basses he uses.

[JMimbs]

What about Larry Graham?

[Sartori]

Lemmy, as far as I know, hasn't used one.

Justin Chancellor in Tool has used mainly Stingrays and Wals. Not sure if he's ever used a P-bass.

Cliff Burton used a borrowed P-bass for a show with Spastik Children, but that's about it. Otherwise he used a Rickenbacker, an Alembic, and a few Arias.

Sir Paul has used a jazz bass, but I don't know that I've ever seen him with a P.

Has Steve Digorgio ever used a P?

Never seen Martin Mendez with a P, either, though he might have used one a while back. I've mostly seen him with a Marcus Miller sig Jazz.

Les Claypool I've never seen with a P. Closest thing would be a Fender Jazz.

[Delberthot]

Flea used a Precision as mentioned above on the first album as well as live. If you rake around Youtube there's a video on there somewhere.

Chris Squire used a 1970 Fender telecaster bass which was a remake of the '51 Precision:

Yes – Chris squires 1970 Fender Telecaster Bass : Lot 92

[bassistjoe93]

Noel Redding maybe? I've never seem him with a P Bass.

[TRichardsbass]

I will have to ask Kenny when I see him next, but I'm sure he has been using that Ibby Roadstar II for a long, long time...

Garry Tallent I believe was missed. He started with Danelectro short and longhorns, including longhorns modified by Dan Armstrong himself, then he moved to the Music Man, then to the Guild Pilot SB-602, then to the Spector, then to the Jerry Jones, then to a vintage Fender J, yada yada.

[Roscoe East]

Originally Posted by DogBone

Sorry for the thread drift, but what bass is he holding in that Ampeg ad?