Who played bass on "God Only Knows?"

Dave R · #1 06-19-2009, 09:03 PM

Was it Brian Wilson, or a studio guy? Anyone know definitively?

Flippin' gorgeous bass work, whoever it was.

ShavedHippie · #2 06-19-2009, 09:06 PM

Carol Kaye?

Stickk · #3 06-19-2009, 09:06 PM

Carol Kaye on electric. Lyle Ritz on double bass.

funkytoe · #4 06-19-2009, 09:09 PM

Yep. Carol Kaye and Ray Pohlman split the electric bass duties on Pet Sounds. But Carol is credited with the track for God Only Knows.

HogieWan · #5 06-19-2009, 09:09 PM

Tim Foreman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs6tUudk-8c

R D Maynard · #6 06-19-2009, 09:56 PM

There's definitely some tic-tac happening there. CK played with a felt pick and didn't do tic-tac, as far as I know. I'd also say the fundamentals are being provided by an upright. However, as I recall BW used a standard electric, a tic-tac, (Bari guitar,) [i]and[i] an upright on the "live" version of "Good Vibrations" for the Smile video. Who knows; he could do whatever he felt like doing in the studio and usually did.

JimmyM · #7 06-19-2009, 10:21 PM

Nope, Carol never played with a felt pick, always a celluloid or plastic pick, always heavies. The tic tac is her. And Brian at that time was more of an organizer/producer, so he didn't do much playing at all on their tracks, and according to Carol, played no bass at all on Pet Sounds.

R D Maynard · #8 06-19-2009, 10:37 PM

I respectfully disagree. However, my recollection is from an interview she did with Guitar Player in the early '70's, so I can't back it up. I was just starting to play bass and went out to buy some felt picks, which is what reinforces my memory - it's not just the drugs talking.

However, if she played tic-tac, what did she play it on? That tone is too clicky for a P-Bass with period flats. I think it was Tommy Tedesco or somebody w/ a Dan-O. (On top of CK or Lyle Ritz on double bass.)

JimmyM · #9 06-19-2009, 10:49 PM

Well it isn't a true tic tac since it was done on a Precision and not one of those Fender Bass VI's or a baritone guitar. But yeah, you can take a muted Precision and plug it into a Fender guitar combo (which is what Carol used for sessions...I forget the model but it had a 410) and get that sound. Done it my own self. Don't be fooled by the Precision...it can get a lot of different sounds.

rcarraher · #10 06-20-2009, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave R

Was it Brian Wilson, or a studio guy? Anyone know definitively?

Flippin' gorgeous bass work, whoever it was.

Brian is a respectable bassist, but for the great work, Carol Kaye.

R D Maynard · #11 06-20-2009, 05:53 PM

OK, here's the real story on this: I dug out my re-issued copy of Pet Sounds, (includes both mono and stereo mixes, it's on Capitol/EMI,) which has extensive liner notes. Maybe these weren't on the original release. It says Lyle Ritz was on string bass, CK on Electric and Ray Pohlman was on the Dano.

BTW: The notes also state that Frank Marocco played accordion on this track and on "Wouldn't it be Nice." My Versatone amp, which was apparently designed by Bob Hall to be used both as a bass amp and an accordion amp, used to belong to Mr. Marocco. His name is even stenciled on the Anvil case which came with the amp. It's nice to have a material connection to the someone who was involved in the making of such great music, even though the amp was made after this recording was done.

JimmyM · #12 06-20-2009, 09:22 PM

So there really was a 6-string tic tac part on there? Hmmm...I stand corrected then...still, you can get that kind of sound out of a Precision if you add enough treble, even with flats.

R D Maynard · #13 06-20-2009, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

So there really was a 6-string tic tac part on there? Hmmm...I stand corrected then...still, you can get that kind of sound out of a Precision if you add enough treble, even with flats.

You're absolutely right on that last part. I use TI flats on my RI P and J basses and have no trouble getting that tone. If you use a medium pick it really gets that clicky sound, though it's hard to make that work in a live setting.

JimmyM · #14 06-21-2009, 01:00 AM

BTW RD, I think I figured out the reference to felt in that article about Carol. She would use a strip of felt taped on her bass to mute the strings. Still does, too. But back when I was on her forum (didn't last very long...she can be brutal), she said she always used standard heavy picks because they were integral to her pain-free picking method.

8guy · #15 06-21-2009, 09:10 AM

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B String · #16 06-21-2009, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

So there really was a 6-string tic tac part on there? Hmmm...I stand corrected then...still, you can get that kind of sound out of a Precision if you add enough treble, even with flats.

It may not have been a six string. I have a Dano bass from the
mid sixties. Single cutaway with a two octave neck. It uses
guitar tuners. Up until recently I was never able to find bass
strings that worked on it, so I used it as a Tic Tac bass using
the heaviest gauge guitar strings I could find. It worked great.