Glenn Hughes sound

Papalampraina · #1 01-11-2011, 05:33 AM

Hello to all. I've been listening to "Sail away" by Deep Purple. It's from their "Burn" album, with Coverdale on vocals and Hughes on bass/vocals.
Can anyone guide me a bit as to decode Hughes' sound on that song?
Thanks

loendmaestro · #2 01-11-2011, 07:23 AM

I think it's a '73 Rickenbacker 4001 (see the back cover of "Made In Europe") through a Hiwatt 200.

I LOVE that bass tone as well!

Ron Plichta · #3 01-11-2011, 07:28 AM

Not so sure about the bass. If memory serves me correctly, the Ric was on loan to Hughes for the Made in Europe tour (I think it belonged to Geezer Butler). Many of the photos I saw of him from the DP era were with a Yamaha derivative of a P Bass. It sounds like he used flats and a pick.

Ron Plichta · #4 01-11-2011, 07:35 AM

On second thought, the strings may have been Rotos, but I'm pretty sure he used a P Bass or derivative most of the time.

loendmaestro · #5 01-11-2011, 07:36 AM

Ron! What's up man! Long time no see...

You may be right, but the story I heard was that Blackmore sort of "insisted" that he play a Rick initially. There's some photos of him playing some early dates with it, then he switched over to his trusty P Bass. And to me the Burn LP just sounds like a Rick.....but I've been wrong before.

I do know that his Rick is the same one Geezer played on that '78 Never Say Die tour vid. Apparently he traded a T-Bird to Glenn for it.

loendmaestro · #6 01-11-2011, 07:42 AM

And if you look through the liner notes for the 30th Anniversary edition of Burn, he's playing the Rick in all of the studio shots.

Ron Plichta · #7 01-11-2011, 07:43 AM

I could see why Blackmore would insist on a Ric, consider Roger was using one at the end of his DP days. I remember seeing the California Jam on TV and several photos of the Burn era with Glenn and a Yamaha. I could be wrong about the studio.

Papalampraina · #8 01-11-2011, 01:56 PM

So that's it? A Ric or a P with either flats or rotos and pick?
I'm already half way there, with the P, the flats and the pick.

Ron Plichta · #9 01-11-2011, 02:15 PM

The more I think about it, the sound on Burn was more remiscent of Rotos. However, the sound on Come Taste the Band seemed more in line with flats.

DR Lo Riders would probably get you in the ballpark, too. I had them on a PJ once and they were agreesive with a pick.

loendmaestro · #10 01-11-2011, 02:18 PM

I think there's always been some confusion regarding Glenn's tone. And to further complicate matters the rumor is that Made In Europe is actually the P-Bass with old concert pix featuring the Rick.

But I'm sticking with Rickenbacker 4001 on Burn & a P-Bass on everything else.

And I've never known Glenn to play flats, rounds all the way. And he always plays with a pick.

I've seen the pic Ron is talking about with a Yamaha, and that was a bass presented to him in Japan prior to a Deep Purple MKIV concert in '75 or so.

Chrisk-K · #11 01-11-2011, 02:46 PM

I'm a huge Purple fan and Hughes, IMO, has the best rock voice. Having said that I think the Purple Mk III albums have a very poorly recorded bass, especially compared to MkII albums where Glover's driving bass is prominently featured.

loendmaestro · #12 01-11-2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

I'm a huge Purple fan and Hughes, IMO, has the best rock voice. .

+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000

His tone on Come Taste The Band is pretty awesome though.

Crabby · #13 01-11-2011, 10:19 PM

I thought he played a white P-bass on the California jam show buts its been a few years since I watched that fantastic DVD.

Chrisk-K · #14 01-11-2011, 11:09 PM

He played a natural P w/ rosewood board on the Calif jam. He did wear a white suit.

PhR · #15 01-17-2011, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

Having said that I think the Purple Mk III albums have a very poorly recorded bass, especially compared to MkII albums where Glover's driving bass is prominently featured.

I'm not a big fan of Glenn's sound on "Burn" (which is a Rickenbacker and he did use it on the "Burn" tour and gradually switched to a Precision) but his sound on "Stormbringer" and especially "Come Taste The Band" is anything but poorly recorded. Martin Birch did a great job.

The Lurker · #16 01-17-2011, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

I'm a huge Purple fan and Hughes, IMO, has the best rock voice. Having said that I think the Purple Mk III albums have a very poorly recorded bass, especially compared to MkII albums where Glover's driving bass is prominently featured.

I thoroughly agree. IMO, they could have dispensed with Coverversion entirely and had Glenn sing and play both.

Crabby · #17 01-17-2011, 04:52 PM

Cmon, don't "dis" ol Dave. He's a great singer and an amazing performer to this day. He may not have penned the most memorable tunes but he has pipes!

loendmaestro · #18 01-18-2011, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lurker

IMO, they could have dispensed with Coverversion entirely and had Glenn sing and play both.

I concur.

crapusername · #19 01-19-2011, 03:02 AM

well said crabby - coverdale has definitely got the pipes!
not quite so good now, but close!

Crabby · #20 01-19-2011, 10:17 AM

He gets a bad rap as he was always compared to Robert Plant and Ian Gillan but he really is a fantastic singer. I have all the early Whitesnake albums, his early solo stuff and the DP albums he sang on and there is some really cool material in there. Some of the bass playing on those early Snake albums is really smokin too.