What basses do you record with and why?

[Blueszilla]

I'm sure it's been done, but let's do it again.

I'm recording with a fellow musician who has a fairly sweet setup, Mac G5, ProTools, focusrite, decent to good mics, isolation booth, all in his home. I haven't done much recording and it's like hearing myself sing. Compentent enough, but I'm my own worst critic. anyway, I'm really digging the JO5 direct, what a great tone.

Tell me your experiences and why you like certain basses and why.

[steve21]

I record with all of my (good) basses. The Ibanez SR506 is very good sounding, as is my Fender Jazz.

My Squier sounds pretty bad for some reason (wayy too bassy, it's annoying. Not even bassy so much as boomy).

[tlwaps]

I use my main bass, warwick corvette standard 5 string. I'll run direct and mic my cab at the same time and which ever sounds better i'll use. That's the way i've done it twice, first time the DI sounded better but the second time the mic sounded better.

[Woodchuck]

Sadowsky MS5 and a Godlyke 5 through an Avalon or Aguilar DB900. Great tone and prescence. Hell, the basses practically EQ themselves!

[cheezewiz]

I've recorded with a Lakland Darryl Jones, a Stingray H, a Ric 4003, and a Sadowsky R524. As far as "uneffected" sound, the Sadowsky was the best by far, with second place going to the Darryl Jones. The Stingray was a bit too bottom heavy, but I'm guessing this was how the bass was recorded (one track with a miced EA setup, and one track direct).

[jwl]

my main recording bass is a ash body, rosewood neck mia jazz. it is not too bottom heavy and has a great midrange voice. all the strings are evenly balanced volume wise and this bass has no dead spots. it can sound very bassey, but it is always clear and not overbearing. one tune i did involved alot of double stop fifths and thirds. i was going for the stanley clark tone on school days he got with his alembic. this bass nailed it direct thru my bass pod pro. but it still sounded like a fender jazz as it has more heft tone wise. imo. the reason i like this bass for recording is that the tone is sort of middle of the road. it is easy to eq one way or the other and not skewed in any one direction. the same reason i like mahogany body acoustic guitars for recording. my other main recording bass is a alder body, rosewood neck mia p bass. the reason i like this bass is because it sounds like a good p, and we all know how great they record. and this one records great. peace, jeff

[Folmeister]

Reverend Rumblefish 4. A very sweet tone.

[BassChuck]

I got a great sound with my Jazz Bass... but the neck was messed up and the intonation was off... couldn't be corrected so I sold it. I've used a BC Rich Eagle with EMG's for a lot of recording, but was never totally thrilled with the sound (sorta brittle).

Lately I've been involved with a recording project and I've been using my 4001 and really love the sound. Lots of low end without the boominess. Highs are still warm sounding without the brittle sound that I had to deal with on the BCRich.

[jrduer]

I've recorded with a Precision, a G&L Tribute L2500, a 1979 Peavey T-40, a Takamine acoustic/electric, and an Ibanez BTB405. I usually run direct, but in the past have mic'ed the cabinet.

I prefer the direct signal 99% of the time, and of these basses, I get my favorite tones with the T-40. Next in preference would be the BTB, then the Takamine, and the G&L. (Of course, the Tak has a completely different sound, and I use it for completely different reasons than either the BTB or the G&L.)

The Precision was, well, a Precision. It's great, if that's the sound you want. Sometimes I want that sound, sometimes I don't.

I'm now getting ready to record with my new Ergo EUB, and I can't wait to hear how it sounds. I love it live, but we'll see...

~John

[DemoEtc]

Jay Turser Beatle bass with Rotosound flats.

Comfortable to play on long sessions, sits nice in the mix.

[LearStevens]

Most recording sessions, Tune TWB-4. Sometimes a Kay stand-up (50's), but most always the Tune.

[Steve]

I'll take a sadowsky that covers all the Fendery tones.

I'll take a Tobias Classic that can cover all the modern tones.

Then I'll let the engineer or whoever is paying decide.

[Lazylion]

Haven't done any recording lately, but I used to do some in L.A., and everybody always liked my late-70s maple-neck Precision, usually played with a pick on new strings.
I'd love to try my Jazz on something...

[Mudfuzz]

I don't own a bass I wouldn't use on a recording, but for the most part it's my old sr 505, my 2 Pbasses , upright and EUB. Amps, my SVTCL with my MM 2X12 or my Bassman 20 [set flat] with my Alembic F1-X going into the front end, I also usually use the F1-X for direct as well, or I go into whatever tube preamp is available.

[burtonisalive]

I record with my GL Jazz Bass. Solos are recorded with my SR-500.

[markjazzbassist]

Fender MIA '75 RI Jazz, Countryman DI.

[Josh Ryan]

I spent a lot of time building a rig that I think sounds really good, so I use my GT-7 throught the rig mic'ed. AKG D112

[clanner]

My G&L l-2000 and my Ibanez sr405 sound awesome recorded direct with a little compression. record with them because I get my sound with them and the just feel right when I play them and don't match eachothers sounds, (I think I will try doubling parts on them one with one bass and then the other)

[sedan_dad]

Depends on the song really.I've used Jazz's Precision's Steinbergers and a old Mustang muted with rags.

[Dave]

Ive recorded with 3 different basses so far:

Spector Rebop 4
Lakland 55-02 with maple board
Roscoe LG-3005 - Spanish cedar/quilted maple/rosewood

Favorite is Roscoe right now, strong, even bottom, with nice mids. Its also extremely versitile, so it works well for me.