Sick Old School Bass Tone-What Kind of Bass is This?

faulknersj · #1 08-19-2010, 10:34 PM

So I love this artist (Lee Fields), and the bass player (I believe he also plays in the Menahan Street Band) just has this gorgeous tone. Does anyone know what kind of bass he is playing? Bonus points if you know definitively who he is.

Here is the Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn9cv...eature=related

TheDialog · #2 08-19-2010, 10:35 PM

Gibson Ripper

manbearpig97 · #3 08-19-2010, 10:37 PM

I think its a Gibson Ripper. But then again I could be wrong.

5string5fingers · #4 08-19-2010, 10:37 PM

looks like a gibson ripper

pause at :46

Theres two pickups.

faulknersj · #5 08-19-2010, 11:10 PM

Thanks for the input fellas. Well, i guess i am a Gibson Ripper fan. That thing looks heavy enough to surf on.

Craig_S · #6 08-19-2010, 11:14 PM

I like Ripper's too.

Greevus · #7 08-19-2010, 11:28 PM

Def a Ripper. They are not as heavy as they look. They are wide, but fairly thin. That is a jammin' ass tune btw! Great bass line too. Thanks for posting.

faulknersj · #8 08-19-2010, 11:32 PM

My pleasure man. Lee Fields and his band, 'The Expressions' should be better recognized by the music communitty than they are imo.

AMJBASS · #9 08-20-2010, 06:31 AM

Thanks for the link. They sound great. I dig the bass tone a lot too. Never had the pleasure of checking out a Gibson Ripper...

taphappy · #10 08-20-2010, 07:17 AM

Rippar! Also check out Grabber G3's, too. Justyn (Jbomb) from Thirteen/The Cover Up had one of the Gen 1 models with the sliding pickup. Did an adjustment for him once, was pretty nice - don't think the tone's exactly your goal, and the neck was a bit bulbous for me. Body's decently thin. Honkin' big frets. But the G-3 (three single coils that humbuck 1+2 2+3 or 1+2+3) may be more of your flavor if you end up shopping and can't find a Ripper.

http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/G3.php

And there's an '09 reissue of Ripper and Grabber - but they were running around $2K retail or some ridicurousness. Only 350 made of each. Dunno what they'd go for used with the "certificate of authenticity".

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Elec...pper-Bass.aspx

taphappy · #11 08-20-2010, 07:34 AM

*COUhttp://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Ripper-Ba...2842?pt=GuitarGH*

Hm? Oh. Sorry, didn't see you there.

:)

emblymouse · #12 08-20-2010, 07:43 AM

I gotta get me some Lee Fields

I saw the Menahan Street Band open for the Dap Kings and he was using that bass. He shared an old Fender 400PS rig with the other bassist. He was actually kind of the conductor, cueing breaks and setting tempos. Both bands were a breath of fresh air, minimalist funk with nary a slap or pop all night.

jwalin · #13 08-20-2010, 07:46 AM

Yep, that is a Ripper....here was mine....all maple and heavy, but not too bad...they also come in black, and I think I have seen a sunburst one before. maple or rosewood board.....long, wide, flat neck, more like a P than a J. You need long scale strings to go through the body....

faulknersj · #14 08-20-2010, 11:02 AM

Right on fellas!! I'm going to track a ripper down and see how it sounds and feels. Thanks taphappy! And emblymouse, great take man. I hope I can catch, Menahan Street Band, Lee Fields, Sharon Jones, or the Dap Kings sometime soon.

neilshane · #15 08-20-2010, 11:43 AM

Love your taste in tunes faulknersj! Dap Tone Records has some absolutely amazing stuff, especially if you're a fan of old school in the pocket solid bass playing. Super groovy!

AMJBASS · #16 08-20-2010, 11:46 AM

The Dap Tones/Kings are killer!

faulknersj · #17 08-20-2010, 11:51 AM

Cool man....I dig the Dap Tone Records stuff too. Just makes ya feel good!

dotlikeimpact · #18 08-20-2010, 04:15 PM

Wow, I didn't know Lee Fields, and I was in the whole neo-soul scene for a while. If you like that stuff, check out J.C. Brooks and the Uptown Sound. They're great, as are Eli "Paperboy" Reed (with a sick double bassist) and, of course, Mayer Hawthorne.

faulknersj · #19 08-20-2010, 04:34 PM

I love getting turned on to new goodies so thanks for the recommendations!!

getbent · #20 08-20-2010, 07:37 PM

the guy playing the Gibson Ripper with Lee Fields is Nick Movshon, he's also played with Antibalas, the Mighty Imperials, and he's all over Amy Winehouse's "Back To Black". There was a pretty good article on him (in the context of the Fela! musical) in the April 2010 issue of Bass Player.

http://www.bassplayer.com/article/ni...il-2010/110619

I got to meet Nick when my band opened for Lee Fields back in January. He absolutely tore it up with Lee. His Ripper is remarkably lightweight, and I was surprised that he plays roundwound strings (Gabe Roth/Bosco Man from the Dap-Kings too).

Check out Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens (also on Daptone), she's got former James Brown bassist Fred Thomas in her band (at least live, not sure who's on the record)