Why no P-bass in gospel?!?

[Bassmunnky]

Wow...Religion on Talkbass.

Good Lord

Why no P Basses in Gospel.

Take a look at who's writing the song and how. like Piano instead of Guitar. So, they're not afraid of keys outside the E,A,D,G realm.

Organ is a big factor in gospel, piano...and bass pedals.

Key as in Signatures are important too. Learn Bb and Eb if you want to play alot of Jazz standards. Easier for the horns.

I'm betting a Ken Smith that you can find the top Gospel Music Key, they are not going to be E, A, D and G... More Like Eb, Ab, F, C#...

So extended range makes sense for the Genre.

WWJD? Play a 5 string maybe?

[Kwesi]

This thread hasn't dipped into religion at all. Folks here in the basses forum seem to enjoy their threads being allowed to live .

[maxpayneatlarge]

The bassist at my church plays a Blacktop Jazz bass, which has precision pickups. I know if I ever play in the church band, I'll be sportin a Pbass

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by phillybass101

I'll quote myself here.
Brad does bring up a good point and I've seen where he's mentioned it before that when you see someone else with something nice, you really do not know how they acquired that really nice thing and you cannot begin to assume how they came to get it. Still though, If I own a really nice Ken Smith or a Fodera, I could trade them for 1998 Galant or something :-). I doubt if I could trade a MIM 2000 P-Bass for one. Everyone have a great weekend! And I have totally enjoyed this thread.

I said if "I own." This was not an assumption. If I own a bass (IMO) I have paid for it. You were the one to make assumptions. There is no missing data point. If I own it, it's mine. I know enough to understand that sometimes the church owns the equipment. But in this I making reference to what I could do. A boutique bass paid for or not is worth more that a MIM P-Bass, no matter who owns it. It's an asset.

More holes, Walt. I'll point out the gaping ones if you like.


There are many ways to "pay for" things, one of the most common being a credit card. You can most certainly "own" a bass free and clear on paper but still owe thousands of dollars on another piece of paper directly attributable to that purchase. This is by no means a stretch... many people "bought" things this way, particularly during the housing bubble using perceived equity.

So is a boutique bass, paid for or not worth more than a MIM P-Bass, no matter who owns it? The obvious answer should be "not necessarily". It is if you ignore how you got it and any debt attached to it. Funny thing about that is that if you owe money on it, it usually doesn't get ignored by whomever's holding the debt. Granted, they probably won't take the bass if it's not used as collateral... but that's not a given either.

Heck, I know people who've bought basses on credit, made minimum payments and ignored the fact that they paid interest for several years when figuring out what they have in a bass. That's pretty normal too. And people do think they own a car even if they're still making payments.

So I would've been making an assumption if I thought you had a bass that was completely free and clear from any debt just because you said you own it. As such I didn't make that assumption. And since you didn't say that, that data point was missing.

Not as many absolutes as you originally thought would be my guess

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by phillybass101

LOL!!!! Go head Brad.!!!!

I sold an older MIM P bass for $400. Do the math.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by phillybass101

Brad if you read your responses they too include assumptions. To be precise:If both made the same money and spent the same money on everything else but basses, player A still has the money that Player B spent on three basses.

It could be seen as an assumption if you ignore what I expanded on directly following it to support that conclusion. If you didn't ignore it and still think it's an assumption, I don't see how you got there from here... but that's cool.

Here's what I actually said in full:

"How did you come to that conclusion? If both made the same money and spent the same money on everything else but basses, player A still has the money that Player B spent on three basses. If he got them below market, he might be ahead. If he bought them new he has depreciating assets. So without all of the data, no conclusion can be drawn".

So without your edit, it's clear that I drew no conclusion and chose instead NOT to assume. Why did you leave that part out... I wrote it for a reason.

This is an assumption. But that what this is for. We all have our opinions. Mine is simply that P-Basses don't cut it for me and for all of the urban gospel songs that are on youtube that I like to listen to, not one bass player played a P-Bass. And I assume there is a reason for it. There is nothing wrong with making an assumption as long as you understand that you could be wrong and you're big enough to be respsonsible for being wrong.

I have been to religious or church based Bass Seminars where active Big Name Christian Bass Players were the instructors and with out mentioning their names I'll mention their axes.
MTD, Warrior, Skjold, Pavel, Tobias and another company that makes boutique JB copies.

Cool. My posts have not been limited to your personal tastes. IMO IME there's plenty of contemporary fingerstyle playing going on in gospel that could easily be done well with a 5 string P bass. And contrary to what many think, a player who likes P's can most definitely slap on them so I wouldn't limit this to fingerstyle either. And as I mentioned early on, there aren't a lot of low B equipped P basses around for some reason so that might contribute to this. With the "resurgence" of the P I wouldn't be surprised if that changed. One good cut on a six string P by a name player could change everything.


And finally, to point out the obvious, gospel players are no less prone to playing what people they like play than any other genre. Thinking outside of the box isn't popular... that's why there's a box and that's why you'd be outside of it.


Not trying to change your mind or question your taste, just answering the question.

[Firesalt]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Thinking outside of the box isn't popular... that's why there's a box and that's why you'd be outside of it.

That cracked me up!

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Firesalt

That cracked me up!

Just for the sake of clarity, I didn't mean him personally... I meant the person thinking outside of the box.


Can't be too clear around here.

[Brad Johnson]

Maybe the thread should be "Why no 4 string P Bass in Gospel?"

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Maybe the thread should be "Why no 4 string P Bass in Gospel?"

I think Hezekuah Walker's bassist and Tye Tribbet's brother would disagree.

[Firesalt]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Just for the sake of clarity, I didn't mean him personally... I meant the person thinking outside of the box.


Can't be too clear around here.

Oh no, I got that... it was still pretty funny as a generalization.

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Maybe the thread should be "Why no 4 string P Bass in Gospel?"

I play a 4-string PJ in church for contemporary gospel music. 80%-P, 20%-J

[3506string]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I think Hezekuah Walker's bassist and Tye Tribbet's brother would disagree.

Yup, Reggie Parker plays a 4 string Pensa, and Thad plays a 4 string Fender P lyte. I've seen Fitzgerald with a 4 string fender jazz and Alan Evans(Fred Hammond) brought a 4 string jazz to the COGIC convocation last year. I will say, however, I've seen mostly 5s, a few less 6's and very few 4's.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I think Hezekiah Walker's bassist and Tye Tribbet's brother would disagree.

You know that and I know that but...



On the OT:
I did about four hours of music yesterday between two services. I slapped for about two minutes during a section of a shout. Other than that all fingerstyle and I could've easily done it on a good 5 string. I used this instead:


Maybe I should start something?


Nah.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by 3506string

Yup, Reggie Parker plays a 4 string Pensa, and Thad plays a 4 string Fender P lyte. I've seen Fitzgerald with a 4 string fender jazz and Alan Evans(Fred Hammond) brought a 4 string jazz to the COGIC convocation last year. I will say, however, I seem mostly 5s, a few less 6's and very few 4's.

It's easier to do what others do than take your own path. My hat's off to the folks who use fours despite the "obstacles".



Contrary to what many might think, IME a good four can have a ton of low end... more than many fives and sixes.

[elavate7]

Cause for 90% of Gospel you need that low b to get those low notes that you need to reach. 4 string p basses can't do that....

[elavate7]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I think Hezekuah Walker's bassist and Tye Tribbet's brother would disagree.

And your right, 4 strings can work. I played a p bass at church numerous times and it got the job done!!!!

[Rip Topaz]

I'll be playing a P bass this Sunday at church. If you don't believe me, you can watch it online.

www.victorychurch.ws

Services at 9 & 11.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by 3506string

I will say, however, I've seen mostly 5s, a few less 6's and very few 4's.

That's not the genre necessarily. That's just the sign of the times.

5 and 6 string basses being used more than 4's apply to most music genres in the last 15 years.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by elavate7

Cause for 90% of Gospel you need that low b to get those low notes that you need to reach. 4 string p basses can't do that....

A friend of mine loaned out his four string JXB to Dr. Bobby Jones' bassist at a taping a couple of years ago. From backstage the other bassists were shocked to see it wasn't a five based on what was coming through the house.

IMO it's nowhere near 90%. It may seem like it.

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by elavate7

Cause for 90% of Gospel you need that low b to get those low notes that you need to reach. 4 string p basses can't do that....

A P bass or any 4 string bass can do it once the tuning is changed from standard. And there are bass players in gospel that do it and are very happy taking such an approach.