Are pick slides on a bass a thing?

[DCinDC]

And what type of pickup would give you the closest sound to a punk rock guitar pick slide?

 

[Wood and Wire]

Definitely a thing, but I don't particularly associate it with punk (on bass), more common in noise rock, sleaze core etc.

I certainly remember Jesus Lizard, Cop Shoot Cop, and Boss Hogg makin' some noise in that respect; but the band that really springs to mind as utilizing it a lot, is Girls Againt Boys.

The band features two bass players (about 50% of their material is that way, the rest is bass and keyboard).

This song begins with a full-on storm of pick slides on both basses :




This song features a lot of pick slides on the high bass, during the intro, and breaks / bridges :




This song (bass & keyboard bass) features a few basspick slides thrown in for atmospheric emphasis, over the intro, first verse, and right at the very end :




They have many more examples.


As for pickups, it really doesn't matter, so long as you have round-wound strings (ideally stainless steel, rather than nickel coated), and sufficient gain / distortion - even mudbucker pickups will work with the right tone & distortion settings.

If you really want it more guitar like, than bass; a soloed Jazz bridge pickup / Rickenbacker treble pickup in vintage mode / Bass VI bridge pickup soloed with bass choke engaged, or cheapest of all : a Wah pedal 3/4 cocked towards the toe.

But whatever you already have will work, so long as you have round-wounds & distortion.

 

[DCinDC]

Definitely a thing, but I don't particularly associate it with punk (on bass), more common in noise rock, sleaze core etc.

I certainly remember Jesus Lizard, Cop Shoot Cop, and Boss Hogg makin' some noise in that respect; but the band that really springs to mind as utilizing it a lot, is Girls Againt Boys.

The band features two bass players (about 50% of their material is that way, the rest is bass and keyboard).

This song begins with a full-on storm of pick slides on both basses :




This song features a lot of pick slides on the high bass, during the intro, and breaks / bridges :




This song (bass & keyboard bass) features a few basspick slides thrown in for atmospheric emphasis, over the intro, first verse, and right at the very end :




They have many more examples.


As for pickups, it really doesn't matter, so long as you have round-wound strings (ideally stainless steel, rather than nickel coated), and sufficient gain / distortion - even mudbucker pickups will work with the right tone & distortion settings.

If you really want it more guitar like, than bass; a soloed Jazz bridge pickup / Rickenbacker treble pickup in vintage mode / Bass VI bridge pickup soloed with bass choke engaged, or cheapest of all : a Wah pedal 3/4 cocked towards the toe.

But whatever you already have will work, so long as you have round-wounds & distortion.

thanks

Definitely a thing, but I don't particularly associate it with punk (on bass), more common in noise rock, sleaze core etc.

I certainly remember Jesus Lizard, Cop Shoot Cop, and Boss Hogg makin' some noise in that respect; but the band that really springs to mind as utilizing it a lot, is Girls Againt Boys.

The band features two bass players (about 50% of their material is that way, the rest is bass and keyboard).

This song begins with a full-on storm of pick slides on both basses :




This song features a lot of pick slides on the high bass, during the intro, and breaks / bridges :




This song (bass & keyboard bass) features a few basspick slides thrown in for atmospheric emphasis, over the intro, first verse, and right at the very end :




They have many more examples.


As for pickups, it really doesn't matter, so long as you have round-wound strings (ideally stainless steel, rather than nickel coated), and sufficient gain / distortion - even mudbucker pickups will work with the right tone & distortion settings.

If you really want it more guitar like, than bass; a soloed Jazz bridge pickup / Rickenbacker treble pickup in vintage mode / Bass VI bridge pickup soloed with bass choke engaged, or cheapest of all : a Wah pedal 3/4 cocked towards the toe.

But whatever you already have will work, so long as you have round-wounds & distortion.

Thanks. Any recs for bands with lots of distorted bass I could check out?

 

[jeff62]

Yeah! Pick slides on flats…. Whoosssshhhhh!

 

[Iristone]

I've not really heard it, but why don't you develop it into your own style?

 

[Citizen Nara]

thanks

Thanks. Any recs for bands with lots of distorted bass I could check out?

At 1:14 I pick slide, but yes, it wouldn't be that audible without the ugly distortion.

Kudos for GVSB @Wood and Wire , and to stay in the same era and vibe I will recommend Cop Shoot Cop

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Yeah! Pick slides on flats…. Whoosssshhhhh!

Unless it's Roto 77 flats, as demonstrated by Roger Waters in the Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii film (I won't tell you where exactly though, because the whole film is a CLASSIC in rock history that should be enjoyed in it's entire length!).

 

[2thAche]

Rounds and alot of OD/ compression like that style of guitar using pick slides.

 

[brianrost]

I bought a six-pack of these in the early 80s and I’m still on the first one. Copper doesn’t wear like celluloid and delrin

Definitely the best pick for metal

 

[BuddhaFingas]

What is this mysterious "pick" you speak of?

 

[Killing Floor]

I wouldn't think the pickup style makes much difference. It doesn't make much difference on my Strat or LP. Just gun it and see what you like.

 

[monsterthompson]

Peter Steele has entered the chat.
He did them quite a bit in Type O Negative.

 

[J Wilson]

It is if you can make it work where you want it.

 

[Tommy Sparks]

A heavy pick works best for me. Not that I slid often.
I use a heavy pick normally.
About 85% of my playing is with a pick.

 

[MDBass]

And what type of pickup would give you the closest sound to a punk rock guitar pick slide?

A “pick slide” on electric guitar requires running the guitar through heavy distortion, either from pedals or directly from the amplifier.

The type of pickup is largely irrelevant: to get a similar sound on an electric bass, you’ll need to run your bass through a lot of distortion.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

d what type of pickup would give you the closest sound to a punk rock guitar pick slide?

i’m thinking this is more of string/ EQ thing than a pickup thing.

 

[bucephylus]

I’ve been known to do it, if the song calls for it.

See ca. 2:35:

 

[monsterthompson]

Worth a view
Check 1:20 - 2:05 for a great EVH style demo.

 

[Chrisk-K]

Thin picks will give you the most dramatic sounds because they scratch strings far better than thick ones.

 

[andrus108]

They were a thing when I was playing bass for that industrial prog band few years, along with feedback, fuzz, phaser and delay. I tried to infuse my bass playing with years of playing guitar and adoring Jimi Hendrix..........