I saw a live vid of him using a Lakland Glaub (I assume w/flats--sounded like it) and it still sounded like Pino.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Average Man's Pino?
- Thread starter SteveC
- Start date
He has played everything, flats, rounds, TI flats, heavy La Bella's, P basses, jazz basses, Jaguars, Rays, Moon basses. It's always great. Always Pino. Always fits the music.
Where I'm from, "poor man's pino" is the latest Victorias Secret catalog you hide from your mother.
I appreciate the responses, but I'm not a fool. I know I won't sound like him with a bass purchase. I know he'd sound like him on anything.
I simply wanted to know about his bass as a starting point. I don't want to sound like him. He's an influence just like Geddy or Rocco or Jimmy or any number of players.
I don't mean to get upset but I don't need to be spoken to like a beginner or something. It happens often on here when someone asks about gear.
Rant over.
I simply wanted to know about his bass as a starting point. I don't want to sound like him. He's an influence just like Geddy or Rocco or Jimmy or any number of players.
I don't mean to get upset but I don't need to be spoken to like a beginner or something. It happens often on here when someone asks about gear.
Rant over.
The differences are probably more in how they feel. The sound, IMO, is likely to be extremely similar between various models of P-bass.
Turnaround
Commercial User
P-Bass? Are you kidding? The best Pino sound I heard was him on a MusicMan fretless.
I think you may get a P bass and put TI flats on it. If you still feel it lacks something, you may change the pickup to Fender original pickup. It would be pretty close to Pino's bass.
Look at it this way, we can't play and sound like our best players and they can't play and sound like us, our playing, tone, sound etc. is our own individual entity..
I've seen Pino play a few times over the last couple of years and he doesn't even use his Fender signature bass or the original it was patterned after. It's doubtful he plays one in the studio either. Over the years, I've spoken to two luthiers who have worked on Pino's various P-Basses and apparently they're nice vintage or CS pieces, but absolutely unremarkable and no different than similar basses that local guys own.
Honest answer to the question without the sermon - just find a good used '62 Reissue. Done.
Last edited:
Whole signature instrument thing is one big hoax. Less we play more we seek for shortcut to a promised land.
So no lecture here. Any P bass that feels good, be it a Fender, G&L or a Hondo with LaBellas. I've played a Pino Fender and it is NICE. Feels incredible. Sounded about as good as my old 63 AVRI. I would just find one you like and put the right strings on it.
Oh, and a tube amp helps. He uses Fender Super Bassman and SVT.
Oh, and a tube amp helps. He uses Fender Super Bassman and SVT.
It's interesting because Pino uses a lot of different stuff over the years. Stingray, P..etc.
I think a good starting point is a P bass. Not sure your budget but I have a classic 50s P with a maple neck and an AVRI 63 with rosewood. In all honesty, I play both a lot. There is a difference in tone due to the pickups, but it's not drastic. The AVRI pickup has a hotter output and is more agressive in the mids. The Classic 50's is more balanced. Honestly, you can go either way here. The AVRI is a little better if you are a tone down type of guy, but you can get the Classic 50s and buy the AVRI pickup for it if you wanted.
The one thing is to really think about the strings. I have TI flats and think they are amazing, but I also have chromes and I just keep going back to them. I have Chromes on both Pbasses now, simply because I love them that much. I guess my point is that while Pino indeed plays TI flats, you may prefer something else (cheaper). I also find the Chromes are better for me when I roll the tone down, but I also just love everything about their tone in general. That's just what I like, but it may be what you like too. Moral of the story, start with a cheaper set of flats and spend time on them before going big $$ on the TIs.
You can probably find a classic 50's P for under $600 and be off and running. The main thing is to spend months with each thing (pickups, strings). Don't be tempted to make changes off the bat because you may end up coming back to what you had originally. It took me about 6 month to realize I loved Chromes more than TIs.
If you want the whole relic thing then a roadworn 50s P body and various reissue parts, whatever pickup he uses and maybe a MIJ 62 RI neck, or just a body and neck relic from MJT and throw on reissue parts and whatever pickup he uses.
Pino Pallidino is just a musical soul. I have no doubt he has put in the time necessary to be as good as he is, but the man was born with that special something. He is not hearing what most of us hear, and that is why he is not playing what most of us play.
What gets you Pino's sound?
Superb taste, melodic inventiveness, many years worth of experience playing with world class musicians, and a whole lotta practice.
You won't ever sound like Pino simply by wishing - or shopping for that perfect bass.
