Avoiding Bass Ignorance

[zmoney682]

Hey guys, me back with one of my "braniac" questions...

So all my life as a bass player, I've been a punky player that likes to be creative with loopy lines but nothing that is too eccentric for the song (think Karl Alvarez, Matt Freeman, John Entwhistle, Matt Rubano, Dane Poppin, Andy Rourke, etc.)

My favorite type of bass to play are P basses, and I also like Sting Rays by MM.. thing is, aside from a rickenbacker and epiphone I haven't really been exposed too much to other basses, I've noodled away for hours in Guitar Center, but nothing too serious, enough for me to title my favorite type of bass a P bass...

Now I know there are many "P bass punk playing" lovers out there, so my question is, what basses (aside from P's) are great for this type of music? What are your personal preferences?

I just wanna try out some of these other basses I haven't given much of a fair chance on one of my excursions to guitar center, so please leave your opinoins!

 

[thumpbass1]

I saw a lot of punkers and rockers back in the late 70's and early 80's with Gibson Grabber basses. You can still find actual vintage ones for way less than the current, and laughably, grandly overpriced Gibson, so called limited edition reissue version.

 

[zmoney682]

I saw a lot of punkers and rockers back in the late 70's and early 80's with Gibson Grabber basses. You can still find actual vintage ones for way less than the current, and laughably, grandly overpriced Gibson, so called limited edition reissue version.

Interesting... will def have to check out the vintage, not a big fan of current gibson basses.

 

[bassteban]

Toward the end of my punk years I wailed on a Thumb BO-4. Inappropriate, perhaps- but it sure sounded sweet.

 

[Raw N Low]

Here is a great bass that will suite your needs: Ibanez Attack series

Check it out: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Your going to fall in love with it's switchable triple coil and will probably love the maple neck if you go that route.

Hope this helps. *YES IT DOES COME IN A FIVE STRING!!!*

 

[David Jayne]

Klaus Fluoride gets it done with a Jazz bass....

 

[bassteban]

Klaus Fluoride gets it done with a Jazz bass....

Fact^

 

[Spinal Tapper]

Fact^

True! So did matt rubano (you mentioned him earlier in your post)

Jazzes are awesome! Can get very bright with a pick and the tone cranked up. Also the Musicman Stingray is a great growly bass for punk/rock!

 

[Yakob]

Short scales! Musicmasters and Mustangs have always been pretty big in the punk scene (Richard Hell, Dee Dee Ramone, Fred Smith).

Jazz basses are also becoming used more widely. [EDIT: Damn beat me to it. The bassist for A Day To Remember uses a Geddy Lee, if I remember right...]

 

[Spleenface92]

I think of P bass, but yakob, you're absolutely right. Also, dee dee used a danelectro longhorn as well. Rickenbacker 4003/4001. I went through the "banned in DC" Book (featuring pics of countless DC hardcore bands from the 80's) and every third page was a Rickenbacker bass. (In black, of course)

 

[zmoney682]

Thanks for all the input! I'm gonna check em' out 8D

 

[The Bassmonkey]

This is my punk bass (although i have recently moved to more rock band wise....there are no punk bands round here...pfft, still get to use my Dean)

Its a Peavey Milestone III (Lefty) Sounds good, nice tone and i love the action on it.

I find myself doing some awesome little fills and wandering basslines!

But yeah this is my Peavey:

 

[IPA]

I am a 'punk' type player most of the time. P-Bass is my primary, Jazz bass is a close second. Sounds fantastic with a pick. I have an Epi reissue Ripper on the way, and I would love to own a hollowbody of some sort.

 

[recreate.me]

In my town, if your in a punk band you only use a Jazz bass with super bright strings, highs and mids cranked and only the bridge pickup with a pick. Its CLEAN all the way.

 

[LDonnie]

One day a J, the other a P and often a StingRay. Not much use, am I?

 

[stflbn]

In my town, if your in a punk band you only use a Jazz bass with super bright strings, highs and mids cranked and only the bridge pickup with a pick. Its CLEAN all the way.

Some city ordinance forcing it, or just following what everyone says is right?

Doesn't seem very 'punk'.

 

[Din Of Win]

I'm a punk 'lifer'. I've played many styles from pop to crust... my main bass for the last decade has been my Ibanez ATK300.

I LOVE a good P/J and my SX is a fun swap-out.

Aside from that i'd reccomend a Jazz fo sho.

Also, a HUGELY underrated and quite hip punk bass is the Mosrite/Univox/Eastwood Hi-Flyer (also check the same aesthetic'd Aria Diamond). I know a bunch of punk bassists who use those.

Univox:

Eastwood:

 

[xxfaux_punkxx]

Short scales! Musicmasters and Mustangs have always been pretty big in the punk scene (Richard Hell, Dee Dee Ramone, Fred Smith).

Jazz basses are also becoming used more widely. [EDIT: Damn beat me to it. The bassist for A Day To Remember uses a Geddy Lee, if I remember right...]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't DeDe use a white 70's Fender Squier?

 

[Burlington]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't DeDe use a white 70's Fender Squier?

They had Squiers in the 70's? I seem to remember seeing DeeDee with a Mosrite but I could be wrong.

 

[IPA]

I'm a punk 'lifer'. I've played many styles from pop to crust... my main bass for the last decade has been my Ibanez ATK300.

I LOVE a good P/J and my SX is a fun swap-out.

Aside from that i'd reccomend a Jazz fo sho.

Also, a HUGELY underrated and quite hip punk bass is the Mosrite/Univox/Eastwood Hi-Flyer (also check the same aesthetic'd Aria Diamond). I know a bunch of punk bassists who use those.

A few weeks ago I go to my local shoppe of pawn, and I see that 3 pointed headstock from a distance. I run over to it, sweet! A white Hi Flyer bass! Ugh... someone forced a jazz bass pickup in the bridge pickup cavity... the action was a mile off the board and the neck was not happy at all. Oh well. There's something I like about the Univoxes versus the Eastwood reissues... I dunno what. Maybe it's the light weight? Something feels really cool about them that the Eastwood doesn't seem to capture.