Gene Vincent's bassist used a single coil p(flats were all that was available back then) and I believe Jerry Lee Lewis's bassist also used one. Vintage P basses may not have been the mainstay of Rock-a-Billy, but they were certainly present.
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Bass For Rockabilly
- Thread starter KrZyJr
- Start date
Since you're not ready for a 'dog-house' bass yet, get a P style bass with flats.
Or get a a Epiphone viola bass with a stand and play it like an upright.
Or get a a Epiphone viola bass with a stand and play it like an upright.
If you're not going to go with the doghouse, a hollow-body electric with flats and a mute would be the next best thing, followed by a P with flats and mute (IMO, YMMV).
Station Wagon? Im in california and those are practically extinct here, im getting my new truck at the end of this year so im most likely picking up the Upright, i've had my eye on it for 2 years and i think its time to make that move
I have transported an upright bass in a 1960's VW Beetle. All it takes is technique and opening the passenger side window to let about 2' of the neck stick out. I can't imagine not being able to fit one in an SUV.
I'd open the passenger door, flip the seat forward and insert the bass horizontally, pin first, then rest it across the package tray in back, flip the front seat up, and either slide the nesk inside or roll down the door window to let it stick out.
All that aside, I wouldn't hesitate to use either my old P with dead flats, or my fretless P-special with tapewounds.
Definitely an upright, and it has to have some outrageous flare to it. The most memorable one I've seen was an all black upright with white binding around the body and the f holes, and a skull for the scroll. I've seen quite a few with flames, and the dude from tiger army has a green one with black tiger stripes.
I can get more of a upright sound playing closer to the neck on my '51RI (SCPB) then I do on my DCPB's. The '51RI is strung with LaBella Tapewounds.
YMMV of course.
YMMV of course.
Passive P-Bass, use flatwound strings as others here have said. Roll the tone (i.e., treble cut) knob half-off and pluck the strings close to the neck vs. over the pickups or back by the bridge. And use a tube amp, preferably a combo that's not real big. Not sure a mute is necessary if you do all the other stuff.
I'm going to assume the band you're working with is open-minded enough that they won't bounce you for not having an upright.
I'm going to assume the band you're working with is open-minded enough that they won't bounce you for not having an upright.
Dude, seriously get an upright immediately.
In the meantime get yourself a Bogdon Box Bass. Hell, you can make one yourself.
In the meantime get yourself a Bogdon Box Bass. Hell, you can make one yourself.
I've played in a roots rock & rockabilly group for 2 or 3 years. I used a p bass for quite awhile. Then discovered that a J with DiMarzio Model Js sounds fuller and ballsier than a p bass.
However, as long as you use flatwounds I dont think it really matters too much which bass you use. Okay, maybe not a warwick. I've gotten grief for not playing upright, but just brush it off. I'm a rock bassist first and foremost. Learning upright is a huge endeavour and not something I want to spend the time on at this point.
However, as long as you use flatwounds I dont think it really matters too much which bass you use. Okay, maybe not a warwick. I've gotten grief for not playing upright, but just brush it off. I'm a rock bassist first and foremost. Learning upright is a huge endeavour and not something I want to spend the time on at this point.
If an upright is out of the question, try a short-scale bass guitar strung with flats. Mute the strings (I use a Blu Tack type substance--I just roll it into little wads and squish it onto the strings right in front of the bridge), only use one pickup, and pluck the strings over the end of the neck. I've seen and heard a Danelectro longhorn used in this context and it sounded great.
Yes, I had forgotten about that one.
I used to use a Dano RI Longhorn (with the stick bridge) with Labella nylon tapewounds and sometimes a foam mute...it worked very well indeed.
