Bassist With Best Distortion Tone

[Unrepresented]

Besides Tim C. whose tone has been heavily influential on me, I also nominate Jon Chapple from McLusky who produced awesome music, with awesomer song titles.

 

[KaizerWilhelm]

I also say Timmy C. He is definitely my influence for distortion. I need to make my own distortion pedal.

 

[groooooove]

roy wood with the move on "message from the country"

 

[DLKasim]

Tim.Com FTW.

 

[pamackie]

I'll second Pinnick and Sanders, especially Sanders, who easily triples the hugeness of the Mastodon sound.

 

[Meddle]

There is a video out there called "Om, Live at Amoeba records" and Al Cisneros has a badass tone. I can get close with a Stingray and a DS-1... but Cisneros has this amazing technique that is like he's drumming the strings.

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

Fun fact, Al uses (among other things) a DS-1 to get that tone live when he doesn't have access to the Green heads.

 

[Meddle]

Fun fact, Al uses (among other things) a DS-1 to get that tone live when he doesn't have access to the Green heads.

Awesome. Its a one trick pony for tone I guess, but its still cool. I'm surprised that atleast some bass end is retained, and a fair bit of eq can make it surprisingly heavy.

 

[chrisisnotevil]

Tasteful mix is a must. Of course, the guitarist has to leave some room for bass distortion to work. It can be very touchy.

Brian Cook on Russian Circles' Geneva:

Can't believe it took four pages before someone mentioned Brian. His tone slays, I was stood in front of his 8x10 last night when they played in Manchester and just wow... On the record it's even better, the octave down comes across much stronger than it did in person. That may be down to a poor sound guy however. The two instruments complement and play off each other perfectly, which only enhances things for me.

I can't even hear the bass in Meshuggah.

I think they're a totally different beast live than on record, plus when I saw them a year ago or so, it wasn't even Dick Lovgren on bass, it was the guitarist from Opeth! That said, it didn't jump out at me.

I'd give big mentions to Troy from Mastodon and Greg/Andy from Red Sparowes. Full of Muffy Goodness.

 

[williamk]

mike rutherford on lamb lies down

 

[PrimusNut]

I really enjoy Joey DeMaio's (Manowar) tone. It may not be that bassy, but it definately cuts through the mix.

 

[thombo]

I'd give big mentions to Troy from Mastodon and Greg/Andy from Red Sparowes. Full of Muffy Goodness.

+1 on the Red Sparowes boys
i'd also add Bryan Herweg from Pelican to the list- he's got some great fuzz bass, esp. on City of Echos
Jack Bruce on Zappa's Apostrophe is classic muff!

 

[Calaverasgrande]

There is a video out there called "Om, Live at Amoeba records" and Al Cisneros has a badass tone. I can get close with a Stingray and a DS-1... but Cisneros has this amazing technique that is like he's drumming the strings.

I was at that show. Having seen Sleep, Asbestos Death and High on Fire as well I just wasnt that impressed with Al in OM.
But thats just me, a bitter old bassist that thinks he invented playing bass , way too loud, with distortion.

 

[Pearldiver]

Josh Newton (aka bass player #12) from Every Time I Die.


(Death of a Jazz Bass @ 2:34)

 

[gscroggin]

I had heard of, but never actually heard, Every Time I Die. Rather impressive for what they do.

I'm not a huge fan of smashing instruments, but the look on the dudes face while he drags the headstock off stage is hysterical!

 

[chrisisnotevil]

+1 on the Red Sparowes boys
i'd also add Bryan Herweg from Pelican to the list- he's got some great fuzz bass, esp. on City of Echos
Jack Bruce on Zappa's Apostrophe is classic muff!

There's a band from Arizona called Hellas Mounds, check out their split with Empires on Saw Her Ghost Records, the bass player has some awesome fuzz going on towards the end of the track.

 

[Allmanfan456]

- Marco Hietala of Nightwish. Really. Honestly. Does a good job of cutting through the huge symphonic wall going on there. Read that he uses a Sansamp GT2. Have one for guitar and tried it on bass. Too noisy.

+Alot.

I love his tone.

 

[Piedro]

Check out my homey Jeremy...plays in a band called Envy on the Coast...uses a womanizer, b:assmaster and ehx bass synth to create a sickening distortion...Link Removed

Check out the track The Devil's Tongue

woa... great great stuff!

 

[Rusty Chainsaw]

Today of all days, the award has to go to the late, great Peter Steele. Been trying to cop that smooth distortion of his for years, still have no idea how he got it, and now I'll never get to ask him.

 

[gscroggin]

I was thinking the same thing...I thought it was a joke again at first, like a few years ago...but I think this time it's fo realz :-(

His crazy distorted phaser bass kicks(ed) serious booty.