Bassist with most UNIQUE tone

[5StringBlues]

Ray Manzarek

 

[Clark Dark]

I like Mark King's use of compression, chorus and reverb. It seems to be part of his signature sound and whatever bass he chooses to play his *sound* is right there. Boost the bass and treble.

 

[ilovenofrets]

Billy Sheehan.

 

[Duckwater]

John Wetton, every note he hits is like thunder crashing and a dragon roaring simultaneously.

 

[Duke21]

John Wetton, every note he hits is like thunder crashing and a dragon roaring simultaneously.

Wetton have great tone, but his King Crimson tone, UK tone, Uriah Heap tone, Asia tone are not the same. But he always have nice tone. His recent Asia tone is his best Asia tone.

For me "the tone" belongs to Chris Squire. His Rick or any bass he play will always sing.

 

[Duke21]

anthony jackson
percy jones

Yeh, Percy jones on Nuclear Burn by Brand X, wicked playing!

 

[Darkonar]

Al Cisneros worship here

 

[jphovercraft]

Jack Casady's Alembicized Guild SF B II on things like "Crown of Creation" "Mexico" "Blows Against the Empire" & "Baron Von Tollbooth" .

I've never heard anything else come near that one - it's the Sound of Planetary Motion itself.

Totally in awe, still.

Yep! Couldn't agree more!

 

[Greevus]

Billy Sheehan on TALAS's "Sink Your Teeth Into That". so loud and powerful, yet so controlled. reminded me if Eddie Van Halen was a bassist.

 

[Marial]

+1 , have been trying to nail the Mccartney tone for ages , have never quite been able to

Believe it or not, try a Kala U Bass with a pick....

 

[TolerancEJ]

I'll also put my vote for Les Claypool. People already commented on his bass-style, so I won't dig further.

Not only Les, the sound of Primus as a collective unit did not fit into any musical genre. It's funny, I remember when I got my first iPod and was preparing all my songs with iTunes. Going through the genre lists and suddenly you see Primus as a music genre all on its own. lol

 

[Felix Riley]

No love for Krist Novoselic? I know he's underrated, but he has hell of a tone. Just look at "Lounge Act", , or "Love Buzz' , or "Breed". All of them highlight his badass bass tone!

 

[ThudThudThud]

I disagree with Krist Novoselic. It's not his tone that's the unique thing, it's the not playing in time. Not a fan, obviously.

For DB, I'd go with Danny Thompson. Growly.
For EB, I'd have to say Geezer Butler. The way he bends notes. Unmistakably him.

 

[phillybass101]

Marcus.

 

[Salamenster]

I disagree with Krist Novoselic. It's not his tone that's the unique thing, it's the not playing in time. Not a fan, obviously.

For DB, I'd go with Danny Thompson. Growly.
For EB, I'd have to say Geezer Butler. The way he bends notes. Unmistakably him.

How's this not in time? I hear some flaws, but he repeats them so precisely, that I think they're intended.

 

[tribbledaniel]

Keith Ferguson

 

[Nickbass90]

Brian Ritchie from the Violent Femmes. I know it's just a picked acoustic bass, but nobody else sounds like him.

 

[bezbass]

So many bassists have a unique tone. Too hard to name them all. Classics like that old string sound on the sly and family stone records. Stanley's early stuff again old strings. If you listen enough toany player you can pick out the stroke of the finger. I can listen back to jam nights from years ago and tell if it was me on the bass just from the stroke rather than the notes. Nirvana toucan hear that new string with a slack wrist semi hard attack etc. love paladinos feel though. Very similar to myself apart from note choice.

 

[j-raj]

Arkenstat