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Bassist with most UNIQUE tone

#141
At the time John Entwistle hit, nobody sounded like him. He invented that twangy roundwound pick sound that became so popular in the '70's. You can't really hear it on the studio records, where he was mixed out (except Quadrophenia). But throw on any live Who and his tone is unmistakable.
Chris Squire (my favorite bassist) said somewhere that he borrowed Entwistle's sound and just took it a little further. And without Squire, there would be no Geddy Lee as we know him (sorry Rush worshippers). Both of these outstanding players owe their "unique bass tone" to Entwistle.

I'll also say that Jack Bruce invented a unique bass sound. He pioneered that overdriven, fuzzy and thick rock bass. Listen to the end of "Pressed Rat and Warthog" for a good example of his unbelievable heavy and driving attack.
 
#145
Blunt said:
Entwhistle had a style but generally an awful sound.

Chris Squire and Lee instantably recognisable.

FACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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So I guess you have heard Live at Leeds and Quadrophenia? His sound was awesome. He had been using that tone for a long time but on most of the Who records he was mixed out and you can't even hear him. My point is that Entwistle was the first one who used that tone that Squire and Lee made famous.
Squire and Lee are instantly recognizable because of their technique, and I think they are much better players.
But this thread is about tone, and I maintain that it was no longer unique at the point when Squire and Lee started using it.
 
#146
flea has a really distinct tone, it's that really crunchy clean mm style sound. it changes slightly from album to album but u always know its him. except when the mars volta made him play with a jbass, then ididn't know it was him.

i feel like JM is mostly just transparent alot of the time. its like that lower range is there but i don't realyl HEAR it (and trust me ive tried) until he solos or plays a section when they're not in unison. however, this is also a testament to how well he locks in with MP
 
#154
relayer66 said:
Squire and Lee are instantly recognizable because of their technique, and I think they are much better players.
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No. They're not. And this is coming from a Rush/Yes freak! Entwistle was truly a bass monster with a unique playing style that rivaled/exceeded/inspired the best of Geddys' fingerstyle and Squires' picking. He did both, and actually invented a style known as typewriter technique where you hammer with your index, middle, and ring fingers on your plucking hand toward the end of your fingerboard on the body end around the 24th fret(second octave). This gives your notes punch, bite, and overtones. Check out "The Real Me" or "Eminence Front" for example...

Now for most unique tone, I'll have to give it to Mick Karn. He's from Bizarro BassWorld...
 
#160
Gene Simmons! No wait, hear me out! Ever seen any bootlegs of Kiss shows from the 70's? He's got that distorted bass-from-hell sound that fits his playing. A couple weeks ago, I was messing around at rehearsal and starting playing like that. The guys said it was the best Gene impression ever. LOL Ok, kidding aside...

I have to go with The Ox...John Entwistle. After 20 years of playing, I'm still trying to get that tone! :crying:

Another guy that I really like is Dennis Dunaway. Listen to any Alice Cooper album from 1971-1974 and see what I mean, especially songs like Dead Babies, Killer and Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets.
 

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