Best bass to play for singing

[unbridled]

I prefer something short. My Mikro fits the bill well, as do headless basses and certain comfortable and light basses.

 

[bassist4dalord]

Unlined fretless.

 

[jbalou02]

Gibson Thunderbird of course

 

[CJ_Horror]

Dan Armstrong basses are good for that. SG basses too IMO. I also agree that a Hofner Icon would be good bet too (think McCartney). It all depends on what sound you want, what style you play and the look you're of course. Short scale works really well. Comfortable, easy to play and the ones I've mentioned have great sustain and tone too burn. If you want full scale Rickenbackers and the Duesenberg D Bass would be my choice.

 

[aerodyne1]

One with at least 4 strings for me tyvm

 

[RonChase]

I guess singing and playing is a misstatement I tend to move around a little bit on stage and yes my singing is consistent I sang with a P a J a Ric and dozens others,so I should have worded it best bass to sing and or choreograph with or ergonics or something.

 

[GRAHAM SG1]

I think just getting the combined roles right in the first place is the important thing over which particular type of bass .
I find singing and bass`ing hard compared to singing and guitar`ing, some songs are easy but others very difficult and the singing distracts attention from bass playing too much, christ knows how players like Geddy Lee manage ??
big respect to them .

 

[sonic assassin]

something comfortable with perfect intonation.

but really.. its mostly about a good monitor mix. ive seen and had bad vocal days and good vocal days, and the monitor mix made alllll the difference.

 

[RonChase]

here is another shot my point was the Ibanez was always moving around on my body while singing and moving,a bit more than some neck dive,now the Yamaha which is a bargain pickup bass that I set up when I have back to back shows and dont haul better gear well the Yamaha while inexpensive was somehow easier to play and move about while singing.I had an Ovation acoustic bass I liked but it was a disaster to play on stage with feed back and that plastic bowl against my middle aged gut,I was just looking to compare notes with other singing bassists and they're experiences not whats easy t play while singing because I can play any bass and sing but some just feel better and if you dont believe me then take 3 totally different bass's and try moving around like Mick Jagger and singing like Paul McCartney and playing like John Entwhistle and you will see the point of this question,most of you got it but a few did'nt I understand,I am in a band now where I just play and stand in the background going thump thump and so I can use any bass at this point from a first act to a beginners toy and sound good but keep those comments coming most of my threads dont get this many threadnot at least since my NBD for the wife thread,which by the way she is also a singing bassist sweet voice but she is glued to her spot and dont move,this can be attributed to her only playing for a year.Rock On

 

[acleex38]

Unlined fretless.

In all seriousness, that's what I use.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

Not sure if anyone's mentioned this yet, but I found my 6 string easiest to play while singing because I was able to keep my hand in the same position(most of the time) during the course of a song.

 

[RonChase]

now here is a Ibanez I owned though this pictured one is not mine but mine was identical it was easy to play and just do whatever but now the LTD which my daughter bought me for my 50th is a great sitdown in the studio guitar and is used on many of my last recordings but it weighs something like 300 pounds so singing sounds like Im am also benchpressing and forget prancing and turning on a dime to much rolling mass

 

[RonChase]

I saw that bass player from LosLonely boys singing and playing a 6 string,that guy was phenomenal and so was the hole darn band I saw them twice the first time they opened Santana and I only knew them as that group who did how far to heaven catchy song and all that but live they were awsome they kind of had that Stevie Ray thing to my ears ears and since they are from Texas makes sense but you cant differentiate live when the bassist or guitarist are singing they sound identical but that dude rocks

 

[RonChase]

well I vote these are my 2 favorite current bass's to sing swing and rock with but the way I roll this can change in 6 months

 

[Exploiter8]

Perhaps a strap that better holds the bass in place on your shoulder would help.

X8

 

[RonChase]

other bass's this black early 90's Epiphone(I forgot what kind) was an easy to play instrument it was very light which made for an easy to use bass all night,I recall it did'nt sound to bad if memory serves me correct it had a P and a J pickup,I actually used the Ric on this recording session so I probably just had it laying around extra for that session.Then the Dean acoustic,this bass was about as close as you can get to trying to play a upright like an electric it was huge I think it was maybe a 35 inch scale but due to its hugeness it was always banging into things so it was a handful in that way

 

[pjmuck]

In all seriousness, that's what I use.

Worked for Sting. And he had no problem moving around either:

 

[Bassmanhopkins]

7+ string so you can play chords.

No. 7 string would just make it even harder to play instrument, simply because of putting your fingers in the right place and reaching round the monster neck.