Best Bass You've Ever Heard?

[OldDirtyBassist]

Bakithi on the Graceland album, not sure what his gear was but primarily fretless. Also, the OX on Can You See the Real Me

Washburn fretless I think.

 

[bongostealth]

Warwick Thumb Bass. In particular, Ryan Martinie's (Mudvayne) Thumb Bass tone.

 

[BobaFret]

Whatever brand is in the hands of Meshell. She can make anything sound unbelievable.

 

[OldDirtyBassist]

Another bass that tops my list would be a mid '90's fretless Peavey Foundation. It was at a local store for $150. with very high action and bad refinish. Sounded like the strings were coated in butter.

 

[fishdreams]

the best bass tone I have ever heard come out of an amplifier on a live stage (at Matt Garrison's Shapeshifter's lab through the house back line, which I think is Epifani) was Coopermoore's Home Depot-supplied self- built 'didly bow', and bass isn't even CooperMoore's first instrument, but there you go. The video doesn't do his tone justice but the beginning shows you what the didly bow looks like and how he plays it, (hitting the one string with a stick, while the bow is on his lap).


A recorded basstone that always impressed me mightily (I always assumed this to be the Stingray GV is playing on the back cover) is Gerald Veasley with the Odean Pope Trio on their first lp.

 

[the harp unstrung]

Many moons ago, before he was able to afford some of the exotic guitars he leans toward now, Phil Lesh got the roundest, most complete (without being overpoweringly loud) sound I've ever hear from a bassist.
I could have this all wrong...it's something I've listened to for decades now...but the Alembic that he brought to Europe for the '72 tour (Alembics, I assume) created an almost round sound...with a hole in the middle of the tone where the melodic things he was doing were allowed to sit. It just wrapped itself around you!
I've seen lots of pics with Phil playing an EB3, a Precision bass, a Guild Starfire...any number of guitars, back in the day...but I believe it was that Alembic that sold me on both the player and the band.
(Of course, the Wall Of Sound may have played a role as well...) TKK

 

[Bassworship1]

Best sounding and playing bass would be my Ibanez SR Prestige 4005. Neck plays like butter and the Barts and pre allow you to dial in any tone you could need. Really sets itself apart in the mix.

 

[Madwatch]

My Chris Larkin "Reactor 5" and Rick Turner "Ren 5" for sure.

My favorite rock bass tone of all time is Ed jackson of Queensryche on Empire.

 

[Joebone]

Favorite single bass tone ever: Jimmy Johnson on fretted and fretless 5-string on a Flim and the BBs album called "This is a Recording." Recorded at Skywalker Sound in Marin, killer studio sonics, and I love the tone and expression that Johnson wields throughout. Alembic 5-strings, Series II, is my understanding.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

Has to be a Gretsch Thunder Jet. However, went to see Roger Hodgson this weekend, with very limited electric guitar (only 1 song), the bass was really standing out, looked to be a Music Man Bongo, and it sounded outstanding.

 

[jim777]

Paul Mccartney on "Baby you're a rich man". To me, that is the baddest of the bad. I'm pretty sure it's a Ric, too. C'mon everyone, let's take a trip to Chunkytown!

Absolutely a Ric

 

[TUEP]

Late 80's Spector NS-2

 

[DigitalMan]

Geddy Lee's Fender Jazz on the Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and Signals albums (only on certain tracks) is my favorite bass sound by a pretty wide margin.

 

[bevan lurrito]

I chased these tones for years until I realized I sound the same no matter what bass I'm playing.

Billy Gould (Aria Pro II) - FNM, Everything's Ruined

I thought Billy was on to the Zon Sonus by the time Angel Dust was tracked?

 

[wideload]

Best for me was Jimmy Johnson's Series II Alembic when I saw him with James Taylor. So deep, so powerful, so clear played with the taste of someone who knew what sounded best, not what he could do as a solo act. Sold me on Alembic, but I couldn't afford to have the taste filter added!

 

[KevInDaBassment]

I'd have to say I love the sound of a Wal fretted bass, in the mix of a song I feel it can't be beaten for an aggressive tone.

For a balanced, yet flexible tone with sweet growl...my pride and joy Ibanez CTB5 with EMG JX and BQC takes the cake. I <3 my Vika

 

[10cc]

I hate to be that guy. I know OP said no Fenders, but Pino's Precision is probably the best I've ever heard.

Yep. You can stop after that.

 

[bass12]

Pretty much anything through the right preamp.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I'm also gonna be that guy and say a nice passive fender jazz bass. For 5 strings though I love the sound from Mike Lulls basses or Sadowsky basses.

 

[tubenutq5]

My 2001 Modulus Q5 with alembic electronics.