Best Sounding Bass ever

[Sparkl]

I don't know man. All bass guitars sound good in the right hands...

There are just too many examples of great bass sound to pick just one.

The Marcus Miller bass someone mentioned sounds great but lacks the warmth for some more "classic" tunes and in this case I would almost certainly pick another bass. I like looking at bass guitars as a tool for painting the picture. Some sound great for this, some for that.

 

[maggsybass]

No question!

 

[TrevorR]

Well, obviously I’m a big fan of the Wal bass but my faves on that aren’t either Geddy or Justin (or even Flea). I’d have to name check the JG basses of John Gustafson on Gordon Giltrap’s Live at Oxford album - so rich and punchy and growly all at the same time. Sadly I can’t find a YouTube link - and Alan Spenner with Roxy Music.



But there’s also Bruce Thomas’playign On Every Day I Write The Book...


And someone’s already mentioned Jimmy Johnson and his Alembic on James Taylor’s stuff... sublime.


Then there is Herbie Flowers’s Jazz, Flats and pick... one of the sounds that made me want to take up bass if the first place.


Finally, Tiran Porter’s bass on Takin it to the Streets... just the tone on that first verse gives me goose bumps!

 

[fnp5150]

First thing that popped in my head is Pino’s playing on “Wherever I Lay My Hat”. Just an absolutely beautiful sound.

 

[Andy Daventry]

The best sounding bass I ever played was a US '62 RI Precision in the late '90s. Or early 2000s. I misremember. Great bass, anyway.

 

[wvbass]

In a live band setting the best sounding basses I’ve owned is my Devon basses that have had the Nordstrand DC pickups and Nordie 3 band preamp played through my Genzler stack. I’ve had 3 of these basses with this exact setup and everyone simply killed.

View attachment 3241705

GAS is a terrible disease. Phenomenal Custom Devon Modern J5 with Cocobolo top Loaded.

 

[Bassworship1]

GAS is a terrible disease. Phenomenal Custom Devon Modern J5 with Cocobolo top Loaded.

Yes it is brother. I’ve pulled this add several times and said I would get money some other way but the smart move is to keep what I have or sale 1 to get the Custom Devon I’m wanting lol.

 

[Spectrum]

Make and model? Or specific recording/performance?

I'm going to say Rickenbacker 4001 or 4003 series basses are my favorite ever sound. Chris Squire, Geddy Lee, and Paul D'Amour in early Tool, crushing thunderous rock tone:

 

[Pauly 4001]

Sorry you guys, i know it is unfair ...

View attachment 3242302

You were close anyway.
The fretless version has the sweetest jazz tones with a variety of aggressive accents available at the touch of a hand stroke.

 

[Dabndug]

A Stingray played by Tony Levin in almost any song, but particularly this (forgive the cheesy '80s video):

 

[Achille]

 

[JGbassman]

Like asking what's your favorite meal. Tastes change, moods, etc.

Geddy Lee, Jaco, Queensriche, Talking Loud by Incognito, just a lot of killer tones played by amazingly talented bassists. There is no way I could choose just one.

 

[Fialka]

John Entwistle's Precision he used on Live at Leeds record, blows my mind every single time.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

The best sounding bass is probably some upright.

 

[Rambazamba]

Colin Greenwoods maybe. It always makes me smile when the bass kicks in in a Radiohead song so there must be something about it. Also I've never heard a Beatles song with a bad sounding bass. I believe the strings and the speakers do the most of the sound anyways but a P or J is usually a good starting point I guess.

 

[10cc]

Wal Mark 1.

Never owned. Only played one three or four times. But I found my personal Shangri-La. Om!

View attachment 3242232

Boom!

 

[10cc]

Well, obviously I’m a big fan of the Wal bass but my faves on that aren’t either Geddy or Justin (or even Flea). I’d have to name check the JG basses of John Gustafson on Gordon Giltrap’s Live at Oxford album - so rich and punchy and growly all at the same time. Sadly I can’t find a YouTube link - and Alan Spenner with Roxy Music.



But there’s also Bruce Thomas’playign On Every Day I Write The Book...


And someone’s already mentioned Jimmy Johnson and his Alembic on James Taylor’s stuff... sublime.


Then there is Herbie Flowers’s Jazz, Flats and pick... one of the sounds that made me want to take up bass if the first place.


Finally, Tiran Porter’s bass on Takin it to the Streets... just the tone on that first verse gives me goose bumps!

Boom!Boom!

 

[JakobT]

Any of my basses played by someone good.

 

[40Hz]

Boom!

That too!

 

[10cc]

That too!