Church Bass

[Stumbo]

Our current bassist has an ibanez sr p/j

Nothing wrong with the Ibanez. How does it sound in your church mix?

My 4 string Active(3 band eq) 1982 Ibanez Musician P/J with Jazz Neck is my go to bass for lots of great tones. It's very easy to play and sounds great. Good quality build. It weighs in at about 10.5lbs though. Gotta have a comfortable strap. There's one for sale on ebay right now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ibanez-Musi...T-/161021284299?pt=Guitar&hash=item257d9dcfcb There are several Ibanez p/j's for sale as well.

The advantage of the Big Al is that each tone is available at the push of a button. Big Al weighs about the same.

If you haven't been on stage with a 10-11lb bass before, it may be something to think about. A lot easier on your shoulder with a 7-9lb bass.

 

[GODSBASSMAN]

I may be getting older, but I REFUSE to grow up!

Dan K.

Count me in the "Peter Pan" club, too. farout, Daddyo.

 

[Clark Dark]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fs-musicman-big-al-4sss-alder-body-977857/

Big Al right here

Had to quote myself. When I said there's a Big Al right here I mean that one of our members has a Big Al on sale right now. You might like it and membership sometimes wins you a perk

Very versatile bass tonewise IMO:

 

[pineapplerobot]

I've played a MIA Jazz bass for the last 5-6 years now. Always at church. It works out nicely and the sound guys always love how consistent it is. Never had a problem with it. I am wanting to get a fretless for church though.

 

[kiat]

You could also try asking on the Praise and Worship Bassists Club thread, although there's a rich set of advice on here already.

My 2c is that a 5-string is a must and a Jazz-style bass is a safe bet (I'm starting out with a Lakland JO5)

 

[basspraiser]

I play a Lakland 44-02 and can get just about any sound I want.

^ this for a 4 string BUT I would venture to a 55-02....for those low notes....

I play exclusively in a P&W band and the Lakie 5's are pretty much the only electric basses I use...the -02 series is VERY versatile and sits well in the mix.

also - you can find decent used ones reasonable here on TB.

peace and good luck!

Doug

 

[9mmMike]

My first church bass:

Audere pre and Nordy pups.

My current church bass:

Parts precision. Highway One body, 50's mexi neck and '62 RI pups. This bass covers all of my worship music needs (and never needs batteries!).

 

[Steve Dallman]

I've been playing bass for worship since 1984. I was at one church for 17 years and I was also the soundman. I had a lot of control then. It was a large church, and the worship team took up about 20-24 channels on the PA.

I've been at my current church going on 4 years. We have 3 rotating bass players and have had as many as 5. We use a Sansamp DI and a GK115MB combo. The other guys use my settings.

I use a Line 6 5 string Variax. After trying many of the models, the Warwick model has the most presence in our church with the Tobias being a close second. I have used other models, but a consistent tone is more important than the nuances I want to hear. I have a parts bass for a backup, a MM sort of 5 string that has worked fantastic.

One other bass player used a Silvertone P bass cheapie. He recently changed to a MM Stingray. He actually doesn't sound any difference from the audience.

I use bright wounds, but my tone is pretty thick and full in the PA. I hear the brightness in the Aviom system due to the compression there, but it doesn't come out in the PA. We aren't as loud in the church as some churches, so instruments aren't so clearly heard over the congregation singing.

Any good bass you are comfortable with. Make sure it's working well, with no hum or extraneous noise issues. One of my favorite guitar players to play next to uses a Strat. He's fantastic, but the hum and noise is an unnecessary distraction. There are too many quiet moments possible in a church service.

 

[1stnamebassist]

Our church has several bass players all with different basses. I played a Rick 4003 for awhile, now I go between an Epi Thunderbird Classic 4 and a Danelectro Longhorn. This past Saturday night I broke out my Kala fretless u-bass. For the first time that I can remember I got compliments on my sound! Several commented that they noticed the bass in the music, and one guy commented that he heard the bass, but didn't know at first who was playing it, because he thought I was playing a regular old Ukulele! Really play what your comfortable with first, then take care of the sound. Many people don't know a bass from a guitar anyway, and don't really care what the bass sounds like as long as the overall sound is good and they are worshipping the Lord! Thats the bottom line as to why you are playing anyway!

 

[thumbo]

Get something with passive pickups. Our sound guys are constantly complaining about all of our "fancy basses with active electronics". FWIW, I play Warwicks, my Thumb covers a lot of sonic range.

 

[JasonKain]

Been playing in my church for around four years. I started with a Dean playmate, moved to an ESP B-5, moved to a Peavey T-40, moved to a Squier Jag, moved to a Thunderbird Pro, moved to a Stingray SUB 4. So far the Squier has the most hours under her belt, but the Peavey maintains her place as my favorite.

 

[mtb777]

I have been playing in my church now for about 5 years and I bought a used (don't buy a new one as they are stupidly expensive) Pedulla Thunderbass for $1600. You can't beat the playability and versatility of this bass. You can set the action to within business card level and you still do not buzz. It has all the versatility of a jazz bass with the pickup pan and you get a nice stock preamp on it as well. The 5 string version is extremely playable and you really can't beat the sound of an ebony board. Hope this helps.

I just picked up a Pedulla ThunderBolt 6 for $1200 used, threw a $21 set of XL's on it and messed with the action a little and I'm a really happy man with soap bars that will pull any sound except mud. With my new C string, I can step up in front of my 2 blues (major scale challenged) guitarist and show them how it's done and walk back and get in the pocket wheyz I belongs.

 

[Spawndn72]

I am almost positive that David's lyre was a pre CBS Fender. So I would probably go with a Fender. God liked David a lot.

In all seriousness, I dont really think it matters, keep your focus on worship and everything else will work out fine.

 

[9mmMike]

Ok so, I have a junky little bass and am saving for a new one (price doesn't matter because I have the patience to save) I will be playing in church so I need versatility since its not a band of one genre... Mainly gospel, and contemporary... Anyway I've been looking at the MusicMan Big Al, and Stingray, as well as a J bass (I'm welcome to more suggestions)... Im leaning to the big al. I prefer a bright tone for the most part, but need the capability for warm and dark (especially cuz that's what the sound man prefers)... I like mainly punch but also some mellow... I'm really confused so please help!!!

P with flats!

 

[Jeff Bonny]

When I clicked on this I thought it was going to be something interesting about Church Basses (otherwise know as a Yankee Bass Viol) like this one.

No, just another "what's the best bass for metal thread."

 

[alexlocurto]

This should fit the bill!
Invalid Link Removed

Imagine whipping this out in front of a Catholic congregation. xD

 

[poit57]

I've been playing bass for about 15 years and have been playing every week in my church services for almost that long. Here is a rundown of the basses that I've owned and played at church.

• Samick P-bass copy
• Fender P-bass (bought used and only had Fender logo on the headstock, so it might not have been authentic)
• Music Man Sterling
• ESP Ltd. B-305
• Custom Warmoth.com build with SG style body and Seymour-Duncan MM pickup
• Epiphone Thunderbird IV
• Music Man Stingray
• Rogue LX406

I am generally a one-bass-at-a-time person because I can't afford to have tons of instruments lying around. I have almost exclusively been playing the Stingray for about the last 5 years, but I got the Rogue 6 string because I wanted a cheap bass to experiment with using a different string configuration.

As for what works in my church, it really comes down to what I feel comfortable playing and how I adjust my own settings through my amp or currently a SansAmp DI. Through all of those different instruments, the only time I've ever gotten any feedback on my sound quality was when I upgraded from the Samick to the "Fender." Other than that, I don't think anyone has even cared what the bass sounded like tonally as long as the notes I'm playing are correct.

 

[bass4worship]

Been playing in church over twenty five years now. Played all makes and found most worked. My bass of choice in my Fbass that sit in well with our keyboard player.

 

[hands5]

just about anything will work, I'm playing a Squire VM 5 thru a Sadowsky preamp DI and it sounds great. I was playing a Marcus Miller V, but I hardly paly it anymore. Not trying to jack the thread,but I'm really starting to get real skeptical of basses and thier price.... but that's just me

 

[lost sailor]

I am the lead guitarist in my church praise team, and also the back up bass player
I use a Jazz bass - it is a nice tone that makes it work for me, but no one
in the congregation cares, because the music is for Him and for worship, not for
personal recognition. I have been playing bass since '70 and guitar since '72
and have been playing both continuously since then and nobody cares about that
but me.....