Classic Rock recordings featuring bass OD

[groovaholic]

Well, this is a bit of a trick question: MOST classic rock tunes had overdriven bass.

It wasn’t until the 80s that tones got squeaky clean and sterile sounding.

 

[LordRyan]

Talk Talk by The Music Machine. Possibly the first hit song to be tuned down a 1/2 step with heavily fuzzed bass. Played by Keith Olsen who became a legendary record producer.

 

[Ewo]

I used to think a lot of recorded bass was clean back in the 60s till I heard soloed parts from those allegedly clean recordings. Then once I knew what to listen for, I found it was pretty widespread, though there were a lot who didn’t like it very much. In a mix it mostly gets buried unless it’s more than just a little.

Yeah... I'm pretty much a clean freak, regarding tone. And lately I've caught on that a bit of grit works better in the mix. Gives a little more bark, which is often a good thing for carving out a niche in a mix.

 

[JimmyM]

Well, this is a bit of a trick question: MOST classic rock tunes had overdriven bass.

It wasn’t until the 80s that tones got squeaky clean and sterile sounding.

Yes and no. They got squeakier and steriler (sic), but I remember hearing tones like that starting in the early 70s.

 

[Guitalia]

Talk Talk by The Music Machine. Possibly the first hit song to be tuned down a 1/2 step with heavily fuzzed bass. Played by Keith Olsen who became a legendary record producer.

That's one of the guitars, not the bass. The bass is clean throughout the recording.

The Music Machine might have been the first band to tune their instruments down (from E to C#). The guitar fuzz riff is open (tuned-down) A string, open E string, second fret of the E string.

 

[Guitalia]

The OP should have specified whether the question regarding distortion and OD was specifically about pedals versus overdriven tube amps.

As many have pointed out, in recording electric bass (as well as playing them live), overdriving of amps (or mixer input circuits, for the very common practice of recording basses direct) was done throughout the '60s and after.

The use of fuzz pedals and (later) other distortion pedals was much less common. The only well-known examples of the early use of fuzz pedals on bass that come to mind are the fuzz basses on the Beatles "You Won't See Me" (maybe the first recorded fuzz bass; 1965) and "Dance To The Music," by Sly and the Family Stone (1968).

 

[2112]

Pretty much all of Rush.

 

[woodyng2]

The Move did a great job of recording a heavy nasty bass sound…..

 

[Chop11777]

Bootsy Baby Funkin on The One !

 

[Matt R.]

Think For Yourself- The Beatles

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I would think one could include just about any bass player from any one-guitar band, especially live.

Even in the studio with multiple tracking of different layers of guitars, keyboards, etc., there's going to be some element of OD or effects-produced distortion.

When I record, I usually double the bass line and add some "hair" to one of the bass lines. Then, I blend them together and mix them into the final product as one track. Distortion/OD absolutely helps add sustain to the bass (track).

Back in the 80s (my "main" band) I used a guitar effect pedal (I think it was the DOD Heavy Metal pedal) and I was able to get a sound that sounded exactly like a distorted guitar playing with a "clean" bass. It was incredibly effective for filling out the sound on songs with rather simple bass lines.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

The OP should have specified whether the question regarding distortion and OD was specifically about pedals versus overdriven tube amps.

As many have pointed out, in recording electric bass (as well as playing them live), overdriving of amps (or mixer input circuits, for the very common practice of recording basses direct) was done throughout the '60s and after.

The use of fuzz pedals and (later) other distortion pedals was much less common. The only well-known examples of the early use of fuzz pedals on bass that come to mind are the fuzz basses on the Beatles "You Won't See Me" (maybe the first recorded fuzz bass; 1965) and "Dance To The Music," by Sly and the Family Stone (1968).

Gibson made a six string bass with built-in fuzz (we all know how good onboard effects are, even now, right guys? ) in 1964.

I can't imagine them making the bass unless it was "a thing".

 

[prowla]

You get bonus Wah-Wah in this one!

 

[Guitalia]

Gibson made a six string bass with built-in fuzz (we all know how good onboard effects are, even now, right guys? ) in 1964.

I can't imagine them making the bass unless it was "a thing".

Thanks, and good point! Seems Gibson installed a Fuzz-Tone in a 4-string bass model even earlier. . . .

From this page:

"Gibson began marketing the FZ-1 in 1962, the same year it offered a bass – the EB-0F – with a built-in fuzztone."

However, I did a quick search, and I wasn't able to find any mention of a fuzz-equipped bass (or even just a bass plugged into a fuzz pedal) before the Beatles' "Think For Yourself."

The Wikipedia page for Fuzz Bass mentions Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry" as the first recorded example of fuzz bass where the effect is created by electronic circuitry (evidently the bass was being D.I.'ed into a faulty mixer channel) rather than overdriven tubes or a damaged speaker. The Wikipedia page for "Don't Worry" says that Grady Martin played the fuzz part on a Danelectro 6-string bass and that the song was recorded at Nashville's Quonset Hut studio.

Seems likely that, as has been repeatedly claimed, this recording was the inspiration for the circuit of Gibson's Maestro Fuzz-Tone pedal.

By the way, here's a lesser-known '60s fuzz bass cut. It was recorded in a studio on the West Coast, which was Fender territory, so the part would have been played on a Fender Bass VI, using the whammy bar. Sounds like an open D string is sounded, followed by pushing the bar down.

 

[Bob Coldwell]

The OP should have specified whether the question regarding distortion and OD was specifically about pedals versus overdriven tube amps.

The use of fuzz pedals and (later) other distortion pedals was much less common. The only well-known examples of the early use of fuzz pedals on bass that come to mind are the fuzz basses on the Beatles "You Won't See Me" (maybe the first recorded fuzz bass; 1965) and "Dance To The Music," by Sly and the Family Stone (1968).

Do you mean "Think For Yourself"?

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Thanks, and good point! Seems Gibson installed a Fuzz-Tone in a 4-string bass model even earlier. . . .

From this page:

"Gibson began marketing the FZ-1 in 1962, the same year it offered a bass – the EB-0F – with a built-in fuzztone."

However, I did a quick search, and I wasn't able to find any mention of a fuzz-equipped bass (or even just a bass plugged into a fuzz pedal) before the Beatles' "Think For Yourself."

The Wikipedia page for Fuzz Bass mentions Marty Robbins' "Don't Worry" as the first recorded example of fuzz bass where the effect is created by electronic circuitry (evidently the bass was being D.I.'ed into a faulty mixer channel) rather than overdriven tubes or a damaged speaker. The Wikipedia page for "Don't Worry" says that Grady Martin played the fuzz part on a Danelectro 6-string bass and that the song was recorded at Nashville's Quonset Hut studio.

Seems likely that, as has been repeatedly claimed, this recording was the inspiration for the circuit of Gibson's Maestro Fuzz-Tone pedal.

By the way, here's a lesser-known '60s fuzz bass cut. It was recorded in a studio on the West Coast, which was Fender territory, so the part would have been played on a Fender Bass VI, using the whammy bar. Sounds like an open D string is sounded, followed by pushing the bar down.

I can't claim any real knowledge other than anecdotal.

I was home on leave in 1990 or so and a little "rare guitar shop" had opened in a fairly new massive strip mall which was once "Edison Lanes".

I went into the store, just kind of knocking around and I saw this six-string bass (because of the size of the strings and the ability to play guitar chords - even barre chords - fairly easily, I believe this would be called a "baritone guitar" these days). I picked it up and I'm playing it (and enjoying the heck out of it) and I looked at the price tag and almost had a heart attack! The tag was $1,800!

I asked the owner about it and he directed me to look at the serial number. Then he opened up a (hardcover) book of Gibson guitar history. He opened to a page of that guitar (matching serial number) and the description said it was the only one made that year. That put the $1,800 into perspective.

Alas, an E-5 salary with a family (and off-base housing) wasn't going to get me to the $1,800.

I still kick myself for not begging, borrowing, or stealing the money.

 

[Guitalia]

Do you mean "Think For Yourself"?

Yes, just remembered my mistake this morning---too late to edit that post.

 

[brianrost]

Only about 2,000,000 records recorded between 1966 and 1975 had overdriven bass sounds. Almost all via cranking the amp rather than using some kind of pedal.

Here's a picture of them all:

 

[Spectre Gunner]

Mel Schacher of Grand Funk, combined a Gibson Pickup at the neck position of his Jazz bass to over drive his tube amps. I don't think any Classic Rock tones were derived by the use of pedals.

Totally agree. I've been experimenting with pedals and trying to emulate his tone. I think it mainly comes from oversaturated tubes, i.e. overdriven. I have the Boss GT-1000 and I know that type of OD is in there but I'm still learning the GT-1000 so I haven't found it yet.

 

[Bob Coldwell]

Yes, just remembered my mistake this morning---too late to edit that post.

I hate that time limit on editing. What is the point in that?