• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Country bass tone

Dang Georgestrings, I have to work Saturday night. I did, however, see your band at the Ontario Orchards Jamboree and I was thoroughly impressed.

It was incredibly shocking to see 'Scriba Town Inn' on this site though haha, with how huge this page is.

That's too bad - I was hoping to meet another TBer, and I would've atleast bought you a drink - next time, maybe???

Thanks for the kind words about my band - we weren't exactly in top form that day, though: it was at the tail end of a 3 day run... Friday, we were local, saturday we closed the Ridgeview up in Lowville, then packed up sunday morning and headed your way... IIRC, it was kinda cold to play at that fest, too - although I fended off the cold with some bourbon, hahaha!!! We're back at the Ridgeview next saturday, for one of their snowmobile weekends - they say there will be 400-600 people there that night...

Anyways, maybe we'll meet up sometime - I'd be glad to help you out any way I can...


- georgestrings
 
That's too bad - I was hoping to meet another TBer, and I would've atleast bought you a drink - next time, maybe???



Thanks for the kind words about my band - we weren't exactly in top form that day, though: it was at the tail end of a 3 day run... Friday, we were local, saturday we closed the Ridgeview up in Lowville, then packed up sunday morning and headed your way... IIRC, it was kinda cold to play at that fest, too - although I fended off the cold with some bourbon, hahaha!!! We're back at the Ridgeview next saturday, for one of their snowmobile weekends - they say there will be 400-600 people there that night...



Anyways, maybe we'll meet up sometime - I'd be glad to help you out any way I can...





- georgestrings


I see that you guys play at Toby Keith's up at Destiny quite a bit, I will for sure try to make it to one of those shows!
 
There's nothing more "country" than Peavey: basses, guitars, amps, speaker columns, you name it. You may also substitute "polka" in place of country.

Riis

Maybe so, but I think I'll stick to the Fender/EBMM/Mesa/Genz stuff I've been using - although I have to admit that some MIA Peavey basses have been working their way into the rotation...



- georgestrings
 
Maybe so, but I think I'll stick to the Fender/EBMM/Mesa/Genz stuff I've been using - although I have to admit that some MIA Peavey basses have been working their way into the rotation...



- georgestrings

Excellent! I have a certain sentimental attachment to anything featured on "Hee Haw". The T-40 bass and T-60 guitar are the first to come to mind. As for me, I have one Peavey Millennium 5 and that's about it. Country is a frame of mind and not tied to any particular hardware.

Riis
 
Excellent! I have a certain sentimental attachment to anything featured on "Hee Haw". The T-40 bass and T-60 guitar are the first to come to mind. As for me, I have one Peavey Millennium 5 and that's about it. Country is a frame of mind and not tied to any particular hardware.

Riis

I picked up a Foundation 5 that works really well, and have a Dyna 5 on the way...


- georgestrings
 
In my modern country band and in another GB tribute band, I play a Lakland 55-02 and Lakland 55-AJ thru Genz Benz ShuttleMax 12.0 and, usually, Avatar 212 or Orange 115...sometimes a Peavey 215. Although the Orange really doesn't have the bite, due to no horn. The Peavey can really get a nice growl, being a passive cab.

There are a few of Garth's songs that are hard to reproduce the bass tone. I think the reason is, like on his Double Live album, there were 2 bassists...Betsy Smittle and Mark Greenwood. Songs like Tearin it up and burning it down sound like a pretty straight forward J pup...until you really iso the bassline...then it's get confusing. lol
 
.

I haven't played these yet, so I can't say that they SOUND Country.......


a0fdf8ade8d8dbe06516155414c40f01.png
a0fdf8ade8d8dbe06516155414c40f01.png



...but they sure do LOOK Retro-Country Cool to me!

Invalid Link Removed

Invalid Link Removed

.
 
Resurrecting this thread for several reasons, one being that I see lots of mentions of Js and Stingrays but almost nothing about Ps, when literally all of the dozen or so country bands I see here in Chicago use Ps. Maybe it’s just copycatting here in town as the bands support each other a lot, but I was surprised to see what folks were using 8-10 years ago. Still the same?
 
Playing in a 60ties/70ties countryband I get my tone using low/medium tension flatwounds. Most of the time I play my Fender Musicmaster bass and a Hagström Concord I bass. SWR Golith Jr. cab. Amps: a 1963 Dynacord Bass King (all tube) and a 1970 Echolette Bassmaster 100 (hybrid preamp- 4x EL34 power amp.) As an extra Preamp I have an Outboard Sadowsky . Suits the band, the songs and me well.
 
It's more about the tone than the gear. Go to Nashville...there is no standard. You either want a good clean tone that is fat and warm or some stuff (Aldean/Carrie etc) can get a little grindier. But really if your tone is good, mixes well and you can play you are country. That is until AI bass completely takes over. Then we are toast.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Leo Smith
Love that meme lol, but personally I would rather see the evolution of preferences over time, rather than a new “what bass should I play?” thread. I find it much more interesting.

That being said, I play country professionally with a precision bass wearing La Bella flats. There are times/tunes where a stingray or jazz bass with rounds might be a better choice, so I’m probably going to add one to my load-in.