Dee Murray - How did he get that tone?

[ZonGuy]

Elton John's bass player during (arguably) Elton's better musical period. RIP.

I am pretty sure he used a Precision, but I am would like to know any further details about amps, effects, settings, etc.

 

[JimK]

...you will certainly get hits from a few of his serious fans here.
Pretty sure he also used a Fender Jazz.

 

[NWB]

At least a jazz and a Steinberger. I can't hear much for effects on his recordings. A brilliant player for sure though.

 

[EddieG]

Someone on here owns his Steinberger.

 

[iamthebassman]

My fave Dee tone is when he used a pick on a Fender Jazz, nice clicky tone.

Basses:
P-Bass
Jazz
Ric 4001
Steinberger
G&L

Amps:
Acoustic
Fender
Peavey

Effects:
Phase Shifter
EH BassBalls
Fuzz(via Pignose amp)

 

[iamthebassman]

Someone on here owns his Steinberger.

 

[ZonGuy]

Thanks for the info.

Dee passed way too soon.

 

[jerry]

For fans, if you can, rent or buy the Classic Albums DVD of the making of Yellow Brick Road, some great stories about Dee on there as well as some isolated tracks, man, he was great!

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Dee was one of my first real inspirations as a bassist - his playing yellow brick road stands up, even to this day, as absolutely the perfect combination of aggression and groove - no one ever bought that album for the bass riffs, but ever note he played was just right. Of course, it didn't hurt that he played with one of the great drummers of the time, Nigel Olsson...

And I was always under the impression he played a J bass with a pick (based on the photos in the original vinyl record jacket). He had long hair too - I'm sure that didn't hurt in 1973...

 

[iamthebassman]

...And I was always under the impression he played a J bass with a pick (based on the photos in the original vinyl record jacket). He had long hair too - I'm sure that didn't hurt in 1973...

Jazz and pick, yes, most of the time, especially early on.

Didn't everyone have long hair in '73?

 

[Baryonyx]

Did he play bass on "Step into Christmas"? That song has a great tone and some great bass playing on it!

 

[EagleMoon]

I was always a bit bummed that I never got to see Dee live. The first time I saw EJ was for the Rock of the Westies tour, and Dee had left the band at that point.

 

[iamthebassman]

Did he play bass on "Step into Christmas"? That song has a great tone and some great bass playing on it!

That's Dee. Heard it in the hotel lobby yesterday, the morning after a gig in Shreveport, LA.

 

[iamthebassman]

I was always a bit bummed that I never got to see Dee live. The first time I saw EJ was for the Rock of the Westies tour, and Dee had left the band at that point.

Oddly enuff, I never saw Dee with EJ, saw him with Alice Cooper.

 

[rickfan63]

The bass tone Dee had on "Funeral for A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding was to me, one of the best bass tones ever recorded. Still one of my favorite tracks of all time. He was just a fantastic bass player! RIP Dee.

 

[EagleMoon]

The bass tone Dee had on "Funeral for A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding was to me, one of the best bass tones ever recorded. Still one of my favorite tracks of all time. He was just a fantastic bass player! RIP Dee.

Agree completely. Awesome tone and tune.

 

[Moe Hickey]

Elton John - Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding - YouTube

4:22 --> Jazz bass and a pick at Central Park.

 

[Btbp]

Elton John - Funeral For A Friend - Love Lies Bleeding - YouTube

4:22 --> Jazz bass and a pick at Central Park.

Interesting as I thought he was a P Bass and finger player. At the start of that song he appears to be using a pic, at the end he's using his fingers.

Some say that growl/clank is from the fingerboard, I say it's the strings intentionally hitting the pickups.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I don’t know if it is still there, but for years, Corner Music in Nashville kept a G&L L-1000 that had been used by Dee Murray on display.

 

[Scarysharkface]

I don’t know if it is still there, but for years, Corner Music in Nashville kept a G&L L-1000 that had been used by Dee Murray on display.

It was still there in 2015.

John