Dusty Hill's Tone

[Doctor Intrepid]

I watched the new documentary on ZZ Top and it was really good. One thing I really loved about it was Hill's tone when the band was jamming. I suppose he has had that tone for awhile, and it comes, in part, from the single coil in the style if P bass he likes.

Anyway, not sure if this topic warranted a thread but who else would care about such stuff and what else do we got going on?

Anyone else want to praise his tone, the tone of Telecaster basses or someone else? Let's praise some tone!

 

[Mark 63]

He seemed to have his amps set to at least moderately high gain in those jams. Sounded really big and meaty. I couldn't read the names on the matching stacks he and Billy Gibbons had lined up.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

He seemed to have his amps set to at least moderately high gain in those jams. Sounded really big and meaty. I couldn't read the names on the matching stacks he and Billy Gibbons had lined up.

Totally agree. Sounded great!

This thread landed with a thud, but that's understandable. Thank you for stopping by!

 

[DaveDeVille]

Dusty Hill in his own words from a 2012 interview:
"My sound is big, heavy and a bit distorted because it has to overlap the guitar.
Someone once asked me to describe my tone, and I said it was like a rhino farting in a trash can.
What I meant is it's raw, but you've got to have the tone in there."

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Dusty Hill in his own words from a 2012 interview:
"My sound is big, heavy and a bit distorted because it has to overlap the guitar.
Someone once asked me to describe my tone, and I said it was like a rhino farting in a trash can.
What I meant is it's raw, but you've got to have the tone in there."

Yeah, I thought one thing that may be the cause of his tone being as it is was due to ZZ Top being a three piece. Hill has space to fill. His tone never really popped like that for me, but it did in the doc. I'm going to have to get some more of their albums. I've always liked them, but I need to revisit them.

 

[DaveDeVille]

start with this one ...

 

[2saddleslab]

Dusty was an early influence on me with everything from slab basses to 12" speakers. I have a custom shop SD Stinger Stack in my 51/55, thanks to Dusty.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Dusty was an early influence on me with everything from slab basses to 12" speakers. I have a custom shop SD Stinger Stack in my 51/55, thanks to Dusty.

I'm not a big P bass guy, but I love the look of the slab body Ps.

 

[bassbrad]

Very detailed rig rundown on both Dusty and Billy's current live tone in ZZ Top, it's actually pretty simple - but then these are simply the tools in the hands of masters. I love the close shots of Dusty's hands where it looks like he ain't hardly doin' much at all.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

Very detailed rig rundown on both Dusty and Billy's current live tone in ZZ Top, it's actually pretty simple - but then these are simply the tools in the hands of masters. I love the close shots of Dusty's hands where it looks like he ain't hardly doin' much at all.

No doubt. True pros! I think I've watched that video before, but I'll check it out again.

 

[Warlock_Surfer]

He seemed to have his amps set to at least moderately high gain in those jams. Sounded really big and meaty. I couldn't read the names on the matching stacks he and Billy Gibbons had lined up.

Weren't the amp Magnatone?

 

[PhatBasstard]

I watched the new documentary on ZZ Top and it was really good. One thing I really loved about it was Hill's tone when the band was jamming. I suppose he has had that tone for awhile, and it comes, in part, from the single coil in the style if P bass he likes.

Anyway, not sure if this topic warranted a thread but who else would care about such stuff and what else do we got going on?

Anyone else want to praise his tone, the tone of Telecaster basses or someone else? Let's praise some tone!

After watching that doc, I had the same exact thoughts.
Get outta' my head!

 

[danesdad]

I hope that, someday, someone compares anything I do to, "a rhino farting in a trash can". That is pure poetry.

 

[3rdworlder]

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to watch the doc yet. Love ZZ Top, and Dusty Hill will always be one of my favorite bassplayers. His playin' needed to be strong to lay down a solid groove in a three-piece band situation. I'd wish he switched the P-bass sometime just curious how he have sounded with different pickups, say a Rickenbacker or maybe a regular DiMarzio. But that's just my curiosity, because there isn't a single album that he did not sound fantastic. A great, solid bass player!

Here's one of his earliest recordings. Check it out. Not your regular bassline.

 

[JW56789]

If I understand correctly, Dusty Hill, like Jamerson, only picks with his index finger. I shudder to think how many axes he and the Revernd Willy G, how many customs, it must be one hell of a warehouse somewhere. These I think are custom Bolins.

 

[consectaneus]

There is a Crossroads appearance where that little ol' band from Texas does "Waitin' For The Bus/ Jesus Just Left Chicago" and Dusty's bass sounds thunderous. He really yanks the stings and the place seems to shake. Crank it with headphones.

 

[3rdworlder]

If I understand correctly, Dusty Hill, like Jamerson, only picks with his index finger.

I've just watched their 1980 Rockpalast Show in Germany, and I saw him playing with three fingers, heck maybe all four. The guy has short and thick fingers, and plays with them all straight while keeping his thumb on the instrument. It's an amazing player to see! I believe the show is in youtube in full.