What are y’all’s opinions on an electric bass setup for bluegrass? I’ve never played a bluegrass gig, but I’ve been thinking my Fender Am. Performer Jazz Bass w/ tone rolled halfway down would work, but that’s just me. What are y’all’s ideas?
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Electric Bass in Bluegrass
- Thread starter Alden Vines
- Start date
It can be done and has been done, but it's not ideal.
The New Grass Revival had a bass guitar, but, as the name suggests, they were "newgrass." Many bluegrass purists disliked them.
Aside from the visual aspect, there is something about the sound of the double bass that the bass guitar cannot do. Bass guitar, double bass, and tuba all inhabit the same frequency range, but they are not interchangeable.
The New Grass Revival had a bass guitar, but, as the name suggests, they were "newgrass." Many bluegrass purists disliked them.
Aside from the visual aspect, there is something about the sound of the double bass that the bass guitar cannot do. Bass guitar, double bass, and tuba all inhabit the same frequency range, but they are not interchangeable.
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Plenty of examples of EBs in bluegrass recordings and live. Listen to the original recording of Rocky Top by the Osborne Bros. Some of the most successful bans of the past 20-30 years use EBs.
I've been doing it for years with a Jazz with no complaints. I roll the tone back a bit and favor the neck pup. Play the right hand close to the end of the neck. Flatwound strings help too.
B.
Blasphemy!
I've been doing it for years with a Jazz with no complaints. I roll the tone back a bit and favor the neck pup. Play the right hand close to the end of the neck. Flatwound strings help too.
B.
Next they’ll want drums!
Blasphemy!
Seems like BG has some of the ultimate purists, and they much prefer double bass. Thats perhaps an oversimplification but that’s what I’ve seen.
John Cowan does BG (Newgrass) with a Fender jazz or a Sadowsky jazz and PJ.
John Cowan does BG (Newgrass) with a Fender jazz or a Sadowsky jazz and PJ.
It’s true and their choice.
I did have to get some BG folks to admit that they listen to bluegrass music on stereos and that that huge PA at that BG festival isn’t powered by steam.
I’ve talked with Alison Krauss in their dressing room about two feet away. Her voice is amazing. Her singing voice is angelic.
And he does it to the max. One of the most underrated bass players out there. Dude can sing pretty good too. Check him out with the Doobie Brothers if you get a chance.
B.
It’s true and their choice.
I did have to get some BG folks to admit that they listen to bluegrass music on stereos and that that huge PA at that BG festival isn’t powered by steam.
My band's PA isn't steam powered, but it is all analog.
B.
I saw Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen a coule years back at a festival, and their bassist was playing a P-bass. (Granted, they are pretty “new grass,” but they did some traditional pickin tunes as well.) Sounded like he might have been playing rounds, too, albeit old ones. Nobody at the festival they were playing seemed to mind, and I sure didn’t. Dude sounded good enough that he could have been playing a bass fish and I wouldn’t have cared. Point is, if it sounds good, it is good, and if you play it right nobody should pay the choice of instrument any mind.
First off Alden, Welcome to talkbass.
I’ve never played a bluegrass gig either, so I can't comment on the bass.
But I think the real issue is do you want to play your gigs barefoot!!!
057912
I’ve never played a bluegrass gig either, so I can't comment on the bass.
But I think the real issue is do you want to play your gigs barefoot!!!
057912
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rules-schmules....
John Hartford didn't seem to have an issue with electric bass, and he did alright.
if your band mates are cool with it, then you are good to go.
plus, there are plenty of ways to get an electric bass to fit nicely in a bluegrass setting.
have fun!!!
John Hartford didn't seem to have an issue with electric bass, and he did alright.
if your band mates are cool with it, then you are good to go.
plus, there are plenty of ways to get an electric bass to fit nicely in a bluegrass setting.
have fun!!!
But I think the real issue is do you want to play your gigs barefoot!!!
No, not if you're standing in a creek playing electric bass.
B.
No, not if you're standing in a creek playing electric bass.
B.
Nick Forster plays an old looking P bass with an SWR rig in Hot Rize, iirc. If it’s good enough for them......
That’s why electric BG bassists are so rare. It’s a war of attrition.
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Just going through my record collection;
Jim & Jesie
The Osborne Bros
The Country Gentelmen
Doc Watson
Mac Wiseman
Earl Scruggs Review
Third Tyme Out
Newgrass Revival
Hot Rize
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Knoxville Grass
Somebody help me out, I'm sure I've missed a few others.
B.
Jim & Jesie
The Osborne Bros
The Country Gentelmen
Doc Watson
Mac Wiseman
Earl Scruggs Review
Third Tyme Out
Newgrass Revival
Hot Rize
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Knoxville Grass
Somebody help me out, I'm sure I've missed a few others.
B.
Best bluegrassy electric bass sound I've personally been responsible for is flats on a hollowbody (2 hot humbuckers, bass by Jay Turser). It just sounds huge, and yet falls in the mix with acoustic instruments even better than a P-bass, which is my 2nd choice.
Doesn't have to be flats, rounds with tone rolled off is way more versatile, yadda yadda, tradeoffs.
The jazz bass will work fine. It's more about how you play, not the bass itself. Palm muting, etc.
Doesn't have to be flats, rounds with tone rolled off is way more versatile, yadda yadda, tradeoffs.
The jazz bass will work fine. It's more about how you play, not the bass itself. Palm muting, etc.
Not quite sure about how it'll look in performance but the Kala Ubass (amplified of course) gets closest to UB sound of anything I've ever heard/played.
(But there is NO substitute for that satisfying "slap" of upright strings...)
(But there is NO substitute for that satisfying "slap" of upright strings...)
I saw a bluegrass band in a bar - their bass player played electric, with a pick. Sounded fantastic, deep and punchy.
