Electric Bass in Bluegrass

[brianrost]

Bluegrass Music Requirements:
...
No exceptions

I know that's meant to be humorous, because none of that is really true any more. Those instruments are still the "industry standard" just like a P and an SVT are in rock but I see more and more players using other brands, most of which could be considered "boutique clones" much like a Sadowsky, Lull, Nash, etc. Carved DBs instead of plywood and even playing with a bow have been a strong trend over the last few years.

 

[Flamingo21]

I was playing my 1941 Kay O100B when we won this. I was recruited specifically for the job, and we officially "practiced" twice. We split the money, but it's the only competition I've ever played in, so the guys let me keep the ribbon. Doesn't have much to do with this thread, but I thought I'd post it anyway.

View attachment 3638739

Congratz!

 

[mcnach]

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?

Yeah, I'd try that, with some Rotosound TruBass black nylon tapewound strings. You'll get a thump that is as close as you can ever get to a double bass with a bass guitar.

 

[Ostie]

Bluegrass Music Requirements:
Martin D28 Guitar
Gibson F-style Mandolin
Gibson Mastertone Banjo
Kay Upright Bass
Fiddle (no brand required, but prefer Strad copy)
Other:
Black string tie
Black polyester pants
White dress shirt, tucked in

No exceptions

You forgot cowboy boots and a Stetson

As a mandolin player I can tell you that some people go so far as to claim that you have to put the mandolin strap over your right shoulder a la Bill Monroe. Turns out that Monroe did that so he could put his mandolin strap on and off without removing his hat.

 

[Jeremy Darrow]

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?

Totally doable. Do a little homework and listen to how the bass does its’ job in a bluegrass band, definitely resist any impulse to over-play. After a few gigs or rehearsals would be a good time to consider whether or not you want to change strings, or make any other gear changes. I would work on getting a BASS GUITAR tone that works, rather than trying to sound like an upright.

Nothing but an upright bass sounds like an upright bass.

 

[ejaggers]

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.

New Found Road
Flatt Lonesome
Blue Highway
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Marty Raybon
Dailey & Vincent
New Standard
Del McCoury
The Steeldrivers
Lonesome River Band
The Grasscals
Infamous Stringdusters
Claire Lynch
Mountain Heart

By the way, all these use upright bass. Doyle Lawson has been around about 50 years & he uses electric bass.

Whaaaatttt?????
No love for Mean Mary?????

Well let's change that with Iron Horse, the best bluegrass ever:



057912

 

[BLDavis]

Whaaaatttt?????
No love for Mean Mary?????

Well let's change that with Iron Horse, the best bluegrass ever:



057912

And how did I forget Steve Bryant with Boone Creek and J.D. Crowe. A great bassist.
B.

 

[Ekulati]

The ONLY limitation (and only right answer) is the opinion of your band members and bandleader especially. Nothing else matters. If they're ok, then you can do it.

 

[Flamingo21]

I would work on getting a BASS GUITAR tone that works, rather than trying to sound like an upright.

That makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[dan1952]

I know that's meant to be humorous, because none of that is really true any more. Those instruments are still the "industry standard" just like a P and an SVT are in rock but I see more and more players using other brands, most of which could be considered "boutique clones" much like a Sadowsky, Lull, Nash, etc. Carved DBs instead of plywood and even playing with a bow have been a strong trend over the last few years.

My ex-father in law played in one of those bands in the 70's. The Jim and Jesse look, the whole thing! I used to kid him about it all the time. He even thought it was funny! The only people worth listening to were Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, and the Stanley Brothers.

 

[dan1952]

You forgot cowboy boots and a Stetson

As a mandolin player I can tell you that some people go so far as to claim that you have to put the mandolin strap over your right shoulder a la Bill Monroe. Turns out that Monroe did that so he could put his mandolin strap on and off without removing his hat.

I thought the mandolin sounded better like that! LOL!!!

 

[Bflat]

the BG guys around here will accept these, but I still get the *** is that look:

 

[Flamingo21]

@Bflat you have an interesting collection!

 

[dalkowski]

I agree. It has an acoustic look, and it sounds remarkably close to an amplified plywood double bass. I'm using mine, not for bluegrass, but for musical theater pits, jazz cocktail hours and in rock/pop situations where an upright sound is called for (Louis Prima, Louis Jordan, etc.) where I either can't or don't want to bring my upright. But as JimmyM says - talk to the band first and foremost!!!

I became a believer at a John Hiatt gig a couple years ago. His bassist was playing a P when I looked away from the stage to people-watch (outdoor show). Next song I heard an upright, looked back to the stage to check it out, and there he was on the UBass. I was sold. Found one totally by accident at a Music Go Round some months later.

 

[Humbled]

Regarding the UBass: In a genre where the on-stage "look" is baked-in enough that we're discussing whether a P-bass is acceptable, is a UBass really taken seriously?

 

[Don Hergert]

... is a UBass really taken seriously?

Good question.

I was at a yearly hotel-based bluegrass jam-festival in a city in California that is known oil and for the "California Country sound" (look it up) 3 years ago and heard what sounded like the nicest DB, and some pretty good other instruments being played in one of the rooms from down the hall. Out of curiosity my wife and I walked by to see what and who was playing. It was actually a band jamming together, but it was no group that we recognized. Interestingly, there didn't seem to be a bassist there, just bluegrass instruments and a uke player.

We stopped to see and hear more. They sounded great. Of course with careful watching it turned out that the uke player was the bassist, playing a fretless uBass. He sounded great and if I hadn't been watching I would have sworn it was a DB. We talked after the jam song ended, the bassist commented that it's all in the amp and how it is set, and that voicing makes a huge difference. He was using a big old Ampeg amp of some kind. He had come into town on the train and while he couldn't bring his DB, he could bring the uBass in a gig bag and a big old amp.

Ironically at this event, the hotel power went out later that day, for a few hours. That particular bass player was silent during that period.

So anyway, here was a true DB player who had figured out how to make a uBass sound right. I've also since then met and talked and jammed with another bluegrass band bass player, for a national traveling band, who now routinely plays uBass. I have a fretless uBass for my backup bass now, along with a battery-powered light-weight amp.

As I mentioned in my earlier post though, it all depends. The uBass for bluegrass may be acceptable for some bassists and for some some bands / jams and it may be acceptable for some audiences in some geographic areas.

 

[Humbled]

...bluegrass band bass player, for a national traveling band, who now routinely plays uBass...

On stage?

 

[Don Hergert]

Yup, very much so. They've played at IBMA.

 

[Humbled]

As have I. I was just wondering who.

 

[Don Hergert]

As have I. I was just wondering who.

PM'ed.