Electric Bass in Bluegrass

[hennessybass]

If anyone tells you that you can't play an electric bass in Bluegrass music, tell 'em to tell that to John Hartford.

 

[chadds]

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.

I played for many years with a classical violinist who branched out and did everything. He used a boss reverb and some rack compression through a Polytone. The sound he acquired sounded just like his violin unamplified. The line out of the amp sounded like poo. Him straight into the amp, more poo. He had tweaked that gear to get his sound coming out of the speaker of the Polytone.

We are the champions. We make this gear do what we want. Naysayers (Why do you play an ABG? You have to use flats for this or that kind of music. You have to have tubes. You can’t have tubes. 15”s/10”s no 12”s! Is this bass right for anything? Etc. Etc.) can’t do it so they say no one can. “you’re correct......and this is why you fail.” We are the magic. The gear is amazing and capable. At the end of the day we make the music through it.

 

[bound'n'blocked]

I've been a bluegrass music radio DJ and MC'd bluegrass festival for decades. Lots of bluegrass bass players play electric basses. Some include Steve Bryant (in the 70s with JD Crowe), John Cowan (NGR), Darrin Vincent (Dailey and Vincent), Mike Angling (Larry Cordle, Lonesome River Band, David Parmley/Continental Divide). Mike played a really nice Haze bass. I remember back years ago Cowan played a Kubicki, and another guy I saw at a festival had a six string bass. Most ones I see are P bass Fender or clones.

BnB

 

[Basswgn]

I've been a bluegrass music radio DJ and MC'd bluegrass festival for decades. Lots of bluegrass bass players play electric basses. Some include Steve Bryant (in the 70s with JD Crowe), John Cowan (NGR), Darrin Vincent (Dailey and Vincent), Mike Angling (Larry Cordle, Lonesome River Band, David Parmley/Continental Divide). Mike played a really nice Haze bass. I remember back years ago Cowan played a Kubicki, and another guy I saw at a festival had a six string bass. Most ones I see are P bass Fender or clones.

BnB

I'm sure it has become more acceptable over the last couple of decades. In 2002 (around...) I was at Merlefest and got booed the minute I stepped on stage with a resonator bass (not that I cared...).

It was also humorous to see booths selling instructional media that had signs up that said "why stand on the sidelines... You can play bass!". Lol.

I (somewhat) play upright as well. I am always amazed that people are so impressed with an acoustic upright bass... It comes down the the overall size of the thing. People dig it before you ever play a note.

 

[Flamingo21]

I am always amazed that people are so impressed with an acoustic upright bass... It comes down the the overall size of the thing. People dig it before you ever play a note.

It says: "There's music here!"

 

[Holdsg]

It says: "There's music here!"

And I'm not a beeeg violin

 

[Flamingo21]

And I'm not a beeeg violin

Yes you are.

 

[bound'n'blocked]

I'm sure it has become more acceptable over the last couple of decades. In 2002 (around...) I was at Merlefest and got booed the minute I stepped on stage with a resonator bass (not that I cared...).

It was also humorous to see booths selling instructional media that had signs up that said "why stand on the sidelines... You can play bass!". Lol.

I (somewhat) play upright as well. I am always amazed that people are so impressed with an acoustic upright bass... It comes down the the overall size of the thing. People dig it before you ever play a note.

From what I understand, MerleFest is a little different from the more traditional festivals. I worked the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer festival for several years and one year a band brought a drum set...that didn't go over well at all...

BnB

 

[dalkowski]

Yes you are.

 

[Shane Foster]

I grew up in Tennessee surrounded by Bluegrass, it's how I learned to play.

I recommend using flat wounds and something to somewhat mute the strings. Think early Fender Jazz days. They use to put foam under the strings at the bridge to mimic the sound.

 

[paulcorboy]

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?

I use my Martin BCPA4 Guitar. I would like to use a Double bass but these days they are just too big to cart around and wont fit in my car. Apart from me all other instruments are un-amped.

 

[JTE]

Q. How many bluegrass musicians does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. Ten, one to change it and nine more to stand around and complain that it's electric.

But I recall an article in the magazine Bluegrass Unlimited that had a section about a respected band (maybe Hot Rize, I know it wasn't New Grass Revival) using electric bass. He used a Precision with GHS Brite-Flats (GHS' version of modified rounds like D'Addario HalfRounds). That was a L O N G time ago, can. 1985.

 

[Jeff Elkins]

But I recall an article in the magazine Bluegrass Unlimited that had a section about a respected band (maybe Hot Rize, I know it wasn't New Grass Revival) using electric bass. He used a Precision with GHS Brite-Flats (GHS' version of modified rounds like D'Addario HalfRounds). That was a L O N G time ago, can. 1985.

You remember correctly. Nick Forster. I always thought he was just a little busy, but man it worked with what they did.

Nick Forster On Electric Bass In Bluegrass | BassPlayer.com

 

[David Lakin]

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.

Don’t forget J.D. Crowe and the New South. Post Rounder 44 all of J.D.’s albums and touring bands had a electric bass. Most notable was Steve Bryant on My Home Ain’t In the Hall of Fame album. Before playing with J.D., Steve was in Boone Creek with Ricky Skaggs.

 

[David Lakin]

I’ve played bass for over 40 years in a bluegrass band. When I started playing I was using a 51’ Kay M-1, but later switched to an electric. I love uprights, but they’re very impractical. Right now my gear is a Fender Precision and a Gallien-Krueger MB112II. Flat wounds are the key, along with a quick release technique with your left hand. Uprights have a “hit it and quit it” natural compression. So, avoid long sustained notes. A foam rubber mute sometimes helps as well.

 

[chadds]

This is from early Second City.

 

[jonro]

There are a number of electric uprights with 34" scale necks that could make a good compromise. But, if you're looking for a electric bass for bluegrass (besides a P bass), consider the Ibanez Artcore AGBV200A. It looks the part and sounds the part. To me, it sounds a lot like an upright in short scale bass body.

 

[Flamingo21]

But, if you're looking for a electric bass for bluegrass (besides a P bass), consider the Ibanez Artcore AGBV200A. It looks the part and sounds the part. To me, it sounds a lot like an upright in short scale bass body.

But would hardcore traditionalists be less opposed to it than they'd be to other bass guitars?

 

[madmikebass]

My church has a separate service each Sunday morning. The music played is the only difference from the main service. This was started to provide a venue for the older crowd in our church and to make them feel a bit more at home. They have a separate band that plays bluegrass.
Said all that to say this... the bass player plays some type of pointy bass! I have never been close enough to it to identify exactly what it is, but I know it is a 5 string. This is for an audience that has lived thorough many decades of bluegrass music. I have never witnessed anyone even noticing his bass, much less commenting negatively on it. Of course, it is worth mentioning that he has found a tone that sounds good, sits well in the mix, and works with the overall sound.
So, for me, they key is, can you get a sound that works? If so, use whatever it takes to get that sound. Of course, the purists will completely disagree.

 

[red7flag]

Most EB players that I have heard playing on stage bluegrass situations, seem to be of the less traditional varieties and so less traditional bass playing seems to work. Very few EB players that I have seen approach the EB the way they would a SB. The few that I have seen fit in a traditional bg band sounded solid and appropriate. I have to force myself to play my EB in a traditional bluegrass focus and when I am in the pocket, it works.