Gibson basses and pick players

[itchy]

It seems like whenever I see someone playing a Gibson bass, more often than not, it's a pick player.

Yes, I know that there are famous examples of Gibson + fingers - it's not like I never see it. But it seems like the majority of the time it's Gibson + pick.

Why is that? (A feel thing? A sound thing? An image thing?)




(P.S. I'm down with fingers AND pick, so no need for the thread to go THERE. )

 

[Doctor Boom]

Well I play mine (SG) both ways...I will say they really do lend themselves to pickstyle, it just feels right.
Also, importantly, you get more clarity...at least with the mudbucker models.

 

[TBird1958]

I play T Birds with a pick. The two best reasons are:

Most all of the music my band plays is 16ths and 32nds, my hands are 53 years old now and I can't keep that up for 3, 1 hour sets playing finger style.
A pick and specific Gibson pickups are an incredible tone combination, especially for Rock.

That said, when I'm at home in the practice room I much prefer to play fingerstyle.

 

[Tanner5382]

I have two Gibsons, a Money Bass and a '75 Grabber. I do usually play them with a pick, although I don't think it's really a conscious thing. I guess the body styles just lend themselves more to pick playing, for me anyways.

 

[Tanner5382]

Well I play mine (SG) both ways...I will say they really do lend themselves to pickstyle, it just feels right.

Ah, I didn't notice I said the same thing as you. But it certainly is true though.

 

[hdracer]

I play my SG both ways but prefer to use a pick because of the tighter string spacing. It is a lot faster with a pick. It also gets more attack out of the humbuckers.

 

[pjmuck]

It depends on what Gibson bass you're referring to, but IMO the T-Bird and EB basses sound best with a pick. EBs, especially (EB0, EB2, EB3) have very little clarity and definition when played fingerstyle and benefit from a pick's attack.

 

[tmoney61092]

I play my Victory Artist both ways, I find using a pick i can get a really nice trebly sound that sounds similar to John Paul Jones' tone with Them Crooked Vultures, and even with the same settings/pickup combo start playing finger style and be really smooth sounding like early Zeppelin, greatest bass ever IMO

 

[itchy]

I play my Victory Artist both ways, I find using a pick i can get a really nice trebly sound that sounds similar to John Paul Jones' tone with Them Crooked Vultures, and even with the same settings/pickup combo start playing finger style and be really smooth sounding like early Zeppelin, greatest bass ever IMO

I tried out a Victory in a store the other day. It's kind of a wacky (tacky?) looking bass...but I was really impressed with how comfortable the neck and action were. Probably the most comfortable Gibson I've ever played. And it sounded really good too.
The store wanted WAY too much for it though.

 

[Hamerguy]

I have a Q-80 and an RD Artist which I mostly play fingerstyle. I play them with a pick if the music requires that playstyle. I'd play the Fender with a pick too then. The RD in particular can sound very aggressive when played with a pick (I guess similar to the Victory Artist).

 

[XsSpeed]

I play my victory fingerstyle and thumb and pluck it too.

 

[aquateen]

I play my Gibsons fingerstyle or pick, depending on my preference at the time. they sound fine either way, imo.

 

[Venom of God]

I play my Tbird fingerstyle over the neck pick-up 75% of the time, go over the bridge pick-up when I need more attack. I honestly don't think a pick adds that much and I find it awkward. YMMV etc.

 

[Ric5]

All of my basses get played pick and fingers

 

[Aussie Player]

I played with a pick for the 1st 4 years then changed over to fingers which feels more natural to me. Now I can't use a pick. If octave drop runs are being played, forget it.
fingers forever now. Also like the tone they produce as I don'y like like bright bass tones produced with a pick.