In your opinion, what are the ten most iconic bass guitars in rock history?

Rickenbacker 4001
P-Bass
Jazz Bass
Hofner
Steinberger L2
Thunderbird
Alembic Series 1
Ampeg AMB1
Gibson EB-3
Kubicki X-Factor

 

Have you ever heard of the Stingray?

 

Well..... I hadda pick ten! By all means, weigh in!

 

I'm not sure any bass except the Fender Precision is truly "iconic." That's an awfully big word for this sort of thing. And I say that as someone who owns only one Precision and doesn't consider it his #1. The Precision isn't necessarily better than other basses, but it's the one that established the template that many others are built on, including the Jazz (basically an offset-waist Precision with two pickups and a different look to the pickguard and control layout) and Leo Fender's later designs for MusicMan and G+L.

Fundamentally different designs have generally not been as popular or influential. The violin-shaped bass guitar started with the Gibson EB in the '50s, but the main reason they're still around (though not from Gibson) is Paul McCartney's use of the Hofner 500. Steinbergers were popular for a while in the '80s when everything had to look high-tech, but you don't see that many people with little square-bodied headless basses anymore. Go into a guitar store today and most of what you'll see in the bass section is variations on the Precision: solid-body guitar-shaped double-cut basses, 34" scale give or take an inch or so, often with all the tuners on the top of the headstock (unless there are more than four of them), usually with the pickups in about the same positions as a Precision or Jazz (aside from Gibsons and Rickenbackers).

 

Jamersons p bass
McCartney’s hofner
Jacos jazz bass
Stanley’s Brown Alembic
Chris Squires Ric
Bootsys star bass
Entwistles Fenderbird

I don’t know...

 

^^^
This is what I thought the OP was looking for??

 

It really begins and ends with P bass.

 

We all know about these basses, but for a true icon, something even non-bass players might at least recognise, I vote Thunderbird.

A top ten list is probably overkill

 

P
J
Rick 4001
T Bird
Hofner Beetle bass
Stingray
Spector NS2
Steinberger L2
Alembic
Gibson EB0

 

4001
P
J
Steinberger Q4
T Bird
Flying V
Violin Bass
Stingray
Alembic Series 1
Ibanez Blazer

 

There are 10?

 

Jaco's bass is certainly iconic, but not exactly iconic in terms of rock music.

Now Geddy's black and maple jazz definitely fits the bill.

 

In terms of rock, I'd also throw in Duff McKagan's black and white Fender PJ. As soon as you see that bass and the stringy blonde hair you know you're about to see a rock show.

 

Amazes me how the Tbird is always up there with the Fenders and Rics. And yet, in comparison, it gets so much less discussion.

 

To me, an iconic bass would be one that has been played by one or more equally iconic performers, and with a form factor that’s instantly recognized by the public, even if they couldn’t tell you what it was. I think that there are only six:

Fender Precision
Fender Jazz
Höfner Violin bass
Rickenbacker 4001
Musicman StingRay
Gibson Thunderbird

 

John Paul Jones's Jazz will however.

Iconic for rock music, no one who is non-musician will know who Stanley Clarke is. I wager tons and tons of musician dont know who he is either.

 

Yeah, if “iconic” is meant to mean “most boring thing on the planet.”

 

Hahaha.