Jack Bruce Bass VI songs

[Noah Pezzolla]

Does anyone know on what tracks Jack Bruce used the Fender Bass VI?

Kind regards, Noah

 

[dougjwray]

My guess is that he used it on Cream's first album, Fresh Cream. But I don't know for sure. There are photos of him recording Disraeli Gears with a Danelectro. But the Fender Bass VI? Maybe someone else can chime in with a timeline.

 

[Michedelic]

Fresh Cream would be the album, recorded in late 1966. I was always amazed at the deep sound that Jack got, considering the instrument(three single coil pickups, crowded neck with thinner strings)and amplification (Marshall with 4x12 cab). I have a Squier version, and I would have to say that, with its twangy sound, it does lend itself better to country ‘tic-tac’ stuff, but he made it work, although there’s a blanket of studio compression on the bass tracks that fatten the sound. While there’s no way to know, I’ve always believed that Jack used an acoustic upright on “Four Until Late” and the studio “Spoonful”, at least that’s what my ears tell me. Here’s a very informative interview...
Jack Bruce

A few years later, Soft Machine’s Roy Babbington got a relatively orthodox, bassy tone out of the VI...

 

[jerry]

Fresh Cream would be the album, recorded in late 1966. I was always amazed at the deep sound that Jack got, considering the instrument(three single coil pickups, crowded neck with thinner strings)and amplification (Marshall with 4x12 cab). I have a Squier version, and I would have to say that, with its twangy sound, it does lend itself better to country ‘tic-tac’ stuff, but he made it work, although there’s a blanket of studio compression on the bass tracks that fatten the sound. While there’s no way to know, I’ve always believed that Jack used an acoustic upright on “Four Until Late” and the studio “Spoonful”, at least that’s what my ears tell me. Here’s a very informative interview...
Jack Bruce

A few years later, Soft Machine’s Roy Babbington got a relatively orthodox, bassy tone out of the VI...

Notice a young Allan Holdsworth in that video?

 

[Michedelic]

Notice a young Allan Holdsworth in that video?

Absolutely; the album that this particular SM line up produced, “Bundles”, was my introduction to him. He quickly jumped ship, issued a more fusionish solo album on CTI, then went on to Tony Williams’ Lifetime, Gong, the band UK, and then eventually solo, hopping back and forth between prog and fusion. It was a chore to keep up with him, but it was always interesting stuff.

 

[Larry Balara]

Did Jack Bruce play the vi with a pick,

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Did Jack Bruce play the vi with a pick,

I saw him play it with his fingers in a video.

 

[Michedelic]

Did Jack Bruce play the vi with a pick,

I saw him play it with his fingers in a video.

Here’s video taken from an old lip synch/mime appearance on German TV that I used to see on MTV back when the channel had something to do with music…

(Beat Club won’t allow a link to the actual clip, but it is on YT).
I don’t think Jack ever played with a pick, especially with his upright background. I’ve never seen it in pics/vids. But I have never figured out what was going on with Clapton’s mouth in this one.