JACK CASADY

[sturoc]

Well every now and then I go back and listen to some classic bass playing that I heard as a kid but nowadays appreciate it even more .
Having gotten home after playing with a few friends for fun -we were talking about doing Sea Child, So i whip out Burgers- Hot Tuna and am blown away again.
Jack Casady 's tone and playing style is classic solid.
That slightly overdriven tone reminding me of Felix P but not as driven and still clear enough to cut thru. It almost sounds doubled via a delay but I don't think he used that f/x.
His melodic style on the fretboard really hits home as I found myself saying "Yes I would do the same " Shaking my head !
WE all know what basses he has continued to play. but what of his backline in the late 60s and early 70s ?
Any one know the truth on his amps etc ?

 

[The Lurker]

Back then he used a Versatone for the distortion and something like a Dual Showman for the rest of his sound.

Saw him last year with Hot Tuna & co

 

[JTE]

In February 1967, Guitar Player Magazine reported he was using "A Standel for concert playing and a Fender Showman for recording..." as well as "Fender light gauge strings... which he changes about every two months".

There's a photo in Jim Roberts' "How The Fender Bass Changed The World" on page 95 showing Jack (playing a Flying V shaped bass with what appears to be Hagstrom/Guild Bi-Sonic PUPs) through the Versatone. There's the Morely volume pedal he used to blend the Versatone with the rest of the rig. Right behind him is a pile of stuff with what looks like a couple fo Macintosh power amps, some sort of Ampeg looking head (most of it's blocked by Jack, but it sure looks like a real SVT or a V-4), and a huge pile of JBL looking speakers.

John

 

[Popps]

I saw them sometime around '68-69 and he was using 2 d-showmans, can't quite remember if he had 2 or 4 cabs. It inspired me later to use a d-showman with 2 2x15 cabs with SRO's. They had a wonderful overdriven sound while remaining nice and fat...

 

[tinman 1967]

Yeah, hes one of my favorites also,....... I have seen Tuna 5 or 6 times....Also saw JA "reunion"tour in the late 80s.

He is a wonderful bassist, and a really nice guy!

He uses DM blue steel strings on his sig bass, and it just so happens that my bud gave me a set of them Fri. eve. to try on my Casady bass...

These are the right strings for that bass for sure! Holy Friggen' growl!!!

 

[zillo]

Recently listened to Won't You Try / Saturday Afternoon. Really beautiful bass playing. He is an amazing musician. He does more with a whole note and vibrato ...

 

[sturoc]

I just cruised thru Wolfgang's vault and listened to a few Hot Tuna gigs from the late 60s early 70s and his tone is really prominent, gritty for sure.
Some classic stuff on there. Just found this interview A real good insight into him.

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Currently on my player is the acoustic Triad by JA , written by David Crosby done by Grace and the boys- talk bout subtle bass playing, listen and you' ll hear !