• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Jeff Berlin's basses before his Dean signature model?

P

phxlbrmpf

Dec 27, 2002
2,898
17
Germany
#1
I'm currently listening to Bill Bruford's "Gradually Going Tornado" from the 80s with Jeff on bass, and while his playing (and vocals!) come across as a bit obnoxious at times, he's still cool to listen to. Oh, and the rest of the music's cool, too!

Granted, he could probably be playing pretty much anything with a bridge pickup, but part of me still would like to know what basses he was using back then. I did a search and couldn't really find any helpful threads. Does anyone know?
 
#3
Hiya,
If you watch his "Starlicks" video, Jeff has a Fender P-Bass with a Jazz neck. The bass has 2 Bartolini humbuckers & a Badass bridge on it. At the time the video was made, only the rear pickup was working :confused: .

My best guess would be that this was the bass (with both pickups in action) used for that album.

Cheers,
Essexbass.
 
#4
Fender Ps and Js, modded with BadAss bridge, Bartolini pickups and Carl Thompson strings.

pic4.jpg


Prior to the Dean he also had a Peavey Palladium signature model.
 
#5
I see, thanks a lot!
So much for Bartolini pickups being so "dark" sounding, I guess. But then again, judging from those pictures, his rear pickup is pretty close to the bridge which may have added much of the brightness, I guess.
 
#6
In the early '80s, I attended a clinic with Berlin...he was playing a prototype Yamaha bass(possibly a signature bass-to-be that never happened?)

IIRC, Yamaha was the sponsor of his clinic 'tour'.
 
#11
Wilbyman said:
Great player. Maybe the greatest improvisor we have on the instrument.
Click to expand...

+1
In 1981 or so, I saw him at a small club in Boston playing standards (sitting with a Real Book open on his lap). This was during the heyday of Jaco, and I remember getting the impression that Jeff was an even greater jazz soloist. (No reliance on licks, and a deep, deep understanding of harmony. Plus amazingly fluid chops, etc.) He was playing a Precision with (I think) a single soapbar pickup (EMG or Bartolini).
I was so inspired that I ran all the way home and started to practice, which is what Jeff is all about.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BMGecko
#12
JimK said:
In the early '80s, I attended a clinic with Berlin...he was playing a prototype Yamaha bass(possibly a signature bass-to-be that never happened?)

IIRC, Yamaha was the sponsor of his clinic 'tour'.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I have a Guitar World magazine from '89 that has a Yamaha ad with Jeff Berlin and Billy Sheehan. There are no models listed. Its just a cheeesey picture of them wearing sunglasses and basically saying "We play Yamaha!" :confused:
 
#14
Essexbass said:
Hiya,
If you watch his "Starlicks" video, Jeff has a Fender P-Bass with a Jazz neck. The bass has 2 Bartolini humbuckers & a Badass bridge on it. At the time the video was made, only the rear pickup was working :confused: .

My best guess would be that this was the bass (with both pickups in action) used for that album.

Cheers,
Essexbass.
Click to expand...

The neck on that bass (at least I think it is that particular bass) is actually a neck that was custom made for him by Michael Tobias.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jafp
#15
I saw Jeff when he came to Hong Kong last year and played with some of our solo artists. He was playing a heavily moded Fender Jazz but it was unrecognizable (very nice too ... it sounded almost like a tuba through his little GK amp).

He is thoroughly impressive, with as was said, a very deep understanding of harmony, rhythm, etc. And great fluid technique. He just doesn't use a lot of different techniques like a Jaco or Wooten ... instead seems to get more into the music itself.

One thing ... reflective of the Hong Kong mentality I have to say ... was the way the concert ended. The concert venue was in a government building. So 10pm rolls around and three of the buildings office clerks decide that regulations say it's time to close. They walk up on stage in front of an audience of around 150 people, during the middle of a piece, tapped the pianist on the shoulder and told him (middle of the piece mind you) that everyone would have to leave. We all had to leave, and Jeff and crew had to hustle to pack up while these bureaucrats hovered with arms crossed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jafp
#18
dougjwray said:
+1
In 1981 or so, I saw him at a small club in Boston playing standards (sitting with a Real Book open on his lap). This was during the heyday of Jaco, and I remember getting the impression that Jeff was an even greater jazz soloist. (No reliance on licks, and a deep, deep understanding of harmony. Plus amazingly fluid chops, etc.) He was playing a Precision with (I think) a single soapbar pickup (EMG or Bartolini).
I was so inspired that I ran all the way home and started to practice, which is what Jeff is all about.
Click to expand...
dougjwray,

Great observation. Jeff is still like that -- I teach his kids piano and get to talk to him weekly. He still works hard and practices hard and gigs around town (little Clearwater, FL). Oh and he still uses his Dean sig most of the time. And MarkBass amplification is his choice recently.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back