Jimmy Bain - Rainbow tone

[ultra60]

What did Jimmy play in the early Rainbow days? Great tone on this 40+ year old record:



I've seen pics of him playing a P, a T-bird, and what look like a few modded P's. This tone sounds fairly unique to me... not Fender or Gibson.

 

[zombywoof5050]

Don't know how accurate this is, but a quick search found this info:
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[Auspuff]

Always liked Jimmy, myself.

He was the first bassist I emulated when I was a kid, after hearing "Rainbow, On Stage."

I remember reading an article where Ritchie Blackmore was quoted the reason Jimmy was released from Rainbow was, "Jimmy just couldn't handle it." I used to think Ritchie meant Jimmy's playing was subpar. However, in an interview with Jimmy, just before he passed, he mentioned it was due to his drinking, brawling, and hell raising.

Stargazing Forever, James Bain.

 

[ultra60]

Don't know how accurate this is, but a quick search found this info:
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I'd seen pics of him playing a Yamaha also. But this is a few years after the Rainbow records.

 

[John Swartz]

After hearing Dio's first album, particularly "Shame on the Night", I wanted Jimmy's tone. He became an endorser for Ashdown in the 90s or beyond, which had me playing through those for awhile, but someone told me that in the 80s he was a Gallien-Krueger guy.

Fun fact that I didn't know until recently - Jimmy plays bass on the Scorpions' "Rock You Like a Hurricane".

John

 

[chuckNC]

Just stating the knowable/obvious here. Pics on both the 'Rainbow Rising' and 'Rainbow On Stage' album jackets show Jimmy playing what looks to be a ca. '68 Fender Telecaster Bass, the one with the single-coil pickup. Not to say that's what he recorded with....

 

[PhR75]

Just stating the knowable/obvious here. Pics on both the 'Rainbow Rising' and 'Rainbow On Stage' album jackets show Jimmy playing what looks to be a ca. '68 Fender Telecaster Bass, the one with the single-coil pickup. Not to say that's what he recorded with....

His Tele was modded with another single coil P-pickup near the bridge.
The first cd edition of "Rising" had accidentally a different mix (L.A. mix) than on a vinyl and on the subsequent remaster released in the 90s. The best difference is that Jimmy's bass is louder on it! I'm pretty sure he used the Tele on that album.
The L.A. mix has been also release on deluxe edition of "Rising".

 

[mb94952]

Although I have loved the straight to the point bass lines of Jimmy Bain, until a few minutes ago I never knew who I was listening to.

What a resume´! Thin Lizzy, Rainbow, DIO. That's the big leagues.

 

[PhR75]

Although I have loved the straight to the point bass lines of Jimmy Bain, until a few minutes ago I never knew who I was listening to.

What a resume´! Thin Lizzy, Rainbow, DIO. That's the big leagues.

Or more like Phil Lynott than Lizzy actually. He played on Phil's solo albums (bass and keyboards), did a tour with him playing keys and co-wrote probably the best Lynott solo song "Old Town". "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" was also Bain/Lynott co-write.

He also played with fellow Welshman John Cale on his "Animal Justice" EP in 1977. And played on Kate Bush's "The Dreaming" album.

 

[mb94952]

Or more like Phil Lynott than Lizzy actually. He played on Phil's solo albums (bass and keyboards), did a tour with him playing keys and co-wrote probably the best Lynott solo song "Old Town". "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" was also Bain/Lynott co-write.

He also played with fellow Welshman John Cale on his "Animal Justice" EP in 1977. And played on Kate Bush's "The Dreaming" album.

Thanks

 

[PhR75]

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Jimmy's Telecaster. He still used it during the early days of Wild Horses in 1978 and 1979.

 

[Gluvhand]

Or more like Phil Lynott than Lizzy actually. He played on Phil's solo albums (bass and keyboards), did a tour with him playing keys and co-wrote probably the best Lynott solo song "Old Town". "Dear Miss Lonely Hearts" was also Bain/Lynott co-write.

He also played with fellow Welshman John Cale on his "Animal Justice" EP in 1977. And played on Kate Bush's "The Dreaming" album.

Bain did play bass on With Love from Black Rose.

 

[PhR75]

Bain did play bass on With Love from Black Rose.

That's true indeed. I have always wondered if the song was meant to go to a Lynott solo album first like "Sarah" was also. Lizzy also demoed songs like "Blackmail" which ended up on a first Wild Horses album.