• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

John Taylor gear...

He used Aria basses. I think his main one was a Aria SB-1000 (or something similar). He had a very mid-ranged based tone. No clue what his rig was like, but if I had to guess I'd think Ashdown.
 
i remember the Aria, that's right! i wonder if he used it in the studio for tracks like Girls on Film, Rio, Planet Earth...? i love those tones! View To A Kill is also awesome sounding? could it be the Aria? i also remember reading an interview in the mid 80's about his origins as a bassist and all kindsa cool stuff...it had amp/gear info...dangit, i wish i still had that interview, might have been in Guitar World? hmmm...such a cool tone...i think i hear some compression...? and Roto's? i read something also about him trying a Bernard Edwards bass and it had flats on it...sometims his tone had a nice thick quality to it, i figured maybe he used flats? maybe, sometimes...unless he's just a Rotosound rounds kinda guy...
 
Instrument-wise, John Taylor used the Aria Pro the most during Duran Duran's peak in the 80's. The Kubicki came into play during the Power Station record. And the Music Man that he's played was Bernard Edwards old bass.

These days, his main basses seem to be Peavey Cirrus's. And IIRC he may have a signature bass with them now.
 
It's a long time ago, from memory, so dont shoot me If I'm wrong, on the first album he played a ric on planet earth, I seem to remember an Ibanez RoadStar as well for one track, but cant be a hundred percent on that one. After that It was the SB1000, (great bass,I had one around 84-5,It's the one I wish I had never sold) Amps, not sure but Trace Elliot rings a bell.
 
I don't think Trace Elliot existed while D.D. were in their heyday either. :)

I'd say Trace Elliot and Duran Duran had their peak of popularity at exactly the same time. Early 80's and Trace Elliot was THE amp for any aspiring pop-rock bassist.

So much so that when I see Trace gear I automatically think "cheesy 80's band". (Not that Duran were one of those)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mb94952
He has a white alleva coppolo kbp4. It is the sister bass to my signature model tha was made a few days earlier...He too has the reddish African Rosewood finger board from the same blank as mine. Only difference is his has an experimental shape tuning key with the top cut off to be made square .

In the 80s he had A Kunicki ex factor and an aria


I thought he was playing Alleva Coppolo basses now?