• 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.

(Lack of) P Basses in Reggae?

JACink

JACink

Mar 9, 2011
5,271
7,363
Spain
#1
I am trying to decide which bass to take with me to a Reggae/Dub colab next week.

I was mainly thinking of taking my 5 string ESP ltd, but I was also debating whether flatwounds would be better. My only bass with flatwounds (other than a fretless J which is out of the question due to lack of practice) is a P bass.

I started checking out some videos regarding the types of songs we might be playing and I was surprised at the lack of P basses in the reggae world. Maybe I just didn't look at the right bassists, but it seemed that P basses were really not that popular.

Is there a reason for this?

I would have thought that a simple P with flats, foam and the tone rolled off would work pretty well for some of the old school stuff.
 
#3
Reggae is one of the least picky genres when it comes to gear. You just have to sound authentic meaning your tone is somewhat round and you understand how to approach the different rythmic patterns such as one drop, etc. plus the techniques like playing loose/not staccato and close to the neck or Palm muting. If you are doing a dub gear might be even less important because they will be remixing it.

People seem to have this impression that you won't be accepted if you show up with the wrong gear in Reggae, but it is the opposite. Nobody really cares in my experience. There has been great reggae bass done on active and passive basses, with rounds and flats, short scale, long scale, etc.

There was a great Reggae thread on talkbass like a decade ago about reggae bass that talked about some of this.

Just bring whatever you are comfortable with and your P bass with flats will sound great if that's what you go with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dig Wilbur Ware, mussa, J-Mags and 5 others
#4
JACink said:
I am trying to decide which bass to take with me to a Reggae/Dub colab next week.

I was mainly thinking of taking my 5 string ESP ltd, but I was also debating whether flatwounds would be better. My only bass with flatwounds (other than a fretless J which is out of the question due to lack of practice) is a P bass.

I started checking out some videos regarding the types of songs we might be playing and I was surprised at the lack of P basses in the reggae world. Maybe I just didn't look at the right bassists, but it seemed that P basses were really not that popular.

Is there a reason for this?

I would have thought that a simple P with flats, foam and the tone rolled off would work pretty well for some of the old school stuff.
Click to expand...

Although the Jazz Bass is more associated with reggae due to the influence of Aston Barrett, it is silly to think you can't use a P bass in reggae. I have seen video of legendary bassist Robbie Shakespeare playing with Peter Tosh using a Hofner Beatle Bass. It will work fine, especially with flats. More important than the type of bass you use is being able to hit the right groove.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mussa, RobTheRiot, bobyoung53 and 2 others
#5
I would think any bass would work for reggae, but a P with flats would require a bit less eq than some other basses.

Actually, if it were me, I'd bring a P, keep my tone up so the signal in my ears would't be so rolled off (I can hear what note I'm plating much better that way), and let FOH massacre my treble and mids for the PA feed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bill Whitehurst
#7
I've played P bass in a Reggae band, but I 'm so far down the food chain I probably don't count.

IMO @chilliwilli is right, no one cares what gear you turn up with. It's all about how fat you sound and how smooth you play.
 
#8
JACink said:
I am trying to decide which bass to take with me to a Reggae/Dub colab next week.

I was mainly thinking of taking my 5 string ESP ltd, but I was also debating whether flatwounds would be better. My only bass with flatwounds (other than a fretless J which is out of the question due to lack of practice) is a P bass.

I started checking out some videos regarding the types of songs we might be playing and I was surprised at the lack of P basses in the reggae world. Maybe I just didn't look at the right bassists, but it seemed that P basses were really not that popular.

Is there a reason for this?

I would have thought that a simple P with flats, foam and the tone rolled off would work pretty well for some of the old school stuff.
Click to expand...

JACink said:
I was more curious about the fact that the P bass isn't very common in Reggae than worried about whether it will work or not.
Click to expand...

You are right. The four bass players who laid the foundation for reggae bass, Leroy Sibbles, Aston Barrett, Errol Flabba Holt and Robbie Shakespeare, were often seen playing a Fender Jazz Bass. E g. in an interview on YouTube, Flabba mentions that he played a jazz on all the hit riddims the Roots Radics created in the late 70s and early 80s.

Nevertheless , P basses were also used. George Fully Fulwood who played with Peter Tosh in the 80s used one. So did Clinton Fearon and Albert Griffiths of The Gladiators, as can be seen on pictures in the booklet of their album Back To Roots. Finally, also Lloyd Parkes of We The People Band used a P backing Dennis Brown and countless other artists in the 70s and 80s.

The 80s then saw the Steinberger headless basses becoming popular among reggae bassists. Today, I observe that most players use active 5- and occasionally 6-string basses.

Nevertheless, as already pointed out above, gear is not of utter importance in reggae music and basically any bass can be used. Personally, I have played reggae with many different basses including a P, which I used exclusively for 8 years.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Dig Wilbur Ware, mussa, HolmeBass and 1 other person
#11
JACink said:
:D

I will probably end up taking a the Ltd 5, or maybe even a 6. I just need to finish sanding down the rounds so they are flat :)
Click to expand...
Well now you are feeding the stereotype of no P. :meh:

'Twas the night of the gig, when all through the stage
Not a P Bass was stirring, not even JACink's.
The Basses where resting by their cabs with care,
in hopes of a P Bass soon would be there.
The crowd was restless for grooves, their eyes red
No sound of a P Bass going into their head. :sorry:

:D
 
  • Like
Reactions: murphy, AlexanderB, HolmeBass and 6 others
#13
Firstly, I do agree with everybody that reggae music isn't really about the gear (or at least, it shouldn't be), it's just how you groove. And if the amp is loud and low enough, really, any bass will get you there.

Personally, I really don't like using P basses (or flatwounds) for reggae music. I also don't really ever see them used (except for once when The Aggrolites were in town from LA, and their sub-in bassist was using a P). I suppose my feeling is that the split-coil pickup on a P is *super* low-mid focused, and doesn't really reach the same level of low end (frequency-wise) as a single coil, like a J-type. And as much as I prefer a little bit of higher mid to help sit myself in an often dense mix, hence opting for round strings, it's those real loooowwww frequencies which create that magic feeling for me. And the P's I've tried using generally haven't gotten me *quite* there in the same way as some other basses.

But then, what the eff do I know about this? I've been playing roots and dub reggae music with a Rotos-slung Rickenbacker for the better part of 10 years...
 
  • Like
Reactions: murphy, J-Mags, AlexanderB and 3 others
#14
sloppy_phil said:
Firstly, I do agree with everybody that reggae music isn't really about the gear (or at least, it shouldn't be), it's just how you groove. And if the amp is loud and low enough, really, any bass will get you there.

Personally, I really don't like using P basses (or flatwounds) for reggae music. I also don't really ever see them used (except for once when The Aggrolites were in town from LA, and their sub-in bassist was using a P). I suppose my feeling is that the split-coil pickup on a P is *super* low-mid focused, and doesn't really reach the same level of low end (frequency-wise) as a single coil, like a J-type. And as much as I prefer a little bit of higher mid to help sit myself in an often dense mix, hence opting for round strings, it's those real loooowwww frequencies which create that magic feeling for me. And the P's I've tried using generally haven't gotten me *quite* there in the same way as some other basses.

But then, what the eff do I know about this? I've been playing roots and dub reggae music with a Rotos-slung Rickenbacker for the better part of 10 years...
Click to expand...

I can't say I have seen many Rickenbacker's either :D

I have been rehearsing this afternoon and giving a few different basses a whirl. My conclusion is that I also prefer the tone I am getting with rounds on the five string.

As for being low enough, the Meatbox seems to really help with this ;)

It is still interesting though that the most used bass is not used that much in this particular genre, I think you are on to something about the low-mid focus @sloppy_phil
 
#16
JACink said:
I can't say I have seen many Rickenbacker's either :D

I have been rehearsing this afternoon and giving a few different basses a whirl. My conclusion is that I also prefer the tone I am getting with rounds on the five string.

As for being low enough, the Meatbox seems to really help with this ;)

It is still interesting though that the most used bass is not used that much in this particular genre, I think you are on to something about the low-mid focus @sloppy_phil
Click to expand...

Haha, yeah only one other time in my life did I see a gent playing reggae with a Rick, which was before I even had mine!

And there is perhaps something to the frequency range of the P pickup, but in general, as long as your amp has a big enough booty, a P will do what you need it to no problem. That seems to be much more important for getting the "right" sound than any particular bass you choose to use. When the amp hasn't able to push enough air, no bass could save those situations :/
 
#18
JACink said:
I am trying to decide which bass to take with me to a Reggae/Dub colab next week.

I was mainly thinking of taking my 5 string ESP ltd, but I was also debating whether flatwounds would be better. My only bass with flatwounds (other than a fretless J which is out of the question due to lack of practice) is a P bass.

I started checking out some videos regarding the types of songs we might be playing and I was surprised at the lack of P basses in the reggae world. Maybe I just didn't look at the right bassists, but it seemed that P basses were really not that popular.

Is there a reason for this?

I would have thought that a simple P with flats, foam and the tone rolled off would work pretty well for some of the old school stuff.
Click to expand...
I played a Squier VM Jazz strung with flats in a roots project. It sounded great and I never had a bad comment come my way.

As to your question, I think it just happens to be that the reggae bass founding fathers, if you will, liked Jazz Basses.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JACink

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back