Not another "best bass" thread: What do YOU use for metal?

[Jay_Bass]

Disclaimer: this is not another best bass for metal thread! I did a search and similar threads came up but they were not recent nor were they exactly what I'm looking for.

I know it's all subjective and down to personal preference. I also know that pretty much anything can be used to play heavy metal music... but for all you metalheads out there, I want to know what basses YOU play heavy music with! Please share, I'm curious and I think it might be beneficial for some readers to see the kind of variety in basses/tones that will fit right in to a metal context.

Me? I rock a USA P Bass for metal. I tune it to BEAD and leave out the G string, plug it in to a VT Bass DI and/or an Ampeg SVT 5Pro, and off I go. I vastly prefer my Precision over my other basses for the heavy stuff. Let's hear what you use!

 

[pacojas]

i don't play metal, but if i did i would use my pbass.

 

[Jay_Bass]

i don't play metal, but if i did i would use my pbass.

And I don't think you'd be disappointed. The P is the original metal bass after all, Geezer Butler and all that...

 

[goodformetal]

 

[Marko 1]

I'd Probably use my Ibanez ATK305.

Line 6 Lowdown HD400 head, two Fender Pro 410s

 

[Flaked Beans]

I don't play metal but if someone forced me at gunpoint to do it I'd probably use one of these basses:

 

[Max Blasto]

Deep Purple was the original metal.

Rickenbacker.

 

[Sauron_]

I play a Jackson JS3V Concert pluged to a "Modest Mike" modified Boss ODB and a EHX Deluxe Bass Big Muff and as an amp a MarkBass LM800 and a NY212.

I'm in a Lamb of God like band.

 

[Jay_Bass]

Flaked Beans, I actually went to a show once and one of the guitarists in one of the opening bands rocked a pink Hello Kitty Stratocaster-like guitar. This guy was about 250 pounds with dreadlocks down to his knees, it was... quite a contrast.

Let's hear what some other TB'ers use!

 

[gnarlyWarlock]

How about: all non-hollow basses are fine for metal, if you've got a good driver?? Just get a B7K and I'm sure you'll be ready for metal. Get something with a fairly aggressive, bright tone for max results; I'd recommend the MM Stingray.

 

[vegas532]

Epiphone Jack Casady and loads of DIRT for doom!

 

[Gearhead17]

I use a Spector Euro 5LX. Other than that, you can't generalize or even designate particular basses for particular genre's. It really is based on the sound you want to achieve.

 

[lazarusdoom]

i use my gibson eb4 , p-bass, ibby atk 205, custom jb, and my washburn neckthru 5 string. i dont use my epi el capitan acoustic.

 

[Gaolee]

Upright. With a bow.

 

[Sixgunn]

Here's what I use (and a couple of others)

 

[bolophonic]

A souped-up parts Precision.

 

[bolophonic]

How about: all non-hollow basses are fine for metal, if you've got a good driver?? Just get a B7K and I'm sure you'll be ready for metal. Get something with a fairly aggressive, bright tone for max results; I'd recommend the MM Stingray.

Dave Sherman from Spirit Caravan played a hollow body Gibson. Definitely blew my mind when I saw them.

 

[Jay_Bass]

I use a Spector Euro 5LX. Other than that, you can't generalize or even designate particular basses for particular genre's. It really is based on the sound you want to achieve.

And that's exactly the point of this thread, to demonstrate the immense range of equipment that anybody can use to play metal. Same thing would apply to any other genre, really. Like I said, this is not another best bass for metal thread, to me, this is what a "forum" is all about. Showing diversity of opinion and showing others the variety of what's out there.

 

[MCS4]

Same thing I use for everything else, which is an active super-jazz 4-string paired with a hi-fi, high-powered, solid state amp. In my opinion, a clean and full-range bass tone makes for a fatter and heavier overall sound when paired with a couple of distorted guitars than does a dirty or vintage-y bass tone... although I love the tone of dirty bass by itself and often kick on fuzz or OD in parts where the bass has more room to shine.

To get down to specifics, my gigging basses are my trusty walnut Carvin LB70 with Aero pickups and my newer custom 32" scale Zon VB-4 with Barts. Both are generally tuned DGCF or CGCF.

 

[Ric5]

What do YOU use for metal?

RICKENBACKER!