P-Bass great for Reggae?

[drewk]

It's a Music Man for sure but not a Stingray, when Mikey slaps you hear that typical honk of a two pickup bass, also footage of the band and the music video show him using a sabre.

Although, he apparently also used a Cutlass 2 (A sabre with a graphite neck.)

I’m lucky enough to own the Cutlass II that belonged to Mikey in the pic above… what’s interesting is that it’s a Cutlass I three bolt neck on an early MM Sabre (exposed pole pieces) body.

 

[tvbop]

Sure is cause youve got that low-mid meat there to start with. U cant add what you aint got, but you can take away whats already there but as alreadty mentioned... a big valve head and a 2x15 bin is the real deal. You wanna project that boom into the middle of the audience.

 

[tvbop]

Proof it doesnt mattrer what u play. Guy here could be playing anything.

 

[gustobassman]

I use a Dingwall with the pickup selector in the MM position and Payson flats. Passive with passive tone rolled off. A lot of reggae is HOW you play, not necessarily WHAT you play.

 

[bass12]

I use a Dingwall with the pickup selector in the MM position and Payson flats. Passive with passive tone rolled off. A lot of reggae is HOW you play, not necessarily WHAT you play.

Your tone and playing sound great. Warm and fat but still tight with plenty of definition. Very Flabba-esque.

 

[gustobassman]

Your tone and playing sound great. Warm and fat but still tight with plenty of definition. Very Flabba-esque.

Thank you very much! I definitely pull inspiration from Flabba, Roots Radics just crush.. To be compared to him in any way is very humbling and awesome all at once!

 

[Blazer]

I mentioned Henny Vrienten earlier in this thread, but here he is playing his refinished P-bass with a pick.

I once had the pleasure meeting the man, and we talked basses for a couple of hours. He said that that particular P-bass was all he used on the records, although he used Aria SB and Cardinal basses more often for live work.

And err, wanna talk Reggae on a P-bass?

 

[jbasedig]

Proof it doesnt mattrer what u play. Guy here could be playing anything.

Probably true. I've seen Familyman play Steinbergers, and even an Hohner, However, that's Familyman playing a 72-73 Maple Cappy Fender Jazz Bass, with flat wounds. The neck pick up is dimed and the bridge pickup is at about 2. He plucks up near the neck. He knew what made his tone and was able to explain it just as clearly as I did. That bass was the bass he played the entire time with the Bob Marley. There are other reggae bassists, but he was THE reggae bassist. His LINES were and are nothing short of genius. It's also important that Carly Barret's bass drum was tuned above the bass, not like these days where bass drums are outrageously low. So , yeah, the bass itself is second to the bass player

 

[jbasedig]

It's a cliche' but its the player and not the bass. I've seen a guy playing a Rickenbacker with Burning Spear. Iya Terra's bassist uses a 5 string Music Man Stingray Special. Sting used a fretless P bass WITH A PICK!!!. Strings, Amp/Preamp settings, playing position... all more important than whether its a Jazz or P.. it's a Jazz for me because I Iove the necks and I consider my self a disciple of familyman. I have studied his lines and tone for years. ALSO in this time when bands are touring without amps, and using IEMs, the last the reggae concerts I saw, the bassist has a massive rig onstage. I think that just has to be.