Hi everyone, just wanted to share this article I found while looking for something else. It is a 1979 interview of Sly & Robbie for Sound International and it includes a lot of gear details. I'm a big Robbie fan and this is by far the most interesting document (gearwise) that I found about him in all my googling years. Here it is: The Rhythm Section (Sound International, Mar 1979)
In case it gets taken down, here's the paragraph about his gear:
"Robbie records by direct injection using a Fender amp as a monitor in the studio. 'Most studios in Jamaica 'ave Fender amps for bass and guitar.' Interestingly it transpires that the studios also have their own instruments. This appears to be part of the aim of each studio to have a consistent and recognisable sound. I suspect also that many of the younger musicians are never paid enough to allow them to be able to afford decent instruments of their own. Robbie continued: 'We get a sound from the Fender amplifier but actually it make no difference, it's the bass the tone's comin' from. I use different basses in different studios. At Channel One we use a Hofner. Joe Gibbs 'eard about the sound and he bought a Hofner. Then for Treasure Isle, Harry J's and Dynamic I a Fender Jazz. I 'ave my own settings for each studio to give me the sound I want for each place.'
Was that the Fender he used for some numbers at the Rainbow gig? 'That was a Jazz bass but not the one I'm talkin' about. The one I'm talkin' about I leave in Jamaica because it comin' to me like a special Fender. Everyt'ing about it is nice. It's old, but not that old. It looks new but it was when Leo Fender was makin' these t'ings. The neck, action and everyt'ing is firm. Even if someone can't really play they can come in and take up that Fender and sound like a superb musician, eh Sly? (Sly gives an affirmative nod). I use Fender flatwound strings. I use the Hofner on stage because of the lightness and the tone of it. See now I must change it because that one in particular, I 'ave it since before I could really play bass. So it kind of old now, time for it to go into retirement right now. It play a lotta hit records in Jamaica. It's time for it to go outside and make way for the younger folks now. At the moment I 'ave about two Hofners. It would be t'ree but one got burnt up when I left it in a club overnight. From that I don't really leave me instrument nowhere, I always 'ave it now. I 'ave two Hofners, one Guild and one Fender."
I find it really interesting to learn that Channel One and Joe Gibbs' studio had Hofner basses as in-house backline while Treasure Isle, Harry J and Dynamic had a Jazz Bass, and that Robbie would just show up and use those (exactly like in the Rockers movie). Also nice to know he was using Fender flats around then (not exactly a surprise though).
Hope some of you will enjoy this article as much as I did!
In case it gets taken down, here's the paragraph about his gear:
"Robbie records by direct injection using a Fender amp as a monitor in the studio. 'Most studios in Jamaica 'ave Fender amps for bass and guitar.' Interestingly it transpires that the studios also have their own instruments. This appears to be part of the aim of each studio to have a consistent and recognisable sound. I suspect also that many of the younger musicians are never paid enough to allow them to be able to afford decent instruments of their own. Robbie continued: 'We get a sound from the Fender amplifier but actually it make no difference, it's the bass the tone's comin' from. I use different basses in different studios. At Channel One we use a Hofner. Joe Gibbs 'eard about the sound and he bought a Hofner. Then for Treasure Isle, Harry J's and Dynamic I a Fender Jazz. I 'ave my own settings for each studio to give me the sound I want for each place.'
Was that the Fender he used for some numbers at the Rainbow gig? 'That was a Jazz bass but not the one I'm talkin' about. The one I'm talkin' about I leave in Jamaica because it comin' to me like a special Fender. Everyt'ing about it is nice. It's old, but not that old. It looks new but it was when Leo Fender was makin' these t'ings. The neck, action and everyt'ing is firm. Even if someone can't really play they can come in and take up that Fender and sound like a superb musician, eh Sly? (Sly gives an affirmative nod). I use Fender flatwound strings. I use the Hofner on stage because of the lightness and the tone of it. See now I must change it because that one in particular, I 'ave it since before I could really play bass. So it kind of old now, time for it to go into retirement right now. It play a lotta hit records in Jamaica. It's time for it to go outside and make way for the younger folks now. At the moment I 'ave about two Hofners. It would be t'ree but one got burnt up when I left it in a club overnight. From that I don't really leave me instrument nowhere, I always 'ave it now. I 'ave two Hofners, one Guild and one Fender."
I find it really interesting to learn that Channel One and Joe Gibbs' studio had Hofner basses as in-house backline while Treasure Isle, Harry J and Dynamic had a Jazz Bass, and that Robbie would just show up and use those (exactly like in the Rockers movie). Also nice to know he was using Fender flats around then (not exactly a surprise though).
Hope some of you will enjoy this article as much as I did!
