• 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.

Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

#30,241
From when I started playing as a teenager, I used fingers 99% of the time because it was good enough for Geezer and Cliff Burton, and that's who I learned from for the most part early on.

I only got serious with a pick a couple years ago when I started working on the stuff that's now Hex Volt. Since it's just a two-piece, I'm basically playing the bass like it's a giant rhythm guitar, and I do lots of power chords and a fair amount of palm-muted chuggy chug.

A big breakthrough in my pick playing was switching to those bigass triangle picks; I use the Clayton acetal 1mm ones. Relative to the ordinary guitar picks I had previously tried, I experienced a huge leap in power, control, and endurance, just from having more area to push my thumb against.

Despite this newfound capability with picks, I still feel like I'm taking the gloves off when I switch to fingers, it just feels a lot more natural and immediate. It just doesn't work for the sound I'm doing in my current band. If I joined a "real" band with actual guitarists, to play more traditional rock bass, I would probably go back to fingerstyle, but depending on the sound & material, I might stick with a pick for certain songs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JoeVictim
#30,242
Muddslide said:
One thing I've discovered, and maybe @Pelham Bleu will concur, is that using different picks, even on the same bass, same settings, same strings, same pressure, playing the same lines on the same place on the bass, I seem to get very significant differences in overall sound/tone. To my ears, anyway.
Click to expand...

On this I can't really comment. I've basically only been using one type of pick (orange Dunlops, ugh the thickness escapes me now but they're the thinner side of medium) and anything thicker or thinner feels weird. I will say that with the added attack of using a pick, I'm able to notice tonal differences between basses more.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Sartori and askrere
#30,243
Blank_0101 said:
Still no pick, but that kind of chording is exactly why I am totally a bass vi guy. I love being able to riff out chords, then being to play single notes and they have all the power of a bass line, but can be tonally shifted to leads.

I'd love a 6 string B-B or A-A without the traditional massive string spacing. If I could do a hardtail 32" scale sixer with a say .110-.120 B dang, I'd be set for life between that and a standard bass vi.
Click to expand...

I enjoyed chording on my Squier VI when I had it, but if I started getting fired up, the PUP selector switches would all end up "off" and the sound would magically disappear. :p
 
#30,244
Pelham Bleu said:
I enjoyed chording on my Squier VI when I had it, but if I started getting fired up, the PUP selector switches would all end up "off" and the sound would magically disappear. :p
Click to expand...

Still haven't come across that, but physically flipping the switch board or individual switches around would have solved that I would think.

Just did a right hand check before posting and I'm playing either with my pointer finger just at the middle pickup or over the fretboard so at any time I'm in front of or behind the switch area so I wouldn't be hitting them.
 
#30,245
Blank_0101 said:
Still no pick, but that kind of chording is exactly why I am totally a bass vi guy. I love being able to riff out chords, then being to play single notes and they have all the power of a bass line, but can be tonally shifted to leads.

I'd love a 6 string B-B or A-A without the traditional massive string spacing. If I could do a hardtail 32" scale sixer with a say .110-.120 B dang, I'd be set for life between that and a standard bass vi.
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm the oddball here, but I do chords with my fingers. I can't say I've seen anyone else do it like I do. (Take that as you will.)
 
#30,247
kleinenenten said:
Maybe I'm the oddball here, but I do chords with my fingers. I can't say I've seen anyone else do it like I do. (Take that as you will.)
Click to expand...

When I play with my fingers and chord, I do it like Les Claypool.

I have shifted recently to pick play but have always been a fingers guy. Kind of meh at either style but I have my moments of glory.

I use blue tortex picks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pelham Bleu
#30,250
Pelham Bleu said:
On this I can't really comment. I've basically only been using one type of pick (orange Dunlops, ugh the thickness escapes me now but they're the thinner side of medium) and anything thicker or thinner feels weird. I will say that with the added attack of using a pick, I'm able to notice tonal differences between basses more.
Click to expand...
I use the light purple Dunlops. 1.5mm. Anything thinner feels too floppy to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JoeVictim and Turkeypills
#30,251
Muddslide said:
Not that I do it the way you do, but I often chird on bass with my fingers as well, via plucking, similarly to guitar fingerpicking.
Click to expand...
That's probably the closest description. I don't use my nails, and it's basically like standard finger technique, but two at a time. I don't do this for speed, obviously. Usually, my chords are for slower parts, or emphasis, or when the guitarists are noodling and I'm filling in for rhythm.

When I do use picks, I used to use the green Tortex ones. Now I seem to be using the tiny Jazz picks, since that's what I'm used to on guitar these days. Don't really play enough with a pick on bass to have much of a preference.
 
#30,253
kleinenenten said:
That's probably the closest description. I don't use my nails, and it's basically like standard finger technique, but two at a time. I don't do this for speed, obviously. Usually, my chords are for slower parts, or emphasis, or when the guitarists are noodling and I'm filling in for rhythm.

When I do use picks, I used to use the green Tortex ones. Now I seem to be using the tiny Jazz picks, since that's what I'm used to on guitar these days. Don't really play enough with a pick on bass to have much of a preference.
Click to expand...

You play with two fingers at once like one finger? Or use all four fingers paired off like a bass playing Vulcan?
 
#30,255
Muddslide said:
All Ibanez, right? NICE offensive line!
Click to expand...
Thanks. Yes all Ibanez. All Destroyers. All the time. One is an '85 and the rest are newer.

I'm a full time pick player. I use Gibson heavies. The large triangle ones. When I first started playing I tried both pick and finger style and I really like the sound of a pick better. It took a lot of years to get really good with it but I think it was the right choice for me. I'm a total Cliff Burton disciple and I can play all his stuff with a pick even though he used his fingers. I have spent years perfecting Anesthesia down to the smallest detail just because hearing that was the reason I picked up a bass when I was 18.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JoeVictim, Burnsy and Sartori
#30,257
I'm compiling all of the components for the pcbs I have on hand. I have two blue warblers, two vintage style SI fuzzes, two pharaohs and a one knob compressor. Lemme know if anyone wants anything. Gonna be super cheap, basically parts cost. I'm just building for practice and don't really need all of these.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JoeVictim
#30,259
I have no bias against pick playing, and like the attack in certain situations. However, I haven't been using a pick much at all for the last few years so now when I try to use one it's difficult so I give up and go back to fingers.

New car stereo and LPB1 arrived last night. First inspection of the LPB's guts don't show any obvious mods, but I have yet to plug it in. I'm wondering if the previous owner was trying to use it with a tube amp and was overdriving the preamp stage. It's probably just jacked up, though.

Will be installing the car stereo tomorrow morning, I can't wait - being without music in the car SUCKS.
 
#30,260
I switched to pick due to pain issues in my right hand when playing fingerstyle. Here's where it geos sort of odd. I HATE the standard clang/zoing/clank noise most picks imbue to the strings. My preferred tone is Motown-y. So, after experimenting with a variety of picks, I settled on ukulele picks. Sort of felt with a stiff layer inside.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back