synthesized bass

[schwartzbass]

In the esrly 70's John Entwistle and John Paul Jones used synthesized bass on some tracks. I haven;t been able to find any information on what they used. I'm assuming it had to be something other than the electro harmonix unit.
does any body know?
thanks,
martin

 

[bassbrad]

There have been several failed attempts at using a bass guitar as a synth controller, that early it would have to be either the Hagstrom/Ampeg/360 controller or the ARP Avatar both of which are extremely rare. A little later there were several Roland systems.
There were also several attempts at using a regular bass into an effects system to achieve synth like sounds like the EHX Micro Synth and BMS, there were others like the Maestro synthesizer and there was a unit that Ludwig did as well.
Remember the JPJ is also a keyboardist and played both keyboard and also foot pedal bass with Zep.

 

[packhowitzer]

maybe investigate the moog taurus? not sure if jpj or entwistle used it, but it was around back then in some form. mighty pricey though.

 

[micahturner]

The Bass Micro Synth has a Moog Taurus setting I use all the time for nice sustained notes, if that's what you are looking for. Sounds great.

 

[schwartzbass]

thanks for all the info. I have taurus pedals. I had the boss pedal for a while and I actually sent it back. it had great sounds but the tracking was terrible.

 

[marijn van gils]

The Bass Micro Synth has a Moog Taurus setting I use all the time for nice sustained notes, if that's what you are looking for. Sounds great.

Just out of personal curiosity: how do you set the sliders of your BMS to mimmic a Moog Taurus?
Thanks!

 

[micahturner]

You can google Bass Micro Synth manual and a pdf file should come up. If that doesn't work send me a pm and I'll email you the file.

 

[AlvarHanso]

Entwistle used ARP synths, the ARP 2600 and ARP Pro-Soloist, a Parker-Steiner EVI wind-controlled synth played with a clarinet-looking device (he was a trumpet and French horn player, too), and that's all I can find on what he actually used. Liner notes for his Whitsle Rhymes album mention "synthesized bass", but not sure what he used for that. The Who Are You album features a ton of his synth work, as well as Townshend's. It's unbelievable how far ahead of the curve those two guys were in programming and using synths...