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The heroes who defined your tone

#28
My opinion. Andy Fraser has the best rock genre bass sound I've heard on record, back when he was with the band Free. Their guitarist Paul Kossoff told me in 1971 that Andy didn't use the Gibson EB3 much in the studio, that he used a bass that had no name on the headstock, probably Japanese he guessed. With Free live, he used an EB3, but when I saw Andy live at the Marquee club in 1975 solo in London he was using a Guild, which sounded great too.
 
#29
My tone is heavily inspired by the tone on Rush's Digital Man... I can't make my Jazz bass sound like Geddy Lee's though, but I still try to get that growly bass and snarly treble on my own bass, similar to the tone on that song. Of course, I'd want to have my own unique tone, even if I could sound like Geddy.
 
#32
I was fifteen or sixteen and had never heard of the Minute Men or fIREHOSE, and was really reluctant to listen to "the establishment." So when I heard "alternative" types talk about mike watt I was skeptical. And then I actually bought "Ballhog or Tug-Boat?"

Throaty open A-string slide up to the octave, but he still had a boomy bottom. And then, the droped-D bombast of the opening track of "Contemplating the Engine Room..."

Defined, but part of the mix, even on his own solo records. Most bass solo records are about the bassist showing off, mike watt writes records on bass; songs and all.
 
#35
BassPlayer900 said:
My tone is heavily inspired by the tone on Rush's Digital Man... I can't make my Jazz bass sound like Geddy Lee's though, but I still try to get that growly bass and snarly treble on my own bass, similar to the tone on that song. Of course, I'd want to have my own unique tone, even if I could sound like Geddy.
Click to expand...

Did You try more bridge pickup with tone rolled off and treble boosted on amp to even off the roll off. A good jazz bass has a very hot bridge pickup. Mine clips the amp if I play hard on it with the tone rolls off, it gives you that snarl/growl. Burp derp jazz bass
 
#36
I have never consciously tried to sound like anyone, I just set the bass and rig for what works for me at the time. I used to like BIG bottom end, dual 15's and crank the bass control, but when I went back to flat I found I got compliments on my 'tone'.

The bass sound that I coveted more than any was Grand Funk-Mel Shacher. Never could quite achieve....maybe because I never had that many amps all at once.....but their live album had the most amazing bass sound.
 

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