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The late great - Tommy Caldwell

Bass V

Bass V

Dec 11, 2008
6,731
16,700
Honolulu, Hawaii
#1
Been listening to some MTB on www.wolfgangsvault.com this morning and beside loving Toy's guitar work, Tommy just gets some incredible sound from his Fender (I'll assume it's a P here), and since he doesn't get a whole lot of mention these day's, I wanted to put up a salute to one fine player.

There's a new selection of them at The Cow Palace in '73 which I'm digging (check out 'Everyday I have The Blues'), but the vault has quite a few excellant examples to choose from. Hit the - Concert Vault - on the main page to see show selections.

Enjoy!
 
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#3
Bass V said:
Been listening to some MTB on www.wolfgangsvault.com this morning and beside loving Toy's guitar work, Tommy just gets some incredible sound from his Fender (I'll assume it's a P here), and since he doesn't get a whole lot of mention these day's, I wanted to put up a salute to one fine player.

There's a new selection of them at The Cow Palace in '73 which I'm digging (check out 'Everyday I have The Blues'), but the vault has quite a few excellant examples to choose from. Hit the - Concert Vault - on the main page to see show selections.

Enjoy!
Click to expand...

Any youtube's of him playing?
 
#7
Tom, I wasn't aware he used his thumb exclusively, but thot it may just be for certain songs like the YT clip I posted. If he indeed was solely a thumb user, then my respect and intrigue concerning him has just taken another huge leap. I was never close enuf at MTB shows, so long ago, to take full notice.

His sound has always been a favorite, and fit so well with the band's music.
 
#8
One interveiw in Guitar Player Magazine decades ago with him. It was always the side of his thumb, like his brother Toy. A (then) recent P bass with DiMarzio pick-ups (DiMarzio at the time only had one Precision PUP), and Rotosound stainless rounds. He mentioned he sweat a lot, and that's partly why the DiMarzio- it was less likely to short out than the stock Fender PUP. I have no idea about amps. Partly because I just didn't pay much attention to that at the time (so it wasn't a Music Man!), and partly because the interview barely touched on gear- it was much more about music and the interplay within the band.

jte
 
#10
I always liked MTB a lot, they were a little more country than a lot of the country-rock bands. Had to play "Can't You See" a few too many times back then, and I played it again last weekend for the first time in years, with a sit-in vocalist. Kinda lame version, sorry Toy & Tommy! "Hillbilly Band" and "This Old Cowboy" were my favorites by them.
 
#12
I've been a fan of Tommys playing since 1973. His unique thumb-percussive style with his white P bass and roundwounds is very admirable and I enjoy watching the clips that have surfaced.

I remember having bought tickets to see the MTB for an august show in the spring of '80, and a short time later hearing he died when he crashed his Jeep. That is still so sad.

The guy (Franklin Wilkie) whom the band brought in as a replacement bass player, was an excellent bass player and uses a pick.

The band recorded the live half of the "Where We All Belong" album at the then new - Performing Arts Center in downtown Milwaukee. Charlie Daniels sat in with them on fiddle on that recording.

Yea, his brother Toy was unique and excellent with his very own style (thumb picking) also, on guitar.
 
#18
JTE said:
One interveiw in Guitar Player Magazine decades ago with him. It was always the side of his thumb, like his brother Toy. A (then) recent P bass with DiMarzio pick-ups (DiMarzio at the time only had one Precision PUP), and Rotosound stainless rounds. He mentioned he sweat a lot, and that's partly why the DiMarzio- it was less likely to short out than the stock Fender PUP.
Click to expand...

I remember that interview! He also mentioned that he uses some kind of wax on the underside of the P Bass's plastic pickguard to help waterproof the electronics against his sweat!
 
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#20
Saw MT back in the 70's in Syracuse NY...they played "24 hrs at a Time" of course...Tommy for that gig had a Fender Telecaster bass. That awesome solo that he played sounded so cool with that Tele. It was the model with the big fat pick up near the neck...probably a 71..73?...he used his thumb like he always did. I see most forums say he used a P bass, but for that show the Tele just had such a beautiful tone. I wanted to run out and buy one. I have played that solo in my room hundreds of times...and every now and then at a gig just for the appreciation of a great solo that he laid down.
 

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