The Police - Message in a Bottle

[ggvicviper]

So I was listening to Message in a Bottle, and wondering for years which bass Sting played on this.

I have been told it was his fretless Fender Precision, but I know he also played a fretless Ibanez Musician at this time. Sometimes it sounds very Precision-y, but then other times it sounds like there might be a little too much snap in the playing, which might suggest a bridge pickup, thus the Musician. It could also be him playing with a pick closer to the bridge, so I am a little confused. Anyone know what bass it is?

 

[MoeTown1986]

i always thought he played that '51 p. guess not?

 

[ggvicviper]

i always thought he played that '51 p. guess not?

Nah, he didn't get that bass until later. His bass sound has completely changed since his days with the Police. He used to play with flats and a pick, often on fretless bass, though not always. Now he plays DR rounds on a fretted old Precision with his thumb.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

i always thought he played that '51 p. guess not?

Far from it. He has used Jazz basses, split Precisions, single coil Precisions, Ibanezes, Steinergers, Spectors, and a few others.

 

[bigbajo60]

FWIW, I used to own an Ibanez Musician just like the one Sting had back then, and when covering MIAB, that bass' neck pickup nailed the tone!

 

[jumbodbassman]

saw them on tour day after album release. fretless ibanez on the tour.

 

[onefallinghope]

I know this is an ancient thread, but I just wanted to add that in the video for MIAB he is playing a fretless Ibanez Musician. I know that has no correlation to what he actually used in the studio.. but it certainly helps build the case for the musician.

 

[Lobomov]

This is the first time they ever played it live. I've always assumed, that he used the same bass in the studio.


Entire concert Invalid Link Removed.


I just love the energy they played with in their early performances.

 

[hairyhaw]

Holy thread resurrection batman!

Interesting thread though - I always assumed Message was done on the Natural P fretless - the one that was possibly resprayed red later on.

Also interesting to see comments about Sting using flats back then - I never heard about him using them during this period.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I really don't care about "which bass" Sting used. I'm far more interested in the cool part that he played; particularly that very simple yet very effective, slightly syncopated quarter note + triplet figure in the chorus section - with the slight ritardando.

Very musical.

MM

 

[hairyhaw]

Other people "care", so perhaps better to keep condescending comments to yourself and concentrate on the latter part of your post.

Just sayin'.

 

[Lobomov]

Other people "care", so perhaps better to keep condescending comments to yourself and concentrate on the latter part of your post.

Just sayin'.

He didn't say anything about anybody else than himself and then praised the actual bass line. All in all a good contribution imo

And I learned about ritardando.

 

[hairyhaw]

If you picked it up that way, then we'll agree to disagree chieftain.

I'll stick to my original assessment.

 

[Freez]

If you picked it up that way, then we'll agree to disagree chieftain.

I'll stick to my original assessment.

Chieftain? Wow, talk about condescending...

 

[hairyhaw]

How so? Most people I talk to in Scotland (and everywhere else I suppose) get called chieftain at some point.

 

[BawanaRik]

I really don't care about "which bass" Sting used. I'm far more interested in the cool part that he played; particularly that very simple yet very effective, slightly syncopated quarter note + triplet figure in the chorus section - with the slight ritardando.

Very musical.

MM

I recall reading about a writer who tracked down a guitarist who played on a few big hits in the 50s. When asked what guitar he used to get that tone he replyed. "It's a piece of wood and wires, I don't know."

 

[Matthijs]

I really don't care about "which bass" Sting used. I'm far more interested in the cool part that he played; particularly that very simple yet very effective, slightly syncopated quarter note + triplet figure in the chorus section - with the slight ritardando.

Very musical.

MM

There's a lot more interesting play with time going on compared to the recording. I wonder if the speeding up in the "I hope that someone gets my.." part is intentional or not.

 

[Matthijs]

I also can't get how he can play that stuff and sing and has time to talk to the audience. Talk about multitasking.

 

[Lobomov]

I also can't get how he can play that stuff and sing and has time to talk to the audience. Talk about multitasking.

In an interview with him I read, that he at first started out playing bass and singing in 60 BPM in order to get a feeling for it.

So as always the answer is practice.

 

[troy mcclure]

LOBO... awesome.... I had a bootleg of this show on cassette in college and must have listened to it 1000 times...