• 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.

Thunderbird Club

#101,261
JIO said:
View attachment 3279690

View attachment 3279691
Click to expand...
I can do that too and in your case it's the same guy (Barrett) but I meant unsigned players I used to see in the islands and growing up in SoFL..

6602484_fullyfullwood1.jpg


gettyimages-169540585-612x612.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: dukeorock, Count Bassie, GonePlaid and 3 others
#101,262
Engle said:
Can they sound like flats? My plan is use a Bird in the reggae band.
Click to expand...
If you installed them on a VP Bird (which is quite a bit brighter and more grindy than my other birds) you'd probably want to dial the tone knob nearly off and maybe play finger style possibly all the way up at the neck. Sure, they'll work. Would they be the best choice for that bird? Maybe, maybe not, depending on what you're after.

When I play Reggae I'm typically after an ultra deep super smooth dub type tone, not necessarily a ton of note definition. For me, that equates to Roto Flats on my SG or La Bella black tapes on my Fender Tele modern player. Those are my two go to reggae basses, both of which coincidentally have Humbuckers right up against the neck heel.

I honestly haven't used my birds for Reggae yet. If I did I'd probably start with black tapes and some EQ on my Anniversary bass. My VP bird would probably be a tad too aggressive for my tastes in a Reggae mix. On the other hand, a 2015 bird with tapes might just knock it outa the park.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GonePlaid, PillO, Chucky Stiletti and 1 other person
#101,263
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Count Bassie, GonePlaid, Chucky Stiletti and 2 others
#101,264
GBassNorth said:
If you installed them on a VP Bird (which is quite a bit brighter and more grindy than my other birds) you'd probably want to dial the tone knob nearly off and maybe play finger style possibly all the way up at the neck. Sure, they'll work. Would they be the best choice for that bird? Maybe, maybe not, depending on what you're after.

When I play Reggae I'm typically after an ultra deep super smooth dub type tone, not necessarily a ton of note definition. For me, that equates to Roto Flats on my SG or La Bella black tapes on my Fender Tele modern player. Those are my two go to reggae basses, both of which coincidentally have Humbuckers right up against the neck heel.

I honestly haven't used my birds for Reggae yet. If I did I'd probably start with black tapes and some EQ on my Anniversary bass. My VP bird would probably be a tad too aggressive for my tastes in a Reggae mix. On the other hand, a 2015 bird with tapes might just knock it outa the park.
Click to expand...
That Anniversary would look awesome with black tapes..
 
  • Like
Reactions: GBassNorth
#101,266
  • Like
Reactions: dukeorock, Count Bassie, Gaolee and 7 others
#101,269
JIO said:
I don't know about that - the famous Reggae basses were 70's J's, and I think a T-bird can out-bottom a J generally speaking. With Reggae you need to feel the bass physically. So much of Reggae sub-bass lives in the drivers. 18" or even 2 would push serious air and rattle the stage using most any bass... even a 4 double-0 3 Rickenbacker. :D

Click to expand...

An old friend of mine who has been playing roots/reggae for decades was at that gig the other night. His band has done shows with the Wailers. He told me Family Man likes to run multiple cabs with 10s - sometimes 2 x 810s + a 410!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Count Bassie, GonePlaid, JJR58 and 2 others
#101,271
JIO said:
At the end of the day each flavor (J, P, T-bird, MM, etc etc) has its unique thing it does best. If a J doesn't do that, it's that J, or that J that hasn't been synched successfully with strings, pu's, amp, and approach.
Click to expand...

Indeed. My Jazzes sounded better with through my Ampeg V4B AV and 212 (which is at home now). Currently I'm using an Ampeg V4BH with a Heritage 410. Other basses sound better with this, not the Jazzes. But with GHS Precision flats on one and Pyramids or Fender Pure Nickles they don't sound bad. Just not as much magic like the other basses. I do think at times we miss the importance of the components and assume "it's the bass that sounds bad," "it's the strings that sound bad" when, in fact, it just isn't a great fit with the other elements in the chain. In my experience cabs tend to make the biggest difference. One cab and some strings sound great, change cabs and you wonder what happened to that great sound.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Gaolee, RedVee, GonePlaid and 5 others
#101,272
dagrev said:
Indeed. My Jazzes sounded better with through my Ampeg V4B AV and 212 (which is at home now). Currently I'm using an Ampeg V4BH with a Heritage 410. Other basses sound better with this, not the Jazzes. But with GHS Precision flats on one and Pyramids or Fender Pure Nickles they don't sound bad. Just not as much magic like the other basses. I do think at times we miss the importance of the components and assume "it's the bass the sounds bad," "it's the strings that sound bad" when, in fact, it just isn't a great fit with the other elements in the chain. In my experience cabs tend to make the biggest difference. One cab and some strings sound great, change cabs and you wonder what happened to that great sound.
Click to expand...

well put :thumbsup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: GonePlaid, GBassNorth, Chucky Stiletti and 2 others
#101,277
Gaolee said:
...The part that finally made it all come together, no matter which 'Bird (or other bass for that matter) is a Broughton Hi and Low Pass filter. It doesn't do anything audible, really, but it does somehow make the bass sit exactly right where it belongs....
Click to expand...

I really like my tone with my current rigs...but now you have me interested in considering this. I don't like a lot of stuff, but I'm going to have to do some looking into this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedVee, GonePlaid, GBassNorth and 1 other person
#101,278
GBassNorth said:
If you installed them on a VP Bird (which is quite a bit brighter and more grindy than my other birds) you'd probably want to dial the tone knob nearly off and maybe play finger style possibly all the way up at the neck. Sure, they'll work. Would they be the best choice for that bird? Maybe, maybe not, depending on what you're after.

When I play Reggae I'm typically after an ultra deep super smooth dub type tone, not necessarily a ton of note definition. For me, that equates to Roto Flats on my SG or La Bella black tapes on my Fender Tele modern player. Those are my two go to reggae basses, both of which coincidentally have Humbuckers right up against the neck heel.

I honestly haven't used my birds for Reggae yet. If I did I'd probably start with black tapes and some EQ on my Anniversary bass. My VP bird would probably be a tad too aggressive for my tastes in a Reggae mix. On the other hand, a 2015 bird with tapes might just knock it outa the park.
Click to expand...
I’m going for an round fat old school sound more than deep dub. Some of the music has Calypso influence and there’s also tunes where I can break out some ska octave runs ala Horace Panter.

The Casady can also be super grindy with roundwounds or even new flats. It’s very responsive to changing technique as is my VP. I might grab an Eppi Classic if one comes up on CL and try an old set of flats on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RedVee, GonePlaid, GBassNorth and 2 others
#101,280
I always wondered about Fender's "long G-string saddle-bolt" that is on your vintage P. I wonder if the bridge was positioned too far back? The G saddle is nearly at the top edge of the plate and there's plenty of space below the G string saddle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GonePlaid, GBassNorth and JJR58

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back