Thunderbird Club

[Larry V]

Same. There's a lot of bass players I see/hear that have so much "brightness" (and often/mostly play very far up the neck) that they should probably be playing baritone guitars. Or just go ahead & get a 7-string treble guitar or something....




imo

There are definitely bass players who seem to want to play bass as a lead instrument.

Don't get me wrong, I love when you can hear the bass parts distinctly from the other instruments but I need that bass part to crush the low end.

 

[KaraQ]

There are definitely bass players who seem to want to play bass as a lead instrument.

Don't get me wrong, I love when you can hear the bass parts distinctly from the other instruments but I need that bass part to crush the low end.

I don't mind the lead or primary instrument part so much, but I prefer them to stay on the low end for sure.

It's one reason I like BEAD tuning, much easier to stay out of the higher-pitched guitar ranges

 

[GBassNorth]

Funny observation - I gravitate to the low end and prefer a thick deep dark bass foundation with some punch in most songs, as a result it takes me forever to break in the G string, I’m just not on that string very much. I’ve had many sets of strings go dead before the G is even fully broken in. Maybe I should switch to BEAD tuning, haven’t played with that tuning much.

 

[TBird1958]

This is why my Classic Pro is never going anywhere and strung BEAD. Just awesome low end THUNDER.

It always amazes me when bass players talk about diming the tone knob or wanting brightness out of their bass tone.

No thanks, not what I like.

I almost always have the tone knob dimed when I'm playing live, all that clank and the treble do help with definition of the individual note as it sits in the whole band mix, it can sound extreme if you're home playing in the practice room though.

Here, the tone knob is dimed and when the other instruments except the drums fade as the verse begins you can hear some clank and treble, note how it diminishes as the rest of the band comes back in...... I'll keep my clank!



Here as well at about 3:15 the bass pedals with the drums and you get a bit clank from the pick, totally lost when the band comes back in.


Same here, lots of treble but it changes as the camera moves even!

 

[GonePlaid]

I almost always have the tone knob dimed when I'm playing live, all that clank and the treble do help with definition of the individual note as it sits in the whole band mix, it can sound extreme if you're home playing in the practice room though.

Here, the tone knob is dimed and when the other instruments except the drums fade as the verse begins you can hear some clank and treble, note how it diminishes as the rest of the band comes back in...... I'll keep my clank!



Here as well at about 3:15 the bass pedals with the drums and you get a bit clank from the pick, totally lost when the band comes back in.


Same here, lots of treble but it changes as the camera moves even!

I don't mind having clank available, but I dang sure don't want it all the time. The tone knob is at 7 most of the time, 5 for ballads, 10 for punch. Amp settings stay the same-once 'tuned' to the room-as they're usually difficult to access(on top rear).
EDIT: And as always the superfluous pup is at 0. And screwed down AFA it will go-as of yesterday. IDK why I didn't think of that sooner. Oh...Wait..."Think".
Just returned from Walmart. No melons.. But:

 

[PillO]

is it just you, the CEO and the CFO there?…

No.

 

[dagrev]

Same. There's a lot of bass players I see/hear that have so much "brightness" (and often/mostly play very far up the neck) that they should probably be playing baritone guitars. Or just go ahead & get a 7-string treble guitar or something....
imo

Agree. When I think of bright, I think of slappers, Entwistle, Squire and GL at times. I like clarity, but not brightness as mentioned, even when using Rotos. I suspect no one would even be able to tell the basses that have SS on them. I frankly never want to sound like Entwistle (not tone anyway and there no chance with skill). I have no desire to "cut thought" anything. Fine if others do, it's just not me. I prefer the bass to be the tone foundation. That thing that surrounds the other instruments, not competes with them for sonic territory. Dull, hollow, flubby indistinct mud--no and heck no. Thick punch with varying degrees of clarity, yes. This is why the angry piano sound, while cool, just isn't me and never fits what I play. And the only time I play up the neck is for building back in or small softer parts for nuance--and when I get a stupid idea.... It seems some really want to be EVH with a bass.

 

[TBird1958]

I don't mind having clank available, but I dang sure don't want it all the time. The tone knob is at 7 most of the time, 5 for ballads, 10 for punch. Amp settings stay the same-once 'tuned' to the room-as they're usually difficult to access(on top rear).
Just returned from Walmart. No melons.. But:
View attachment 4414260

I get it, you're playing much different music and of course the bass playing needs to serve the song/band.

 

[dagrev]

Funny observation - I gravitate to the low end and prefer a thick deep dark bass foundation with some punch in most songs, as a result it takes me forever to break in the G string, I’m just not on that string very much. I’ve had many sets of strings go dead before the G is even fully broken in. Maybe I should switch to BEAD tuning, haven’t played with that tuning much.

Indeed. This is why my G string gets comparative little use. Go ahead and laugh. But I'm OK just pulling my G string once in a while for emphasis. There, now we all know!

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

There are definitely bass players who seem to want to play bass as a lead instrument.

Don't get me wrong, I love when you can hear the bass parts distinctly from the other instruments but I need that bass part to crush the low end.

tone and style can be so personal and trendy….there was a time when flatwounds were considered passé and slap bass was all the rage, there was a time when tapping was the hot item, then there’s pick playing or finger playing etc…..there are timeless players and not so timeless players….for me, clank augments fret noise and gets in the way, some correct this by way of signal processing that in turn adds latency blah blah…..tweechie zone….

 

[Larry V]

I almost always have the tone knob dimed when I'm playing live, all that clank and the treble do help with definition of the individual note as it sits in the whole band mix, it can sound extreme if you're home playing in the practice room though.

Here, the tone knob is dimed and when the other instruments except the drums fade as the verse begins you can hear some clank and treble, note how it diminishes as the rest of the band comes back in...... I'll keep my clank!



Here as well at about 3:15 the bass pedals with the drums and you get a bit clank from the pick, totally lost when the band comes back in.


Same here, lots of treble but it changes as the camera moves even!

It's important to like the sound/tone we're creating with our instruments regardless of what they are and as long as we're doing that, great!

Variety and the spice of life and all that.

 

[Klondike]

Here’s how I “fixed” the bridge on my EBO in the 80’s. I haven’t needed to adjust the height, but if I did, I would just make another mahogany block.
It works for me.
View attachment 4413264 View attachment 4413265

That's a really good idea

 

[Larry V]

<snip>for me, clank augments fret noise and gets in the way<snip>

I can agree with that.

My kids' band's bass player has taken to really digging in on his rounds and really giving the strings a more than necessary tug. He didn't play like that up until a month or so ago and I truly hate it. He no longer has access to my TBirds for different tunings like in the past in our music room for rehearsals. Retune and carry on with your bass.

I don't like his playing at all now.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

It's important to like the sound/tone we're creating with our instruments regardless of what they are and as long as we're doing that, great!

Variety and the spice of life and all that.

don’t forget prezzemolo and oregano….

 

[Larry V]

Here his is breaking an E string with his "aggressive" style. Video starts @ 37:20 and the break happens @ 37:52.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

I can agree with that.

My kids' band's bass player has taken to really digging in on his rounds and really giving the strings a more than necessary tug. He didn't play like that up until a month or so ago and I truly hate it. He no longer has access to my TBirds for different tunings like in the past in our music room for rehearsals. Retune and carry on with your bass.

I don't like his playing at all now.

poverino, cut him some slack, he’s learning lol….thing is, if you want to lead on bass do it right (not simple) or just play guitar…..assuming one is doing it with just tone can come across cheesy sounding imho….

 

[Larry V]

poverino, cut him some slack, he’s learning lol….thing is, if you want to lead on bass do it right (not simple) or just play guitar…..assuming one is doing it with just tone can come across cheesy sounding imho….

He's doing his thing and while I'm not a fan, my kids don't mind and they're the band, not me.

 

[dagrev]

Here his is breaking an E string with his "aggressive" style. Video starts @ 37:20 and the break happens @ 37:52.

I never recall breaking a string while playing. But I don't go at it like I'm working to subdue the beast either.

Like Chuck said, he's learning, and hopefully he will learn and mature as a player. He's still a kid it seems so there's hope!

 

[dagrev]

He's doing his thing and while I'm not a fan, my kids don't mind and they're the band, not me.

Good perspective and attitude.

 

[GonePlaid]

I get it, you're playing much different music and of course the bass playing needs to serve the song/band.

True. We play mostly 60s/70s "classic(?) rock" wherein clank, slapnpop, etc. are totally inappropriate. Interestingly, one of the pieces in the concert band's next performance has a few string pops written in. Conductor looked at me funny, but saw it notated in the score. OK.