Top P bass players. All time.

[jmlee]

Jim Fielder, of Blood Sweat & Tears fame but with Neil Sedaka for years, is a personal favourite. He was a P-bass player for a long time before moving over to Music Man. This song's a great example of P-bass tone and great playing.

 

[Pizza1988]

Most people I thought of were named already but I will add Mike Dirnt (Green Day) and Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy).

 

[Frety_Kruger]

lol sounds you like you have never listened to his bass lines

Of course I have and I can play a bunch of them as well. I love James

 

[Frety_Kruger]

Let me just say. We are not talking about players who played a pbass a few times or on a album or two. But a bassist who used a pbass and is known for using a pbass through there whole career or at least most of it.

 

[Frety_Kruger]

Best I could do OP:

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I couldn't call Paul and Geddy. Pbass players.

 

[Frety_Kruger]

Have you really dug in and listened to a lot of the stuff that he played? Some of it was fairly simple, sure, but on a lot of it he showed off all that harmonic language he picked up playing jazz, threw in some interesting rhythmic variations, and he could just as easily play all up and down the board as anybody else does. As a massive Iron Maiden fan, I still wouldn't say that anything Steve plays is really more complex or interesting than what James was doing when he was still around.

Yes I know how to play about 10 jamerson songs.

 

[Frety_Kruger]

every bass player has probably played a p at one time

True but I'm talking about people who used a pbass throughout there career!

 

[Frety_Kruger]

Geezer, John Wetton, Entwistle...

Damn how did I forget Geezer

 

[nonohmic]

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Best for me means who inspires me to get the most out of the simplest instrument, that being the P bass. And those players are Michael League and George Porter Jr. (GPJ has the best tone out of anyone)

 

[SteveC]

Pino is the reason I have a P bass.

 

[Frety_Kruger]

Fieldy.

Lmao

 

[Frety_Kruger]

Most people I thought of were named already but I will add Mike Dirnt (Green Day) and Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy).

Mike is a Great player had the pleasure of meeting him

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I know most of us when we think of the greatest jazz bass players of all time we think of
1. JACO
2.Geddy
3.John Paul Jones
4 .Marcus Miller
Ect (just my list anyway)

But if you had to pick a list of the top 4 Pbass players ever across all genres who
Who would you put in your top 4

Here is my list. (No rude comments please Santa is watching)
.1 Steve Harris
.2 James Jamerson
.3 Pino Palladino
.4 Duff McKagen

Feel free to dispute my lists.

Cheers!!

add Ray Schulman to the list,mand I'd say it's pretty complete.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

To me the bass used is irrelevant

 

[G On Bass]

I don't see how one differentiates a great P bass player from a J bass player. They are just great players regardless of what they used. Maybe the question should be most iconic P tone

I know most of us when we think of the greatest jazz bass players of all time we think of
1. JACO
2.Geddy
3.John Paul Jones
4 .Marcus Miller
Ect (just my list anyway)

But if you had to pick a list of the top 4 Pbass players ever across all genres who
Who would you put in your top 4


Cheers!!

Geddy is as known for his Rickenbacker association as much if not more than with a Jazz. JPJ played all kinds of basses, so I wouldn't pigeon-hole him as just a Jazz bass player.

As far as great players that primarily used a P I would add:
Duck Dunn
Phil Lynott

But in reality, there is no such thing as a great 'Jazz Bass player' or 'P bass player'. The basses are just tools and most of these guys would be on a greatest players list if they used a washtub and string bass.

 

[bassliner50]

Willie Weeks should be on this list.

Yes Sir. Mr. Weeks did Beautiful work with Donny Hathaway!!! put 'em on the list!!!

 

[bassliner50]

In the fog of my mind, all I can think of is JJ. Wait, Willie Weeks, Bob Babbitt. (back to the fog)

 

[oldskoolskatedad]

+ 100 for Rob Wright & Matt Freeman! Paul Simonon's bass lines are why I fell in love with the bass in the first place

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Me.....

 

[blindeddie]

+1 for Rob Wright of NoMeansNo, as well as Geezer and Steve Harris...
BUT without a doubt, when it comes to Pbass...
JJ Burnel of The Stranglers!