using a jazz bass for punk rock

[spatchthepunk]

Bad Brains are amazing! In my top 3 bands. Darryl is a great player. I’ve wondered this myself. I think the thump of the P just fits the genre better.

Jazz I agree, like any genre of music there are sounds that are iconic the P is it.I play left handed and in the 80's I played p Hondo's that were readily available to leftys .I played hundreds of shows and no one mocked my cheap bass's, I would rock a jazz.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Did somebody say punk and jazz in the same sentence?

 

[beaglesandbass]

View attachment 2819377

Chris #2 from Anti-Flag used a jazz and at times an LTd PJ and now a P bass. Listen to underground network and it's definitely a jazz. Dude has monster chops too

Chris #2 is an amazing underrated player.

What is Joe Lally from Fugazi playing here? I know it's not a Fender...View attachment 2819426

Looks like a single coil P

Dude from Rancid played a Jazz IIRC.

Matt Freeman? Quick Google search yields many pics of a P, a few of a J

Nick from Bayside used a J on their most recent album and tour.

Personally for any punk, I'd use a Stingray.

 

[mc900ftj]

Derryl Jennifer of Bad Brains plays a jazz bass. I consider BBs to be one of the best punk bands ever if not THE best punk band ever. However, I don’t know any other punk bassists who use a jazz. I must be missing a few. Who else plays punk on a jazz bass and is the Precision better for punk? It is a two parter. Thanks.

Punk's about not giving a s@%t about what people think.

 

[MegaSwing]

Okay...and?

 

[BrickBatMansion]

Klaus Flouride...............Gnarly, snarly tone. Probably the neck pup soloed.............wide open.

 

[jasonmatthews]

I've heard that Matt Freeman used one every now and then.

I recall reading in Bass Player Matt Freeman interview that he used a Jazz for touring, but I can't recall if it was Rancid or when he was playing with Social Distortion.

As somebody who grew up listening to Rancid and playing along to OpIvy and the first three Rancid records... he was playing J-basses in the mid & late 90s (P-bass before that). My first bass was a P-bass and I vividly remember thinking in retrospect that I should've gotten a J-bass to sound more like Matt and all the other punk/ska bands from around that time (Goldfinger, etc).

Of course, now he's back to P-basses.

 

[James Collins]

Derryl Jennifer of Bad Brains plays a jazz bass. I consider BBs to be one of the best punk bands ever if not THE best punk band ever. However, I don’t know any other punk bassists who use a jazz. I must be missing a few. Who else plays punk on a jazz bass and is the Precision better for punk? It is a two parter. Thanks.

The problem with the idea that most punk bass players prefer a p bass is that most bass players prefer a p bass.

 

[dukeorock]

I've never seen David Sims not play a jazz.

But, yeah...doesn't matter at all. When I was a kid playing punk rock (late 70's/ early 80's), I used either a Gibson G3 or Ripper. There was an 89/81 L1000 in there too. Loved em then and still do. Tried out a lot of things in the 80's and 90's, but my main two basses were a P bass and a Gibson Grabber. Since then it's been all over the map. If you're having fun and playing like you mean it, we'll like whatever it is just fine

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Derryl Jennifer of Bad Brains plays a jazz bass. I consider BBs to be one of the best punk bands ever if not THE best punk band ever. However, I don’t know any other punk bassists who use a jazz. I must be missing a few. Who else plays punk on a jazz bass and is the Precision better for punk? It is a two parter. Thanks.

P bass is the bass for punk!! Here is a pic of me playing my ‘78 P in Eddie and the Subtitles. We used to open for X and Blackflag would Occasionally open for Us. I’m on the fast (Original Version of
“American Society” playing that bass.

 

[FilTurd]

P bass is the bass for punk!! Here is a pic of me playing my ‘78 P in Eddie and the Subtitles. We used to open for X and Blackflag would Occasionally open for Us. I’m on the fast (Original Version of
“American Society” playing that bass. View attachment 2819682

Ha, I saw you guys so many times when I was young, poopie I think before high school. Then poof you guys stopped playing.

 

[bass71]

Listen to the intro of Love Song by The Damned...P bass + SVT + 8x10...gutteral..nothing comes close.

 

[secondbestcody]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned Suicidal Tendencies. Ra Diaz plays a Spector jazz 5 strong which he just got a second one made just for him. Amazing bassist. I also think Robert Trujillo played a jazz too. Maybe?

 

[DavetheDude]

If there is a best bass for punk, then the punk thing to do would be to not use it.

Did the hipsters steal from the punks or the other way around?

 

[Rev J]

Derryl Jennifer of Bad Brains plays a jazz bass. I consider BBs to be one of the best punk bands ever if not THE best punk band ever. However, I don’t know any other punk bassists who use a jazz. I must be missing a few. Who else plays punk on a jazz bass and is the Precision better for punk? It is a two parter. Thanks.

I haven't read the whole thread but I just wanted to point out that Derryl Jennifer plays a Jazz Bass styled Modulus Graphite. Klaus Fluoride from the Dead Kennedys played a Fender Jazz.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[Rev J]

The Punk Rock thing to do is play whatever you like.

Actually the punk rock thing is to play whatever you can afford.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[DigitalMan]

Did the hipsters steal from the punks or the other way around?

Yes

 

[design]

Ladies and Gentlemen... TRACY PEW!
And DENNIS DUNAWAY!

 

[blindrabbit]

I play an ACG Harlot, which could be considered “jazz-like” - pickup configuration, thin neck, etc.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Mantis

Who else plays punk on a jazz bass

I did (well a long looong time ago ) the sound was as punk as punk can be

I used a pic and a lot of gain on my amp

but I never did the real test....

is the Precision better for punk?

The answer here is: No!!! The white ones (your P is white) don' t do the job (fail the test)

so maybe get a black one



or maybe try a Ric?



and when you do the test keep posting

pics or it didn't happen


greetings

Wise