Violin bass for heavy metal?

[Mike19]

I wasn't sure about this until I saw Them Crooked Vultures on Austin City Limits last night.

Alain Johannes played what looked like a Hofner on a vintage type heavy metal song. It sounded fine.

 

[GM60466]

I believe it was a Rouge copy. I'm sure the body was stuffed with something.

G

 

[p5string]

There's a side bar article on him in the John Paul Jones article of this current months BassPlayer mag.

 

[ShavedHippie]

Sounds huge!!!

 

[TeamTrejo]

Here is a link to the video.

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[maestrovert]

let's see....
Violin basses for metal...

With the design's short(er) scale length, typical flatwound strings, and hollow Arched top construction with it's floating bridge and trapeze tailpiece (which all tend to naturally limit sustain and the generation of upper harmonics, so note fundamentals are a bit more apparent), it sounds like a good metal bass recipe to me....

 

[DeanT]

Practically any bass can be used for any type of music. Whether or not the bass "looks the part" is a different story. A Violin bass certainly doesn't "look" heavy metal, but it can be made to sound it.

 

[NKUSigEp]

First, I would consider them neither "heavy" nor "metal" - some metal-like elements but no where near "metal". Still great nonetheless.

Second, JPJ is carrying the lion's share of the bass sound. The Hofner (copy?) is there for aesthetic and to add an extra element to the overall sound. Maestrovert pretty much summed it up.

Practically any bass can be used for any type of music. Whether or not the bass "looks the part" is a different story. A Violin bass certainly doesn't "look" heavy metal, but it can be made to sound it.

I dunno man, I'll agree with you to a point but some things just aren't meant to be. My old drummer used to have one and let me jam on it a bunch at practice just for giggles...there was no getting that thing to sound metal with any amount of EQ'ing and distortion!

 

[lowfreq33]

Last year I was in Atlanta and saw a heavy metal cover band (old school, Megadeth, Pantera, etc). The bassist was playing a Gretsch Thunder Jet with Flats. Sounded great.

 

[odysseios]

I think Johannes plays that violin bass copy only because he's a guitarist and needs a cheap short scale bass.

 

[bassdaddyfive]

If it makes a musical noise, and you like it. Why not.

 

[rjh462]

It is doable. I used to use a 66 hofner to play heavy metal in the mid 70s. The problem is feedback if you use vintage gear. Your better off with a solidstate amp if your going to do it.

 

[OutToPlayJazz]

They can be a very dark sounding bass - Hugh McDonald, the guy who plays for Bon Jovi plays a Hofner Club series and it sounds immense. Not quite <<HEAVY METAL>> I'll grant you, but in a similar vein...

 

[Mastermold]

Here is a link to the video.

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[Herbie 80's]

I used my Hofner for a Black Metal band a few years ago.

Hofner > 1967 Traynor Super Custom YBA-2 > Peavey 1x15 > Homebrew 2x10.

Worked perfectly : ).

Made for a funny stage show as well.

I didn't down tune though. Even for Metal in drop D I play in standard.

 

[DerHoggz]

Here is a link to the video.

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I don't think that drumset is big enough.

 

[SpamBot]

I'm very tempted to buy a Hof and cut f-holes into it.

 

[MtManiac]

It's kinda like showing up at a HOG convention on a Honda. You better have the chops (or the pipes) to back it up.

 

[mikeswals]

I'm lovin' the Vultures, but that is not heavy metal.

 

[odysseios]

This is a vintage Hofner in a metal song, played by Bob Daisley: