What’s your favourite bass for overdriven tones?

Lots of variables to consider. The bass is only one. Amp? Cab? Specific OD used? Overall tone you’re aiming for?

If I had to pick one combo, it would be an OG SVT/810 driven hard into OD with a basic P-bass.

 

Anything with an old Gibson Humbucker in it through a tube amp. For ex. Mel Schacher- Grand Funk (EB-0 pickup in Fender Jazz through 200 watt West amp), Felix Pappalardi- EB, EB-1 through Sunn 200S amps. Jack Bruce EB-3 through Marshalls, etc. They all used flat wounds too, I'm pretty sure, I know Jack Bruce used light gauge La Bella flats.. P bass's can sound really good through B-15's too.

 

Pickups and strings matter the most. I'm a fan of bright roundwounds and a P pickup with a little mid scoop, the Seymour Duncan quarter pounder being my favorite. Active EMG Ps sound good too.

 

Yep, serious pickups are key to the strong input needed to overdrive your amp.
Mudbuckers can sure do it but strong ceramic magnet pickups can do it, as well.
I have an SD Curlee with patent pending DiMarzio pickups and RS66 strings that I like to use to drive an early GK 400RB when I want to get rowdy.

 

I really like the punchy sound of my Jackson JS2 Spectra bass with its precision bass style pick up engaged, but I can't beat my Cort Action V 5 with its active pre amp. It's easy to get clarity with that additional treble boost

 

Maton JB4 reissue with DiMarzio PJ pickups.
More growl than a constipated tiger with a tooth ache... then add the distortion..... who Nelly!!

 

Man I been considering getting those exact pick up's. People, especially in modern metal, really under estimate how much growl a precision style pick up has with overdrive

 

All of them. Not even joking. As long as I can cut the treble higher than 5k and sometimes lower, I think they all have certain cool vibes with dirt.

 

Funnily enough, the humble Fender Precision has been used to great effect, on thousands of recordings requiring a distorted / overdriven bass tone.

Likewise the Fender Jazz.

Rickenbacker 4001 as well.

Gibson Grabber G3 / Gibson Ripper sound great overdriven.

StingRays can be a bit of a headache, but if you want something really brutal, and crystal clear distortion, they can be just the ticket.

 

I think a Ric 4001 or 4003 would shine in that application. Bright enough for definition yet growly enough to sound mean. The dual pickup configuration allows you to dial in just enough bark or growl. That isn't even mentioning the secret weapon of stereo capability. Remember, the whole rig is part of the equation. The bass is a large part, but how you set the amp and which type of amp is used along with the type of strings and whether or not you use a pick (or a plectrum, to our UK friends ) and which kind. The overall sound is a result of all of those factors combined in the correct ratio.

 

G&L L-1000 passive bass with active level output. Drives things in a special way that can be very good or quite horrible

 

My double split coil.

 

Some sort of P, for sure.

 

Dependes on the type of overdrive you want. Subjectively speaking;

• For a woolly, mid-heavy, Vintage Microtubes kind of vibe; I'd pick a bass with a good front pick up; such as a P bass. Alder + rosewood comes to mind.
  
• For an articulate, sharp, B7K kind of vibe; I'd pick a bass with a good back pick up and fresh round wound strings; such as a J bass. Ash + maple comes to mind.

 

'68-'72 Telecaster with a single coil P-pickup. Or similar.

 

No favourite.
I mean, mudbucker w/tube amp given you Jack Bruce, Rickenbacker w/ Marshall is Motorhead. RIC fuzz tones ala Chris Squier are another. I LOVE THE jazz with a Traynor for that Jesus Lizard thing.

 

A good old Thunderbird pickup, or the new Epiphone ProBucker 760 pickups in their Thunderbird and Embassy basses.

 

This is a bit of an "open" question, but I think I might have a general turd to throw into the punch bowl:

I only use my passive basses for OD. I haven't been able to find an active bass whose over-driven sound is sweet to my ear.

So, for a slightly more specific answer: my P-bass and my Epiphones (P-Bass and Jazz Bass clones)