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What Bass do YOU use for Church??

What bass do YOU use for church??

  • Total voters
    157
  • Poll closed .
#21
Quote: "I've had a similar experience. A passive P did not work for my church setting. There was too much going on in the mix. I know a P is "focused" into the mix, but when other things are too it just gets muddy."

This surprises me.

I play only passive P or J style basses and I play at several different area churches. On more than one occasion at one of the churches, I've been told that my inexpensive Peavey P style bass with aftermarket passive pickups provided the best front of house sound that they've ever had. This particular church has experienced sound guys (several really good ones), and at least 4 or 5 other bass players...and they use a variety of different basses.
 
#23
mmbongo said:
Active 5. Most guys around here use Ibanez because they can be had for like $150 and the tiny necks helps their non-bass playing hands deal with size :)
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There is no emoticon to convey how hard I'm rolling my eyes at this post. Remember the old quote about how it's better to keep your mouth shut and have everyone think you're a fool, than to open your mouth and prove them right?

To the OP:

I have an Ibanez SR500 because it has a comfortable feel, versatile sound, and looks both modern and classy. It works great for most of what I play in church. But that doesn't mean I think you should do the same thing.

Fender Ps and Js are both good, and you probably couldn't go wrong with either one. An active bass (especially a 5er) may sound better for your band, especially if you do any modern Gospel. Play lots of basses, learn that there are many more options than the three you've listed here, figure out what feels and sounds the best to you (in a band mix, not just by itself), and don't be quick to judge an instrument by the name on the headstock.

...unless it's Rogue.
 
#25
I've been playing with the worship ministry at out church for the past two years alternating three bass players with my playing about 20/25 weekly services a year. During that time, I've alternated away from my active Spector (NS2J) towards my Precision. I know that modern worship recordings and general opinion here seem to prefer active 5 stringed basses but to me, I've found that the P seems to sit in the mix better. Just my opinion in the setting I play in which is a smaller (200 or so) congregation mixing traditional hymns with modern worship songs.

Marc
 
#26
I've used everything from and Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear bass to my Music Man basses. Here's the thing with church music. It's not the bass that will make you sound good. It's your heart to worship!

My oldest boy's friend is playing bass on his worship team and he has a $200.00 bass and it doesn't sound too bad. I used my mid 90's Ibanez SR 500 Soundgears for over 15 years when I did worship. Last year, I started using my Music Man basses after I bought them. Here is the thing. In all of my years of playing worship music, I have never once had a person come up and say the bass sounded bad. Even on a cheap bass, if you learn to utilize your eq and work with the soundman to find a good mix, everything will be just fine but the most important thing, like I said before, is to not be up there for yourself. Your up there to worship too and all of that other stuff is secondary.
 
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#27
I alternate between several basses. They're all active, and none of them are P or J style basses. There's a place for everything, and I decide based on the setlist for worship each week.

BTB, Steinberger, 7-string, or fretless. This week it was the 7-string, one of our tunes has an oddball tapping intro, "You Won't Relent" by Misty Edwards.
 
#28
The only religious services I play are our usual set (worship in jah temple of boom)...but I wouldn't probably pick a P bass. The P bass pickup is wired in series, which while it gives some serious lower mid balls, also tends to swamp a mix if you've got a lot going on. The Jazz on the other hand, has pickups in parallel, which is a little smoother and wider and doesn't have the low mid forward sound...and plays well with others.
 
#29
Usually I play a Warwick Streamer Stage I 5. Last time or two it was a Squier Deluxe Jazz V. I've also used a Spector NS2A NT, Squier VM fretless, Dean Edge 5s (both fretted and fretless), Guild B-50, and a Kay upright.
 
#30
P bass does not suck at all. If your sound is "muddy" there's probably too much going on in the mix, that's not the bass's fault.
I use both and more in my church but I favor the J bass because it can get any sound I need.
I would vote for the J due to it's flexibility and you can always add a preamp of you need active.
 
#32
I've used Fender P's and J's, MusicMan Stingrays and Sterlings, G&L's (about every 4 string style they've made), Hofner, Epi Allen Woody, Zon's (various 4 string flavors), etc. etc.

Used a G&L SB-1 today (kinda a P bass on steroids).

They've all worked in the settings in which they were used.
I like to play what I have and a lot of basses rotate through here so.. :bassist:
 
#33
I think a lot of it deals with the style of music your church plays. Ive played everything from Jazzes (active and passive) to Precisions (active and passive) to Soapbar eqipped active basses. Right now I play a Fender Am Deluxe Precision, active with the P and Humbucker. I like the flexibility I get with that. We do a lot of modern rock type praise songs where the P works great.

However, I used to play for a church that was more "CCM" type, Hillsongs etc. That I preferred an active jazz or modern soap bar sound.
 
#35
When I did play at church I started with an MIM Fender Deluxe Active 5 string. Later on I got an Ibanez SR505.

According to the soundman and from the other musicians in the congregation the Ibanez seemed to have the better sound of the two. They all said it seemd to cut thru better...but not cut thru as in "edgey." They added that it had a great mid kick and that the notes on the low B were phenomenal.

I'd like to add one thing in defense of the Fender. At that time I still hadn't found the right set of strings for that bass. The low B and E felt very loose which of course (to me) translates into a flubby sound. The string tension on the Ibanez was and still is a joy and that's one of the things that helped it to thump and to cut thru better on all counts.
 
#37
Asking what bass to play "in church" is a pretty generic. It's like asking what bass to play "in a theater." ;) Every kind of music imaginable can be and is played in various churches. Anyway, all three of the basses listed will work well for the vast majority of situations you might find yourself in "in a church." I've played all three, and they all worked. By the way, this queestion has been asked several times before, so a quick search will give you many more answers to read.
 
#38
Outsider said:
I didn't vote. My answer is "it depends". Which bass fits right for the songs your church plays? Which bass fits right for how your church plays them? I bring a different bass depending on the songs and mix.
Click to expand...

Yep, me too. I like using my Elrick, which is a jazz-style bass, but at my new church, which has a better sound system, in-ear monitors, and more musicians, my Cirrus 6'er seems to do the trick. It also depends on the songs also. At my old church, we played a lot of urban gospel as well as CCM worship stuff (Tomiln, Matt Redman, etc.) and I used 2 basses. I would play the Elrick when the WL played acoustic guitar. When she would switch over to piano (we only had 3 musicians on the team) I would break out the Cirrus. It blended better with the piano.

BTW, both basses were active and 1 was a jazz bass.
 
#39
Honestly, WHY are people asking this question? A couple of points:

1. Are you curious because you want to know what SOUNDS good at church? Well all church bassists ever really need to do for contemporary Christian worship (IME) is "thump thump" with a tiny bit of growl on occasion and just about every bass in the world is capable of that.

2. Do you think there is a certain bass that will be "right" for church on looks or something? That doesn't sound very Christian to me. I'm sure a lot of you church bassists go to those churches that try too hard to be hip and the pastor wears a leisure suit just to make people feel comfortable. If looks don't matter and your church is open to everyone that should apply to the bass player too.

Most worship bands I've ever heard had the bass player doing zilch--completely the opposite of gospel, I know. Gospel is a whole 'nother beast. But I digress. Getting caught up in what bass to use in church is kind of ridiculous when a Squier bought sight unseen could probably pull it off.

Can these threads please just DIE now?? Skip the resurrection while you're at it. Good grief.

Jay Ralston said:
I've used everything from and Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear bass to my Music Man basses. Here's the thing with church music. It's not the bass that will make you sound good. It's your heart to worship!
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THANK YOU. Jay has the right approach if you're serious about playing bass in a church band.
 

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