Which Bass for classic heavy metal?

Any bass for any style; it's all in the playing & technique. We used to have a "Best Bass for Metal" topic stickied at the top, but I don't see it anymore.

 

I think it would be pretty hard to go wrong with a P-bass...they're everywhere, including pretty much every track of every Maiden album, since that's the only bass Steve Harris has played for years...

 

P-bass, Aria SB, Music Man, they would (probably) need grit added with an ashdown James Lomenzo od pedal!
I would never use Jazz basses for Metal.
Yamaha BB would sound great as well. Spector if you have a millennial-amazon-tech budget.

Just realized I didn’t answer your question. Music man has my vote.

 

But like TolerancEJ said, it's gonna be more about your technique and playing than your gear. Using Iron Maiden again as the example, you could buy the actual Steve Harris Signature P-Bass, but if you can't get that Steve Harris "galloping" fingerstyle technique down pretty good, you're probably not gonna do those bass lines justice...

 

A P bass with flats!

 

Bleed on it a bit, too. That should get it to about the right aesthetic.

 

Either would be fine, I think. Maiden, Helloween, and Saxon are all Precisions. Ian Hill played a Jazz bass up until the mid 80s.

 

OP, I'm not sure if this budget is within your grasp or possibly a later evolution in your playing, but if your metal stylings might include distortion, a Dingwall bass and Darkglass amp is a perfect combination. Check some YouTube videos to see some samples.

Personally, I had not been too keen on distortion in bass until I heard/saw some of those YouTube demonstrations.

 

P(PJ) bass if you can't get a Spector.

 

Either of those are great choices! MM will sound a bit more modern and punch a bit more. P-bass is classic rock tone & sounds great played aggressively. Either way you win.

 

I've been using both my Aerodyne PJ and Lakland J for a recent metal project and both sound great. If you have good basses, it's all about technique and EQ. You should be able to get what you need with either.

That said, I'd seriously think about a PJ. Quite versitile, lots of options out there in different price ranges. Get the best bass you can afford that feels good and that you love playing. Trying it out before buying is key.

 

I'd go with the p bass, the mm is quite articulate but better suited to more modern stuff imo, but the sound you want is your choice not mine.

 

P-bass. Look at old pics and you’ll see that most of those guys played them early on. And I’m not one of those “P is the only choice” guys.

 

If your choices are only a P or MM, go with a MM HH so you can get some tonal variety out of it.
Rock on.

 

Any bass in working condition is capable to be played in any musical genre.

I've played heavy metal with very different basses (Sgs, PJs, Yamaha BB, Jazz, Epiphone Rumblekat, Danelectro DC) over the years and all of them gave me what I wanted.

That said, speaking about classic metal, the first two Black Sabbath albums were recorded with P-Basses. And Steve Harris uses a P-bass.

 

My default when I think of an aggressive metal bass still runs toward Spector.

Yes, a P/J (or a P) will potentially nail it and yes, I'd say a MM will smoke it, too.

But who cares? It's got to give you a half-decent fit if you want to rip with it and make decent sound. Try to be picky with the dimensions and how you can get around on it.

 

P with dirt.

 

Warwick FNA Jazzman.

 

I'd go with pointy P/J if you can find one.