Which Bass for classic heavy metal?

[N4860]

If your options are between a high end P bass or MM, just go with whichever feels and looks best to you. The one you immediately enjoy best right away. Regarding the sound, both will suit a metal sound fine. As long as you sit in the mix well, no one will notice whether you have a PJ or MM pickup positioning. As long as it sounds good, that's all that matters

 

[Lava]

Fodera and/or Ritter, lol! Search the +10k posts already posted on this very subject...

 

[TolerancEJ]

Hahahahahahahhahahahahab

Dingwall wreaks of classic metal...... not.

I mentioned "a later evolution in your playing".

 

[dkelley]

I mentioned "a later evolution in your playing".

Oh lol, cheers, actually thought you were joking.

All good.... i was just picturing fanned frets in 1980 mtv and thinking... maybe in Cheap Trick but not metal.

Later? Yea for sure

 

[Leonid Nidis]

yamaha 1024x BB

 

[Thumper]

Going back to a Hard/Heavy Band after 15 years. I have P basses, but going with a Mike Lull Thunderbird 5, with a Roscoe SKB 3005 back-up. Surprised Thunderbirds haven't been mentioned, they sound and look the part.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Carvin lb90 from the 80s. Arrow headstock
Ibanez destroyer or iceman
Epi explorer or t-bird, flying V
Fender jazz / p
Kramer
Spector (Rex?)
BC Rich mockingbird or Widdow
G&L L200 , SB2

 

[Kiril Basso]

Classic P will do you justice mate! Just dig in hard, that way you'll get the full spectrum of tone potential!

 

[Tommy V]

play what you're comfortable with.. damn all the preconceived ideas about what's acceptable.

 

[Miker27607]

Well, kinda. You wouldn't show up to an acoustic roots rock singer songwriter gig with an active 6 string fretless with AAAAA flame maple top and LED inlanys.

....or imagine a Hofner Beatle bass for a Death Metal show......

 

[Fialka]

Black bass.

 

[Coot]

I'd like to believe you, but a Hofner Beatle bass is probably not suitable for any genre requiring...sustain. Including metal.

I can't picture anyone playing Iron Man with a plunking Beatle bass.

The guy from Big Sugar gets a pretty walloping tone..but generally ...no go for the Macca bass

 

[Deleted member 132197]

play what you're comfortable with.. damn all the preconceived ideas about what's acceptable.

Soo many times this! Right now I play a NS WAV4 EUB with bow in a metal project and it rocks! (it is black though)

 

[KB5]

Epi Thunderbird Vintage Pro in black. These things sound killer with or without a little dirt

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Looks like we may have ourselves another case of Disappearing OP

 

[Lowbrow]

Fender Precision with roundwound strings.

 

[BubbaZed]

At the expense of my brains, my cat-like curiosity and watching the dead horse being flogged mercilessly, this thread should have been closed the first time someone answered back with 'P-bass' or 'MM' or '(insert your preferred metal bass here)'.

 

[jd56hawk]

Either one.
Whatever you do, just don't go pointy!

 

[LoTone]

Classic Heavy Metal
This is an interesting variation on highly sought after conundrum...

 

[TeamScorpioRI]

P-bass