Depends on the album.
I could see myself using a P bass for most things I do now, but I think a Rick would serve me well too. A few years ago a Rick would have been better suited.
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Which Bass guitar would you record with
- Thread starter PleyswethSqwerl
- Start date
I could see myself using a P bass for most things I do now, but I think a Rick would serve me well too. A few years ago a Rick would have been better suited.
I’ve recorded most recently with
Ernie Ball Sterling HS
Sandberg TM4
PJ parts bass loaded with EMG geezers
Bluesman jazz bass
I though all the tracks pretty much sounded like me
The engineer asked me to bring the Sandberg from now on
Ernie Ball Sterling HS
Sandberg TM4
PJ parts bass loaded with EMG geezers
Bluesman jazz bass
I though all the tracks pretty much sounded like me
The engineer asked me to bring the Sandberg from now on
the P or the J depending on which I liked to play more or which was there.
PJ...doesn't do PRECISELY the same as the P bass, but close enough to be usable IMO, with the added versatility of the j pickup at the bridge.
Well... I don't have a Jazz Bass (don't much care for them), but I do have a headless Kramer Duke that can fake one pretty well. And, my '88 Kramer Forum III is a P/J - sorta; but - it's in pieces at the moment. As for #6? I have 19 basses in that category...
I like to play the music I enjoy, on the bass that was at least used to play it on-stage; knowing full well that a good deal of it was played in the studio by a hired gun - and most likely, played on a P-Bass. But, I do what makes me happy, and to my ears? Music that's associated with, say, a Rickenbacker, sounds best when played on a Rickenbacker.
So, in this fantasy world? I would record my album - consisting of the music I like - on... about 4 of my basses; the '78 P-Bass; the '73 Rick 4001; the '17 Hofner 500/2 Club bass; and the '13 Gibson Thunderbird. I might break out the '22 Epi Jack Casady, too. However...
You said "only one"; assuming you're enforcing this edict at gunpoint? I'm tempted to say " the '78 P-Bass", but it's got heavy flats and a mute in the bridge; it would work for a lot of the music on this album - but not all. Surprisingly, with the Dogal R44 flats that are on it, the Thunderbird just might work very well for everything. But, although the engineer might have some problems with it? I might try the thing with my '15 G&L Tom Hamilton ASAT Bass. It's a very versatile bass, and although the Fender 9050L flats it's wearing are a little lacking in the low end department for a lot of the music - well, that's what sound engineer's are for...
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My 6 string fretted would be my choice. No interest in any others.
Which one do you have the best specimen of?
In my travels I have found there are J basses, there are J basses and then there are J basses. Now that I have the latter, that would be a pretty safe choice. But some of my earlier acquisitions might not have worked so great.
In my travels I have found there are J basses, there are J basses and then there are J basses. Now that I have the latter, that would be a pretty safe choice. But some of my earlier acquisitions might not have worked so great.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Based on years of personal experience: Lakland 44-02 or 55-02 (or the USA-equivalent 4-94 or 55-94). Outside of those staples, I'd say a Jazz Bass and/or a Stingray. The Jazz can get you in P-Bass territory in some ways with the neck pickup, but has a different character that I like. I've used all of the above on recordings, and the Lakland can nail almost any tone you need in a punchy, present package that engineers and producers love.
Really depends on what tone one likes and wants recorded. As some will say - it is more than the bass that makes the tone. Strings, pickups, setup, preamp, technique really factor into tone. Also how it is recorded - DI'd, mic'd, the di, the amp, the mic and any post processing. Nothing universal about tone.
Personally, I tend to play fretless Carvin/Kiesel basses and prefer dual HB6 pickups. My strings of choice for recording and live are TI jazz flats. Preamp either flat (if using piezo saddles) or in passive into my Ampeg B-15R w/ an Audio Technica ATM25 for a mic. Tone fits well in a mix - nice mids, enough to cut through and blend but still having low-end authority.
Personally, I tend to play fretless Carvin/Kiesel basses and prefer dual HB6 pickups. My strings of choice for recording and live are TI jazz flats. Preamp either flat (if using piezo saddles) or in passive into my Ampeg B-15R w/ an Audio Technica ATM25 for a mic. Tone fits well in a mix - nice mids, enough to cut through and blend but still having low-end authority.
I like recording with vintage Kramer aluminum-neck basses (and lumie variants like Vacarro, Hartke, and now all the newer modern ones). And I like recording with various Rickenbackers (rounds and flats...) 
but the one bass that rules them all is my Basslab
but the one bass that rules them all is my Basslab
I have a P, J, Rick and a G&L l2000. I have found that the P generally records the best in most situations.
If I only needed 4 strings, my Alembic Series I custom because it can emulate just about anything out there, and it brings a certain je nais se quoi to everything I play it on.
If not the Alembic, the Precision Bass is going to be the "safest" in that it just works in most situations.
John
I believe my Yamaha TRB 1006 would do great in the studio. I just got a J Bass Ultra V and I'd bee leery using that in active mode as it can hum sometimes, but in passive mode it's pretty quiet. My MIM P Bass Special Deluxe would do pretty good. Of all the three I'd go with the Yamaha; although, I am trying to sell it because I don't need a six string bass.
A PBass would be my choice. They record well and most engineers have extensive experience recording them.
