Which Bass guitar would you record with

[Aussie Player]

Alembic.
It eliminates any opinion from the engineer.

 

[kevmac]

If you all had one bass guitar that you absolutely had to record your album with. Which one would you choose?

1. Precision Bass (PBass).
2. Jazz Bass (JBass).
3. Musicman Stingray.
4. Rickenbavker.
5. P/J.
6. Some other brand or miscellaneous
Bass.

I’m curious to hear other bassist responses. And, Why? they would choose that specific bass if they could only choose that one.

The Dano Longhorn sounds great and has been on countless recordings.

 

[MNAirHead]

I'll go into the studio with a series of choices (snobby botiques, usa fender, iconic stuff, upright)... Producer always picks USA Peavey Millenium 5 with stainless strings... doesn't matter the genre

 

[Rebel Rocker]

Jazz Bass. But that's just me.

 

[SpeakerBoxxx]

For the music I play... a simple, passive P-bass is a perfect fit. I've done a small amount of studio recording in the past. When I tried using my active 5'er with 3 band EQ, the engineers would always futz about trying different things. Not that it didn't sound good, but I think they would just look at that bass and it appeared to be some super jazz on steroids and felt like they should try something different when it came to capturing the recording. When I show up with the P-bass, it's always plug-in and get right to work.
I've heard similar stories in the past from other bass players that do lots of studio work, I guess to recording engineers, the P-bass is a no-brainer.

 

[PleyswethSqwerl]

Not enough info.

What kind of music? What other instrumentation? What kind of mix? How do the other instruments sound? Etc.

that’s what makes this such an interesting topic because which one out of all of those would you choose if you had to pick one no matter what the style, no matter what the genre no matter what kind of mix or any of that which one would you choose? It’s just a general question.

 

[PleyswethSqwerl]

As always, don't show up to a session with only one bass, unless it's already been discussed. That said, if you had to, and you wanted to make sure your one bass was gonna work sonically on pretty much anything thrown at you, then make it a P. That's simply the lay of the land out there, like it or not. To get even more specific, I'd make it a P with broken-in rounds(because you can still get retro thumpy with a foam mute, palm mute, tone rolled-off, but also grind and clank away if needed). Best bet of course is to show up with a P w flats and a P with rounds. Then bring something else totally different as a 3rd option.

this is a great answer

 

[ezstep]

The one that I believe has the best sound. And that is TOTALLY subjective.

Don't over-think this. Just go and do your best. The sound guy will (should) make it sound good, even if you use a Wishbass.

 

[Koog]

PJ

 

[Carl Hillman]

The purpose of this post was merely to see what bass if you could only choose one would be your go to in a studio. I wholly understand that there is a plethora of bases. However, this is just a general question of which one would you choose? If you could only pick one of those I know it’s kind of a shot in the dark question but it’s a mere gauge to see what people go to would be.

OK, thanks, but I can't pick without a musical context.

 

[Low End Scum]

My J Bass has never failed me. I love a P Bass tone, but I never like how I sound on one. Same thing with Ampeg gear. Played an old V-4B and just did not feel right, next guy steps up and plays without even touching the settings or changing the bass and sounded great.

Rickenbacker would be my second choice but just because I've gotta '77 (even though it's bridge pickup is dead and needs work/to be rewound).

 

[ezstep]

I have recorded with Fender P, Peavey Foundation, G&L L2500 fretless, Alembic Orion, mostly a 1993 Carvin, and probably a couple of others I cannot remember. If I heard those recordings today, I probably could not tell you which bass was used.

 

[Bonecat]

This one… At least until I get my next Muckelroy. Then it might be that one…

 

[Artman]

One with strings on it that is well intonated, stays in tune, and plays well.

Because it is a bass with strings on it that is well intonated, stays in tune, and plays well.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

For me, it’s a P bass.

Now, which one? That I can’t say.

 

[misterCRUSH]

My SRF 705. with the piezo under the bridge, plus two mag pickups and active eq I can get a wide variety of tones just from the bass. It's also very high on the playability scale, with easy set up and good action. Currently strung with La Bella flats. I spend a few hours every day with it. I think it's important to record with what you spend the most time with. When I have to play a different bass, which isn't very often, the tone coming from my hands doesn't sound as good. Be well, BASS.

 

[whero]

A lot of people saying "Well, what kind of music is it?"

If you all had one bass guitar that you absolutely had to record your album with...

It's your album, so you tell us what kind of music it is, and whether that musical style determines which bass you're going to use.

 

[PleyswethSqwerl]

My J Bass has never failed me. I love a P Bass tone, but I never like how I sound on one. Same thing with Ampeg gear. Played an old V-4B and just did not feel right, next guy steps up and plays without even touching the settings or changing the bass and sounded great.

Rickenbacker would be my second choice but just because I've gotta '77 (even though it's bridge pickup is dead and needs work/to be rewound).

for some reason I don’t sound good on Ampeg gear either. I don’t know I don’t really like the sound of it. I personally like the orange ad200 I also like a jazz bass and a precision bass for recording personally

 

[semiprohooker]

There is no single right answer here.

But if there was, it'd be the P bass.







With flats and tort.

 

[PleyswethSqwerl]

My SRF 705. with the piezo under the bridge, plus two mag pickups and active eq I can get a wide variety of tones just from the bass. It's also very high on the playability scale, with easy set up and good action. Currently strung with La Bella flats. I spend a few hours every day with it. I think it's important to record with what you spend the most time with. When I have to play a different bass, which isn't very often, the tone coming from my hands doesn't sound as good. Be well, BASS.
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I like that bass