Who has your favorite bass tone?

I was always partial to Chris Squire's Ric tone.

Then Geddy's Ric tone. Then his Jazz tone.

I guess you could say I like a bright 'n punchy tone that really cuts thru.

Saying that, I always liked Geezer Butler's P bass tone in early Sabbath recordings too.

Maybe it's more the player than the tone for me...?

 

Jimmy Haslip
Nathan East

 

Me

 

Geddy Lee - Moving Pictures

 

I quite like Stuart zender's tone on early Jamiroquai especially on manifest destiny and not another story.
I think Red Mitchell's tone on the Hampton Hawes stuff is awesome too. His tone and playing is most featured on These foolish things'

 

I have lots of favorite bass tones: Double bass; Fender jazz fretless; stock Fender P with flats; Musicman sabre... and so on. I have to say though, that my all-time-favorite electric bass tone is that of Anthony Jackson playing his 'career girl' jazz - with a touch of phaser.

A good example of it can be heard in this clip



Also - the late Dee Murray, Elton John's bass player in the 70's and early 80's always had impeccable tone - This one sounds like Dee playing his stack-knob jazz (although he sometimes used a P bass)

 

Jack Bruce

 

Pino on D'Angelo's albums

 

I have 2. Rob Wright from Nomeansno and David Wm Simms of The Jesus Lizard. Both are gritty and aggressive with punch and clarity.

 

Even though this is live audio, his playing on this version of Levon really gives a great demo of his chops:

 

I cut my teeth in the '70s...so it's-

Chuck Rainey (Steely Dan, Quincy Jones, etc)
Will Lee (Breckers, early Spyro Gyra, etc)
Gary King (George Benson, Tom Scott, Bob James, etc)
Anthony Jackson (O'Jays, Quincy Jones, Chaka, etc)

 

Too tough to say But I love the tone Geddy gets on 'Hemispheres' and I always loved that Ibanez Silver Series Jazz/p neck that Graham Maby played on all those old Joe Jackson hits. I don't try to emulate them but classic bass tones. If you haven't heard Hemispheres lately, pop over to Youtube and give a listen - just classic Geddy

 

Gary Willis/anything - Tribal Tech
Michael Anthony / Fair Warning - VH
Ross Valory / Escape - Journey
John Patitucci / anything - Chick Corea Electric band
Various / anything - Steely Dan

 

Chris Squire and Jaco.

 

Tim Commerford.

 

Thank you so much for posting that.

 

My all time favorite tone: John Paul Jones on Heartbreaker.

 

One of my favorites is Ric Fierabracci on his Pedulla.

 

Another fan of Graham Maby's tone on the first couple of Joe Jackson albums.