Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Worlds most famous bass?
- Thread starter bjabass
- Start date
When Ifirst read the thread title I said out loud, Jaco's. After reading it and with how HUGE the beatles were/are still. It's gotta be the walrus.
I personally would prefer jaco's bass of doom.
I personally would prefer jaco's bass of doom.
Gene's axe bass definitely is up there on the "famous" list.
Bootsy's basses are also up there for being instantly recognizable.
Invalid Link Removed
Bootsy's basses are also up there for being instantly recognizable.
Invalid Link Removed
I'll get no support on this one, but when I see an early Steinberger all I think of is Jamaaladeen Tacuma. That bass is famous to me.
But f'real, McCartney's bass is likely the most famous bass on the planet. The Bass of Doom does not even come close (though I'd much rather have it over the Hoffner)
But f'real, McCartney's bass is likely the most famous bass on the planet. The Bass of Doom does not even come close (though I'd much rather have it over the Hoffner)
Honestly, it's Paul's Hofner. Even Gene's axe is more recognizable than Jaco's. Being the absolute Primus fanboy I am, I'd like to believe Les' rainbow or even his main 4-string are widely recognized, but I still run into more people who've never heard of Primus/Claypool than people who have 
wrong, whenever I tell someone that I play double bass they ask "do you mean a cello?"
The basses are famous because of what the Bassest did with them. McCartney - Jamerson - Jaco - Berry Oakley - Entwhistle, even Gene Simmons - so then you're faced with who was the more significant bass player - then you get how one influenced the other - my guess would be Leo Fender he started the damn thing to begin with.
My money would be on McCartney's - because it was the bass he used all through his career & because of the Beatles influence
Ok, Sounds like the 'most famous' is the McCartney Hoffner among the general populace, and among bass players it's the 'bass of doom'.
Oh, and Gene Simmons, ....uh....ummm....
Oh, and Gene Simmons, ....uh....ummm....
I would also say Paul Simonon's p-bass. The picture of him bashing it is so iconic...
Link Removed
Link Removed
No, even among bass players it's the Hofner. With Jaco's bass refinish job, it actually isn't very distinctive looking. If you showed pics of the two to 100 bassists and ask them who it belongs to, I'd guess at least 80 would get Macca's right, maybe 15 might get Jaco's correct.
with fame and all that side things have to have a bit of mastery and all that... most basses of historic importance a re located and known even the bass of doom... but the one that is still missing is the FUNK machine!!! i would say that that one is the most famous since it scored the most hits it was recorded with...
