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Worst bass tone in a professional recording?
- Thread starter BrandonBass
- Start date
I see your point. I really haven't listened to that stuff since before I was a bassist and that was in the 90's.
I think that a big part of this question is one's individual taste. I LOVE that tone - it's the kind of present yet well-mannered CLANK I like hearing from a P bass picked hard.
If you go to the Lakland sound samples page, then listen to the "Pick Punk" selection, IMO the Glaub massacres all the other basses in the Lakland fleet - that "When I Come Around" tone why I think it does.
While on the topic of 60s mud fart tones, I nominate a large collection of live Hendrix recordings during the Noel Redding era.
Gross fuzzed out sound, complete with bass solo:
I've always love the bass sounds from the Billy Cox stuff, though.
Agreed. I have always thought it sounded more like a tuba playing the bass part rather than an actual bass.
Have to give the +1 to Billy Sheehan's tone. That's the epitome, almost, of the muddy P bass cardboard tone that I hate so much. In fact, to me, the only reason it works at all is because his playing is so utterly precise and perfect. You can sort of figure out, oh, he's actually playing that run with the guitarist or KB - let's listen to that again and see if we can hear it.... well again... ok, again.... hmm, hard to say.... So no idea why he likes that sound.
Another that I dislike very much but don't think it's the worst in the world, is Geddy Lee's modern tone. Again, the only reason it seems to work is because his playing is so perfect - otherwise it's the J bass muddy thing I dislike almost as much as the P bass cardboard tone. I think GL's best tone was with the Wal back in the Power Windows days. Unmistakable, clean notes.
Then there's my tone. Even with probably the best sounding basses on the market I achieve clear notes only a fraction of the time. I still think I dislike BS's worse than mine tho.
LS
Another that I dislike very much but don't think it's the worst in the world, is Geddy Lee's modern tone. Again, the only reason it seems to work is because his playing is so perfect - otherwise it's the J bass muddy thing I dislike almost as much as the P bass cardboard tone. I think GL's best tone was with the Wal back in the Power Windows days. Unmistakable, clean notes.
Then there's my tone. Even with probably the best sounding basses on the market I achieve clear notes only a fraction of the time. I still think I dislike BS's worse than mine tho.
LS
Fieldy for sure.
I've said it before and got some mad flame-age for it, but anything Geddy Lee has done for the last 10 years or so sounds like a chainsaw.
I've said it before and got some mad flame-age for it, but anything Geddy Lee has done for the last 10 years or so sounds like a chainsaw.
This is really subjective cause the state of the art in bass tones has come so far since the invention of bass guitar that a head to head comparison of modern tones to old school tones is kind of pointless.
I do agree that early Cream and Hendrix bass tones lacked IMO but they had fire and attitude, however were limited by the technology of the day.
I do agree that early Cream and Hendrix bass tones lacked IMO but they had fire and attitude, however were limited by the technology of the day.
Noel Redding for sure on those live recordings. You can hear the speakers suffering, they just happen to be suffering in tune with the notes he's playing. Actually Redding sucked. A limited player with no groove and a sucky personality. Its too bad for Hendrix that the 'Experience' band comprised himself, a moody racist of a bass player and a precocious tween for a drummer.
Another candidate, Kyuss - Thong Song.
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I think this is from the Oliveri era. Either way its a pick player, and it sounds terrible on the heavy "Oh Yeaaaah" parts. Got to love John Garcia's crazily overdone vocals though.
Another candidate, Kyuss - Thong Song.
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I think this is from the Oliveri era. Either way its a pick player, and it sounds terrible on the heavy "Oh Yeaaaah" parts. Got to love John Garcia's crazily overdone vocals though.
I have to agree about Geddy. I'm a huge Rush fan, but Geddy's tone has been hit and miss over the last ten plus years. Both live and in the studio. I do think he sounded better on this current tour than he has in many years. May be in part to the use of Orange amps instead of just going direct.
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
I listened to Word of Mouth once and never again because I just couldn't dig the tone. I'll have to keep an open mind and revisit it now that I haven't heard it in 15 years.
A tone I really do like though is the bassist from XTC (Colin Mould? perhaps) on Oranges and Lemons. It is full and just sounds very solid.
A tone I really do like though is the bassist from XTC (Colin Mould? perhaps) on Oranges and Lemons. It is full and just sounds very solid.
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
Also really liked Geddy's tone on the live from Brazil dvd. It is not a tone I would use all the time but it had that 70's Jbass growl
agreed. doesnt help he plays w his fingers as well. his mix was fine in the track 4 horsemen tho
Am I gonna be the lone defender of Jason Newsted? I think he has always had fantastic tone, whether on his Wal, Spector, or Sadowskys. Being EQd out of the mix isn't the same as having a bad tone and it isn't his fault. But, there are quite a few occasions where his bass tone is audible and it sounds pretty good to me.
YouTube - Metallica - The God That Failed
YouTube - Metallica - My Friend Of Misery
YouTube - Metallica - King Nothing (Video)
YouTube - Metallica - Until It Sleeps (Video)
Agreed. I'll also agree you could hear him during the Load/Reload era, but I may be a little too old school to appreciate the changes they made to their style.
Oh don't get me wrong, I love Newsted. The guy was the reason I picked up a bass when I was 15. But you're right, getting taken out of a mix is not the same thing.
But really...Metallica bass tones (and I say Metallica bass tones because they were the ones controlling what they wanted the bass to sound like) were not the best. I will always love Newsted's tone on the first Flotsam album (especially the remixed/remastered edition) over any tone he had with Metallica.
Oh...I just remembered...his tone on Garage Days was the BEST he ever had with Metallica, IMO. That was one was pretty awesome.
I hate that dry woody sound on Dobbies' "Takin It To The Street"
I actually like that tone. I probably wouldn't use it very often, but I think it's cool.
I thought Fieldy was just an extra percussionist that played some weird stick with a bunch of metal strings on it. I hear you're supposed to just bang the strings together against the stick, and it makes this awesome clanky/grindy sound. It's probably the best bass for METALZ
.I think the worst bass tone in a professional recording is from Prince's "When Doves Cry." Although, I must admit, it blends so well into the rest of the mix that it's almost like it isn't there at all...
Sorry, I'm riding the sarcasm train hard today.
