Who influences your tone?

[Cat Burrito]

I'm not so much thinking of who you [b]play[/b] like but wondered where people sit tonally. I heard Jaco recently and was really surprised (not knowing the genre or the man so well) just how much treble was in his tone. A lot of people rate Jamerson but use the latest gear. We must have people who want to sound Peter Hook, people who sound like Jaco and people who sound like Jamerson. Do we have synthy 80s type players? Just curious really.

Personally my tone is sitting somewhere between early McCartney, James Jamerson & Duck Dunn. The playing, sadly, isn't! Over to you...

[steve-soar]

Me.

[JTUK]

No one...more what I am trying to play first and foremost and how I hear it all..that will dictate the style and then the sound.

I have 3 core sounds which are
Full bass sound for band context..aim for a Jzz type zing meets P-bass in mix..
Bridge pup for finger funk
and Slap sound which is either bridge pup or full on..depending where it is in the track

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1031984' date='Nov 21 2010, 10:16 PM']Personally my tone is sitting somewhere between early McCartney, James Jamerson & Duck Dunn. The playing, sadly, isn't! Over to you...[/quote]
Yep, somewhere in that region.

Edited November 21, 2010 by EssentialTension

[Spike Vincent]

Rattus Norvegicus era JJ Burnel,although I have my Jah Wobble moments.

Edited November 21, 2010 by Spike Vincent

[ThomBassmonkey]

I have no idea who I sound like tonally, I use the gear I use because it suits my play style when it's in a mix. I've heard basses and amps that sound slightly better than my gear when I'm sat in a shop noodling (I love the modern hi-fi amps solo) but once I'm sat with a band, I sit exactly where I want to in the mix with my gear. I barely even EQ anything, I just run my thumb with both pups and the EQ flat (often pul the volume for passive) into my GK rig with the EQ all roughly at 12 o clock.

[Doddy]

Initially I tried to sound like Jaco and then Marcus-hence me using a Jazz Bass with mostly the bridge pickup solo'ed. It never happened though,and it never will. No matter what bass I use,I still get a similar kind of tone.

[Rich]

After years of fruitlessly trying to sound like other people, I now sound exactly like me. And I'm very happy with that.

[LiamPodmore]

I sound pretty much like me. My tone is a blend of old school rock and HiFi, cause thats what sounds good with this crappy little Line 6 i have.

Liam

[Jerry_B]

With my fretless I aim for somewhere between David J and Glen Campling, just because both of them nailed a variety of fretless tones that I really like. With my other bass there's too many influences to narrow it to one or two.

[Delberthot]

I went through a phase of trying to sound like my favourite bass players so I had the Stingray 5 string and Modulus Flea to sound like flea, the Ricks to sound like Chris Squire, several Stingrays to sound like Bernard Edwards and 1980ish John Deacon, several precisions to sound like John Deacon.

The common thing between all of these basses is that I sounded damn all like any of them, In fact I sounded most like Chris Squire with an Epiphone EB-3.

I eventually gave up and now sound exactly like me which at the minute is quite aggresive, bridge pickup and Roto flats

Edited November 21, 2010 by Delberthot

[chardbass]

Generally it all depends on the song.

In my head I hear what I want to sound like which affects how and where I play on the bass.
Sometimes it's trying to emulate a big PHat synth bass sound, other times it's that AJ 80s sound on Chaka's Whatcha Gonna Do For Me album- sublime.

When I was much younger I always used to play bridge pickup only on a jazz. Now, on the Lakland, it's both pickups up 95% of the time for a full sound- I need to make the stage and rig move!!

[Chris2112]

I suppose a large Stuart Hamm influence would be obvious when I'm playing my Kubicki, after all Stu was the reason I bought one in the first place. And since I play it through my Ashdown Mark King amp, which is very transparent, you get the full whack of Kubicki tone!

I'd like to think with the ACG harlot singlecut I have my own sound. It reminds me of Geddy Lee's Wal tone on Power Windows. I suppose that's the filter preamp speaking! Tight, almost compressed bottom, a pronounced midrange and a sweet, subtle top. Very modern and hi fi but without being harsh or sparkly.

[Lozz196]

Ideally I`d like a tone thats somewhere between Bruce Foxton and JJ Burnell, so thats how I originally set my sound, however as I found this a bit too intrusive on the guitars, I backed off of the highs a bit, so tone-wise, I probably sound like many, but can`t think of any.

I know, I sound like me

[icastle]

Nobody really.
I just pick a sound and style that complements whatever it is I'm playing at the time.

[Pete Academy]

Bernard Edwards.

[Raslee]

Mostly i aspire to get a good reggae sound like Bob Marley's bass player - Aston 'Familyman' Barrett - his sound is pure bass. Mainly i play the neck pick up and tone rolled off and play close to the neck. My amp settings contriubte a lots also, mainly the bass frequencies with a little mid to add definition to the dub vibrations sound. I don't do treble really unless wanting to get funky - then i like Bootsy Collins

Edited November 22, 2010 by Rasta

[chris_b]

I guess my tone has always been influenced by Stax, Atlantic, Fender, Ampeg and Marshall.

I know I sound different now with the gear I'm using, but that's still the aim. I suppose it's Stax on steroids these days.

[Prime_BASS]

Well I just try to get a phat clean sound with a reasonable amount of high end, with a hint of vintagness.

It can be perceived as sound like Tim Commerford, when he was using Rays and Flea, particularly on RHCP's - By The Way during the chorus.

[rmshaw37]

Somewhere between entwistle and Trujillo, kind of bass meets guitar, keep the low as low and fat as possible, with some serious drive on the highs

[Gust0o]

Here's a question for the tone masters - even when you're admitting that you sound like yourself, how much variation do you find within your playing and gear?

I had an odd weekend of seeming to play everything I own; and then spending an inordinate amount of time trying to make it all sound the same, instead of simply enjoying the different basses and set-ups for what they are.

I'm not sure if I'm on the right or wrong tracks with that one (possibly a bit of both!) but it made for an annoying weekend, given my usual obsessive compulsive tendencies.

[Faithless]

I think it's much more to do with trying to imitate certain players phrasing, than with gear or whatever..

For quite some time I've been listening to J Gwizdala, and all I can say is that his sound, to me, is phenomenal - touch, phrasing.. And when added some reverb, it's just brilliant.

[mcgraham]

TBH, I don't know who I sound like. I certainly don't actively strive for any particular person's sound. If I had to name sounds I like, I'd say Marcus Miller fingerstyle with no fretbuzz/sizzle is one of my favourites. But I don't listen to many bassists (anymore).

With regard to variation with gear, I just want to play. If I'm looking to buy an instrument I will scrutinise the tone til the cows come home - otherwise I will get a good tone and work the rest with my fingers and just enjoy playing.

[Gust0o]

Sorry, Faithless, I'll be sounding like a Luddite here - I assume phrasing is the distinctive manner of play and feel, exhibited by a given player? The unique emphasis they add to their playing?

[DanOwens]

I'd probably say something like Dillinja on the tune 'Grimey', mixed with maybe Evol Intent.

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