Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

John Paul Jones - bass tone...


Jigster
 Share

Recommended Posts

In the later Zeppelin days ( Prescence - In Through The Out Door) JPJ used some of the first Gallien Krueger bass amps and four and eight string Alembic basses. He retired his 1963 Jazz around this time , claiming it was worn -out.
He did indeed play with a pick when it suited him, and he was/is a master of palm- muting and varying his pick-attack . Check out tracks like D'yer Maker and Celebration Day for examples of this technique . The guy is a genius.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep I always thought he used flats (read it in an interview once somewhere) but then I got shot down in flames on Talkbass for saying so. Lots of evidence was brought forward by people who say they have met and asked him (which of course could be internet BS) and other interviews he gave say he hated flats and used Roto swingbass 66 roundwound strings and just eqed it that way. He mentioned that when Jimmy used to go off on one, JPJ needed to fill the space up as it was just down to the bass and drums and he found flats too limiting. He also said he'd change them often too so it's not like he was using dead rounds either.

but yeah, they always sounded like flats to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1347126584' post='1797263']
There's nothing amazing about his tone at all. It's just bass-heavy. You can get that sound from virtually any bass through any amp with any kind of strings.
[/quote]

I kind-of agree. It's a great tone, but there's nothing mystical about it. It's great because of the production - records aren't mixed like this any more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1347126773' post='1797268']
I kind-of agree. It's a great tone, but there's nothing mystical about it. It's great because of the production - records aren't mixed like this any more.
[/quote]

I think it's a classic example of the sound originating in the skill of player, not the equipment. His tone wasn't as up front as say John Entwistle or Chris Squire in the same era, but that rounder tone on the earlier Zeppelin stuff was still a great bass sound and suited the more traditional , R &B- based approach that JPJ had compared to those players. You are quite right that records are mixed differently now .too. They had to find a whole different balance because you couldn't put anywhere near as much bass on vinyl records , for a start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's worth mentioning that JPJ varied his sound throughout his Zeppelin career; even on some earlier tracks like the Immigrant Song he uses a much brighter, more raunchy tone ( from memory, I think he had an early 50s' Precision that was definately strung with rounds that he used to record that track, but I could be wrong), and obviously, once he got his Alembics his sound got a lot more modern.

Edited by Dingus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wondered if you could be right here so I checked up on it but if you google 'jimmy page discusses making Led Zepellin III' (at ledzepellin.org) he goes through all the tracks and for Bron-aur he says JPJ used a large bodied acoustic bass guitar that he had defretted and played it acoustically.
Wow I've always thought it was that fretless P (you were right about him using it on 'in my time of dying though)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1347126773' post='1797268']
I kind-of agree. It's a great tone, but there's nothing mystical about it. It's great because of the production - records aren't mixed like this any more.
[/quote]

This is interesting to me - in what way? Also, it was actually a random live recording of Zep in concert I was referring to originally, not one of their recorded albums - nonetheless, I'm interested in your comment re mixing as it's something I can speak with little authority about!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Jigster' timestamp='1347183540' post='1797667']


This is interesting to me - in what way? Also, it was actually a random live recording of Zep in concert I was referring to originally, not one of their recorded albums - nonetheless, I'm interested in your comment re mixing as it's something I can speak with little authority about!
[/quote]

Was it a boot? Which one?

I'm basically a fan of the 70s rhythm-section-and-up mix. Fat and warm, and everything has room to breathe. You can feel the weight behind the bass.

Modern production is generally sparkly and clear, but dense and woefully undynamic. Look at recent Rush stuff, for example.

Someone recently pointed me at a new record by... Porcupine Tree, was it? Not a fan of the music, but the sound was incredible. The guy that produced that also did the new Ian Anderson CD and it's equally involving.

All IMO, of course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...