miles'tone Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 I've grown up listening to Jaco and many fretless Jazz Bass players - the quintessential fretless tone? - but recently I've fallen in love with the awesome woody tones of the rarer beast that is the fretless P-bass. I know Sting with the Police, Percy Jones with Brand X, Freebo with Bonnie Rait and of course Tony Franklin have all toted one in their time but beyond that, who else? Can anybody suggest any recordings that have a fretless P to the fore (ie. noticeable)? Need some further inspiration! Cheers, Si. Quote
andydye Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Not sure matey, I've got one though, a nice old Ibanez Blazer fretless, sounds great Quote
Clarky Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Erm, BC's very own wateroftyne? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhdDipy8MB0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhdDipy8MB0[/url] Quote
Clarky Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Bad Company's Boz Burrell also extensively used a fretless P [attachment=137232:boz.jpg] Quote
Clarky Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 and finally, errr, here's me playng a fretless P [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4PAaY7XU4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4PAaY7XU4[/url] Quote
Bassman Steve Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Frampton Comes Alive is fretless P if the sleeve art is anything to go by. Quote
spongebob Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Ralphe Armstrong when he was in the Mahavishnu Orchestra - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtckEWfy2vE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtckEWfy2vE[/url] He is also prominent on 'Visions Of The Emerald Beyond' and 'Inner Worlds'. All three super albums. Ralphe has said it was one of the reasons he got the job - no-one was really playing fretless P! Quote
steve-bbb Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Patrick O'Hearn [url="http://youtu.be/1Gr6Re7LKY0"]http://youtu.be/1Gr6Re7LKY0[/url] Quote
wateroftyne Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1371655279' post='2116679'] Erm, BC's very own wateroftyne? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhdDipy8MB0[/media] [/quote] This guy's intonation is laughable. What a clown. Rod Clements was always a bit influence on me. Great fretless P player. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cMMo3ZmYCE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cMMo3ZmYCE[/url] Quote
RhysP Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 (edited) Check out John Mckenzie on Steve Hillage's "Live Herald" album (and the "Studio Herald" section of the "Open" CD) - great player & fantastic tone. Here's possibly the best track (bass-wise) from "Studio Herald" - nice little solo starts at 5.22: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqYBk_ApPpw Edited June 19, 2013 by RhysP Quote
pobrien_ie Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Aren't some of John Deacon's Queen basslines on a fretless p? I think Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Somebody to Love are, maybe Under Pressure too. Quote
miles'tone Posted June 19, 2013 Author Posted June 19, 2013 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1371655279' post='2116679'] Erm, BC's very own wateroftyne? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhdDipy8MB0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhdDipy8MB0[/url] [/quote] Yep, I've seen all his fretless youtube vids and his tone on them is pretty much what's doing it for me (and giving me some GAS induced sleepless nights! ) Seriously, he's getting really close to an upright tone on there, more authentic than some EUB's I've tried. I play some upright too but I've not gigged it in ages to be honest. Quote
Dingus Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Mark Egan in the Pat Metheney Group back in the 1970's : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKf02Jd222o&list=PL4E9C7D33D7F44305 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6F8vQjyaIg Quote
miles'tone Posted June 19, 2013 Author Posted June 19, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1371655687' post='2116685'] and finally, errr, here's me playng a fretless P [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4PAaY7XU4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4PAaY7XU4[/url] [/quote] That is a wicked tune mate! Right up my street - even Mrs.'tone liked it. She said ,"Ooo that's good, who's that?" I told her and she said,"That's much nicer than that other rubbish you've been listening too!" Needless to say the Brand X hasn't been going down too well! Cracking tone there Clarky, really smooth. What strings are you using? Edited June 19, 2013 by miles'tone Quote
miles'tone Posted June 19, 2013 Author Posted June 19, 2013 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1371659997' post='2116760'] This guy's intonation is laughable. What a clown. [/quote] You can't kid a kidder, I'm having none of it! Cheers everyone else for all your suggestions, not got any further so far but I'm going to listen to everything else tomorrow now. Hats off to y'all! Quote
peteb Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 [quote name='Bassman Steve' timestamp='1371656135' post='2116689'] Frampton Comes Alive is fretless P if the sleeve art is anything to go by. [/quote] Stanley Sheldon - also played with the great Tommy Bolin, ace bass player... Quote
PTB Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 Byron House plays a brown one on the DVD of Robert Plant & Band of Joy. I think Fernando Saunders played one with Jeff Beck at the ARMS concert way back when. Quote
Clarky Posted June 19, 2013 Posted June 19, 2013 [quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1371677795' post='2116979'] That is a wicked tune mate! Right up my street - even Mrs.'tone liked it. She said ,"Ooo that's good, who's that?" I told her and she said,"That's much nicer than that other rubbish you've been listening too!" Needless to say the Brand X hasn't been going down too well! Cracking tone there Clarky, really smooth. What strings are you using? [/quote]cheers for that! The strings are Rotosound Tru Bass, the big fat black nylon strings as used by Herbie Flowers, Jah Wobble and Macca Quote
miles'tone Posted June 20, 2013 Author Posted June 20, 2013 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1371680832' post='2117036'] cheers for that! The strings are Rotosound Tru Bass, the big fat black nylon strings as used by Herbie Flowers, Jah Wobble and Macca [/quote] Very nice! I've always loved Macca's tone on The Beatles rooftop gig using them. I really must give them a go sometime. Quote
miles'tone Posted June 20, 2013 Author Posted June 20, 2013 [quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1371657486' post='2116710'] Ralphe Armstrong when he was in the Mahavishnu Orchestra - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtckEWfy2vE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtckEWfy2vE[/url] He is also prominent on 'Visions Of The Emerald Beyond' and 'Inner Worlds'. All three super albums. Ralphe has said it was one of the reasons he got the job - no-one was really playing fretless P! [/quote] This album is amazing! Very cinematic with some nice funky passages. Cheers!! Quote
Myke Posted June 20, 2013 Posted June 20, 2013 Doesn't Pino play a fretless P? Not 100% sure though Quote
miles'tone Posted June 21, 2013 Author Posted June 21, 2013 [quote name='pobrien_ie' timestamp='1371665387' post='2116819'] Aren't some of John Deacon's Queen basslines on a fretless p? I think Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Somebody to Love are, maybe Under Pressure too. [/quote] Hey you're right about Deaky playing one but the only evidence I can make out on line is he used one on a track called "'39" live. Anyone know if he actually recorded with a fretless? Quote
EssentialTension Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 [quote name='Myke' timestamp='1371765678' post='2118008'] Doesn't Pino play a fretless P? Not 100% sure though [/quote] Better known for a fretless Stingray. Quote
SpaceChick Posted June 21, 2013 Posted June 21, 2013 Guy Pratt why he played live with Pink Floyd used a fretless P for songs like Hey You and High Hopes..... I don't know about the original recordings but they sound great on my Defrettted Ibanez with a little bit of reverb Quote
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