Does a pro's instrument have the magic that your's doesn't?

[xilddx]

If you played Geddy's, Jeff Berlin's, Jimmy Johnson's bass, would the sound, feel, setup, strings and whatever feel that much better than your own? Would their basses feel like magic compared to your own or what you try in a music shop?

I've played a few pro's instruments and often they don't feel good to me, there's no magic, no diamonds, they're just like any other bass, but they are totally comfortable for the owner. They've had warped necks, misaligned necks, horrible actions, crap strings .. But the owners are amazing musicians and play these instruments all the time.

I know the perfect set up for me, I can get close but I can't add the magic "it's like a new f***ing bass!" ting that Bernie Goodfellow or Martin Petersen can do to my basses and guitars.

Over to you ...

Edited November 11, 2014 by xilddx

[Cameronj279]

I know where you're coming from with this to be honest. I played 2 of Nick Schendzielos's basses (his Warwick Dolphin and his custom Streamer) and although it was obvious the basses were superb instruments, the setup was extremely uncomfortable for me to play. There are just so many variables it's a case of getting everything right and if one little thing is out of place (for each individual) it just doesn't feel right at all.

[LukeFRC]

how many of us do you think would actually be able to [i]play [/i]Jamerson's funk machine - let alone make it sound great?

I think it's years of practice and just being flipping good that makes pro's sound good, not so much the plank of wood they do it on

[icastle]

Nope.

If a superstar and I swapped basses, they'd still sound like them and I'd still sound like me.
The 'magic' isn't in the equipment, it's in the person.

[chris_b]

Yep. We're stuck with sounding like us, so we'd better start doing it better.

Edited November 12, 2014 by chris_b

[icastle]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1415751457' post='2603520']
Yep. We're stuck with sounding like us, so we'd better start doing it better.
[/quote]

As far as sounding like me is concerned, I've got a bit of an unfair advantage.

[Geddys nose]

John Entwistle bass was fairly unplayable at volume due to feedback from his rig I read somewhere,
His technique used a lot Of muting to kill the feedback.

Edited November 12, 2014 by Geddys nose

[scalpy]

You and your instrument is a relationship like any other, some are keepers and some you covet, some you just have to move on!

[Norris]

A few weeks ago a bass player friend of mine came round and ended up having a go on some of my basses. He asked me how I managed to play with such a poor set up. To be honest I'd never really noticed - you just get used to it and get on with playing. I have since given my basses a bit of a tweak. The action is lower, the intonation is better, but it really doesn't make a lot of difference when I'm gigging. It still feels and sounds the same, and I can still get around the fretboard.

It seems that some people are obsessive about getting the 'ultimate' set up, some are not

Dragging it slightly back on topic, I'm not a famous player - just done it for enough years to be reasonably competent. I have never played a famous player's baas either.

[JTUK]

No, no and no.
Define pro... ?? someone who teaches all day...someone who does cruise ships...etc etc ?
All that means is that is how they make a living. Doesn't mean anything else or elevate them to anything else.

However, if you are talking about someone like Jeff Berlin... He wont be playing a dog
and he will have it well set up. You can be pretty certain of that by the way he plays, IMV..

[Billy Apple]

It's the person not the bass, plus you hear the same instrument differently when you are playing or listening. I thought my Ric didn't sound like a Ric when I played it. Lozz played it at the bash and I thought 'f*** me, it's Bruce Foxton!'

[allighatt0r]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1415782031' post='2603621']
It's the person not the bass, plus you hear the same instrument differently when you are playing or listening. I thought my Ric didn't sound like a Ric when I played it. Lozz played it at the bash and I thought 'f*** me, it's Bruce Foxton!'
[/quote]

My Jazz sounds better when played by someone else as well... Hmmm....

[CamdenRob]

I'm far from a Pro level player but I doubt anyone else would enjoy playing my basses the way I have them set up...

I seem to see everyone talking about getting their action as low as possible. As soon as I get a bass I find I have to crank the strings up a good few mm just to make it playable! dunno if everyone else likes fret clank in their sound or whatever but I reckon anyone else would find the high action on my basses unplayable.

[Weststarx]

I got up close and touched Billy Sheehans Attitude bass after his clinic in GuitarGuitar in Birmingham.

That was super cool, and I felt that if I picked it up and played it I would automatically be as good as he is - The reality,it was just another bass - especially as he uses the same Attitude that you can pick up in a store.

Saying that if I did get to play it I would probably get on peoples nerves talking about how I PLAYED BILLY SHEEHANS BASS!!11!!1!

[Geek99]

I briefly owned the bass player by the guy from morcheeba. It had a neck like a banana - took eight full turns to tame the action to something even approaching normality. He still sounded better playing it in front of me as it was than I did once I'd sorted it out.
Lesson .....

[BigRedX]

I actually own a bass that used to belong to a pro session musician. He's played with Dave Gilmour, Roger Chapman, Tina Turner, Mark Knopfler and Art Garfunkle amongst others and the bass in question may well have been used on some of their recordings. At the time I bought it I wasn't aware of the instrument's (or the previous owner's) pedigree - it was just a bass I wanted and the price was right. Overall it's no better or worse than any of the other instruments I own.

[mrtcat]

Makes no difference IMO. Setups are usually just the players personal preference but other than that it's only hardware etc that can affect sound. Great players will make any old piece of junk sound great bad players will make boutique basses sound pap.

[inthedoghouse]

I think you answered your own question when you said about playing some pro instruments and there was no magic etc. That's just it - each instrument belongs to its owner who is comfortable with it and knows it inside out, warts 'n all :-)

[bootleg]

I had a pro guitarist (Jon Gomm) play my JayDee Roadie once and he made it sound like magic.

[NJE]

Not a bass but a very close friend of mine had a VIP session with Steve Vai once and got to play his main JEM, he said it was horrendous to play, action all over the place and generally uncomfortable. I think he expected it to be a 'excalibur' type guitar.

[redstriper]

Depends on the instrument.

[xilddx]

[quote name='NJE' timestamp='1415814994' post='2604083']
Not a bass but a very close friend of mine had a VIP session with Steve Vai once and got to play his main JEM, he said it was horrendous to play, action all over the place and generally uncomfortable. I think he expected it to be a 'excalibur' type guitar.
[/quote]

That's a surprise. Thanks for sharing that.

Stevie Ray Vaughan's main Strat was a total beast, unplayable by most apparently. 13 gauge top E with an action that required a visa to get from the strings to the frets.

[The Admiral]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1415820461' post='2604173']


That's a surprise. Thanks for sharing that.

Stevie Ray Vaughan's main Strat was a total beast, unplayable by most apparently. 13 gauge top E with an action that required a visa to get from the strings to the frets.
[/quote]

Ditto Gary Moore. Heavy strings, high action - but then he had hands like a bricklayer, so no surprises really I suppose. I read an interview where he talked about the fact that other pros would ask him how he could play them apparently, as they could barely hold down a chord. Makes you wonder though : two guitarists famous for great tone, and both used heavy strings and high actions.

[The Admiral]

[quote name='bootleg' timestamp='1415799198' post='2603881']
I had a pro guitarist (Jon Gomm) play my JayDee Roadie once and he made it sound like magic.
[/quote]

Jon is a great player an well worth seeing live if you ever get the chance. Thoroughly decent bloke too - I promoted a gig featuring him some years ago. No prima donna bullshit, just got on and played a blinder.

[bootleg]

[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1415824554' post='2604254']


Jon is a great player an well worth seeing live if you ever get the chance. Thoroughly decent bloke too - I promoted a gig featuring him some years ago. No prima donna bullshit, just got on and played a blinder.
[/quote]

+1 been following Jon for years playing here in Bristol and Bath. Definitely worth checking out, big tour early 2015 http://jongomm.com/live-dates?showall=1