Rotosound Competition!!

[Gareth Hughes]

Steve Harris for me - because his entire signal chain from bass to strings to preamp/poweramp to cabs shouldn’t sound as dominating as it does, but it does. The sum is much greater than the parts - like every great band.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Gareth Hughes
Forgot a word.

[NickD]

Got to be John Paul Jones. Classic tone, classic lines, classic songs!

[bigsmokebass]

Seeing as most of my heroes have already been name dropped and not wishing to duplicate...

Electric Light Orchestra's (ELO) Jeff Lynne and Kelly Groucutt have got to be up there as some of the earliest and iconic rock bands from the 70's to use a variety of Roto strings on numerous tours and heard on 50 million albums (during active years). 

So, whether it's playing Mr Blue Sky or Last Train To London and other funky basslines, you can't help but think that it couldn't be done without some Red Silks  

[binky_bass]

John Deacon for me.

A hugely underrated player. His playing and contributions to Queen seem always to be lesser thought of than Brain, Freddie and Roger, yet without him we wouldn't have a good number of amazing Queen tracks and there's a certain direction the band would never have taken without him. 

He is almost the quintessential definition of the classic bass player: Humble, somewhat in the background, a groove holder, a time keeper, sometimes forgotten but always absolutely essential to the band. 

For me John represents bass playing purity and out of the long list of Rotosound bass endorsees, he'd be my first choice to have a jam with!

Russ.

[Adee]

Yep Billy Sheehan all the way for me! Amazing playing style and unusual tone, neither I would really ever use but love listening him, met him a load of times and he's a genuine down to earth guy and worthy Rotosound endorsee and bass ambassador 

[sprocketflup]

Too many to list! But for me, Steve Harris, mainly for his longevity in what he's done, he's been with Iron Maiden since 1928, played P basses for over a century , and used Rotosound strings since 30 years before the company was even formed. 

Also, I believe his sweatbands have recently celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary, and the spandex trousers were a hand me down from Moses himself.

[kevin_lindsay]

I'm torn between Phil Lynott - great player and top bloke, Steve Harris, and John Entwistle.....

However, I have to say. For that great Rotosound "bark and bite" it has to be Geddy Lee - what a tone!!! 

Edited July 15, 2019 by kevin_lindsay

[ForbiddenWytch]

What a great gesture from Rotosound! Fair play to you.

The reason I play bass and reason I got my first set of Rotosounds was Steve Harris. Stuck a set of the SH77 flats on my Epiphone bass and used them for ages. Loved them. Moved back to using round wounds after that and was drawn to use Rotos again because of Geddy Lee & Duff McKagan. 

[Boochooz]

It's hard to pick just one.

John Paul Jones is one of the best multi instrumentalists around and despite working in other bands it was his work in Zep that I loved.

Think he used Rotosound flats early on and then rounds later and played some of the most iconic basslines in one of the greatest ever rock bands.

Listening to those zep records growing up drove me to become a better player.

Plus...

Even Geddy said JPJ probably wins the crown. 

 

[JBP]

Wow reading this thread you realise how many of my favourite players use Rotosound strings so who do I choose, Steve Harris, Geddy Lee or John Paul Jones, between them the three main reasons I ever picked up a bass. If I have to pick one it will have to be JPJ because I play more of his lines these days... but come on its very hard to pick only one.

[No. 8 Wire]

What an incredible list of bass string endorsees (right word?).   I have to join the choir of Harris fans though. How does he do it?!

[Chiliwailer]

I'd have to say Roger Walters... though shouldn't that have been David Gilmour getting endorsed? Didn't he record the best Pink Floyd basslines? 😂

[mart3442]

Billy Sheehan, like the great John Entwistle, I can tell who it is from one note.... Major influence in forging my own style and direction...

[Stub Mandrel]

My first choice would be me, because I've been playing them for 40 years 🙂

But I'm not an official endorsee.

So my choice is Noel Redding because:

• His playing was an essential part of the sound of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

and

• I once peed in the same trough as him during the interval of one of his gigs at De Barra's Folk Club in the early 90s.

 

[stewblack]

I posted on another thread on this very topic only recently. I was a budding guitarist, or so I thought. I just couldn't make the thing do what I thought it ought to. Then I bought Peaches by the Stranglers. JJ Burnel's clattering, cataclysmic bass riff sent me wide eyed in wonder. I picked it out on the guitar, the first thing I ever worked out for myself and from that moment the die was cast. I realised it was bass that called to me not the guitar. I've never looked back.

[Jimothey]

I can’t narrow it down to just one so here’s goes

Steve Harris and Duff Mckagan are the two players that made me pick up the Bass guitar in the first place their sounds are so distinctive and i think it’s mostly down to the string choice!! To try and emulate their sound I’ve even strung my P bass with SH77 and my Jazz has got Swing Bass 66 and they are my favourite choice of strings every others I’ve tried don’t come near to them for tone and quality!! I’m dying to try the Rotosound 88s on my new Telebass (nudge nudge wink wink!!)

Even though I’m not really a fan of Jazz you can’t have a list like this without Jaco Pastorius being named his skills and sound is just legendary!!!!

Edited August 6, 2019 by Jimothey

[Bassman Sam]

For me, John Entwistle and Martin Turner. John was instrumental ( get It)  in the development of Roundwounds and Martin for his melodic basslines with Wishbone Ash. Both big influences to my playing. 

[Skybone]

Favourite Rotosound endorsee?

Has to be Geddy Lee.

Why? Cos he's a a fantastic player, superb musician, and all round gent. Write a good book too.

[Billy Apple]

From the opening lick going into the kick in the guts, players like Bruce Foxton made a young me pick up a bass.

 

[Helbass]

When I was a teenager, I decided to play the bass after listening to Pink Floyd's Echoes so Roger Waters is the one for me.

He's far from being one of the best bass player (so am I) but I really like the way he plays.

[spyder]

For me, it's John Taylor playing on the Rio album, simply fantastic playing with a crisp and punchy sound.

 

[HazBeen]

Doug Wimbish, a pioneer in using effects to sculpt his sound, a founding father of rap bass lines with Sugar Hill records, an artist who chose freedom of expression over money (so not choosing the Stones when he could have) and an all around rock beast with Living Colour.

Edited July 15, 2019 by HazBeen

[spongebob]

For my entry, it's got to be the late, great, John Entwistle.

Without doubt, it was his association and work alongside James How of Rotosound that resulted in the development of the roundwound string, completely changing the face of bass playing as we know it.

For that reason (and of course the bucket loads of great lines and talent), it has to be the Ox.

Had none of this taken place, I think it's fair to say that, even this discussion and competition, may never have concurred.

[police squad]

Geoff Whitehorn for me. Taste and touch is second to none. My favourite guitar player

[stu_g]

Phil Lynott.I remember getting my first fender usa precision in the late 80s,it was a 1977 in natural cost me £200 

got it home stuck it through my sessionette BASS 100 and there was the sound I had been looking for, never forget it.

don't know if it had rotosounds on it mind,but I do remember buying some Steve Harris rotosounds at the London guitar show in  circa 1987.