james_guitar Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 (edited) Before I get hate mail/private messages for this post; I know that using a plectrum on a bass is generally a taboo amoungst pro bassists (and I personally much prefer fingerstyle for 95 percent of musical scenarios), but IMO there are at least a few musical scenarios where a pick is a good choice of sound. In this post I urge you to be very brave, break the taboo, take the plunge and name some of your favourite pick players or examples of songs with good plectrum tone (if those two words even go together). I'm going to start the ball rolling with 'The Bed's Too Big Without You', 'Spirits In The Material World' and 'Masoko Tanga' by The Police (Sting at his bass playing best - whoever said you can't groove using a plectrum) Any others?... Edited June 9, 2009 by james_guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombboy Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Ooh... loads! Tubestation by The Jam Cupid's Dead by Extreme Strength by The Alarm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 One name - Scott Thunes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry44 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 eric avery - janes addiction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Not groove...mindless fast riffing and fills - Matt Freeman - Rancid His solo live for Maxwell Murder.....jees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YouMa Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 That bloke out of yes is pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOD2 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Phil Lynott could hold a tune and sing pretty well at the same time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Tons by Derek Forbes of Simple Minds. Also Bruce Foxton of The Jam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry44 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 klaus fluoride of the dead kennedys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 John Entwhistle was a pick user for quite a while wasn't he? Before he developed his "typewriter" style... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaren J Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 [quote name='barry44' post='509147' date='Jun 9 2009, 03:34 PM']eric avery - janes addiction[/quote] Hell yes Gotta give a shout out for Justin Chancellor from Tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray5 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Give it up for Chris Squire of Yes. I thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskimoBassist Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Neil Mahoney of Amplifier and Justin Chancellor of Tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Carol Kaye Joe Osbourne Mike Gordon from Phish Carles Benevante Anthony Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk8 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Duff Mckagan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinman Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Oh Lord.....anything where Mike Rutherford plays bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaren J Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 [quote name='james_guitar' post='509123' date='Jun 9 2009, 03:18 PM']Before I get hate mail/private messages for this post; I know that using a plectrum on a bass is generally a taboo amoungst pro bassists[/quote] I've never understood this attitude. Not very proffesional to limit yourself. I almost always use a pick these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 i think we should have a sticky thread where endless debates like this can be thrashed out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtb Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Dave Pegg watch ALL of this: [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gopdN3yTI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1gopdN3yTI[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 [quote name='james_guitar' post='509123' date='Jun 9 2009, 03:18 PM']I know that using a plectrum on a bass is generally a taboo amoungst pro bassists[/quote] Is it? The guy that played Bass on all the Hall & Oates stuff. Good tone. Who ever that was. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 (edited) Dennis Dunaway (original Alice Cooper Group) - to my ears simply the god of pick users: [i]Gutter Cat vs The Jets, Blue Turk, Halo Of Flies, Billion Dollar Babies[/i] etc etc. Outrageously good. Other plectrum deities (in addition to those already mentioned): JJ Burnel, Steven Severin, Tony Butler, Peter Steele, Russell Webb, Hooky, Jason Newsted. It's probably fair to say most of my favourite players are pick users. Edit: And Lemmy - fufuxake, how the hell did I forget Lemmy? Jon. Edited June 10, 2009 by Bassassin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray5 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 [quote name='lowdown' post='509286' date='Jun 9 2009, 05:26 PM']Is it? The guy that played Bass on all the Hall & Oates stuff. Good tone. Who ever that was. Garry[/quote] T-Bone Wolk. Wow, I can't believe that just came straight to me. I didn't think I still had that many brain cells left! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 [quote name='james_guitar' post='509123' date='Jun 9 2009, 03:18 PM']I know that using a plectrum on a bass is generally a taboo amoungst pro bassists[/quote] This is just not true, as this thread proves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 [quote name='Stingray5' post='509296' date='Jun 9 2009, 05:34 PM']T-Bone Wolk. Wow, I can't believe that just came straight to me. I didn't think I still had that many brain cells left! Steve[/quote] Good one Steve. [url="http://www.tbonewolk.com/TBoneHome.html"]http://www.tbonewolk.com/TBoneHome.html[/url] Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 The one and only.... Dave Ellefson! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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