Your Favourite Bass Player's Rig/Style File;

[Bo Millward]

I'm starting this thread with the hope of compiling a valuable resource for the bass playing community. We all know how frustrating it can get when searching for your ideal tone, so wouldn't it be sick, if there was a f*** off encyclopaedia listing the rig's of every one's favourite bass players?
So instead of spending endless days trying to find the tone you’re after, you could just have a mooch and find out the exact gear you need to get a certain players tone.
As well some analysis of their playing style, you know a look and there technique and approach to the instrument.
Let’s do it then!

First some basic rules an sh*t, your guna need to give the name of the guy/girl your writing about, the band there in (A Myspace link/band web site would be fair sick too).

Be as specific as you can, state if it's the rig they use live, for an album or if it's the rig used on a specific track (obviously give the track name and what album it's off in this case).

Do a bit of a Bio on em.

List; basses, amps, cabs, FX, recording equipment of any kind. The more in-depth and bass geeky the better.

Pick, fingers or slap?

An over view of their playing from a theoretical stand point. What makes their playing individual to them?

Use pictures, photos of them and their rig... Be creative and run with it.

I'll start the ball rolling with my favourite player;



Alex Katunich; (born August 18, 1976) is the former bassist of Incubus.



Alex went by the stage name of Dirk Lance which was apparently taken from the credits of an anonymous '70s porn flick. He stayed with Incubus on bass guitar for over 12 years until he left the band in 2003.

Incubus career;

Katunich was a member of Incubus from 1991-2002, and played bass on the EPs Let Me Tell Ya 'Bout Root Beer, Enjoy Incubus, When Incubus Attacks Volume 1 and the albums Fungus Amongus, S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Make Yourself, and Morning View.

Post-Incubus Career;

Recently, Katunich has come back to the spotlight with Stickman Entertainment, which creates videogame music. Stickman Entertainment's portfolio is extensive; it includes contracts with musicians such as THQ, 311's P-Nut and Suzie Katayama. Stickman Entertainment has worked on soundtracks for such video games as Red Faction, WWE Smackdown, and MotoGP 2.

In April 2006, Alex Katunich played a gig with a Southern California-based jam/funk band named Willie's Nerve Clinic, and as of 2009 he remains with the band.

Stickman Entertainment has created Traction in Game Radio a software for gamers to listen to music in game.

Basses;



Alex’s main basses were a Warwick streamer stage II fretted, a Warwick streamer stage II fretless and an old Fender Jazz (I’m not sure what year it was maybe a 79, but don't quote me on that), he used on the songs Dig, Are you in? And the full Fungus Amongus album.

Rig;



This is the live rig Alex used with Incubus;

Style file;

I'm guna keep this bit fairly brief cos I’m getting board of typing now...

Alex's playing incorporates elements of Jazz/Funk/Nu-Metal.

He draws heavily on the influence of Les Claypool of Primus, the man sighted as one of his biggest influences on bass.

Quick bit of theory; he regularly utilizes the Dorian/Phrygian modes as a base for his lines. Also he has a tendency to incorporate a major 10th on top of minor or Dorian harmony.



Sources; Alex Katunich - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Incubus-Online-View,

[JBassist]

James Jamerson

'The Tone is in Your Fingers'

[davidmpires]

+ 1

[johnnylager]

Nice one Bo. Want use [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=28588&hl=bassgeek"]this one [/url] or keep your own?

Edited July 30, 2009 by johnnylager

[harvey1-8]

Chris Wolstenholme:

[quote name='iamapirate' post='508999' date='Jun 9 2009, 01:20 PM']hmm, I think the general internet consensus is 69 russian muffs, a roland synth, an akai deep impact and a clean trak mixed in.
OR
79 amps:
3 overclocking in a fridge to stop them exploding
30 tube amps mod'd to produce more gain than is possible
34 russian muffs running into a seperate amp each
2 clean amps
9 roland synthesizers running in parallel
1 akai deep impact going into an unknown amp


Or something like that....[/quote]

[4000]

Very briefly:

Chris Squire; mainly 1964 Ric RM1999 (UK export version of 4001), plays with a Herco pick but more or less simultaneously strikes with the side of his thumb. Medium gauge Rotos, mono Ric rewired to stereo, originally used a Marshall Superbass which still figures in his rig and Marshall 4x12s. Moved onto Fender Dual Showman rig, then Sunn lead amps, then Ampeg (also SWR originally for his Tobiases, now solely for pedals). Various other basses used (e.g.Tobias, Carvin, Electra, Mouradian, Ranney 8, Fender Jazz and Telebass), one of note being a rare 21 fret 4001 used on the Yes Album. Various pedals including Maestro Brassmaster fuzz.

Lemmy; various Ric 4000 series basses (starting with a 4000 with a Tbird pickup in the neck, through various modded 4001s to his signature basses) through Marshall Superbass with 4x12 and 4x15 stacks. Herco picks. originally used medium gauge Rotos, then Dean Markleys. No effects.

Leigh Gorman; mainly a passive Wal Pro 2 into a Trace Elliot 250W GP11 8x10 combo. Mainly medium gauge Rotos.

Matt Garrison; Fodera Matt Garrison into Epifani. 28-100 gauge Fodera strings.

I'll let someone else do the detail on Stanley Clarke (mainly Alembic with Carl Thompson and Spellbinder, but not up on his various rigs), Stu Zender, JJ Burnel and Richard Bona.

Oh, and John Entwistle, simply because it would take me too long!

That'll do for me for now.

[steve-soar]

[quote name='Bo Millward' post='556133' date='Jul 30 2009, 01:22 PM']I'm starting this thread with the hope of compiling a valuable resource for the bass playing community. We all know how frustrating it can get when searching for your ideal tone, so wouldn't it be sick, if there was a f*** off encyclopaedia listing the rig's of every one's favourite bass players?
So instead of spending endless days trying to find the tone you’re after, you could just have a mooch and find out the exact gear you need to get a certain players tone.
As well some analysis of their playing style, you know a look and there technique and approach to the instrument.
Let’s do it then!

<snip>

Alex Katunich; (born August 18, 1976) is the former bassist of Incubus.

<snip>[/quote]Wow, that's a lot of information and effort, well done.

[Faithless]

Is there a real need to quote such a long post just for one sentence, Steve?

No offense intended, just a little 'thinkabout'..

[JanSpeeltBas]

[b]Pekka Pohjola[/b], died last November, finnish session bassist and solo artist, played with Mike Oldfield, Wigwam, Made in Sweden, Unisono, Olli Ahvenlahti etc. Bass: Fender Jazz (early 70s) with extra J-pickup between bridge & bridge pu; JoBass custom bass with same pu arrangment (EMG JV);
also seen with P-bass and rarely a Ricky. Rig: Carslbro Delta, Acoustic combo in early days. Anyone who can tell me more about him or his equipment can PM me - have lots of transcriptions of his playing, solo's and compositions too...

[steve-soar]

[quote name='Faithless' post='557011' date='Jul 31 2009, 12:10 PM']Is there a real need to quote such a long post just for one sentence, Steve?

No offense intended, just a little 'thinkabout'..[/quote]Yes, I think there is, Faithless.

[Faithless]

And, I'm curious, what would it be then, Steve?

[Tee]

i smell handbags

[Dood]

Here everyone, have a cup of tea and a biscuit... feel the calm! lol

Hey Bo! Good to see you made it here! Great idea for a post too!

[SS73]

Geddy Lee, ''A Farewell To Kings'' and before, SVT SVT and most probably SVT , grinding tone from sledge hammer like fingers. ''All the worlds a stage'' ''Lakeside Park'' gritty musical flowing soul. Pure Funking Genius.

[DirkThrust]

[quote name='JBassist' post='556213' date='Jul 30 2009, 02:53 PM']James Jamerson

'The Tone is in Your Fingers'[/quote]

James Jamerson's style, technique and creativity might might have come from his brain and his fingers but his tone was all '62 Precision with sky high action, never changed flatwounds and Ampeg Portabass.

Great idea for a thread. I hope it doesn't get derailed in the usual BC fashion.

[thodrik]

Scott Reeder, Kyuss, Unida, Nebula and...Scott Reeder.

Using a Rickenbacker bass, he played psychedelic stoner-rock left-handed, using his fingers and usually barefoot. Later switched to Ibanez ATK 300 (and later to a custom model). Often downtuned and using lots of pentatonic stuff.

Amps during Kyuss were old style Ampeg SVTs through a couple of 8x10s, probably has used other stuff too over the years, but generally whatever the amp the process is the same, crank a tube amp up and play loud. Sorry its not too in depth the Dirk Lance one is kinda hard to top!

Oh, he auditioned for Tool and Metallica but didn't get either gig, probably because he played psychedelic stoner-rock left-handed, using his fingers and usually barefoot!

Produces stuff as well like Orange Goblin.

If anyone wants to do a more in depth and accurate one, they are welcome, I just want Mr Reeder to be recognised!

Edited July 31, 2009 by thodrik

[Faithless]

[quote name='AndyMartin' post='557404' date='Jul 31 2009, 10:23 PM']James Jamerson's style, technique and creativity might might have come from his brain and his fingers but his tone was all '62 Precision with sky high action, never changed flatwounds and Ampeg Portabass.

Great idea for a thread. I hope it doesn't get derailed in the usual BC fashion.[/quote]

You meant, Ampeg B15, mate?


But, when talking about Jamerson, I don't get one thing - some of his lines are [b]really [/b]difficult to play, especially those 16-note chromatic passages, and so on, so, how the hell could he managed to play that stuff with one finger and sky-high action, you tell me..?


I mean, is this [i]really [/i]true, that his bass action was [i]that [/i]high, and he played just with one finger? (didn't he, for e.g. use some sort of double-pick tech for fast stuff, a la Doug Wimbish?)

Edited July 31, 2009 by Faithless

[DirkThrust]

[quote name='Faithless' post='557512' date='Aug 1 2009, 12:34 AM']You meant, Ampeg B15, mate?


But, when talking about Jamerson, I don't get one thing - some of his lines are [b]really [/b]difficult to play, especially those 16-note chromatic passages, and so on, so, how the hell could he managed to play that stuff with one finger and sky-high action, you tell me..?


I mean, is this [i]really [/i]true, that his bass action was [i]that [/i]high, and he played just with one finger? (didn't he, for e.g. use some sort of double-pick tech for fast stuff, a la Doug Wimbish?)[/quote]

Yeah B15, I've no doubt you're right, but it contributed greatly to his tone is what I'm getting at although on a lot of stuff I think he went direct into the desk.

He famously had an action so high that his Funk Machine is generally thought to be more or less unplayable by anyone else. Part of the answer may be that he was originally a double bass player and developed incredible hand strength.

He must have had some sort of double pick technique considering what he played. Apart from that vid of him backing Marvin Gaye, which has been posted on here a couple of times, there doesn't seem to be a lot of footage of him playing in existence. A sign of the times I guess.

Edited August 1, 2009 by AndyMartin

[Geek99]

[quote name='AndyMartin' post='557548' date='Aug 1 2009, 01:38 AM']Yeah B15, I've no doubt you're right, but it contributed greatly to his tone is what I'm getting at although on a lot of stuff I think he went direct into the desk.

He famously had an action so high that his Funk Machine is generally thought to be more or less unplayable by anyone else. Part of the answer may be that he was originally a double bass player and developed incredible hand strength.

He must have had some sort of double pick technique considering what he played. Apart from that vid of him backing Marvin Gaye, which has been posted on here a couple of times, there doesn't seem to be a lot of footage of him playing in existence. A sign of the times I guess.[/quote]
In The Bass Handbook (Adrian Ashton) it does say that he used a PortaFlex at at least one point in time. Maybe he used a B15 also.

[pantherairsoft]

OK.... Lets give it a go... intended to be as detailed as the first post... in aim of achieving what the thread author set out to achieve...

[i][b]Justin Chancellor[/b][/i]

Bassist with Tool from the recording and release of there 2nd full length Album 'Ænima' in 1995. Justin remains part of the band at present.



[u]A little bit of back ground[/u] - Justin was born November 19th, 1971. He grew up in the UK, of English and Norweigen descent, and formed part of the prgressive rock band 'Peach' (He met Tool after Peach were given an opening spot on tool 'Undertow' tour), before finally settling in the US of A and joining Tool after the departure of bassist 'Paul D.amour'.



[u]Basses[/u] - Justin’s plays a Wal 4-string, which has a mahogany body, bird’s-eye-maple top, maple neck, and Indian rosewood fingerboard. He had Wal make another one just like it in the event of an emergency. He also uses a greenburst Wal as well as a forth Wal Mark III bass (Fretless) with a different body shape. For many years Justin has stuck with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinky strings (.045, .065, .085, .110) and Clayton 1mm picks.
In the early days of his career with Tool he was seen live with Both Musicman Stingrays, and a Gibson Thunderbird, both of which have not made a live appearance since 1996, with Justin stating that he plays nothing but Wal now.

[u]Rig[/u] - To begin with Chancellor was very much a Mesa Boogie man with all his recording and live equipment coming from Boogie. His first few tours with Tool saw him using Mesa Road ready 8x10 cabs as well as a range of other Boogie equipment (M-2000, M-Pulse, Bass 400+).
Since 2001's 'Lateralus' recording and release Justin made a few changes to his rig set up. He still uses Mesa Road ready 8x10's for his clean rig, but favours Mesa Road ready 4x12's for his 'dirty' sound. He has also swapped out the Mesa heads and now exclusively uses the Gallien Kruger 2001RB, of which he runs 2 side by side (one for clean and one for dirty).

Justin runs three channels all the time. The first comes straight off the XLR output of his Wal bass into a Demeter VTBP-201-DBL preamp (currently available as the Demeter VTBP-201-S), which serves as the clean direct signal and never touches anything else in the massive signal path.
Channel 2 is the “clean” rig; Justin’s signal goes out of the splitter and straight into one of the two G-K 2001RB heads and into the Mesa 8x10.
Channel 3 is “dirty”; the signal passes through a ProCo TurboRAT distortion and one last EQ before going to the other G-K head and a Mesa 4x12 cab. The overall rig is a blend of these two miked cabs, adjusted for desired levels of clean and dirty, with the clean direct running in the background at all times.

To help explain the live set up I have included the following diagram..




[u]Style and Sound[/u] - Chancellors sounds is quite a unique kettle of fish, drawing upon many Guitar techniques and favouring the use of a pick. He use harmonics throughout his lines and the extensive use of chorus and delay in the music creates a dark sinister sound, while still holding a sold groove. Tool utilise timing shifts constantly and Chancellor's counter part in rhythm 'Danny Carey' often works with Justin to create a real push and pull feel through syncopated structures and poly rhythms.

Both Justin and Tool Guitarist Adam Jones are openly Anal about the sound they try to create. Chancellor is reported to mark out positions on the stage floor during sound checks, to indicate specific positions to stand in order to creat feedback in a particular way and is known on average to pull 3 hours worth of sound checking for the bass before a live show... I'm sure he's a real favourite with the sound man :-)

Sources of information - Wikipedia, Bassplayer Magazine (www.bassplayer.com), Numerous interviews with Justin Chancellor and my own eyes from seeing them live far too many times...

Shep

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Faithless' post='557512' date='Aug 1 2009, 12:34 AM']You meant, Ampeg B15, mate?


But, when talking about Jamerson, I don't get one thing - some of his lines are [b]really [/b]difficult to play, especially those 16-note chromatic passages, and so on, so, how the hell could he managed to play that stuff with one finger and sky-high action, you tell me..?


I mean, is this [i]really [/i]true, that his bass action was [i]that [/i]high, and he played just with one finger? (didn't he, for e.g. use some sort of double-pick tech for fast stuff, a la Doug Wimbish?)[/quote]

Ampeg B-15 or a Kustom amp with 2x15 amps standing in the shadows of motown book tells me. bass at max, treble half way.
I think in the studio they plugged straight into an input for the desk and he found he could get that mild overdrive sound by turning it up.
foam mutes on the bridge and he rested 3 fingers on the pickup cover and played with just his first finger. Not that stupid if you have come from the double bass.
I think he could play it because he was just better than we will ever be.

[YouMa]

[quote name='Bo Millward' post='556133' date='Jul 30 2009, 12:22 PM']I'm starting this thread with the hope of compiling a valuable resource for the bass playing community. We all know how frustrating it can get when searching for your ideal tone, so wouldn't it be sick, if there was a f*** off encyclopaedia listing the rig's of every one's favourite bass players?
So instead of spending endless days trying to find the tone you’re after, you could just have a mooch and find out the exact gear you need to get a certain players tone.
As well some analysis of their playing style, you know a look and there technique and approach to the instrument.
Let’s do it then!

<snip>

Alex Katunich; (born August 18, 1976) is the former bassist of Incubus.

<snip>[/quote]

Sorry he dont do jack sh*t for me.

Edited January 24, 2010 by Rich
snipped

[Phaedrus]

[quote name='JanSpeeltBas' post='557032' date='Jul 31 2009, 11:41 AM'][b]Pekka Pohjola[/b], died last November, finnish session bassist and solo artist, played with Mike Oldfield, Wigwam, Made in Sweden, Unisono, Olli Ahvenlahti etc. Bass: Fender Jazz (early 70s) with extra J-pickup between bridge & bridge pu; JoBass custom bass with same pu arrangment (EMG JV);
also seen with P-bass and rarely a Ricky. Rig: Carslbro Delta, Acoustic combo in early days. Anyone who can tell me more about him or his equipment can PM me - have lots of transcriptions of his playing, solo's and compositions too...[/quote]

At last!

Someone else has heard of Pekka Pohjola!

My girlfriend went to her uncle's home in NL in 1986/87 or so for the summer, and knowing I was (still am) a big Mike Oldfield fan, taped her uncle's Pekka album, "Mathematical (Mathematician's?) Air Display" (Mike guested). I loved it. I've long since lost the tape and can't find the CD anywhere. Maybe you can help?

Are you sure that pic is of Pekka? It seems to be a still from Mike Oldfield's "Exposed" DVD, and the bassist credited on that DVD isn't Pekka - it's someone else (I'll post the name later).

If you could direct me to anywhere I might be able to get that Pekka album on CD, I'd be extremely grateful.


Mark

[4 Strings]

[quote name='AndyMartin' post='557404' date='Jul 31 2009, 07:23 PM']James Jamerson's style, technique and creativity might might have come from his brain and his fingers but his tone was all '62 Precision with sky high action, never changed flatwounds and Ampeg Portabass.[/quote]


Let's not forget the Tamla recordings were all DI (the Ampeg came out for his live performances) and he went through more than one 'Funk Machine', although I understand there was one which was around for by far the longest. Those dead strings and high action would have sounded absolutely dreadful under my fingers.