What is your favorite bass?

[XxBassMastaXx]

Mine is the Music man stingray. Mainly cos flea uses it and it looks the best!

[51m0n]

my Roscoe

[EssentialTension]

Depends partly on what I'm playing and who I'm playing with but I'll say Fender Tony Franklin Fretless Precision. I can't put it down.

[RussFM]

To play? Fender Jazz. To look at, Spector NS2.

[Russ]

[quote name='XxBassMastaXx' post='587625' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:20 PM']Mine is the Music man stingray. Mainly cos flea uses it and it looks the best![/quote]

Just as a matter of interest, in your avatar, Flea is using his Modulus Flea Bass (now known as the Funk Unlimited)... he hasn't used Stingrays for years, and rarely ever recorded with one.

[Linus27]

For looks and to some degree to play, then a Musicman Stingray but the sound lets it down for me. As an overall, then some kind of Jazz, either my ESP 400 Series Jazz, my Lakland Darryl Jones Jazz, or fingers crossed soon to be Fender USA 75 Re-issue Jazz.

[Linus27]

[quote name='Russ' post='587649' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:39 PM']Just as a matter of interest, in your avatar, Flea is using his Modulus Flea Bass (now known as the Funk Unlimited)... he hasn't used Stingrays for years, and rarely ever recorded with one.[/quote]

Out of interest, what did Flea usually record with?

[SS73]

When I started playing bass in the 70's, it was my 4001, it was because Geddy Lee used one, the sound and they looked the best!, now, its still that 4001.

[Russ]

[quote name='Linus27' post='587654' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:41 PM']Out of interest, what did Flea usually record with?[/quote]

Different basses on different albums... this isn't comprehensive, but to summarise, the early albums, up to Mother's Milk were mostly a Spector NS4, BSSM was mostly a Wal (with a 5-string Stingray on two tracks), One Hot Minute was mostly an Alembic Epic (apart from Aeroplane, which was obviously a Stingray), Californication & By The Way were pretty much all the Flea Bass, and Stadium Arcadium was the Flea Bass and a '62 Jazz with flats.

[cetera]

[quote name='Russ' post='587665' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:46 PM']Different basses on different albums... this isn't comprehensive, but to summarise, the early albums, up to Mother's Milk were mostly a Spector NS[b]2[/b], BSSM was mostly a Wal (with a 5-string Stingray on two tracks), One Hot Minute was mostly an Alembic Epic (apart from Aeroplane, which was obviously a Stingray), Californication & By The Way were pretty much all the Flea Bass, and Stadium Arcadium was the Flea Bass and a '62 Jazz with flats.[/quote]

Corrected for you

[cetera]

To look at AND to play.... [b]pre-Kramer 'Spector NS2'[/b]

[thumperbob 2002]

My Warwick Thumb NT- took me three years to actually realise how great this bass is- and how great sounding- I have now just the one- now that the Jazz has been sold.

It does everything I need it to- looks great- plays great. How can anything be better?

cheers

Bob

[Russ]

[quote name='cetera' post='587670' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:48 PM']Corrected for you [/quote]

*blush* As a fellow Spector owner, I am ashamed!

[iamapirate]

Pearl, my 2008 american fender jazz bass. guess what colour. Go on. Guess.

[Cat Burrito]

Fender Precisions all the way! I like other basses but it always comes back to P-basses for me

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='587688' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:55 PM']Fender Precisions all the way! I like other basses but it always comes back to P-basses for me[/quote]
+1

[Linus27]

[quote name='Russ' post='587665' date='Sep 2 2009, 04:46 PM']Different basses on different albums... this isn't comprehensive, but to summarise, the early albums, up to Mother's Milk were mostly a Spector NS4, BSSM was mostly a Wal (with a 5-string Stingray on two tracks), One Hot Minute was mostly an Alembic Epic (apart from Aeroplane, which was obviously a Stingray), Californication & By The Way were pretty much all the Flea Bass, and Stadium Arcadium was the Flea Bass and a '62 Jazz with flats.[/quote]

Thanks, I am quite surprised by that list, especially the Spector, Wal and Alembic. I wonder why he never used the Spector live.

[Shockwave]

A 1979 Stingray at a local shop. Overpriced but really is a dream to play.

[waynepunkdude]

My Jazz, I have many basses but I always come ack to the Jazz.

[Kev]

never played anything better than my old stingray 5 with its graphite neck on, superb instrument in every way.

[Russ]

[quote name='Linus27' post='587763' date='Sep 2 2009, 05:00 PM']Thanks, I am quite surprised by that list, especially the Spector, Wal and Alembic. I wonder why he never used the Spector live.[/quote]

He used to, back in the day, before he started using Stingrays. Check out the videos for Taste The Pain, Nobody Weird Like Me, etc (should be on YouTube), and you'll see him with the Spector. He used a strange multi-coloured thing in the Higher Ground video, not sure what that was. Still want a pair of those teddy bear trousers though.

[steve-soar]

1980 Stingray, best playing bass I've ever had, deep, deep snarling tone.
1986 KGB Musical Instruments Status replica, indestructible, 23 year old friend.
1998 Fender Jazz, Jap, EMGs, East J Retro, Badass, dirty bitch.
2003 Status S2 through neck, disappointing eq, plays beautifully, neck pickup beast.
1995 Squier Precision, flats, EMGs, funk machine.
In that order.

[4000]

As a single bass, my '72 Ric 4001. It doesn't play as well as it used to (thanks to the one time ministrations of someone who didn't know how to adjust the neck - it could also do with a refret as the frets are now almost nonexistent) but it's still my favourite sounding (although not right for everything) and looking bass. As a make, a close thing between a good Ric, the right Alembic and the right Sei. Although it depends what music I'm playing and what sound I'm after. Those 3 would be the first calls though.

BTW, I've seen lots of footage of Flea using his Spector live. My favourite Flea sound is the Wal on BSSM, which owes more than a passing nod to Leigh Gorman of Bow Wow Wow (and yes, Flea is a BWW fan, as is John Frusciante, who bought a White Falcon because Matthew Ashman played one).

Edited September 2, 2009 by 4000

[jezzaboy]

It was my Ibby SR700 but having played the stingray bass I got from Dub Junkie on a few gigs it`s now the one.

Jez

[Tait]

erm... stock basses i'd say either the ibanez SR series or a stingray.

but my taitycaster is my favourite bass.