bitchesbrew Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Does any1 know what wud b the best, most neutral sounding type of bass to get for session work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmygoodein Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 fender jazz basses are pretty versitile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 Fender Precision's are pretty neutral. I really like their sound and have always been able to get the sound I want with one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted October 10, 2004 Report Share Posted October 10, 2004 You'd be better with versatility rather than "neutral." Something with 2 or more pickups...maybe an active EQ...I agree with the guys above. Can't really go wrong with the Fender sound. Depends what your playing through as well...amp would have a big effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Fender schmender! Those jazzes are old-fashioned lumps of timber. Geta Musicman Stingray (2nd time I've written this today...). Played a five string version and it was smooth with what I was doing (slap, finger, shit tapping). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Fender schmender! Those jazzes are old-fashioned lumps of timber. Geta Musicman Stingray (2nd time I've written this today...). Played a five string version and it was smooth with what I was doing (slap' date=' finger, shit tapping).[/quote']There is no question that the stingray is a very good bass indeed, but its not by any stretch of the imagination a session tool.Dont get me wrong, many session players will own a musicman but its a one sound machine.A jazz on the other hand is very versatile and would be a lot more useful if you only have one guitar at you're disposal.A nice session bass would be a precision with a jazz pickup in the bridge position. I would also fit it with a jazz neck...but thats just personal preference.G... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted October 12, 2004 Report Share Posted October 12, 2004 Yeah Graeme has a point the P/J combo is a good way of getting a versatile sound set up. My Ibanez has that set out and it works really well...plus have a volume control for each pick up is really good for blending them together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn Posted October 12, 2004 Report Share Posted October 12, 2004 Fender basses just look and feel crap. I can't stand the whole top heavy thing on precisions etc and I don't think they're very versatile. Going by, for example, the jools holland show, you don't see anybody using fenders, except maybe rock bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 12, 2004 Report Share Posted October 12, 2004 Fender basses just look and feel crap. I can't stand the whole top heavy thing on precisions etc and I don't think they're very versatile. Going by' date=' for example, the jools holland show, you don't see anybody using fenders, except maybe rock bands.[/quote']You obviously havent played any decent fender basses....I assume by top heavy you mean neck heavy?? I have owned several fender basses over the years and have a couple now and have never had one thats neck heavy, I have also owned a Rickenbacker 4001 and a Gibson Thunderbird....now thats what I call neck heavy guitars....fine guitars all the same mind you.Guitars are like women....not everyone likes the same looks or feel...and the noises they make depends on how you play them.... Oh and if a fender is good enough for this guy....need I say more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Fender basses just look and feel crap. I can't stand the whole top heavy thing on precisions etc and I don't think they're very versatile. Going by' date=' for example, the jools holland show, you don't see anybody using fenders, except maybe rock bands.[/quote']Yeah but what do they use in the studio not live...probably a few fenders on the bands albums. I know for a fact Metallica have... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Rocker Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 A session musician should have more than one bass. Say you are asked to play a piece that requires a 5-string but you only have a 4-string. You've lost the job!!Look at session players on the TV and you'll find them playing such things as Warwicks and Spectors. If you are serious about doing session work then you need to shell out some serious wonga on bassES and ampS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 A session musician should have more than one bass. Say you are asked to play a piece that requires a 5-string but you only have a 4-string. You've lost the job!!Look at session players on the TV and you'll find them playing such things as Warwicks and Spectors. If you are serious about doing session work then you need to shell out some serious wonga on bassES and ampS.With the greatest respect...what could you do in a studio with a five string that couldnt be achieved on a four, I also feel the same about warwicks as a session instrument, it has a fairly distinct sound.You also wont often find session bass players with amps.....an fx rack possibly but amps no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Rocker Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 With the greatest respect...what could you do in a studio with a five string that couldnt be achieved on a four' date=' I also feel the same about warwicks as a session instrument, it has a fairly distinct sound.You also wont often find session bass players with amps.....an fx rack possibly but amps no.[/quote']But not all session work is going to be studio based. I think the point that I was trying to make is that as a session player you need to be prepared for every senario - live work, studio work, TV work etc etc. I don't think a session player can afford to turn down a job as he doesn't have the right gear..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imprinted Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Fender schmender! Those jazzes are old-fashioned lumps of timber. Geta Musicman Stingray (2nd time I've written this today...). Played a five string version and it was smooth with what I was doing (slap' date=' finger, shit tapping).[/quote']the irony being that these fender and Musicman basses were designed by one person.(incidentally - when did you try the 5 string Stingray?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imprinted Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Incidentally - I'm a fence sitter with this one - i find that i can get a fairly wide variety of tones from my stingray copy but i can see why you'd want a wider variety of basses/amps/fx etc.(i'm holding out for a lottery win but i don't think i should get my hopes up...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 the irony being that these fender and Musicman basses were designed by one person.(incidentally - when did you try the 5 string Stingray?)Ermm, about a month ago...?Warwicks I've played seem to be great for slap but not so good for much else. I've played three all with pretty high action, I'm guessin to reduce buzz when slapping, not sure, hmmm..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Rocker Posted October 13, 2004 Report Share Posted October 13, 2004 Ermm' date=' about a month ago...?Warwicks I've played seem to be great for slap but not so good for much else. I've played three all with pretty high action, I'm guessin to reduce buzz when slapping, not sure, hmmm.....[/quote']The Warwicks you played must have been pretty poorly set up I think. I guess it comes as no surprise that I am a huge fan of these basses(owning 2!!), and neither have high action. Yeah they are great for slap bass, but they can be so more versitile and can I get more variety of tones out of them than my Stingray. I reckon though that if I were a session musician and I wish I were good enough to be, and I could chose one bass then it would have to be a Fender Jazz.Nobody has mentioned yet the higher range Yamaha basses. These things sound great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Going back to the idea that Leo Fender designed both instruments - quite possibly, a guitar designed about 50 years ago would, somehow, be not as versatile as a guitar designed today?Maybe he learned from his mistakes, I mean, a lot has changed in that many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Going back to the idea that Leo Fender designed both instruments - quite possibly' date=' a guitar designed about 50 years ago would, somehow, be not as versatile as a guitar designed today?Maybe he learned from his mistakes, I mean, a lot has changed in that many years.[/quote']Well you inadvertently hit the nail squarely on the head there.....With basses as well as guitars of the six string variety, those 50 year old designs are still what the majority of players start with in the shape of squire and epiphone and aspire to in the shape of their gibson and fender big brothers.I believe those designs will NEVER be bettered and only the steady advancement of technology will make any difference to guitar playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Rocker Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 But even with the advancement of technology people will try to recreate the guitars of 50 yrs ago. Same with amps. We live in the digital age, but still prefer the sound of tube amplification. Hell, even vinyl sounds better than CD......Sheesh, I am starting to sounds like a real old fart!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 Sheesh' date=' I am starting to sounds like a real old fart!!![/quote']Join the club... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tav Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 I wouldn't class myself as an old fart but I udnerstand what you are saying monk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryn Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 But even with the advancement of technology people will try to recreate the guitars of 50 yrs ago. Same with amps. We live in the digital age' date=' but still prefer the sound of tube amplification. Hell, even vinyl sounds better than CD......Sheesh, I am starting to sounds like a real old fart!!![/quote']Hmm. My brother bought a tube amp the other day and I'm told its pretty good. However, I've played some really impressive digital amps (line6 anybody?). To be honest, I wouldn't mind betting that you could create far superior tones with the wealth and diversity of equipment thats available these days. People are always encouraged to think antique instruments sound, 'better' or 'feel' better, when really, that is pretty unbelievable when you look at it. Antique instruments etc are a lucrative market made out of thin air and existing in peoples minds through false representation. I can't think of any highly technical players (bar pastorius) who use fenders. Whats more they look like clumsy slabs of wood I really really despise those giant heavy headstocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamScrooge Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 If I may observe, two bass players I've seen I'd class as session players would be Stu Hamm and Billy Shehan. Both play fender. Both are highly technical.On the matter of older sounding better, there are reasons for certain things to sound better because they are older, body woods of all instruments age, and their age effects their tone. The traditional woods tend to age well wheras some of the more popular woods these days such as basswood do not age as gracefully. There are a good few technical reasons tube amps sound better than solid state ones, the even order harmonic thingie (cant remember the explanation) makes them more pleasent to human ears, most amp manufacturers use better production on their tube amps than their solid state ones because the tube amps are their flagship products, the inherent compression and multiple gain stages involved with a tube amp also contribute to their superior sound. In the case of these devices, older is indeed better Vynal is not better than CDs. CDs just reproduce whats there, more often than not, due to records and needles wearing out, a record will sound different. I suppose its like saying you preffer to listen to music once its gone through a non-corrective EQ, if it floats your boat fair enough, but you're listening to a distortion of the original sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeC Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 Hmm. My brother bought a tube amp the other day and I'm told its pretty good. However' date=' I've played some really impressive digital amps (line6 anybody?). To be honest, I wouldn't mind betting that you could create far superior tones with the wealth and diversity of equipment thats available these days. People are always encouraged to think antique instruments sound, 'better' or 'feel' better, when really, that is pretty unbelievable when you look at it. Antique instruments etc are a lucrative market made out of thin air and existing in peoples minds through false representation. I can't think of any highly technical players (bar pastorius) who use fenders. Whats more they look like clumsy slabs of wood I really really despise those giant heavy headstocks.[/quote']You're entitled to you're opinion.....I cant be arsed listing all the incredible players who use fender guitars.....one thing though, I'll bet you $1000000 that all you're "highly technical players" have a fender in their collection, and probably a vintage one at that.....G... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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