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Your influence's bass


Phil-osopher10
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All of my favourite bassists use Fender Precisions.

I went through many different brands/types of bass before just going out and buying a Precision, wish I`d done it years ago - though wouldn`t have been so much fun, but much more cost-effective.

Nowadays, only the Fender Precision is for me.

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Actually I bought my first bass (Burns Sonic) because it didn't look like anything I'd seen before. I mean why have an instrument just like everyone else when you can have something different?

My first guitar was one I designed and built myself, and while it had definite influences from existing (in 1979) designs, I've still not seen anything that has all the design features I incorporated.

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Broadly - no. JJ Burnel was my first influence but I never hankered after a Precision & haven't really got on with the few I've owned. I was a huge Motorhead fan as a kid, would have loved a Rick at the time but could never have afforded one, when I did get my first "proper" bass (a Washburn B20 Stage) it was because I thought it looked cool as f@ck, and not really any more sensible reason. No-one else played one, and when Pete Way out of UFO started using them it actually put me off a bit, despite the fact I quite liked the band.

I do like maple/blocks Jazzes, I'd like to think despite the fact they're associated with Geddy Lee & Dennis Dunaway, who are probably my two biggest influences! I wouldn't play a Geddy Jazz (the black with white plate look is dull & the neck's too skinny) - but would I play a Dunaway sig, if such a thing existed? [url="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/2130531902_84b42b88b0.jpg"]I might well[/url]. :)

Jon.

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No but yes but no.

No: my bass hero was Cliff Burton, but I bought an Ibanez PJ bass in 1992 because it was cheap and available.

But yes: I am currently building a white Jazz bass like Tommy Shannon's early 1960s one.

But no: it's going to be a 5-string.

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My first 'grown up' bass was a Warwick Streamer Stage II, which I bought purely because Dirk Lance from Incubus used one! A couple of years later I sold it though, not just because I went off Incubus a bit but also because I had a hankering for a simpler, non-active bass which was just simply plug and play. So I went for a Jazz!

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I've often been tempted by basses due to my influences playing them! I wanted a Rickenbacker after seeing Cliff Burton with one, various Yamaha's after John Myung and Billy Sheehan (though I played an Attitude bass and hated it!). And due to a large number of players I've always been after a nice Jazz. The new 6 string model tempts me! I hate Precision basses personally, can't get on with the neck profile, but I still want one just because of Steve Harris. I could go on! Thankfully, not only am I on a slight budget, but my needs are quite particular so I can't justify buying anything any different to my Peavey. Phew!

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Nope.

First bass was a ricky copy (bloody awful thing) simply because it was cheap and in a shop near where I lived. Strangely I soon got into Geddy Lee & Chris Squire who both played the real thing at the time.

My first "proper" bass was a Wal and whilst I liked John Gustafson and Percy Jones (who both played one) I didn't buy one because of them or anyone else at the time. Although I'm sure knowing some great bassist played one helped in selling it to me, as I origainally had wanted a pointy BC Rich because they looked sooooo cool :)

Edited by purpleblob
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Most of my basses I associate with a number of players, and no one person really made me buy it.

I did, however buy a Harmony H22 and a Harmony H27 for the Ronnie Lane vibe. Sold them both later - really wish i'd kept that H22 though. Will get another one day.

Oh, and I suppose Hendrix made me buy a Hagstrom H8 (eight string bass)

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I think my influences put me in the right ball park without me wanting a direct copy of what they play. Fenders are pretty common but I've never wanted the same paint job and always wanted my own stamp on things. Equally my Hofner Verithin is based on a lot of 60s players who had semi acoustic basses but they tended to play Epiphone. It's subtle but it's enough for me

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I'm guilty of one really. Jack Bruce and Andy Fraser prompted me to buy a Gibson EB3 when I was about 16.

Since then I don't think I would buy/have bought a bass on the basis of 'because X plays it). In fact it would probably prevent me out of buying it as I don't really want to be a fanboy or copycat. So many of my favourite bassists use a Rickenbacker, but it seems like it is almost a cliche in stoner rock circles so I avoid them. Also I do love Tool but I have never thought that the 'magic' of the guy's sound was the bass, but rather the player.

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I always and still do, wanted an olympic whote with tort pickguard and maple neck jazz bass after seeing timmy C use one. I have a jazz bass but its red. I still want a Wal because of Justin in tool but that will be a long time happening.

I still want both these bass's but am fairly happy with what i have right now.

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[quote name='BigRedX' post='1168482' date='Mar 19 2011, 05:00 PM']Although I really like Mick Karn's playing Japan, I wanted a Travis Bean TB2000 long before I discovered that's what he used.

So it's only co-incidence that I want the same bass that my influence uses.[/quote]
Similar tale here. I ended up with an Aria TSB in 1982, 'cause I couldn't afford the luminous orange Precision in the shop window. I've still got it, but it's been usurped by a pair of 1980 SB's. I'm a huge fan of Jack Bruce & Neil Murray, & they've both been associated with SB's in their time, but it's pure co-incidence that I've ended up with 'tribute' basses.

My only conscious hero-worship type purchase was caused by John Entwistle's appearance on 'Gastank'.



As soon as I saw that explorer, I wanted one; not because JE used one, but because it looked absolutely mental. 20-odd years later & I picked up an '83 Aria ZZB Custom that's as mad as a badger & has fulfilled all my pointyness requirements.

P.

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Yes, this has been a factor for me. Particularly with Stuart Hamm, I was so into Stuart Hamm when I was 16 and I bought my first Ex Factor bass. Mainly I wanted to stand in front of the mirror gazing at the bass pretending I was Stuart Hamm, but I also had a feeling that the bass would just fit me like a glove when I got hold of it! And lo and behold, it did. It was fantastic.

I currently have a red one like the one from the back of the Kings of Sleep album:



Another thing I had always wanted was Geddy Lee's Wal sound. I wasn't prepared to spend Wal money though, but I was very happy to discover ACG basses. One purchase of a Harlot Singlecut later and I could recreate an authentic Wal sound with ease, as well as a hell of a lot more. What a wonderful bass.

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Bit guilty, I'm sure....although it's the hearing the sound, rather than the player themselves that pushes me.

And I've got to love it - if it's not right for me, regardless of who plays one, I'd leave it.

Love Lemmy, Ged, Lou Barlow....and I do own a Ric.

Also own Classic Vibe J+P.....and love JJ, Ged again....and about a thousand others who made various sounds with both.

Much as I love GL, I've never wanted a Wal, or been a fan of the sound of one.....so I think seeing someone you like with a certain bass can act as an introduction to a certain sound, or maybe help see a bass in a new light.

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I am a massive Rush fan, so have always erred towards Jazz Basses. They work for me and I can get 'my sound' out of it too. I've borrowed a vintage Rickenbacker 4001 for a recording, but got 2 1/2 bars into it and decided it was (for me) unplayable, which was a shame as it had 'that' sound, so I just dirtied up my Ampeg a bit, and got the tone pretty close.

Then I discovered Primus - I'm not likely to get a Carl Thompson anytime soon... :)

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