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What would be a typical 80s British metal/Rock bass?


grimbeaver
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I use a Fender jazz in a classic rock covers band. Purple, Rainbow, Sabbath etc and it suits the music to a point.

I sometimes think that a Precision might have a little more bottom end which i think is missing in the Jazz.

You also had people like Glover and Hughes using Rik's - not my choice as think they also sound a bit thin for rock music.
I believe Glover added a precision pick-up to his though.

Neil Murray used Aria's for a while in the 80's. SB1000, SB900 i think with pick-ups wired in stereo to seperate amps.

BC Rich Mockinbird was another choice of Neil Murray. Gorgeous looking bass but no idea how they feel. Have never actually seen an authentic one. Only the more recent cheaper ones circa £400 worth.

I would go for a Precision and play it safe.
Have a listen to Bob Daisley for some real classic rock basslines on a precision.

Awesome bassist.

Cheers
Dave

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When I was in a fairly typical British rock/metal band back in the 80s, I played a black Guild Pilot (mainly to stand out from herd who were using pointy headstock Charvels)

Great sounding and looking bass but not the easiest to play!

I would go for the aforementioned pointy Charvel, unless you can afford a Spector (the bass I really wanted back then but couldn't afford)!

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[quote name='Krysbass' timestamp='1323436009' post='1463344']Good call - I also seem to remember seeing a Whitesnake video from that era where their resident bassist (not sure which one) was playing an Aria SB.[/quote]
Post "1987" (aka the Hair Metal Years)? Rudy Sarzo. He used several different makes, although his Aria was an SB-ELT, before moving on to a Peavey signature model.

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[sub]I was in an 80's glam/hair/metal band for a while, I used a Yamaha BBG4. Great sound, looked like a "Super-P" Flame maple (photo) top under a see-thru green finish, gold hardware..... Suited the image perfectly and I got mine for less than £200. Wish I'd kept it actually.....[/sub]

[sub][attachment=95007:yamaha.jpg][/sub]

Edited by 4-string-thing
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[quote name='Krysbass' timestamp='1323436009' post='1463344']
Good call - I also seem to remember seeing a Whitesnake video from that era where their resident bassist (not sure which one) was playing an Aria SB.
[/quote]

That would be Neil Murray - when Whitesnake were good - in the Marsden/Moody Days, before Coverdale ditched the tubby/geeky guys for legwarmers and poodle haired pretty boys : i.e. John Sykes. That said - he made a sh*t load of cash in the states and married Tawny Kitaen......



For those that are still interested in the bass conversation - Link to blogsite about Aria and Neil Murray : [url="http://ariabasses.blogspot.com/2011/02/neil-murray-and-aria-pro-ii.html"]http://ariabasses.bl...ria-pro-ii.html[/url]

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[quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1323426532' post='1463159']
Before his T's he used to play some lovely strippey Blitz's, after he moved on from spikey BC Rich's.
[/quote]

Nope! Sixx [i]always [/i]favoured solid finish (dark coloured) Hamer Blitz basses. The striped (and polka-dotted!) ones were Hamer FBIVs (check my sig). Sadly, most of these are firewood now.
P

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[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1323477265' post='1463897']
That would be Neil Murray... ...he made a sh*t load of cash in the states and married Tawny Kitaen...


[/quote]

What a man Neil must be! Look at the size of that pearl necklace!

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1323544173' post='1464503']
Nope! Sixx [i]always [/i]favoured solid finish (dark coloured) Hamer Blitz basses. The striped (and polka-dotted!) ones were Hamer FBIVs (check my sig). Sadly, most of these are firewood now.
P
[/quote]
I stand corrected. Would love to check out your FBIV, maybe the next Bassbash?

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NWOBHM: Fender Precision or anything loaded with a Precision style pickup.

80's Glam/Hair/Shred: Charvel/Jackson "Super P" style body, P & J pickups, pointy headstock. BC Rich Any Model. Lurid colours optional.

Thrash: BC Rich Any Model, Ibanez Destroyer, Aria Pro II SB Elite, Ricenbacker 4001/4003, Charvel/Jackson "Super P" (as above).

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[quote name='TonyBones' timestamp='1323772288' post='1466708']
Aria = Cliff burton, ok he played a Rick as well but in the main the Aria SB
[/quote]

No, he only played the Aria (SB Elite II) during the Master of Puppets "era", his main bass up to and including "Ride the Lightning" was a Fireglo Ric.

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[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1323783533' post='1466938'] No, he only played the Aria (SB Elite II) during the Master of Puppets "era", his main bass up to and including "Ride the Lightning" was a Fireglo Ric. [/quote]

The Rick the aria and an Alembic all played from Kill em all onwards, Alembic was stolen around the ride rehearsals IIRC

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