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Reggae Bass?


Ricky 4000

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Is the J bass good for reggae? Well not for me it isn't. Playing with my thumb, around the sweet spot where it's not too deep but not too boney - the backs of my fingers / knuckles keep messing with the volume controls.

What are the secret reggae basses that most folks don't know about?

These should [probably] be certain models of fairly obscure yet inexpensive basses, with that special 'Kingston Mojo' that "we" done want the old and rich square people finding out about. Because they'll just buy them all up to play covers of UB40 covers [badly] in their beige painted drawing rooms. 😕

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I used a jazz for a long time playing reggae, I have a different bass now with different pup configuration but get a similar sound. I've seen people get a good tone on similar gigs using everything, stingrays and Warwick thumbs being the more surprising. Its all about how you play like with any genre of course, for me its that and rolling off a fair bit of high mid. Obviously it can get muddy too depending on the room, and the other instruments your playing with. 

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Sly Dunbar uses a Steinberger as does Earl Faulkner from UB40. Tony Gadd from Aswad uses a Bass Collection Nanyo.

Don't think you need to turn the bass full up and everything else down - having the right amount of mids will help loads.

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1 minute ago, fleabag said:

Four 21" bass cabs, neck pup, tone backed off,  no mid and treb on the amp, bass tone up,  big fat  organic doobie

Thanks for your rig rundown, Fleabag. 👍

Unfortunately I don't smoke the old 'dub cabbage'. Was thinking more like a cuppa tea and two paracetamol. 🙂

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45 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said:

Is the J bass good for reggae? Well not for me it isn't. Playing with my thumb, around the sweet spot where it's not too deep but not too boney - the backs of my fingers / knuckles keep messing with the volume controls.

I'm far from knowledgable about reggae, but I don't know of a problem with the Jazz bass.

I've been trying to learn some ska/ reggae stuff of late, & I've been using my Squier Jazz with no problems - as Fleabag says - neck PUP on, bridge PUP half, highs & middle off on amp, bass on full. I anchor thumb on neck PUP & play with fingers without digging in.

Sounds okay to me - just need to learn the right notes now! B|

There are people on here who will know about this stuff (like Reggaebass), who will be able to give you the 'low-down' ;)

Maybe its not the type of bass - maybe you've just got freakish hands? Did you ever think that might be the issue? :laugh1:

 

 

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26 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said:

Thanks for your rig rundown, Fleabag. 👍

Unfortunately I don't smoke the old 'dub cabbage'. Was thinking more like a cuppa tea and two paracetamol. 🙂

Now worries R.  None of it was serious at all.   :)

 

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Funny, discussing my upcoming activities this morning my daughter said why not suggest a reggae song - everyone likes reggae and the basslines should be easy (she said that not me!)

It reminded me how many years ago I saw Steel Pulse; all the way through the bass player drove it along with solid, straightforward rhythmic lines.

Then a couple of songs from the end he got a solo and went right off the scale.

So don't underestimate reggae bass players!

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1 hour ago, Teebs said:

I'm far from knowledgable about reggae, but I don't know of a problem with the Jazz bass.

I've been trying to learn some ska/ reggae stuff of late, & I've been using my Squier Jazz with no problems - as Fleabag says - neck PUP on, bridge PUP half, highs & middle off on amp, bass on full. I anchor thumb on neck PUP & play with fingers without digging in.

Sounds okay to me - just need to learn the right notes now! B|

There are people on here who will know about this stuff (like Reggaebass), who will be able to give you the 'low-down' ;)

Maybe its not the type of bass - maybe you've just got freakish hands? Did you ever think that might be the issue? :laugh1:

 

 

Maybe... :crazy:

For the 'tragically white' among us (you!), check Devon Bradshaw out here:

https://youtu.be/zmyplWLwIKA

(and what bass is he playing there?)

Also what is Robbie playing here with the neck pickup so far forward? Surely a special 'reggae bass'??

https://youtu.be/lKDlhewmwDg

Finally, anybody know who were the rhythm section with General Saint & Clint Eastwood?

I love that ^^^ Lyrics still just relevant as they were in 1980! ;)

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There is no secret bass for reggae, I’ve been playing for about 40 years, since I was 15 , and have played mainly p and jazz basses myself,  but I’ve seen people playing reggae on pretty much anything , the strings can make a huge difference and flats or tapes are perfect for that nice warm tone . Also active basses needed to be in passive mode or they didn’t sound right to me for some reason, when I thought they would.

aston barrett played a jazz and every time I’ve seen Robbie Shakespeare  live ( which is a lot) he’s played a jazz 🙂

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Nah - sorry Ricky...

19 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

There is no secret bass for reggae, I’ve been playing for about 40 years, since I was 15 , and have played mainly p and jazz basses myself,  but I’ve seen people playing reggae on pretty much anything , the strings can make a huge difference and flats or tapes are perfect for that nice warm tone . Also active basses needed to be in passive mode or they didn’t sound right to me for some reason, when I thought they would.

aston barrett played a jazz and every time I’ve seen Robbie Shakespeare  live ( which is a lot) he’s played a jazz 🙂

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

It’s a 1986 PRS they have 3 pickups  🙂

...freakish hands it is then :lol:

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I concur, a Jazz. This reminds me of the great bass tone on early Public Image Ltd recordings, especially Metal Box, Jah Wobble with the Ovation Magnum Bass. Allegedly he played through an Ampeg rig that faced the wall of the studio and had a microphone behind. I wish I knew which basses and rigs were used by Floyd Lawson and Vivian Weathers on Linton Kwesi Johnson’s second and third albums Forces of Victory and Bass Culture, my very favourite bass on any reggae album. I’m putting the Samsara video up (again) but only because I’m not sure what bass he’s playing..?

 

Edited by Frank Blank
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1 hour ago, Frank Blank said:

. . . . I’m putting the Samsara video up (again) but only because I’m not sure what bass he’s playing..?

At 2.33. . . . . looks like a Jazz to me.

Some nice simple and direct bass playing here.

Edited by chris_b
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1 hour ago, Frank Blank said:

I concur, a Jazz. This reminds me of the great bass tone on early Public Image Ltd recordings, especially Metal Box, Jay Wobble with the Ovation Magnum Bass. Allegedly he played through an Ampeg rig that faced the wall of the studio and had a microphone behind. I wish I knew which basses and rigs were used by Floyd Lawson and Vivian Weathers on Linton Kwesi Johnson’s second and third albums Forces of Victory and Bass Culture, my very favourite bass on any reggae album. I’m putting the Samsara video up (again) but only because I’m not sure what bass he’s playing..?

 

Good band, the reggae act I've been with for years now has the keys player from Samsara. 

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