Own up .... Who's got (or had) a trem on a bass?

[Angel 499]

I was just watching a video concert that I am really enjoying these days (Casiopea vs the Square full live), basically two excellent Japanese jazz fusion bands sharing the stage for a concert. I noticed that at one point one of the bassists, during a solo bit, started shaking a whammy bar. To be honest, I thought that they came and went over a very short period (late 80s?) when guitar mags invariable had a pic of Billy Sheehan with one. The concert was some time later 2004 I think.

Are they still a thing? Anyone got one or had one? Even though I'm a guitarist who feels a little lost without one, I wouldn't go for one on a bass personally.

... and I think that the concert is excellent if anyone is interested:

 

 

[pst62 176]

No never! They should be only be on guitars, as should Mr Sheehan and his ilk IMHO.

[Shaggy 601]

I used to have a P bitsa I put a Kahler trem on (more correctly - a vibrato unit) - never used to to its full potential, but interesting and used subtly created some "fretlesseque" effects.  Even heavier than a Badass 1 though.

[MacDaddy 7,901]

Someone on here does, because I played it at a Bassbash.

I had rather a lot of fun with the trem 🤭

[BigRedX 2,660]

I've got a VIBRATO on both my Bass VIs - Burns Barracuda and Squier Bass VI. However once the over-lightweight gauge strings have been replaced on these the vibrato barely functions anymore as the string tension is now too high.

Edited June 29, 2020 by BigRedX

[fleabag 6,119]

Pedants head on.

A trem is a volume changer,  and vibrato is a pitch changer.  Therefore vibratos are the system fitted to basses and guitars.

 

[cheddatom 939]

It's easier if you just call it a whammy bar

[police squad 530]

I had one fitted to a manson explorer. Never used it. It was already fitted to the bass when I bought it. 

In hindsight, I should have removed it and sold it!!

[Angel 499]

54 minutes ago, fleabag said:

Pedants head on.

A trem is a volume changer,  and vibrato is a pitch changer.  Therefore vibratos are the system fitted to basses and guitars.

 

Yeah, but language adapts all the time, and they are often known just as a trem now. It is its own word. I specifically didn't say Tremolo. I'm blocking your pedantry!

 

[ahpook 2,126]

I've got a Fender VI.

Good to have the trem, just in case it's in tune and you don't want it to be

 

 

Edited July 1, 2020 by ahpook

[Jus Lukin 2,793]

48 minutes ago, cheddatom said:

It's easier if you just call it a whammy bar

Or a Sansmoped!

There are photos of a purple BC Rich Ignitor on Google- I'd like one of those with gold hardware and a wangola. Why? Hmmm, that's the last piece of the puzzle, but there you have it.

[MacDaddy 7,901]

2 of my basses have a bend-well. Does that count?

[Steve Browning 1,675]

Check out Chicken Fried Snake on the Ron Levys Wild Kingdom CD. Some brilliant whammy-assisted 6 string bass from Jimmie Vaughan.

I remember a Peavey demo by Colin Hodgkinson (early 80's I think) and he had a bass (4 string) fitted with one.; Weird in quite an interesting way.

[BigRedX 2,660]

2 hours ago, fleabag said:

Pedants head on.

A trem is a volume changer,  and vibrato is a pitch changer.  Therefore vibratos are the system fitted to basses and guitars.

I always make a point of calling a vibrato rather than tremolo system on both guitars and basses. 

It would be great to see someone make an actual tremolo device that looks like a vibrato but acts on the volume control on the instrument giving true tremolo!

[pbasspecial 375]

7 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

Someone on here does, because I played it at a Bassbash.

I had rather a lot of fun with the trem 🤭

That was my black p bass with status neck. Think that was at the bass show 3 years ago (barefaced/cog stand). It has a chrome Kahler. My original blue bass has a gold Kahler on it  

[Nail Soup 1,150]

6 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

2 of my basses have a bend-well. Does that count?

I guess a bend well can only increase the pitch while a whammy puts the pitch up and down. 
Whoops, forgot to put “pedant alert”😄!

[paul_5 1,249]

Playing mostly fretless, do I say yes or no?!?

[Spoombung 39]

I had a bass with a tremelo system years ago. Although I like using wang bar on a Strat it was nothing like that. When it came to the bass it was odd...clunky and huge with a heavy slackening of the strings that felt unnatural.  I wouldnt recommend it.

Edited July 1, 2020 by Spoombung

[uk_lefty 1,282]

I saw it as an option on Warmoth years back... Haven't looked there since the exchange rate got less and less attractive. I remember thinking it would be interesting to be a bit flashy but I just can't think how I would personally use it at all except to muck about while guitarists fart about between songs in rehearsal. 

[pbasspecial 375]

To be honest, I've never really used them in anger.  Occasionally wind the whammy bar on just f**k with guitarists ego at rehearsals.  Worth it for that alone 😂

[pbasspecial 375]

Edited July 1, 2020 by pbasspecial

[EMG456 286]

I've also now got two. The Atilla Balogh Odyssey bass I recently acquired has a retro fit Kahler on it but the one I've had for a long time is a Steinberger XL-2TA which was factory ordered with the bass TransTrem.

I find them fun with a bit of harmonics and reverb but of course the Steiney has the edge as far as functionality is concerned as you can lock the arm into different tuning positions on the fly so with the bass tuned as standard, I can drop to D, C or B or go up to F#  or G.

[Bassfinger 1,683]

I don't  even like them on guitars if I'm honest.

[jacko 352]

Stanley clarke has a bigsby on one if his alembics

[Nail Soup 1,150]

12 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

I don't  even like them on guitars if I'm honest.

I’m inclined to agree with that.