BassFace1991 Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Apologies if already posted. Please delete if so. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naxos10 Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 Wow, but I bet he can't get his thumb on the centre of neck with that bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim2291 Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 So he has 17 strings and uses 2 of them... Extended range instruments can sound great in the right situation, but anything by ZZ Top is far from the right situation! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) I still can't believe (actually, sadly I can ) the amount of luddite hate that ERBs get on Farcebook whenever a pic of one is posted in a bass group. It amuses me that everyone who posts "that's not a bass it's a harp" or "just get a piano" or "Jaco only needed 4" seems to think they're the first ever to say it. Still, at least by publicising their bass bigotry it makes it easy to know which idiots to block. ERBs are very much not my cup of darjeeling, but I take my hat off to anyone who makes music with one. I like to see boundaries being pushed. Although only using 2 strings seems like a weird waste! Edited November 10, 2022 by Rich 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) When I was playing Dad-rock covers I could have got away with a 2 string bass tuned to E and A for most of the songs. I once took my Atlansia Solitaire single string fretless bass to a practice just to see how useful it was in a "real-world" situation. IIRC the fretless aspect was more of a drawback than the fact it only had a single string. Edited November 10, 2022 by BigRedX 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) whoops my bad! I should've played the vid but couldn't as I was at work. Good to see him sending up the whole ERB thing👍 Edited November 10, 2022 by Barking Spiders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 ZZ Top have always played stupid looking instruments for show... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acebassmusic Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) I've always thought ZZTop were a band that included a hefty dollop of humour in their act. Anyone remember the furry guitars they used to play or listened to their lyrics (eg: Pearl Necklace!!)? 🤣 For me they always seemed to take their music seriously but not themselves. Anyone notice the barrels on the front of Frank Beards kit? My guessing is they're not there for the nuances of bourbon infused tonewood 🤣🤣 @Rich I know what you mean about some of the "luddite hate" and there are certain key subjects or phrases which trigger the same predictable responses from the same people.....ZZZZzzzzzzz 💤😴 Trigger words and phrases include (but not limited to) ERB's, slapping, tapping, anything above the 5th fret, non-Fender basses, basses without a tort guard, any developments in bass guitar design since 1968, heft, valve watts, class D, tone woods.....🤣🤣 But I guess thats a whole controversial thread on its own! Anyway, I've now clambered down from my soapbox and back to the video.....always liked a bit of "You Got Me Under Pressure" 👍 Edited November 10, 2022 by Acebassmusic 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 C'mon... it's tongue firmly in cheek! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 I’m just impressed he can lift it and wear it for an entire song! That’s a lot of wood there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterMute Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 It's a well know fact that ZZ Top need somewhere to land their tour jet... I'm sure it sounded as good as the Furry guitars with the floppy strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 It's called satire. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 4 strings were enough for Sid Vicious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 I'm no ZZ top fan, but this made me smile. Love the way the only two strings he plays are the furthest apart ones. I like to think that Dusty Hill would find this funny too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 Brilliant - some bassisters have a sense of humour 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adey Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 1 hour ago, SteveXFR said: 4 strings were enough for Sid Vicious That many? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 8 hours ago, bassbiscuits said: I’m just impressed he can lift it and wear it for an entire song! That’s a lot of wood there. I can't believe how light he makes it look. It makes my back twinge just seeing it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 2 hours ago, Adey said: That many? I think he used two of them sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamg67 Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Funny seeing people taking ZZ Top more seriously than they take themselves It's clearly done for a joke, most of the strings look the same anyway, in fact I wondered if they were all E strings. 4 trussrods though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 You've all clearly missed the biggest joke. It says Fender on the headstock... and we know Fender only make 4 string basses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Article with a bit more detail about how and why. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/zz-top-bass/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.