kwmlondon Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 11 hours ago, LowB_FTW said: Thank you for saying this. I see here it mentioned quite a lot that this or that bass isn't suitable for this or that type of music and I just think to myself "WTF", because a bass is a bass is a bass and a Thunderbird can be used for country just as a Jazz can be used for doom metal. I've been reticent to speak up on this though until now because it seems to be some sort of perceived wisdom that I've been counter to the notion of. Mark I agree. Unless you're in a very specific tribute type of band where the audience expects a certain look (imagine a Beatles lookielikey with "Paul" playing a Status headless) then you can use whatever you want. It's all in the fingers, after all... Can't play disco on a Rickenbacker? *cough* Bee Gees? Can't slap on a Precision? *cough* anyone heard Forget Me Nots? I play disco and funk on a Dingwall with a Darkglass ADAM pedal. Go figure... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I have an Eastwood Hooky Bass 6 Pro. I play in a post-punk/goth influenced band so it's fairly appropriate. However for me the only reason I have it is because it's only Bass VI with a neck wide enough to comfortably suit my playing style. If I could get on with the Squier Bass VI I'd probably still be using that. When I have the cash the Eastwood will most likely be replaced with something custom made with the same neck with but a more interesting looking design. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 34 minutes ago, kwmlondon said: I play disco and funk on a Dingwall with a Darkglass ADAM pedal. And I, for one, see nothing wrong with that sentence. You do you. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwmlondon Posted March 11 Author Share Posted March 11 17 minutes ago, neepheid said: And I, for one, see nothing wrong with that sentence. You do you. Wrong? No. Funny. Definitely. Like it or not, people do have preconceived ideas about what kind of music you play based on the type of bass you have. I quite like being an antsy bugger though! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lidl e Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 The Wilcock Mullarkey. I know it is some fella's signature bass, but i m not familiar with him and to me it is a wilcock bass not a rob mullarkey signature bass. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lidl e Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 1 hour ago, kwmlondon said: Darkglass ADAM pedal. Speaking of a signature item transcending an artist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 For a signature bass transcending the artist, the Warwick JD Thumb - JD being John Davis. The progenitor of all Thumbs, AIUI. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merello Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 Quite interesting, I think many in the UK feel that authenticity demands beat up Fenders yet when I see genuine blues or rock folk in the US, they have Brubakers, Yamahas and Foderas….ie, the best for the job. That being said, when you say signature bass, I think Geddy Lee, Nathan East, Tony Franklin, Steve Harris, Nate Mendel and Hook's Yamaha. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I don't understand the need behind signature basses. I've never been a big enough fan of anyone that I would buy the bass they played! I would still sound like me, so why would I be trying to achieve? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 19 minutes ago, chris_b said: I don't understand the need behind signature basses. I've never been a big enough fan of anyone that I would buy the bass they played! I would still sound like me, so why would I be trying to achieve? Depends what it is - I could understand your point of view with regards to the myriad FSO signature basses out there. But if you can't afford to truffle out an original 1970s Gibson Les Paul Signature bass, then the JC Sig is your only hope for such a bass, and it kinda doesn't matter if you like Jack Casady or want to sound like him or not. I certainly didn't buy mine for the name or association, but to give JC his due, he was actively involved in its creation so I think it's fair enough if he wants his name on the headstock, coupled with the fact that he actually uses the bass as his main instrument. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 3 hours ago, lidl e said: The Wilcock Mullarkey. I know it is some fella's signature bass, but i m not familiar with him and to me it is a wilcock bass not a rob mullarkey signature bass. Yes, but I don't believe that it carries RM's name, mine doesn't (could be wrong). I only came across it when looking around for a two PU SS after Serek prices went hyperbolic. I'm still not aware of RM's playing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 44 minutes ago, chris_b said: I don't understand the need behind signature basses. I've never been a big enough fan of anyone that I would buy the bass they played! I would still sound like me, so why would I be trying to achieve? I've owned a Geddy Lee and my Jeff Ament Lull. To be honest the Ged was no better or worse than any other Jazz - Fender or otherwise - that I've played to be honest. The Jeff Ament is a little different in that respect; when I saw it for the first time, I had no idea it was a signature model, it was more like, 'Wooah, that's what I've been looking for for the last 40 years.' It's a custom instrument; while the design-specs lean heavy on a Thunderbird, it's wholly different to the model it owes it's legacy to. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 8 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said: <edit> The Jeff Ament is a little different in that respect; when I saw it for the first time, I had no idea it was a signature model, it was more like, 'Wooah, that's what I've been looking for for the last 40 years.' Yes, I was late to that party - I really wish that I hadn't been. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 17 hours ago, neepheid said: Furthermore, I don't feel pigeonholed by any bass. I don't give a crap what other people think of the bass I'm playing. I pick them on a whim and if anyone has a complaint, they're welcome to come on stage and take over and do a better job. I'll play a Mockingbird or an Explorer in church, or at a country gig, and I'd play metal on my JC because I DGAF. People who complain about these sorts of things should remember that they use their ears for listening, not their eyes Ah @neepheid... you speaka my language! 😂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAgent Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 18 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: Not quite, they were modelled after a particular bass JMJ owned which he wanted to be replicated as close as possible. He preferred the pickup in this bass to others he had played, and this was replicated by Seymour Duncan for the production model. Also the headstock is noticably thicker than is normal for a mustang bass which is an idiosyncrasy of his original one. There were several prototypes made until he was happy to sign off on it. I believe the only thing he was disappointed about that Fender wasn't able to include on the production model was that his original bass has a thin curved 'veneer' fingerboard, however the factory was not geared up for this so the signature model has a slab fingerboard. Aaaaaactually there are two things that Fender couldn't do: JMJ uses D'Addario longscale strings on his '66 but Fender didn't want to use those so they looked for Fender longscale flats that were the most similar to the D'Addarios. My contributions: -Dingwall NG. How many people actually know who Nolly Getgood is apart from Periphery fans? -Fender Geddy Lee, which is basically "just" a very good 1972 reissue with a heavy bridge -Fender Flea Jazz, which is basically "just" a very good 1961 reissue -Fender Sting, which is basically "just" a very good 1955 reissue -Epiphone Jack Casady -Sandberg Ken Taylor. I honestly do not know who Ken Taylor is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 24 minutes ago, BassAgent said: Aaaaaactually there are two things that Fender couldn't do: JMJ uses D'Addario longscale strings on his '66 but Fender didn't want to use those so they looked for Fender longscale flats that were the most similar to the D'Addarios. The Fender 9050L flats fitted as standard are very similar to chromes in feel and sonically, both being stainless steel flats — An unverified but often repeated rumour is that D'Addario make Fender's Strings. Either way it is a small compromise, and an easy one to remedy, but the man himself has mentioned on talkbass that he uses LaBella 760F-MUS on one of his JMJ mustangs and Medium Scale D'addario XL's (EXL160M) on another. All three of my JMJs are currently wearing ECB81Ms and I have a few spare sets just in case I outlive them 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asingardenof Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 54 minutes ago, BassAgent said: Aaaaaactually there are two things that Fender couldn't do: JMJ uses D'Addario longscale strings on his '66 but Fender didn't want to use those so they looked for Fender longscale flats that were the most similar to the D'Addarios. Aren't Fender strings made by D'Addario though? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I do like my Japanese Geddy Lee J bass (one of the first run they made). Not because I'm a big Rush/Geddy fan (I am), but because it's the best Fender I've owned, and I've been through a few looking for one I liked and could stick with. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I'd say the John Entwistle Deans which came out after he died were fairly transcendent, emerging from the far side of the grave and such. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 I can safely say if you got out at a gig - you better have the chutzpah to transcend it.....or you should probably have stayed at home 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 For me, The Harris P bass is quite simply the best p bass I have ever played. Granted I'm a bit of a fanboy, but once I played one, I knew that irrespective of the squiggle on the back of the headstock this was THE p bass for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 3 minutes ago, dudewheresmybass said: For me, The Harris P bass is quite simply the best p bass I have ever played. Granted I'm a bit of a fanboy, but once I played one, I knew that irrespective of the squiggle on the back of the headstock this was THE p bass for me. i though Rolf was more of a wobbleboard man. 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 7 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said: i though Rolf was more of a wobbleboard man. And we all know how that ended 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 4 hours ago, Doctor J said: I'd say the John Entwistle Deans which came out after he died were fairly transcendent, emerging from the far side of the grave and such. No, they're crap. I've played the blatant Alembic Spyder ripoff one and it's not that great. There are so many reasons he wouldn't have played that due to neck profile, circuitry and frankly sound, as its laughable. It's just a cash grab by his son and Steve Luongo. Besides which, Dean have got serious form for this. How many posthumous Dimebag guitars were there after his death? Even a Dimebag signature bass! The only Entwistle signature is the Status Graphite Buzzard or Alembic Spyder and the latter wasn't ever offered as a signature during his lifetime. Even afterward, they modified it and did a limited run and it still wasn't officially a signature bass. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted March 11 Share Posted March 11 10 hours ago, chris_b said: I don't understand the need behind signature basses. Players might not need them, but manufacturers need them to increase sales. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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