80’s bass tones

[Raskolnikov]

I’d like to discuss 80’s bass tones pls what are your favorites whom do you recommend & how to achieve them?

 

specifically I’d love to mimic Bakithi Kumalo’s sound from “Boy in the Bubble,” on Paul Simon’s Graceland 

[Raskolnikov]

 

[Russ]

23 hours ago, Raskolnikov said:

I’d like to discuss 80’s bass tones pls what are your favorites whom do you recommend & how to achieve them?

 

specifically I’d love to mimic Bakithi Kumalo’s sound from “Boy in the Bubble,” on Paul Simon’s Graceland 

Fretless. Bridge pickup. Lots and lots of compression. Midrange-heavy EQ, boost a lot around 800Hz-1kHz, cutting most of the bass and treble. Bakithi has a very particular touch on the bass though - he plays fairly hard, with high-ish action, and mostly plays over the end of the neck. I went to a bass clinic with him a few years back and got to see it up close (as well as the original old Washburn bass he used on those sessions). 

 

Same applies to a lot of 80s bass tones - very prominent and punchy, but not actually all that much low end. That was often left to the synths and the Simmons/808 bass drum. 

Edited 18 hours ago by Russ

[Stub Mandrel]

My favourite 1980s bass tone:

 

 

 

 

 

Dave Pegg, Fender precision. 

 

Edited Saturday at 14:21 by Stub Mandrel

[Bagman]

chorus or flanger effects were very popular in the 1980's 

 

also roundwound strings 

[Elfrasho]

 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

 

[Shaggy]

1 hour ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

 

 

 

Saw them live around 1980 - superb  

 

Back to the OP, I know Mick Karn and Pino are the obvious contenders, but my favourite has always been Barry Adamson's bass tone and playing with Magazine.   Ovation Magnum 1 with aforementioned chorus and compression.  

 

 

 

[ezbass]

Mick Karn, Pino, Alan Spenner on Roxy’s Flesh & Blood, John Giblin, Geddy, Derek Forbes.

Edited 12 hours ago by ezbass

[Lozz196]

John Taylor - boost those mids

Deon Estus - Jazz Bass 

 

[Hellzero]

Lemmy's unique tone, dating back to the 70's, but so representative of the 80's hard rock scene.

[Beedster]

3 hours ago, Shaggy said:

 

 

Saw them live around 1980 - superb  

 

Back to the OP, I know Mick Karn and Pino are the obvious contenders, but my favourite has always been Barry Adamson's bass tone and playing with Magazine.   Ovation Magnum 1 with aforementioned chorus and compression.  

 

 

 

….and often mistaken for fretless, testimony to his lovely fluid playing 

[Norris]

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Lemmy's unique tone, dating back to the 70's, but so representative of the 80's hard rock scene.

 

1 hour ago, Beedster said:

….and often mistaken for fretless, testimony to his lovely fluid playing 

Sums up 80s bass playing for me 😂

 

Oh, and some guy called Mark King

[Musicman666]

6 hours ago, ezbass said:

Mick Karn, Pino, Alan Spenner on Roxy’s Flesh & Blood, John Giblin, Geddy, Derek Forbes.

 

permission to add a certain mr tony levin to this list. 

[Misdee]

 There was a divide between bass tone on British and American-made music. With UK artists it was brands like Wal, Jaydee and Status you were hearing regularly on records, and ubiquitous Trace Elliot amps and cabs for live rigs. In the States it was more Steinberger, Spector, Alembic and  Fenders always had an enduring popularity with American players, and Gallien Krueger amps and still plenty of SVT's about. If you listen, there was huge variety within that modern '80's sound.

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Misdee

[JottoSW1]

In other words take yer pick from many very different tones.... maybe try an old Trace Elliot Amp and a Status Bass ??