Did a specific tone inspire you to play bass?

[lancer]

What tone inspired you to play bass?

I mean not necessarily a particular player or band but a specific album or track even.

Mine was Sade’s Stronger than Pride album.

Paul Denman’s tone in Keep Lookind, I thought to myself, wow I’ve got to get me some of that

[Frank Blank]

Mick Karn - Gentlemen Take Polaroids

Tessa Pollitt - Cut

Jah Wobble - Metal Box

[SICbass]

Before I even developed an interest in Bass, I loved JJ Burnel‘s sound. He wasn’t particularly an influence, I just loved that sound!

[Lozz196]

5 minutes ago, SICbass said:

Before I even developed an interest in Bass, I loved JJ Burnel‘s sound. He wasn’t particularly an influence, I just loved that sound!

Yep, JJ Burnel and Bruce Foxton were big influences on me sound wise.

[Dad3353]

 

[Geek99]

I loved the tone on all along the watchtower in rattle and hum. I didn’t know it was a p bass, it just sounded heavy and preponderous at the beginning and then I listened to how it sounded under the chords, driving it all along. 

[Skybone]

Geddy Anthem

Geezer's intro to N.I.B.

Lemmy's sound on Hawkwind's Space Ritual

 

 

[jonno1981]

Nicky wire - archives of pain by the manic street preachers. I didn’t realise bass could be that distorted and aggressive, very influential as a teenager.

same with Breed by nirvana. 
 

Honourable mention:

Timmy C for all three rage against the machine albums. Super solid, chunky and groovy basslines and great unique tone. 
 

[Bassassin]

JJ Burnel, Lemmy, Geddy Lee - in that order.

 

It worries me that I may not have progressed particularly far in the subsequent 45+ years.

[iainbass]

Bernard Edwards.

[SteveXFR]

Rex Browns grinding, growling tone with Pantera. The most perfect metal bass tone. No effects pedals, just a Spector NS2 in to his GK amp

[PaulThePlug]

Burke Shelly - Budgie, Great intricate work from a 3 Piece.

[Franticsmurf]

Yesshows - bass solo at the start of Ritual part 2. When I first heard it I assumed it was a guitar solo and when I finally realised it was bass, I knew I wanted to play with that kind of tone. I loved the sound - bass but with a trebly distortion which I later found out was Squire's Ricky with each pick up going into a different amp (I'm sure you know the details). I spent a few wilderness years playing guitar but I always came back to that sound on that track. By the time I took up the bass properly, I had most of Yes' albums and spent quite a bit of time chasing the Ritual solo sound on a minuscule budget (I couldn't afford a proper Rickenbacker). I finally got a sound I was happy with a few years ago with a combination of Ampeg SCRDI and bridge pick-up on my Sterling 34HH and either DI or into the FX return on my Peavey Minimax 600 and through a pair of TE 1x10" cabs. It's not the exact tone from Ritual, but it works for me and the rocky elements of the sets we play. 

[Steve Browning]

Not a tone. It was Denis Dunnaway's bass line in School's Out that drew me in but it was John Deacon's sound on Queen 2 that really lit the fire and gave me the sound I wanted. That has inspired me to this day. 

[Delberthot]

Queen - Dragon Attack. It's been my favourite bass tone since I first heard it in 1985, 2 years before I even thought about picking up the bass.

 

Then I bought a VHS tape called We Will Rock You which has since been re-released as Live in Montreal and is solidifies my opinion that it's still my favourite bass tone

 

 

 

Funny considering I've played Musicman basses for the majority of my playing life.

 

I've since come back around and started playing a P again

[40hz]

Travelling without Moving by Jamiroquai (the actual song, as opposed to the album) - the bass break in the middle, and that fat, growling, mean sound lit a fire in my brain that's not gone out since!

Edited 7 hours ago by 40hz

[Shaggy]

22 hours ago, SICbass said:

Before I even developed an interest in Bass, I loved JJ Burnel‘s sound. He wasn’t particularly an influence, I just loved that sound!

 

Definitely this for me.     Saw the Stranglers play Cambridge Corn Exchange in 1977 as a 16 year old violin player.   Bought my first bass from the local classifieds the following week (a mid-1960's Kalamazoo KB1 for £25.  I still have bits of it....)

[ezbass]

Fretless Stingray, lightly chorused. 

[merello]

Jean Jacques Burnel

[merello]

On 26/01/2026 at 18:31, Lozz196 said:

Yep, JJ Burnel and Bruce Foxton were big influences on me sound wise.

Yes - Foxton on Eton Rifles was sensational.

[Dan Dare]

Motown.

[HeadlessBassist]

Not a specific tone, as the Electric Bass was a natural progression from classical Cello & Double Bass, but the early playing tone I really latched onto was John 'Rhino' Edwards' Status-Graphite tone from Status Quo's "Ain't Complaining" album. Later, it was Mark King's glassy tone from his early KingBasses with Trace Elliott rig.

 

Much later, I really got into the richly scooped Jazz Bass sound, from such players as Jaco Pastorius, Will Lee & Marcus Miller.

[KingPrawn]

For me, it was Dick Nolan from IT BITES. So much presence

[_Tom_]

The first time I really, really noticed a bass line was Pino Palladino on Julia Fordham’s “Prince of Peace”. 
I sound nothing like that when I play, and I’ve no desire to even play fretless, but it got me thinking.