| Author | Message | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 353 Registered: 1-2003 |
I just got an interesting book called, "Giants of Bass" by Stuart Clayton (ISBN 1-94492-075-5). The author looks at 20 bassist who have, in his view, "made a difference to the way people either regard the instrument or play it". For each player there is a one page bio, recommended listening, gear breakdown, advice on emulating the sound, performance notes on the style, and a piece of music (bass clef + bass tab) in the "style of" the artist. The book comes with 2 cds containing somewhat cheesy recordings of the songs, with and without the bass track. I was fascinated by the amount of detail in the gear breakdown and made a table of bass makers and players from the data in the book. No surprises that Fender was the most played maker with 15 out of 20. Next was Alembic with 6 out of 20!!! The only other makers with more than 2 players were Warwick (5) and Musicman (3). The Alembic result was particularly impressive, considering that of the top four makers it is the only one that doesn't do endorsements. As a matter of interest the mean number of makers played by each player was 2.5 And who were the Alembicians on the list? Cliff Burton ('tallica), SC, JE, Flea, MK, JPJ The overall selection was fairly diverse, including Tim Commerford (Rage), Dirk Lance (Incubus) and Stuart Zender (Jamiroquai) as well as all the usual suspects. David B. | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 654 Registered: 11-2003 |
Only three Musicman? For some reason that surprises me. Were all of the Alembics basses or did preamps figure into the total? It sounds like an interesting book from a gear perspective. I'd be curious to see the various amp/cabinet/effects combinations of these guys. Thanks. Sam | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 354 Registered: 1-2003 |
Sam, the above stat.s are basses only. The author has tried to list the instruments most closely associated with the artists through recording or live performance. The background information suggests he's done a fair bit of research. I'll post the rig information shortly. BTW, the Musicman players in the book are Flea, Tim Commerford and Pino Palladino. David B. | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 356 Registered: 1-2003 |
As expected, amplification is far more diverse, with no manufacturer having an equivalent position to Fender in basses. 31 manufacturers are listed. The leader was Ampeg (5 players) - no surprise, followed closely by Trace Elliot (4), then Acoustic, Ashdown, Mesa (3 each). Alembic had 2 users along with Eden, Fender, Gallien Krueger, Hartke, Marshall, Sunn and SWR. David B. | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 440 Registered: 6-2002 |
Doesn't Flea play Modulus Basses these days? As well, I've only seen Tim Commerford with Fender Jazz Basses. Rami | ||
| malthumb
Advanced Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 292 Registered: 5-2002 |
I'm surprised either Larry Graham or Louis Johnson weren't in the list. Larry is pretty much credited with "starting" slap bass and Louis has been credited with taking it to a new level. Louis would've added one to both the Alembic and the Music Man count. Peace, James | ||
| dnburgess
Advanced Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 357 Registered: 1-2003 |
Rami, the book covers the artists' entire careers - so Flea is down for Alembic, Modulus, Musicman and Wal. Commerford has entries for Musicman (first RATM album) and Fender. James, Larry Graham is in for Fender and Moon. For the sake of completeness here is the full player list: Jack Bruce, Cliff Burton, Stanley Clarke, Bootsy Collins, Tim Commerford, Duck Dunn, John Entwistle, Flea, Larry Graham, Stu Hamm, James Jamerson, John Paul Jones, Mark King,Durk Lance, Paul McCartney, Pino Palladino, Jaco Pastorius, Billy Sheehan, Sting, Stuart Zender David B. | ||
| lbpesq
Advanced Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 212 Registered: 7-2004 |
Maybe I'm just a deadhead guitar player, but shouldn't Phil Lesh be on that list? (By the way, I saw his new band last Saturday at the Warfield in S.F. - lots o fun!) Bill, tgo | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 657 Registered: 11-2003 |
If 100 different people wrote a book like this there would be 100 different lists. Of course Jack Bruce would be on all of them. It sounds like a fun book to look through. Sam | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1842 Registered: 9-2002 |
Jack Bruce would be in MY book!!! He highly influenced my playing. Beware ...I NEVER be THAT good. Although ...let me show off a bit and tell a story that happened just 2 weeks ago. On the DRIVE rehearsal one of the guitarplayers didn't show up ...sick. So the other guitarplayer, the drummer, our lovely ladysinger and me were trying some other sounds and versions of songs we already play. The drummer recorded -very primitively- the songs and I was really "into Tweak Peaks". A given moment I had a sound I really liked so had the guitarplayer and we started for a "Crossroads" version, "Tearing us apart", "Undercover agent for the Blues" ...and some other things. When braking up after rehearsal the drummer rewinded the tape and ...we all were stunned by the HUGE sound of what we did. The guitarplayer and I said just ONE word exactly at the same time: "Cream". Friends ...for just one (1) hour I WAS Jack Bruce. Well ...at least I sounded like him. It is <>!*&%)! AMAZING what one can do with a SF-2 ...yeah ...AND with that Series sound too of course. I know-i know Completely off topic ...I will never be a GIANT OF BASS ...but ...that moment ...I was an eeny-teeny-weeny giant ...just a bit. Paul the bad one (Message edited by palembic on December 27, 2004) | ||
| rami
Senior Member Username: rami Post Number: 441 Registered: 6-2002 |
I always loved Jack Bruce. He and JPJ were my biggest early influences... Then I discovered Jaco. I first associated the Fender Jazz Bass with JPJ long before I started listening to Jaco. It really is a timeless Bass that I just can't say anything bad about. Rami | ||
| dannobasso
Intermediate Member Username: dannobasso Post Number: 193 Registered: 3-2004 |
I am told that Flea records with Alembics. Since Alembic does not do endorsements, he went where the "support" was. I'm shopping amp endorsements in 05. Any suggestions? Danno | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1843 Registered: 9-2002 |
Glockenklang??? However ...I dunno if there your style. I mean NO OFFENCE but you seem a dark player and Glockenklang is so ...well ...'"jolly" ...like EBS. Though I find Glockenklang very complete in line and very "neutral" in sound. I dunno if they do endorsements. EBS does ...definitely. Paul the bad one | ||
| bracheen
Senior Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 658 Registered: 11-2003 |
Jack Bruce, for good or bad, was the number one reason that I took up the bass. From the time I first heard Cream about 1968 he has been the benchmark for bass playing in my mind. | ||
| dgcarbu
Junior Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 18 Registered: 6-2004 |
malthumb, This one is for Louis "Thunderthumbs" Johnson. Note the Omega bottom.  | ||
| dgcarbu
Junior Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 19 Registered: 6-2004 |
malthumb, Here's another of Mr. Louis "Thunderthumbs" Johnson...  | ||
| dgcarbu
Junior Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 20 Registered: 6-2004 |
Do you remember this one? Wizzard from "Mother's Finest".  | ||
| dgcarbu
Junior Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 21 Registered: 6-2004 |
How about this one?, It's Mr. Jermaine Jackson with a Series I circa 1976-77  | ||
| dgcarbu
Junior Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 22 Registered: 6-2004 |
Here's an impromptu one of Regi Wooten at his brother, Victor Wooten's bass-camp.  | ||
| serialnumber12
New Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2004 |
Im still waiting for the alembic book | ||
| dgcarbu
Junior Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 23 Registered: 6-2004 |
Here's the picture that started it all for me. And then there's mine...   | ||
| malthumb
Advanced Member Username: malthumb Post Number: 293 Registered: 5-2002 |
dgcarbu, Thanks for posting that picture. Louis Johnson's Alembic, along with the one played by the bassist for Rose Royce (name escapes me) were the ones that turned me on to the brand. Not only do I have the "Right On Time" CD, but I've been known to thump out "Strawberry Letter 23" on ocassion. I have a Series I Omega that looks very similar to the one Louis is holding in the picture. Mine is an '87, though and has the pick-up selector near the other controls, as opposed to on the lower horn. It's in the "Showcase" section. Number 87-4431. Peace, James | ||
| dgcarbu
Member Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 94 Registered: 6-2004 |
James, I checked out your Series I Omega, what a beauty. Looks identical to the one Louis was holding on their album.  I believe the original bassist for Rose Royce was Lequeint 'Duke' Jobe. I could be wrong. I just checked out your profile, I am seriously dark green with envy!!! It must be nice to have several Alembics in your possesion. I'm working on aquiring a brown bass myself. You da man! Darrell | ||
| kenbass4
Intermediate Member Username: kenbass4 Post Number: 156 Registered: 10-2003 |
OK, maybe I'm just being a little too opinionated, but WHERE'S CHRIS SQUIRE?????? (ok, he doesn't play an alembic, but I'd say he definately helped redefine the role of a bass player) | ||
| 811952
Advanced Member Username: 811952 Post Number: 339 Registered: 10-2003 |
Amen Ken! Chris allegedly used an Alembic to record "Lift Me Up" according to Trevor Rabin. The Ricky was really noisy and Trevor had to talk him into switching basses. It may have been Trevor's Alembic for all I've ever been able to find out. Chris is in the CD player in my truck most of the time. Today it's "The Ladder" rattling the seats.. John | ||
| kenbass4
Intermediate Member Username: kenbass4 Post Number: 157 Registered: 10-2003 |
Yeah, that "Lift Me Up" statement has been mentioned before, and I believe it was Trevor's bass that he used, because Chris's web page doesn't list any Alembics in his arsenal. http://www.chrissquire.com/cs_equipotherguitars.html | ||
| pace
Intermediate Member Username: pace Post Number: 103 Registered: 4-2004 |
Im curious as to how the author figures Dirk Lance & Stu Zender into the equation.... I have a feeling that without them the majority of us would regard & play our instrument just the same. Not to disrespect any player in particular, but I can think of dozens of others of the same caliber.... | ||
| dgcarbu
Intermediate Member Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 104 Registered: 6-2004 |
Okay, since the subject is expanding, what about the man behind the Motown Sound...  Mr. James Jamerson | ||
| dgcarbu
Intermediate Member Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 105 Registered: 6-2004 |
and don't forget this funkateer...  Bootsy | ||
| dgcarbu
Intermediate Member Username: dgcarbu Post Number: 106 Registered: 6-2004 |
Who can forget the O.G. plucker himself...  Mr. Larry Graham, and  Graham Central |
