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Post subject: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:43 am
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Hi there,

I am new in the bass guitar world to be honest.

I wanna find a bass guitar that produces a sounds more likely punk rock, bands such as Rancid or NoFX.

Any advices or comments are appreciate it.

R: Bernardo


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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:23 am
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Fender P bass. Pretty much any split coil will do. Steel round wound strings.

Here's Matt's artist page with what he plays if you're chasing that tone, though he obviously hops around P tones with this stable. Ah, the joys of being rich and famous...


http://www.fender.com/artists/artist.php?id=163


It'd be hard to go wrong with something like these strung with Dean Markley Skullbusters for a classic Punk Rock P tone (think Ramones or Sex Pistols) ...


http://www.fender.com/products/70s-precision-bass


or these...

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-FSR-Antigua-Precision-Bass-107929788-i2528641.gc?source=4WWRWXGP&cagpspn=pla

or this...

http://www.fender.com/products/steve-harris-precision-bass


Those 3 basses with the above strings will all give you good solid punk rock tone, but at different price points. It all depends on what you're looking to spend.

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:04 pm
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Usually this genre of music is played with a pick. The Precision is better for pick players in my opinion. There were some threads about this same topic started by a guy who bought a Jazz but then noticed nearly all his influences were playing Precisions. I think part of it is that they sound different played with a pick than a Jazz and many players in this genre are pickers not pluckers.


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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:12 am
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brotherdave wrote:
Usually this genre of music is played with a pick. The Precision is better for pick players in my opinion. There were some threads about this same topic started by a guy who bought a Jazz but then noticed nearly all his influences were playing Precisions. I think part of it is that they sound different played with a pick than a Jazz and many players in this genre are pickers not pluckers.



Absolutely. Picking is almost a must unless you do an odd "soft" song here or there. There are a few notable exceptions but for the most part the J bass didn't start coming in until the Pop Punk era. Even then guys like Mike Dirnt and Mark Hoppus still use P basses (or in Hoppus' case a J bass with P pups). A great example of a J playing punk bassist is Hunter from AFI. He gets great tone and is a great player. However, his style is very melodic instead of chugging roots so the J definitely handles that better.

As far as Classic Punk P tone, here's a crappy clip of a live performance from when I played in my last Punk band. I'm using my 78 P with the above mentioned Dean Markley Skullbusters. (Disclaimer: Language in this band was harsh to put it mildly and the singer can't sing...no surprise) However, we were shooting dead for that late 70's Bowery Punk sound and thanks to my P I think we nailed it very effectively.

http://youtu.be/q4EZwxdT438



Most P basses can get in the ballpark of this specific tone, though with not so much clank and drive. A late 70's P is an interesting beast. For most applications it's ranked near the bottom of the vintage P food chain. However, for Punk, there really is no substitute.

Also to note, for the more modern punk sounds like the bands you mentioned and their contemporaries a bass with a Duncan Basslines Quarter pounder will get you that tone dead to rights. Both the old Hoppus J, and Roger Waters P use them and they are great pick ups for modern punk and really are worth every penny, imo.

Also, never underestimate other bass configurations. Duff McKagan's early work in Guns n' Roses was very punk and proto-punk influenced. (The Stooges and The New York Dolls) He uses a J bass Special that has the P/J configuration which doesn't ever quite hit that bouncy chugging P tone, but if you like to throw in transitions and fills with a set of roundwound strings can really bring those movements out. You can hit not the bouncy or clanky tone, but an almost aggressive springy tone which sits very nicely in the mix. Even with multiple guitars running distortion.


Anyhow. Hope some of my rambling helped. Good luck chasing that tone, and most of all. HAVE FUN! There are always days I miss being in punk bands. However, I'm just getting too old. :?

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 6:45 am
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fjbass wrote:
How would the Roger Waters Precision do in the sound mix? The Seymour Duncan SPB-3 Quarter-Pound split-coil pups have a great sound.



Like I mentioned above. The Waters P should get him there just perfectly. Actually, better than most as I believe it also comes with the Bad $@! II bridge which is pretty much a Punk staple in terms of mods. I'd wager to say the two most common mods in Punk rock are the 1/4 pound pick up and the BAII.

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 7:03 am
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fjbass wrote:
The RW P comes with the blackened vintage bridge.



Hmmm...what bass am I thinking of then? Maybe the Harris? The Waters definitely puts the OP closer as it's got the 1/4lbs though. Swapping a bridge is a much quicker mod then pups for the average player.

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 12:43 pm
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fjbass wrote:
The Harris comes with the Quan BAll bridge. I had a RW P before going back to a Jazz. The 1.75" @ the nut was just a bit too wide for comfort for me. It sounded great though.



Yeah, like I said most passive split coil P's will get you the basic tone he his chasing. basically a split coil with some gnarly steel rounds. Each split coil has it's own characteristics that bring out certain aspects better. A 62RI and AmStd. will sound round, thick and bouncy, a 57RI will sound a bit brighter and "popier" due to the raised A. Basses like the standard, classic 70's and RW will do the job just fine and will actually get a bit closer to that late 70's clank, but won't give you the overwound output that those vintage basses had.

Any P with a 1/4lb will give you a modern punk tone without fail unless someone botched the installation. Those pick ups are a great deal, imo. They can do a lot of good for someone just starting out in a punk band. Buying a Standard P bass and dropping a 1/4lb in and slapping a BAII on it will still keep your investment low and give you a bass that's easily capable of playing pro level punk rock and will last for years if taken reasonable care of.

Really a Standard P with those two upgrades would be all someone would need as long as they remained playing punk rock, imo. Hard to go wrong.

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:43 pm
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I remember reading an interview with Mike Watt where he talked about alot of the LA punk guys from the 80's using EMG's since they were epoxy coated and alot of the guys sweat would corrode other pickups. Not saying there isn't validity in the Duncans Just pointing that out.

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 8:02 pm
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Interesting and it would make sense as EMGs were big in that era. The 1/4lb was definitely a more "pop punk" thing. Though anything after 83 to me isn't really punk anymore... cuz I'm an old loser. :lol: I never cared for the left coast scene.

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2012 11:08 am
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The Waters P is also notable for it's brass nut. When I hot-rodded my '76 P in '85 I put on: SD 1/4 pounders, BADASSII, and a Stainless Steel nut. I think Dean Markly had just come out with their Blue Steel roundwounds, and that's what I used to run. Damn fine sounding set-up. Now I run Tomastik-Infeld flats that are just killer for balls out attack. :twisted:

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:27 pm
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seems that everyone agreed on one thing.. a Fender P..
IMO it has that tone that sits well in the mix over heavily distorted guitars

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:24 pm
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fjbass wrote:
I'll still stick with my Jazz.


Dude, You Need One Of Each :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Sat Oct 06, 2012 5:21 pm
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Check out the Mark Hoppus. A very good bass that can take a punk beating. Precision string angle spacing, too. I guess the new version is even nicer, with the better wood and all.


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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 5:58 pm
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forgot to add..

Fender P-Bass either with Quarter Pounders really packs a punch.. but even SD SPB-1 also sounds good... (works for Steve Harris)

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Post subject: Re: Some experts on Fender Bass Sounds
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 7:38 pm
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Dalembic wrote:
Check out the Mark Hoppus. A very good bass that can take a punk beating. Precision string angle spacing, too. I guess the new version is even nicer, with the better wood and all.


I like everything about the Hoppus model but the lack of a tone control. That is probably the least versatile bass in the line right now since you have to go to the amp to make any EQ changes.


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