Bass guitar – then and now by Dezene Huber https://padlet.com/dezene/bass The development of the electric bass en-us 2020-11-18 20:39:16 UTC 2023-01-25 19:38:43 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads.storage.googleapis.com/585552116/c92acbf8925e27d240e7d65de67222db/3a409d6f_6b88_5fa3_9917_4256828b39c6.jpg How it all started dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938818355 Early on, bassists only had access to acoustic instruments. Due to low frequencies and lack of electric amplification, the sound would sometimes get lost in a the mix.

This image of

the King Cole Basies rhythm section (Ntabi Charles on bass) shows an amplified guitar, but an acoustic bass.

]]> 2020-11-18 20:45:02 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938818355 Frets?? dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938843909 Besides not being amplified, the lack of frets on an upright bass also meant for a fairly steep learning curve.

Back in the 1920s, Gibson (a stringed instrument company that still makes guitars and basses today) had come up with the idea of a fretted bass mandolin. Imagine lugging one of these around! But at least it had frets!]]> 2020-11-18 20:52:14 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938843909 Finally the bassists can be heard! dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938861265 There is a lot of discussion about who invented the electric fretted bass guitar, and when. But it's safe to say that Leo Fender, who was well known for borrowing and remixing ideas for electric instruments, was the first to develop what we think of as the bass guitar today.]]> 2020-11-18 20:57:11 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938861265 The 1951 Precision Bass dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938880132 In 1951 Fender produced the first Precision Bass, often called the P-bass. The name came from the fact that the frets provided precise intonation for a player without the player needing to fret a note perfectly. The fretting and strings otherwise matched that of an acoustic bass.

The overall design borrowed heavily from the Fender Telecaster electric guitar, including the slab body (no contour on the back). It had one split-coil pickup and the arrangement of the magnets meant that it was "humbucking." I.e., it emits no hum from the amplifier.

The P-bass has a deep, thumping sound and is often the bass that you hear in classic rock-and-roll.

This 1952 beauty is being sold for $28,000. If anyone wants to donate to this cause for me, please feel free!]]> 2020-11-18 21:02:58 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938880132 The 1960 Jazz Bass dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938935801 Following the initial successful reception of the P-bass, Fender designed the Jazz Bass, which was released in 1960.

The J-bass, as it came to be known, had two single-coil pickups, a contoured body, and a more slender neck. The two pickups gave it a somewhat more versatile sound than its older sister. Leo Fender felt that these features would make it particularly attractive to jazz musicians.

It turns out that musicians of all types love the J-bass bass, and it is used across multiple genres to this day.

This 1959 prototype is on sale for a mere quarter-million dollars.]]> 2020-11-18 21:19:58 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938935801 They're non-standard (but why not?) dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938974600 I play a five-string Fender J-bass (on the left) and a Squier fretless P-bass (on the right).

Five-string basses usually add a low B-string, which can be useful when, for instance, playing in the keys of D or E. That's how I string mine. Some players will instead add a high C-string to the upper end five-string bass. That can be useful, but begins to tread near to the sonic frequencies of the guitars.

Squier is a sister company to Fender, making generally less-expensive instruments. It's sort of funny to call a fretless bass a "Precision Bass" because the frets were the whole reason for the name in the first place. In this case the name is due to the pickup configuration and the body style. The fret lines that you see are painted on the neck to provide a bit of a guide for correcting finger placement.

The orca on the far right wishes it were a bass guitar too.]]> 2020-11-18 21:32:41 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938974600 Not every bass is a Fender dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938994854 While I'm a Fender fan, there are a lot of other great basses out there, and tastes vary widely. People choose their instruments based on sound, feel, appearance, and price. There's a bass out there for everyone (and who doesn't secretly want to be a bassist?).

Geddy Lee, the bassist and lead singer for Rush, recently released a book called "Geddy Lee's Big Beautiful Book of Bass". You can't find a better coffee table book than this if you are into music, so put it on your Christmas list.

Lee has been collecting basses for a long time, and the book features great images and some interesting history of the various instruments in his collection.]]> 2020-11-18 21:39:38 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/938994854 Jaco dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939020150 Jaco Pastorius was a bass legend who tragically died too young. He played a Fender Jazz that he had modified by himself into a fretless bass. His amazing talent made his unique instrument speak like few others have been able.

Photo CC BY-SA 4.0 by Brian McMillen.]]> 2020-11-18 21:48:31 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939020150 Geddy dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939031831 I can't mention Geddy without mentioning his main bass. While he famously plays all sorts of different instruments (as you might guess from his collection) his main go-to is a black Fender J-bass with black bars on the fretboard.

Photo CC BY 3.0.]]> 2020-11-18 21:52:33 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939031831 Flea dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939048416 Flea, the bassist for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, uses a wide variety of basses. The bass that is most often associated with him is a 1961 J-bass. You can even buy a replica (including fake wear-and-tear) for the equivalent of about $2000 CAN.]]> 2020-11-18 21:58:58 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939048416 Mike Dirnt dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939057148 Dirnt is the bassist for Green Day (the band, not the event at UNBC... but maybe we should bring them in for a concert some time!). He typically uses a P-bass to great, punk effect.

Photo CC BY-SA 3.0 by Sven-Sebastian Sajak]]> 2020-11-18 22:02:28 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939057148 Paul McCartney dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939072532 Not every electric bass has a solid body. Paul McCartney famously uses a 1963 Höfner 500/1 violin bass. Violin basses are called such not only because of their shape, but also due to their hollow body, which helped to give the Beetles their unique sound.

Photo source unknown]]> 2020-11-18 22:08:47 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939072532 Sting dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939305524 OK, I was going to try to show a bunch of non-Fender basses, but a lot of bassists use Fenders for good reason. Sting uses 1950s era P-basses (because he has a lot of money, evidently).

Photo CC BY-SA 3.0 by Lionel Urman. ]]> 2020-11-19 00:01:22 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939305524 Marcus Miller dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939315366 Once in the distant past I had the privilege of hearing Canadian guitar god Jeff Healey play live at the (now defunct) Yale Hotel in Vancouver. Best concert ever.

In this video, Healey teams up with Marcus Miller, a bass god in his own right. Just listen to him... watch him! Holy box of new roundwound Rotosounds! (And enjoy Healey's... unorthodox... finale.)

Photo unattributed]]> 2020-11-19 00:06:54 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939315366 John Entwhistle dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939332970 I mean come on!! He has to be on any list... twice.

Photo by Tom Hill]]> 2020-11-19 00:16:20 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939332970 Jaco Pastorius dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939342890 I don't know if this really is the best bass solo in the history of music, but it's not far off.

Also remember Jaco is using his DIY custom fretless J-bass.

Photo unattributed]]> 2020-11-19 00:21:34 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939342890 Nik West dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939351233 You may or may not have heard of Nik West before now, but consider yourself notified. She is a solo artist, but also played with Prince back in the day.

Photo unattributed]]> 2020-11-19 00:25:52 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939351233 Mohini Dey dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939360019 Simply amazing, unique technique and accompanying unique sound. You won't hear anything like this from anyone else.

Photo unattributed]]> 2020-11-19 00:30:16 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939360019 Cliff Burton dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939367503 Burton, on his Rickenbacker, doing what he did. Not much more to say... just listen.

Photo unattributed]]> 2020-11-19 00:34:02 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939367503 Lori Black (a.k.a. Lorax) dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939378465 Punk/grunge/sludge/metal. Hard to define, and sort of odd – so of course you can't beat the bass line from Sky Pup on The Melvin's "Houdini" album.

Photo unattributed]]> 2020-11-19 00:39:05 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939378465 Mike Dirnt dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939386913 Yes, OK. So Dirnt gets double-billing on this Padlet. That's because he's great and Green Day is great. So why not? Enjoy.

Photo by Noel Vasquez]]> 2020-11-19 00:42:59 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939386913 Rickenbacker dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939396377 Rickenbacker began making basses a bit after Leo Fender got the ball rolling. It wasn't that difficult for them to get into that business as they are considered the first makers of electric guitars, predating Fender on that front.

Their 4000-series is full of classics with great sustain and excellent fundamentals. Their sound features in a lot of 70s and 80s punk.

This beauty is a Rik 4001JG.

Photo CC BY 2.5]]> 2020-11-19 00:47:39 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939396377 Gibson Thunderbird dezene https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939409435 Gibson, Fender's closest competitor, came out with their original Thunderbird shortly after Fender started producing basses. Fender sued due to the body design of the Thunderbird bass and related Firebird guitar which had contours similar to the Fender Jazzmaster guitar. It's all sort of confusing, but the initial Thunderbirds were "reverse" while newer ones (since the mid-60s) are "non-reverse."

In any case, the booming fundamentals and neck profile that allows the bassist to move quickly along the fretboard make this classic a favourite of many musicians.

Photo of Josh Reedy (DecembeRadio) CC BY 2.0 by Susan Lloyd]]> 2020-11-19 00:54:13 UTC https://padlet.com/dezene/bass/wish/939409435