Favourite Bassist

[slinger]

I love bass players They generally don't have the ego that needs constantly feeding like singers and guitarists and are not bunny boilers like your average keyboardist.

Also ime they are exceptionally good at drinking and smoking pot.

[Fretless]

Just forget the smoking pot bit.

[BillyBones]

I've been listening to a lot of Steven Wilson solo albums this weekend and it occurred to me what a fine bass player Nick Beggs is.

Too shy shy hush hush eye to eye

[Berty bass]

This is a Hudson headstock btw

Nice design. Funnily enough I'm having a bass built for me at the moment and headstock design was something we spent some time on. That Hudson is really quite elegant.

[Berty bass]

BTW, has anyone mentioned Mick Karn yet?

[Fretless]

BTW, has anyone mentioned Mick Karn yet?

Another uniquely distinctive player.

[Fretless]

The NHOP (Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen) CD's are starting to arrive and the first is:

Knudsen / Mikkelborg / Pedersen 'Imagine' (1987)



This is a tasteful modern Jazz outing with an ECM-style sound, but livelier and more lighthearted. The extensive use of synths gives it a slick, spacy feel.

There is one standout track, the 11-minute 'Short Cart' which is underpinned by bizarrely fluid basswork from NHOP.
How the hell does he do that on a contrabass ???
Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkHVEVQ ... q&index=70

[slinger]

I have landed in a major Eberhard Weber phase, listening attentively to all of the albums of his that I have and tracking down the few that are missing.

His style of playing is expressive and melodic - not supportive and functional as most Rock bassists are meant to be. He was one of the first to utilise an EUB (that's Electric Upright Bass for the uninitiated) in a modern setting and his playing hovers between classical, jazz and rock whilst remaining totally unique and instantly recognisable.

It has got me pulling out my Steinberger Cello and trying to simulate his 'Fluid Rustle' style; a sort of liquid elasticity with careful use of vibrato in the phrasing. But the cello is lacking a certain presence and low-end fullness.

So I'm casting around for an EUB for myself (when funds will allow) currently looking at 2 models: the Warwick Triumph (somewhat similar in appearance to Weber's special custom-built bass):



And the Ibanez UB804, which looks a lot like the Steinberger series.







Dear Santa,
I have been a really good boy this year and could I please have for Christmas .....

[Berty bass]

I'd love an EUB but I know it would get precisely zero use in 'the real world' and I suspect it would be too much of an investment for use just at home. I'm presently awaiting completion of (another!) custom bass build from Zoot and had convinced myself this would be the last one. Notice the use of the word 'had' in that sentence....

[Berty bass]

Since I am trying to use my NS cello as an EUB at the moment I have become aware of a big shift in expressiveness and that is to do with the change in playing position.

A bass guitar sits on your lap or hangs in front of you. A Cello or EUB is an instrument that you physically embrace and almost wrap yourself around.



The change from horizontal playing to vertical also has a psychological effect. I can only say that EUB style playing invites one to a more emotive style.

Or is it just me being weird again ....