Name your favorite Bass players and why.

[Brett A]

frets are there for a reason. I have nothing against skill. But my feeling is that a performer should be focused on what it is that they're playing, not the hoops they have to jump through to play it. What's the point? It's an unnecessary multitasking exercise that only players are going to truly appreciate in the first place. .

I think to say that rock-n-rollers need frets in order to focus on the music is a little insulting.

Insulting to who?...
If a rock'n'roller gets insulted because I think it'd be more challenging for them to move to a fretless instrument, that's their problem.

I guess that’s all you needed to say.

I agree with your other points. I feel because we are adaptable creatures, playing without frets is a pretty small deal and I think anyone who is wants to will adapt pretty easily. But I take your original point that a fretless bass is just unnecessary in blues based pop/rock.

OH, and anyone who plays a bass with more than 4 strings, or a fretless instrument, should have the damned thing shoved up their rectum.

Damn! That would leave likely a mark

[MindGoneHaywire]

I think Swish would say that's their problem...

[Hyfi]

VICTOR WOOTEN - can't believe nobody has said this man, absolutely unbelievable whether you see his solo show with his bros or when he performs with one of the most talented groups out there, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Blows Flea out of the water if you want funky slap bass but can perform every style.

Yeah, Wooten is at the top of my list after seeing him last month.

Also on my radar is Tal Wilkenfeld who most of you have probably seen playing bass for Jeff Beck on the Crossroads show. Her solo album Transformation is great. Also, I am hoping that Julie Slick from Adrian Belew's Power Trio breaks out on her own and does something original.

[Woochifer]

Wow! Can't believe that I missed this thread the first time around.

Lot of good choices. For whatever reason, I've always been partial to the jazz bassists. Maybe because they freely switch off between acoustic and electric, and often play more of the lead parts. Clarke, Pattitucci, and Pastorius have been mentioned.

Probably the most phenomenal bass player I've ever seen is Brian Bromberg. His speed and versatility are off-the-chart, and he plays just about every type of bass imaginable -- fretted, fretless, four-string, eight-string, five-string, acoustic, electric, piccolo bass, standup electric, etc.

Too bad he's not nearly as good a songwriter and puts out albums more in the blander smooth jazz vein. His albums feature some nice solos and the like, but it's nothing like the jaw dropping improvising and accompaniment that he does when unleashed in a live performance. He also does a lot of good session work, but there too he's limited by the material.

Another incredible bassist is Charlie Hunter. He's unusual in that he plays both the lead and bass guitar simultaneously using modified 10 and 12-string guitars. Aside from the incredible skill needed to pull this off, he's a great improviser. The interplay between the lead and bass parts in his songs is impressive, no surprise considering that he plays both parts.

Some reviewers have commented that Hunter could become a legend if he would just focus on one instrument -- that playing both parts impedes his potential to excel at one. But, I'm not so sure. His technique is so embedded into his songwriting and playing, but I just don't see him separating out the two parts, since his improvising hinges so heavily on working the lead guitar and bass parts together. He is capable of playing each instrument by themselves, but I'm not sure that he would be better off focusing on one.

[Mr Peabody]

Bummer, I checked for Tal on Amazon, no samples, out of stock and if it was in stock it would cost a cool $37.49.

[Hyfi]

Bummer, I checked for Tal on Amazon, no samples, out of stock and if it was in stock it would cost a cool $37.49.

Send me your addy. I downloaded 396 mp3 versions from some whacky site and burned it to disk. I hooked up bobsticks and would be glad to hook you up too.

[jjp735i]

After seeing YES more times then I can count. I sticking with Chris Squire.

[Hyfi]

After seeing YES more times then I can count. I sticking with Chris Squire.

Squire and Jon Camp from Rennaisance were the main reasons I bought a Rickenbacker Bass many years ago.

Squire is always a good pick.

[Mr Peabody]

Hyfi, did you stick with bass or move on? I play bass, or play at it. I've had one for years but haven't progressed very far. I need to get off my duff and get some lessons to get me over my plateau. I have a Fender Jazz, love the neck. I am a bass and percussion guy. I've never been able to do much with a 6 string. My wife got me a overdrive pedal for Xmas one year and I have a blast with distortion. I also like to try to do the string pop Funk stuff.

[Hyfi]

Hyfi, did you stick with bass or move on? I play bass, or play at it. I've had one for years but haven't progressed very far. I need to get off my duff and get some lessons to get me over my plateau. I have a Fender Jazz, love the neck. I am a bass and percussion guy. I've never been able to do much with a 6 string. My wife got me a overdrive pedal for Xmas one year and I have a blast with distortion. I also like to try to do the string pop Funk stuff.

Unfortunately I just never ended up with enough time to do much with it besides play along to my favorite tunes. I ended up selling my Fret less Rick about 5 years ago and have been kicking myself in the ass ever since.

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, I've done that. Back in the 80's I sold a nice red Bentley bass and good size Peavey amp to employee purchase a top of the line Kenwood CD player. Although I wasn't a great player I missed it. I eventually bought a used junker to get by and when I had the money I bought my Fender. I don't get time to play it much but I will always hang on to it because I know as sure as I got rid of it I'd miss it.