More on Gibson basses + bonus ripping Jimmy Page solo

singemonkey

This Gibson semi bass sounds amazing on this recording. I wonder why there aren't more semi-acoustic bass options?

Jack-Flash-Jr

Pretty cool indeed. I played an Ibby semi that looked exactly like that a month or so ago. Good sound but too bulky to be comfortable for an hour set I reckon.
The shiny shirt however looks very comfy.

Gearhead

Looks like an EB3 on tapewounds to me :bopping:

singemonkey

Tapewounds? [says the guitar-player ?]

Gearhead

Like http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-9120-Nylon-Tapewound-Bass-Strings?sku=101218
Common in the 60s for reasons that escape me, these strings are like flatwounds where the flat part has been taped before winding. They have none of the fingering sounds and no metalness of flatwounds about them, making them sound warmer. Opening up the treble will not make them sound as grating as roundwounds, yet bring out the Motown like nothing else. My fav ?

Reinhard

Sheesh, Jimmy tears it up on that tele.

this is pretty cool bass tone too

AlanRatcliffe

tapewound is just another name for flatwound. All electric guitar strings were flatwound until Rotosound introduced roundwounds in '58 - even then they didn't catch on with most players until the late '60s.

The nylon flatwounds are an attempt to make an electric bass guitar sound more like an acoustic upright bass (also a Rotosound innovation IINM). Funny - I didn't think they were around until the early '80s, but in the Yardbirds clip it does look and sound like them...

Reinhard wrote: this is pretty cool bass tone too

Free's Andy Fraser always sounded great - humbucker basses + valve amps = gorgeous fat crunchy tones. He had a big influence on Billy Sheehan (alongside Chris Squire of Yes).

[deleted]

Gearhead wrote: Like http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-9120-Nylon-Tapewound-Bass-Strings?sku=101218
Common in the 60s for reasons that escape me, these strings are like flatwounds where the flat part has been taped before winding. They have none of the fingering sounds and no metalness of flatwounds about them, making them sound warmer. Opening up the treble will not make them sound as grating as roundwounds, yet bring out the Motown like nothing else. My fav ?

omg! I want some! Can they be purchased like normal over-the-counter strings, asks the bass noob?

AlanRatcliffe

Ask your local store to order these from Bemusic: http://www.rotosound.com/tru_88.php I can't say for sure, but they seem to be stocking just about the whole Roto range (although the stores aren't carrying many of them).

I even got a couple of sets of their .010 gauge electric 12-string from Bothner's and BeMusic have lots more on hand, which makes a change from me waiting six months every time I want a couple of sets of D'Addarios...