Customshop "Hank Marvin" Precision Bass

[Dranna]

And here's a still from the video, showing me with the "Hank Marvin" Precision Bass, playing "Tales of a Raggy Tramline." I am told that players from the period generally don't move and certainly don't jump around on stage, but I'm not from the period! Best to all, especially bass players.

Anna

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[abstamaria]

Anna will kill me for posting this, but here’s a photo from the studio cutting-room floor. This was taken during the publicity shoot for one of the shows, when Anna was horsing around before the actual photo session. It shows off the “Hank Marvin” Precision Bass very nicely; it is such a lovely guitar and looks specially good in this studio shot.

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[dave robinson]

I agree about the 'ash tray' and it's effect on the playing style. Our bass player uses his fingers and although excellent and accurate in his playing, cannot get the sound as it needs to be for 'die hard' lovers of the music. I too play a bit of bass and have recently been experimenting in an attempt to re-create the 'Kon Tiki' and '36-24-36' tone which has to be achieved using a pick (and some reverb) - thus the need of the 'ash tray' to lean on. That said one rarely sees a bass player these days with the 'ash tray' in place and using a pick.

[George Geddes]

Agree wholeheartedly with Dave that it should be a pick especially for the 60s numbers. I find it interesting that Licorice now uses fingerstyle more often than not, having played with a pick in the 60s; Mark Griffiths used fingerstyle apart from a few numbers but I *think* Alan J opted for a pick more often. Correct me if I'm wrong...

George

[dave robinson]

Agree wholeheartedly with Dave that it should be a pick especially for the 60s numbers. I find it interesting that Licorice now uses fingerstyle more often than not, having played with a pick in the 60s; Mark Griffiths used fingerstyle apart from a few numbers but I *think* Alan J opted for a pick more often. Correct me if I'm wrong...

George

Jonesy does use the pick most of the time and it makes the difference. Problem is with using the pick and the tone/reverb that is there on Kon Tiki etc - it's no use for anything else and one has to completely change the amp settings for most of the other stuff, which is why I believe most bass players just set up a 'ball park' sound, as Hank does with his guitar.

[Iain Purdon]

Yes, for gigs a ballpark sound is essential. On a P-Bass you still have the tone control, choice of pick or finger and where you pluck. I find that all allows a fair range of options.
Iain

[Dranna]

That's a funny photo, Andy. I hope I am still taken seriously here!

Dear all, could you help me with suggestions on settings for the PBass for KonTiki and 36-24-36? I play with the ashtray on, so that limits where I pick; could you give me suggestions there too? I am still getting used to a plectrum, but improving. I am assuming a thick plectrum is needed, and that is what I use - a triangular one with three points.

I use an Ampeg tube amp in the studio and the house amp when at a show. Any general suggestions on amp settings for these two pieces would also be great. These amps have no reverb effects. Andy has a Fender tube reverb unit, a reissue of the 60s unit. Could I use that?

Suggestions and advice from Dave and the other very experienced bassists here will be appreciated.

Best,

Anna

[dave robinson]

Hi Anna, the only place where you can pick to get a similar sound to Jet's on those two tunes, is between the ashtray and the bridge. I also believe that the bridge cover needs to be removed to damp the strings - unless you could wedge a piece of damping foam under the strings by the bridge. Also you need plenty of 'top end' on the amp or mixer along with some reverb, which is the key to getting it to sound the same. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

I might add that a bit of compression would help also.

[Iain Purdon]

Dave is spot on, Anna. Jet himself once gave the recipe as "full top, bags of wellie and a shedload of echo". The echo on the record will have been added by Malcolm Addey using the Abbey Road echo chamber, so Jet would not have had to create the effect on his amp. Jet's bass had the ashtray and the mute in place, so the damping foam is your answer here. And yes, use a hard pick and bash it out.

In a live gig the venue acoustic may do a fair job for you if you're lucky. Try the tube reverb and see what happens. My solution is a cheap FX pedal which normally does nothing but for Kon-Tiki it boosts the treble and adds the echo, to settings I have discovered by trial and error.

Also don't worry about jumping about on stage. Musicmaking is about having fun. Look at these chaps in action...



Iain

[abstamaria]

In Manila in the early 60s, the Ventures were far more popular than the Shadows. In part, that was probably due to our strong ties with the US (we had US television and radio) and because the Ventures pieces were danceable and preferred at parties and "shindigs."

I don't think we ever saw the Shadows play in those early days, except in the movies.

The problem is that the Ventures hardly moved on stage. They just stood impassively, swaying sometimes, and mostly just stared at a distant audience. Nokie seemed to do that even in later years, standing bolt upright with no expression, only his fingers moving. So that was the norm here as well. It seems, from some videos on this forum, cover bands elsewhere follow that same stage formula too and hardly move. Certainly no displays of exuberance and no jumping around!

So, even now, "performing" musicians are not common here for all-instrumental, 60s-style retro bands. Anna comes from a younger generation where of course the rules are different. They move! That is why Anna apologizes for moving about on "Raggy Tramline." etc. I don't mind; it certainly makes the pieces more lively and interesting.

Just a historical, cultural note.

Andy