Get out the synth.....Gibson 20/20

[Blackbird]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Ultra-Rare-Gibson-Ned-Steinberger-20-20-Bass-Guitar-/120613082691?pt=Guitar&hash=item1c15199643

[Denis]

Uwe should post some sound clips so uneducated rubes such as myself can hear what one sounds like. 

[uwe]

It sounds like the bass sounds on Level 42 albums. Sparkling presence and phat bass, but nothing in between. A period piece. Unless I'm mistaken someone has shaved the neck of this one, 20/20ies have halved baseball bat necks.

[OldManC]

It sounds like the bass sounds on Level 42 albums.

I always liked that sound a lot. Obviously it wouldn't work for a lot of stuff, but in the right arrangement it kicks all sorts of ass. I still couldn't play a 20/20 though!

[uwe]

There was a time when I liked that sound too, but it hasn't aged very well in my ears. Without the mids it sounds insubstantial and "unwarm" to me today. It takes the note out of the tone.

That said, it has its fans even today. Just read an interview with Meshell Ndgeocello where she said that she is switching bass brands yet again in search of a bass sound as zingy as on those Level 42 albums of yore. She also sings praises on Mark King as a bassist in that interview.

The bass on Starship's "We built this city" is another example for how a 20/20 sounds.

[Dave W]

The bass on Starship's "We built this city" is another example for how a 20/20 sounds.

Don't forget that "We built this city" ranked #1 on Blender.com's list of the 50 worst songs ever.

[Hornisse]

I thought Mario Cipollina used a Peavey Dynabass on that record.



I like the little pop he does on that song after the lyric: Who counts the money ,underneath the bar

And the riff he does after the lyric: Don't tell us you need us, 'cause we're the ship of fools

[uwe]

I didnNt mean to say that a 20/20 was played during the recording. The bass just sounds like a 20/20 would, your typical "boom-zing" eighties bass sound on zillions of recordings (that haven't aged well), replaceable and musically often irrelevant because in the absence of notes you often don't even hear a real note.

That said: I liked "We built this City".     And this here too:



I'm no AOR hater, I even own Robin Beck CDs!   

[Hornisse]

I knew what you were saying about the late 80's bass tones Uwe.  Don't forget about the gated reverb on the snare drums!     I'm guilty of liking a lot of the songs that came out during that period.  I was just listening to Robbie Robertson's LP.  I used to love this song but what a crazy video! (note Tony Levin on the fretless Stingray)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KP9PNSUME4&feature=PlayList&p=92EB246FBFCAC21E&index=0&playnext=1