Jaco and Hartke

[JTBBASS]

Hartke states it designed its first ever cab for Jaco in 1984, it shows a pic of that cab (which it now holds in some kind of shrine) with a beat up old jazz bass leaning on it.  The owner of Hartke states on the website they made an 8 x 10 for Jaco and as far as he knows he used it exclusively until they made him a couple 4 x 10s but no picture of Jaco playing through Hartke exists.  I have the original guitar player from August 1984 and when asked about amps he states he plays through 2  acoustic 360s like he had for 13 years.  You can see very late bootleg vids of him on youtube... as well as the DCI vid he made and he is not using Hartke.  I am sure they made him a cab and he tried it out... but I think that is where it ended.  If one pic existed of him playing through a Hartke I would think Hartke would be using it in ads not a pic of a beat up bass leaning against the original cab???

[Chris P.]

Wikipedia says he used Hartke cabs ad that he loved the aly conusses. And there's some interview with Jaco's son about Jaco using Harkte. All not very convincing.

A bit the same with John Entwistle. Lakland state they were developing a Fenderbird-kinda bass and Alembic also stated they were making a bass for Entwistle. I think it would be strange JAE would go back to those designs.. But after your dead you can't defend your choices...

[chromium]

I only remember seeing him with Guild gear in this advertisement in the guitar mags as a kid:




I can't recall seeing footage of him playing the Pilot and Hartke cabs, but who knows...  (notice also that the ad sates he used this stuff for a Guild bass clinic video?)

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Larry Hartke was looking for a big-name endorser from the get go, and given his dire financial straits, Jaco never balked at freebies. He may have used one a few times, but his tone was his bass itself and the way he played it. I heard tons of bootlegs with him playing through all sorts of different house rigs, and aside from some small coloration, the amps always sounded like Jaco, good AND bad.

[Pilgrim]

Larry Hartke was looking for a big-name endorser from the get go, and given his dire financial straits, Jaco never balked at freebies. He may have used one a few times, but his tone was his bass itself and the way he played it. I heard tons of bootlegs with him playing through all sorts of different house rigs, and aside from some small coloration, the amps always sounded like Jaco, good AND bad.

There ya go. Probably true of most of us, even if we obsess about amps.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

There are a lot of styles where a certain type of amp sound is essential. Jaco's isn't one of them.

[JTBBASS]

Thanks for finding that picture... In the '84 guitar player article he states that he gets "lots of free" basses and amps.. but seemed to stick with the fender and the acoustic 360s.  I was just surprised when I read the interview with Jaco's son and Hartke and he said as far as he knows he used it exclusively after he gave him the cabs.. I have seen lots of late vid clips and pics but never saw him playing 1.... he would have used it on the DCI video I would have thought... thanks for finding that pic!