The bass used on Led Zeppelin 1

[Pekka]

Power metal? Achilles Last Stand sowed the seeds for all that tedious triplet-galloping and the band endlessly robbed lyrics and imagery from Tolkien. They share some of the burden. 

OK, but "Rising" was far worse in that matter.

EDIT: BTW, I love Purple too. Rainbow, not that much.

[Alanko]

Definitely. 

When music is that cringe-inducing then it becomes hilarious. Blackmore's wig could have inspired a genre by itself.

[Pekka]

Back to topic...sort of.

Didn't Jones say somewhere that he used the EB-1 on "Tangerine"?

[Pilgrim]

Weeeeeell, I'll take that Zep review with a grain of salt and respect the eye of the beholder.

As Samuel Clemens used to reply to critical letters sent to Mark Twain, "Dear Sir or Madam: you may be right. Sincerely..."

[Alanko]

Back to topic...sort of.

Didn't Jones say somewhere that he used the EB-1 on "Tangerine"?

To quote another webpage:

"Oh, I got a hold of a very nice old Gibson violin bass pictured in the little cutout wheel on the cover of Led Zeppelin III. That was nice, too: it's not stage-worthy, but it gives a beautiful warm sound. I don't like Gibson basses generally because they feel all rubbery; I like something you can get your teeth into. But the violin bass was the only Gibson that was as heavy as a Fender to play, but still had that fine Gibson sound. I used it on Led Zeppelin III and I've used it every now and again, usually when I'm tracking a bass after I've done keyboard for the main track. The one I have went through Little Richard's band and then through James Brown's band, and it arrived in England. In fact, I saw it on an old movie clip of Little Richard, It was probably about a 48 or 50 or something like that: it was the original one." - John Paul Jones, July 1977

According to a Marc 4, 2012 interview with Dave Lewis, John Paul said, "Yes, I still have that. I didn't use it live but it is on record. I think it was used for Tangerine."

http://www.led-zeppelin.org/studio-and-live-gear/81-reference/studio-and-live-gear/john-paul-jones-gear/872-1953-gibson-eb-1-bass


On a side note:

[uwe]

Hey, I was making fun of myself, it's a running gag that I pretend to loathe Zep here - I don't, I just don't freeze in awe when I hear or see them. But they have - against all critical backlash from day one - undeniably left their mark, especially in the US which they all but conquered.

Ramble on, everyone, you have my blessings (if you need them).

PS: Jimmy Page and underage groupies? He wasn't the first and he wasn't the last. I always thought that there was something childlike to him - Michael Jackson comes to mind -, that might have played a role. Did he ever even marry and have children of his own?

[mc2NY]

Hello all,

I've noticed a few discussions about JPJ's tone online, and analysis of his tone doesn't really ever get beyond his use of rounds and flats on various cuts. The general consensus is that he used a Jazz bass in the early-to-mid era, then swapped that out for the Becvar and Alembic basses we see from 1977 onwards. He also used a fretless CBS-era Precision bass, a stripped finish Tele bass and some sort of electric upright bass live, and that is that!

However I've listened to the intro to Dazed and Confused a lot over the years, and I cannot hear a Jazz bass in that tone at all. To my ears it sounds like an EB0/EB1/EB2 with flatwounds, played with a pick and hitting an oldschool studio compressor quite hard. The notes are pillowy, but the attach is percussive with a bit of a 'click' present.

My fan theory is that Jimmy Page picked up his more experimental studio chops in the latter days of the Yardbirds, and when he knew he had to record tracks quickly and economically for LZ1 he remembered how easily the Rivoli went onto tape on the Yardies tunes. That sort of bass wouldn't really fug up the middle frequencies like a Fender bass would, so he could separate the instruments out quite easily and quickly creating a (relatively) clear, expansive mix on a tight budget and time constraint.

JPJ is pictured holding an EB1 on the rotating disk thingy for LZ III but it doesn't mean he played it on that, or any, album.

Funny....I actually sold Jason Bonham a hollowbody '74 Les Paul Signature a little before Christmas.
I was wondering if he bought it as a Christmas gift for John Paul Jones.

[mc2NY]

As far as Led Zep womanizng groupies.....they were nowhere as bad as some others.
Isn't that part of why guys want to be musicians? For the chicks?

And Led Zep made a career out of recycling American blues and rock.
Maybe they were just following in the footsteps of some of their American rock idols, like
Jerry Lee Lewis?


http://gawker.com/5898022/jerry-lee-lewis-marries-the-ex-wife-of-his-underage-ex-wifes-brother

[Dave W]

As far as Led Zep womanizng groupies.....they were nowhere as bad as some others.
Isn't that part of why guys want to be musicians? For the chicks?

And Led Zep made a career out of recycling American blues and rock.
Maybe they were just following in the footsteps of some of their American rock idols, like
Jerry Lee Lewis?


http://gawker.com/5898022/jerry-lee-lewis-marries-the-ex-wife-of-his-underage-ex-wifes-brother

That Jerry Lee Lewis article fails to mention that Myra Gale Brown's dad was Jerry Lee's bassist as well as his first cousin. When your bassist okays the relationship....

[Alanko]

Isn't that part of why guys want to be musicians? For the chicks?

Not me, personally. 

There is a difference between being 'in it for the chicks' and having your band's hired goons abduct a 14 year old girl. I have no issue with groupies because they are consenting adults. 14 year old girls cannot consent, sexually, as is the law.

[uwe]

That Jerry Lee Lewis article fails to mention that Myra Gale Brown's dad was Jerry Lee's bassist as well as his first cousin. When your bassist okays the relationship....

I'm relieved to hear it was all within family then. The initial post had me alarmed.