Name that bass

Started by 4stringer77, July 12, 2018, 07:57:48 AM

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4stringer77

What do we have here backing up the man in black?

Contrary to what James Bond says, a good Gibson should be stirred, not shaken.

Alanko

Micro Frets Signature bass.


4stringer77

Contrary to what James Bond says, a good Gibson should be stirred, not shaken.

Alanko

The guitarist standing to the left of the bassist is using the guitar version. Micro Frets must have had a tie-in, or something.

A different Micro Frets bass is seen in this video:


4stringer77

Man country music just ain't the same. Anybody here own an old micro frets? Are they nice instruments?
Contrary to what James Bond says, a good Gibson should be stirred, not shaken.

Pilgrim

I played two country gigs last week, and all my bass lines were very similar to the one in "Old Time Religion." It's getting to feel rather familiar.
"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any other invention with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."

4stringer77

Must have been a fun gig Pilgrim. Were you playing tunes from contemporary country artists too? I just know when I turn on a typical modern country FM radio station, I don't get the same vibe as I do from Conway Twitty or Johnny Cash.
Contrary to what James Bond says, a good Gibson should be stirred, not shaken.

Pilgrim

Quote from: 4stringer77 on July 12, 2018, 01:58:45 PM
Must have been a fun gig Pilgrim. Were you playing tunes from contemporary country artists too? I just know when I turn on a typical modern country FM radio station, I don't get the same vibe as I do from Conway Twitty or Johnny Cash.

Lots of George Strait, Merle Haggard, some Brooks & Dunn (I like Neon Moon a lot...), Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, Eagles, Jimmy Buffett, a little Joe Diffie (Devil Danced in Empty Pockets), Alan Jackson, Chris Ledoux, Toby Keith. 

And for a change of pace, "Choo Choo Cha'Boogie" "Route 66" and "Steel Guitar Rag."  So lots of classic stuff, but some newer stuff too.
"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any other invention with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."

Dave W

I had never heard of Micro Frets until Michael Wright wrote a history of the brand in Vintage Guitar mag back in the mid 90s. In the next ten years, I saw three Micro Frets basses in stores, two here and one in San Antonio. None of them had any appreciable low end. Was it the pickups or the weird bridge and nut setup? No idea. Whatever the reason, the tone was disappointing.

Alanko

That is a shame, I guess. The technological developments in their design are quite something, but maybe they skimped on the tonal aspects a bit? Bolt-on instruments with thin bodies and single coil pickups either right at the bridge or right at the neck. This isn't the best recipe for a solid bass tone, even if it sorta worked for Vox and co in the early-md '60s.

gearHed289

Mike Rutherford used some Micro Frets stuff with Genesis in the mid 70s, including this weird double neck with 6 string bass and guitar.