{"id":638,"date":"2020-09-15T21:45:24","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T21:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/?p=638"},"modified":"2020-10-04T20:08:16","modified_gmt":"2020-10-04T20:08:16","slug":"best-bass-for-disco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/best-bass-for-disco\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Bass For Disco: The Right Tone For 70s Dance Grooves"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to disco, the Jazz bass is hard to beat, and the EBMM ranks as a close second. The EBMM wasn\u2019t launched until 1976, so it only witnessed the latter half of the disco era but it was good enough for Bernard Edwards to shift from a P bass to a Music Man Stringray. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, most bassists in the pure disco era preferred the simplicity of a P-Bass, which didn\u2019t need too much tone-shaping and could provide the basic thump for Disco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While history has evidenced that the P-bass can work in any configuration in the hands of a good player, the inherent growl of the Jazz and Stingray is better suited for rhythm-driven genres. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Janice Marie Johnson (A Taste of Honey<\/a>), one of the most formidable vocalists\/bassists of the disco era, rocked the J-bass for most of her career. In general, people preferred the J to the MM because the octave playing, which is an important part of disco grooves, can sound more strident and harsher on a Stingray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Jazz Bass is more versatile than a Precision. You can roll the tone off the J and make it work for Disco and Motown, but it is hard to make a Precision cut the mix like a Jazz. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the studio, however, all this changes drastically because the right hand attack can be combined with EQ and amplification (we are talking about the 70s). This opened up the use of the Fender Jaguar, P+J, Rics and Alembics \u2013 all of them have made brief appearances in disco music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bear in mind that these are period-perfect representations of tone and instruments. The choices of the players in that day were limited, but today something like the Ibanez ATK<\/strong> and Steinberger<\/strong> bass can also do a great job for recreating that vibe. Although to some, they may not sound completely authentic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Table of Contents<\/p>\n