mellowgerman
Senior Member
Before Jack's Starfire days, but I thought it would be interesting to do some isolating to showcase this SUPER awesome bass tone and playing.
http://youtu.be/J4Y8JuMK8kQ
http://youtu.be/J4Y8JuMK8kQ
Jack Casady 1966
- Thread starter mellowgerman
- Start date
bassmanpatsfan18
Member
Great clip! Thanks for posting that. Only goes to show how much of his tone came from his fingers and not the basses (although I'm sure they contributed). I'm guessing the Versatone had something to do with his sound on this as well.
mellowgerman
Senior Member
bassmanpatsfan18 said:
Curious as to what amp he was using at the time. I was under the impression that the Versatone came later too. I would have went out on a limb and said that '66 would still have just been a Fender (Bandmaster?)
mellowgerman
Senior Member
Hangman said:
Oh cool, thanks for the info! I'll update it right now.
P.S. I'd love to see that photo
adorshki
Reverential Member
I'm pretty darn sure MGod mentions that it (the Versatone) came about the time of the Baxter's sessions in LA, about the same time as the Guild, in fact now that I think about it, they were from the same source? A search of his posts will find it.mellowgerman said:
This might be helpful information: http://www.flyguitars.com/interviews/jackCasadyAmp.php
Written in 93:
" During the sessions for their third record, After Bathing at Baxter's, a man named Bob Hall came down to RCA with an amp he'd designed for acoustic bassists, a 40-watt per channel stereo amp (a pair of 7591's per channel) called a Versatone that combined both channels into one custom-made 12" Utah (though Carol Kaye used a version that added a 6" speaker, still wired in mono). "You should've smelled the atmosphere in that room!" Hall laughed, adding, "He turned the thing all the way up! I didn't know why you'd want to do that, but as long as he bought the amp, it was his business." The Versatone turned all the way up is the only effect Jack has ever used. It makes its first appearance all over "Baxter's" and represents a turning point in Jack's sound. But over the years, continuing to today, the Versatone turned half-way up, so that it distorts when he plays harder, has been a more crucial part of Jack's approach, and you can hear this sound on most recordings he's done since. The Jazz bass is still Jack's main instrument on "Baxter's", though towards the end of these sessions he started trying out his new Guild. "
" During the sessions for their third record, After Bathing at Baxter's, a man named Bob Hall came down to RCA with an amp he'd designed for acoustic bassists, a 40-watt per channel stereo amp (a pair of 7591's per channel) called a Versatone that combined both channels into one custom-made 12" Utah (though Carol Kaye used a version that added a 6" speaker, still wired in mono). "You should've smelled the atmosphere in that room!" Hall laughed, adding, "He turned the thing all the way up! I didn't know why you'd want to do that, but as long as he bought the amp, it was his business." The Versatone turned all the way up is the only effect Jack has ever used. It makes its first appearance all over "Baxter's" and represents a turning point in Jack's sound. But over the years, continuing to today, the Versatone turned half-way up, so that it distorts when he plays harder, has been a more crucial part of Jack's approach, and you can hear this sound on most recordings he's done since. The Jazz bass is still Jack's main instrument on "Baxter's", though towards the end of these sessions he started trying out his new Guild. "
adorshki
Reverential Member
That finally explains what I love so much about his tone on Baxter's. 'Til now, I'd always wondered if it was the change to the Starfire that was responsible.mgod said:
idealassets
Senior Member
Mellow, thanks for sharing that. That is the famous "dive bomber" bass song, and is it not sung by one of my favorite 12 string players, Paul Kantner?
Thats all original Airplane at its best on that track, including the beginnings of Jorma's unsurpassed lead guitar work. I can still remember saving my nickels and dimes to buy that album as a "must have" back in the day. It was priced $1 more in order to get the "stereo" version, instead of "mono".
Craig
If I ever get a scanner, I'll post it. Thanks for upload, btw.mellowgerman said:
As a side note, is everyone aware that in a recent Holiday 2011 issue of Bass Player, Chris Jisi transcribed (and analyzed) the bassline of Somebody to Love off the pointy head lp?
"Four Showman heads serving as preamps pushing 4 McIntosh 3500 power amps, into 8 custom made plywood ported cabs with 15" D140 speakers. And the Versatone."
But we knew that.
:lol:
fronobulax
Bassist, GAD and the Hot Mess Mods
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Hangman said:
No. Any chance the issue is still on newsstands? If not, do you have a scanner? :wink:
mellowgerman
Senior Member
Hangman said:If I ever get a scanner, I'll post it. Thanks for upload, btw.mellowgerman said:
As a side note, is everyone aware that in a recent Holiday 2011 issue of Bass Player, Chris Jisi transcribed (and analyzed) the bassline of Somebody to Love off the pointy head lp?
"Four Showman heads serving as preamps pushing 4 McIntosh 3500 power amps, into 8 custom made plywood ported cabs with 15" D140 speakers. And the Versatone."
But we knew that.
That's the kind of rig I'd hope to have roadies lugging around for me some day. For now I'll stick with my relatively portable Eden Highwayman and Trace Elliot 1x15
P.S. While I'm at it, everyone, be sure to check out the link I just posted in the "From the Store" section to a newly acquired 1967 cut of 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds
adorshki
Reverential Member
I laways liked "She HAs Funny Cars" on Pillow. Another good example of that tone in the coda and my favorite Dryden floor tom/bass work, even if it is borrowed from "Sing Sing Sing". :wink: :lol:idealassets said: