Nathan Watts played (and still plays) MusicMan!

[Mr Light]

Hi Guys,

After expressing my dissatisfaction with my ongoing Bass Player Magazine subscription, I found it funny that when I received my latest edition (April '06) one article caught my attention. The article was about Nathan Watts, famous for his bass playing with Stevie Wonder for over thirty years.

Here is one direct quote that caught my eye:

"...I used my '79 MusicMan Stingray, recorded direct, with no effects. The nasty growly sound is just the tone of the bass, plus the strings being tuned down to E-flat, which added more rattle and fret noise..."
(Nathan Watts commenting on 1982 song "Do I Do." Page 32, in box titled A Fistful Of Feels).

Another box on page 37, titled Nathan's Famous, explains "Nathan Watts scored his biggest bass hits on his '74 Fender Precision Bass and '79 MusicMan Stingray (which he still pulls out for recordings)..."

Just thought I'd share.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Doesn't suprise me.

Nobody can resist the Sting of a Ray.

 

[MingusBASS]

One of my profs in college would tell me how Nathan used a Ray but most articles I've read have him with a Yamaha of some sort. Either way he's had some great lines to go with some great songs.

Andrew

 

[Mr Light]

One of my profs in college would tell me how Nathan used a Ray but most articles I've read have him with a Yamaha of some sort. Either way he's had some great lines to go with some great songs.

Andrew

It's interesting how that seems to have been with MusicMan. Other than someone like Louis Johnson, who was always seen using a MusicMan, it is almost as if MusicMan had an underground cult following among the funk and soul elite.

Another example is Bernard Edwards. I have only come across a couple of photos with his MusicMan, but I know he recorded with either his MusicMan or his Fender Precision. According to Marcus Miller's website, he asked Bernard why, when he bought a B.C. Rich bass (like Edwards was always seen with), it did not sound like CHIC's recorded sound. It was because Benard liked the way the B.C. Rich basses looked in the photo ops. They had some quirky designs, that's for sure.

Here's one with a MusicMan... And the other is one I'm using as my Avatar...

 

[dlb1001]

Whatever Bernard used, his lines always grooved!!

 

[Mr Light]

Whatever Bernard used, his lines always grooved!!

You're right about that!

 

[bdgotoh]

The article was about Nathan Watts, famous for his bass playing with Stevie Wonder for over thirty years.

I've loved Nathan's playing that whole time!