The sound of Louis Johnson

[HankHavelock]

I've always wanted to play with the distinct, almost "ping pong ball-like" sound of bassist Louis Johnson of The Brothers Johnson. And I believe that he used to play a MusicMan StingRay. Is this correct?

Also, would a StingRay5 be a good choice when I'm searching for this distinct sound? And would a fretless model have the same metallic funkyslapping sound?

Thanks

Sincerely

Hank

 

[bassdude63]

Hi Hank. Louis Johnson did use a pre-EB Stingray. In regards to the Stingray-5: In my opinion, the E string on a 5- string bass sounds different than the E string on 4-string bass. If you're really after getting a tone like Louis', go with the 4-string. Also, do some research to what kind of amp he was using. It may not hurt to find a pre-EB Stingray as they sound a bit different than the EB model.
D.M.

 

[HankHavelock]

Thanks BassDude63

Your answer is, indeed, constructive and useful. I have send a mail to the Louis Johnson website - still with no reply, and as such websites are presumably taken care of by "lay secretaries", I expect no reply.

How ever, I'll go on with my investigation. In my neighbourhood (which is Copenhagen, Denmark) I've so far singled a few possibilities out: A StingRay 4 string '78 and a Sabre 4 string '78 being sold used for approx. 1.500 USD a piece.

Do these sound as a good deal?

I'll check them out next week.

Thanks again, BassDude63 for your kind and constructive answer.

Hank

 

[bassdude63]

Hi Hank, I'm not sure what the rate of exchange is between USA & USD currencies. I'd think that there is getting to be a collector market for the pre-EB basses. I can't honestly say what the market values of the two are. I'd ask others players or even salespeople I trust in my area if I were you. You may be able to get a Louis Johnson-type tone from the Sabre, I've always been interested in one. I don't think CLF(MM's founding company)produced many Sabres This may make the it a possible collector's piece. On the other hand, you'll definately be able to get a L.J.-type tone out of that Stingray. You'll have to listen to both to find out which will do the best job for you.
Best Regards, D.M.

 

[belaxa]

Louis play an preEB natural body/maple fingerboard/2eq Stingray.
I´d check several Stingrays in stores, pre and post EB, comparing to my Fender Precision 78, and one Stingray surprise me, an 2002 model. I´d purchase recently an 2005 model... It´s an eartquake under my fingers.

 

[Psychicpet]

Hi Hank, as for the tone of slapping on a fretless Sting Ray check out Pino Palladino's playing on some of Paul Young's stuff from the '80s. Pino does some great slap lines on his fretless Sting Ray.
all thebest with the quest!

 

[Golem]

Hi Hank, as for the tone of slapping on a fretless Sting Ray check out Pino Palladino's playing on some of Paul Young's stuff from the '80s. Pino does some great slap lines on his fretless Sting Ray.
all thebest with the quest!

I consider myself a devout nonslapper. But for a few carib' tone tunes, I sorta 'pinky slap' my SR4FL to get what I think is the sound of "bongo drums under water". I guess you could call it kind of ping pongy.

Actually, it's not really just pinky, but no thumb hammering. It's all finger whapping with the right hand, notes closed as usual with the left. I crank the mids and treble, but this is not a nasty pre-EB honker. It's not even a nasty EB Ray. It has a full BassLines conversion so it's a bit mellowed out. Strings are LaBella black flats. Sometimes it's good to let the right hand get ahead of the left, so the note is going from open to closed late into the attack.

 

[strummer]

Thanks BassDude63

Your answer is, indeed, constructive and useful. I have send a mail to the Louis Johnson website - still with no reply, and as such websites are presumably taken care of by "lay secretaries", I expect no reply.

How ever, I'll go on with my investigation. In my neighbourhood (which is Copenhagen, Denmark) I've so far singled a few possibilities out: A StingRay 4 string '78 and a Sabre 4 string '78 being sold used for approx. 1.500 USD a piece.

Do these sound as a good deal?

I'll check them out next week.

Thanks again, BassDude63 for your kind and constructive answer.

Hank

Here in sweden a pre-EB SR4 is about the same, and the prices are rising because they are beginning to float into the "vintage" market.
IMHO Newer EB Stingrays are much better, and also cheaper. drop me a PM if oyu want some links to shops in stockholm that have used Stingrays. I know there is a 20:th anniversary SR4 for about 10k Danish, and that is a sweet bass

 

[ptuckerbass]

Well here goes my first post...

Here's a video clip of Louis playing the bass belaxa mentioned.
I think his aggressive playing style has a lot to do with his sound as well.

http://www.basslobster.com/videos/louis.html

 

[Bill]

Well here goes my first post...

Here's a video clip of Louis playing the bass belaxa mentioned.
I think his aggressive playing style has a lot to do with his sound as well.

http://www.basslobster.com/videos/louis.html

 

[roballanson]

Actually having seen this after Alvabass's post I think I might just have my fingers and thumbs removed.....

There are some truly talented people out there and on this forum....I dont think I am one but that bar has been set really high......

well I am off to find an industrial grinding machine with a hangover and provoke it....

 

[belaxa]

Well here goes my first post...

Here's a video clip of Louis playing the bass belaxa mentioned.
I think his aggressive playing style has a lot to do with his sound as well.

http://www.basslobster.com/videos/louis.html

Yep.. I saw the video and Louis specially mentioned that Leo Fender made the bass specially for him, and continue talking about the MusicMan bass (a bass prepared for slap, big n´strong humbucker.. etc).

 

[Randracula]

Here is my Lous Johnson impersonation on a 2004 EBMM Stingray 4 http://media.putfile.com/S4010242 Sorry the video is so dark my digital camera doesn't have a light in movie mode Sorry for being out of tune also, I was too lazy to get out my rack case which holds my only tuner