The 4 GREATEST Rock & Metal Basses EVER? (Bass Tales EP20)

Ready to channel your inner guitar god with these ready-to-rock bass guitars? From a 5-string Stingray Special to a Fender Custom Shop Relic we're covering some of the best rock & metal basses ever played. In today’s new video we head backstage with Brian Marshall (Alter Bridge), Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth), Kyle Konkiel (Bad Wolves) and Josh Smith (Halestorm). Wouldn’t it be awesome to know how to play like them..? Let's hear the tales about their amazing basses!
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Video Breakdown:
00:00 - Introduction
00:48 - Josh Smith (Halestorm)
03:00 - Brian Marshall (Alter Bridge) - 5-string Stingray Special
05:35 - Brian Marshall (Alter Bridge) - Rig Rundown
06:47 - Kyle Konkiel (Bad Wolves)
09:02 - Wolfgang Van Halen (Mammoth)
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[@user-yb4ew6ul7m]

Please Scott... we really want Justin Chancellor in this series!!!

[@Thorsten_Kueppers]

Yeees pleeeasse!!! 🙏

[@wjackter]

And they're both British, no excuses

[@haydenarlington8256]

YES, Justin has obviously plenty of Wals, but also has some other cool ones like a 60s Lake Placid Blue P-Bass, a Chris Squire Signature Rickenbacker, some Ernie Ball Music Mans, and I think even a 60s Jazz Bass too.

[@jamesgauthier1329]

Justin’s Wal basses are insane !

[@greghoppus7421]

Oh my goodness yes... hopefully he can demo the Reflection bass like

[@RebelBuilder]

Geddy Lee would be amazing, but also Steve Harris - he's mostly played his #1 P-Bass his whole career, been through multiple paint jobs, that would make a killer episode.

[@tun-tunninc.6492]

Jason Newsted. Biggest influence in my bass playing style.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

Awesome to see Brian Marshall on here!!! He’s one of the 3 dude that really directed me to the stingray! His bass tone on Creed was so beautiful!!

[@BARTFUNKBASS]

StingRay 4 LIFE !!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@lukkaturi]

Here are two gentlemen I'd LOVE to see on bass tales; Marco Hietala and Jared Smith. Marco will be difficult to get, but Jared is very approachable, an extremely nice guy and a beast of a player.

[@rome8180]

Marco would be amazing, but it seems like he's tired of being a public figure. That's at least part of the reason why he left Nightwish.

[@danielzuber9350]

Please some unsing heroes: Simon Gallup of The Cure and Mani of The Stone Roses!

[@danielzuber9350]

And more great female players, such as Juna Serita and Kinga Głyk!

[@grzegorzkurek9604]

Gallup and Mani!

[@Matt-is8qj]

I really like this format. One thing though, it would be even better if the guys would play a couple licks during the interview just to hear their bass sound on its own. If that's compatible with all the other constraints of the recording of the video.

[@jamesmarkham7489]

would love to see a bassist with a spector bass. It def deserves a spot on this list.

[@lockharthorsburgh8601]

Danny Briggs of Between the Buried and Me leaps to mind.

[@Dxjuncke]

Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse would be super sick. He has his own signature spector

[@billybaru82]

So ready for a Wolfgang bass!

[@danadane2501]

I began my bass journey a little over 2 years ago. Learning to play countless songs and styles. As somebody who primarily lives Heavy Metal and Rock N Roll from the 70-90s and I've found out of all the fancy instruments out there. The good precision bass is what I love the most. The Jazz Bass is great too and I'll never ever get rid of it but Precision Bass works perfectly for any and every style.

[@andrewpappas9311]

Definitely happy seeing Wolfie on here, dude is one hell of a great player (I saw him with Van Halen back in 2012 when I was 13, which was my first concert ever) and a killer musician without a doubt. Been loving his solo work and I'm really happy that he's doing well for himself, I would absolutely love to see Les Claypool just to hear about those Carl Thompsons he rocked with Primus

[@lummond]

Don't underestimate the snarl of a '51-'56 P Bass with fresh Rotosounds and a pick. Check out Ron Wood's tone on our recently departed Jeff Beck Group's albums Truth and Beck-Ola. It would cut through any thick mix.

[@nahowington]

Tony Levin, Jimmy Johnson, Mark King for Bass Tales candidates

[@KoffyGG]

Ryan Martinie pleaaaaaase he's like a ghost but such a figure with the heavier music guys from the 00s and also Nick Schendzielos (check out Nuclear power trio) !!

[@tutubeos]

Hey Scott, for metal basses you absolutely need to check out the Stuart Spector basses, they sound angry by themselves without amps or pedals.

[@ethanreed5815]

Please try and get ahold of Paolo Gregoletto from Trivium, Martin Mendez from Opeth, and Justin Chancellor

[@brianh.santos9295]

That was both enlightening and rockin’ !!!

[@abrahammathew3135]

Please bring Geezer Butler on this series

[@stanisawnanowski2520]

Get Mike Kerr on the show!!! (As long as he'll agree to) He's tone is one of the most unique these days! 🤩

[@user-mt6jq4zb5l]

You know exactly what to do, keep it up. Many thanks

[@GingerBass]

Troy Sanders of Mastodon would be cool to see

[@afootlongdingledong674]

Bass Tales from Jim Lea would be pretty interesting.

[@solid_gold_telephone2654]

Might be a weird one, but, Jason Black from the band Hot Water Music. He was hugely influential for me when I first began playing.

[@ShamanWS6]

I screwed up, I could have bought a great Rickenbacher but got too busy and missed a meeting. Now I have a Warwick Double-$$ and a Jackson SB Pro. The Jackson is decent and plays well, has a pretty decent range of sounds, the Warwick is terrific and is my working bass for gigs. I need a Precision some day, 21 fret as both my other guitars are 24 and I play mostly straightforward (cover + jam) songs.

[@Dc_94]

Please bring Pino Palladino !!!!!!

[@drewlewis9412]

Hey guys love the videos. Would like to actually hear these basses though. Keep up the good work!

[@felixweber6593]

You are right Scott, Alter Bridge are sooooo cool... I got to see them three times, the first being in London in 2004 on their "One Day Remains" tour... one of the best gigs I saw in terms of sound. The two other gigs I attended were in Zurich/Switzerland...

[@devinebass]

Awesome dude!

[@CharlesRobitaille514]

Please talk to Tony Levin, and Hadrien Feraud about thier basses.

[@trfmusic902]

More Brian Marshall content and Alter Bridge!

[@andrewneehall5664]

YES! I'd love to see a master class from Brian Marshall!! He's my biggest bass role model!

[@andrewneehall5664]

I just got to the part of the video where he shows his pedal settings!!! Really hope Scott can do an in depth interview with him!

[@Backlashed]

Would love to see an episode on Matt Freeman's legendary P-Bass

[@shawnhuff3920]

Jason newsted... he is awesome 👌have him on your channel

[@joelosacco]

So want a Wolfgang bass. I have Stingrays already but for some reason I want one with the stripes, the blue Wolfenstein.

[@jaibandroide]

Steve digiorgio!!!!

[@401Blues]

You to can have a almost exact reproduction of Josh smith's bass.....Fender American Vintage II 1954 Precision Bass and yep baseball bat neck, wood fiber bridge, light gauge E string gauge (.100) and single coil PUs...oh and you can foam mute strings under bridgecover, Yea I pretty ignore my other P bass, J Bass and EB Darkray Bass. The C -neck shape, 7.25 radiuus and tall frets are pretty amazing feel and tone!

[@devinebass]

🔥🔥🔥

[@ileutur6863]

Nothing beats the fatness and punch of a stingray, maybe a Wal or other multi coil monster

[@fazz1977]

Justin Chancellor and Billy Gould... My two biggest influences in playing and sound, and two of the most notoriously media-shy bassists out there!

[@devinebass]

Both would be killer!

[@chrisggoodwin777]

I think my top 3 basses for rock (and in general, actually) would be Warwick, Music Man, and Kiesel. In my personal opinion, a bass player can't go wrong with any of these three axes.

[@timkreiser6118]

Justin Morrow, former Bassist of Ice Nine Kills now the Bassist of Motionless in White. He would bring some fresh wind into the Bass Tales because he would give some insides into the Metalcore Bass playing which would be really amazing!

[@JosephGallagher]

Looooooove to see single coil 50's Precisions getting the love they deserve; definitely not just for your flatstrings root note tunes

[@devinebass]

💯💯💯

[@henryjirsak6844]

Bass Tales with the legendary Abe Laboriel would be awesome🎉🙌🏼

[@devinebass]

We would LOVE that!

[@drizztdourden1060]

The Mammoth Bass is pretty awesome!

[@aeromatter3436]

I couldn't have asked for a better episode 👌 The Alter Bridge/ Halestorm/ Mammoth WVH tour was the best gig I've been to (I caught Josh Smith's pick! 😁) EDIT : If you haven't had him on yet, Nate Mendel would be an awesome one!

[@xxitz_pr0gxx631]

I would LOVE to see Nick Schendzielos from Job for. Cowboy. He is such an amazing composer and player!

[@justinglintz8263]

You thought about Justin Raines , I love when he talks about his basses

[@spacedaddy5517]

Scott is a very versatile bassist, not sure if anyone understands this, I guess Ian does. He's underrated just because of that, only bassist I know, who can play legit Jazz, classical music, rock or metal, and then...play funky slap bass, all for real. He takes all the music seriously, equally seriously. I can't play all that, not the same. I been thinking lately about food, how music is like food. People treat it the same, culturally. Now that we have the internet, we can all share recipes to become much better cooks. I have learned a lot about music in the same way, with all the information we have access to now, we have no excuses not to be much smarter at everything. Well, but not if you keep making the same stuff and never try anything new. You have to branch out, learn a little bit of every culture. Next thing you know, you are not a bad cook. I see too many guys who have been making the same music since the 1980's, in every genre. Don't you get sick of the monotony of the same genre, forever ?. Same songs, same instruments for 30 years, but musical experts across the spectrum no doubt ?. I'd say most people stick to only one genre, why ?. I don't get it, tribalism. If everyone was truly versatile, we would all have incredible amounts of fun musically, cause everyone would be awesome at every genre. That means no matter the crowd, everyone enjoys themselves no matter what happens, music gains popularity.

[@hannibalbarkas1350]

Dingwall all the way. I have a really nice G&L 2500 but trying to tune it below b for modern metal it sounds like dogshit, so I'm using the Umansky Dingwall until I can afford a real one (if ever) lol. It's like a different kind of instrument the clarity is insane.

[@oe3phen]

I love my transparent blue burst L1500... but that B string is already a bit flabby when it's humid out

[@fretless29]

You should talk to Al Caldwell. He plays with Vanessa Williams, and he is a great guy!

[@dikinebaks]

Robert Trujillo would be a chill guest

[@devinebass]

We would love to make that happen!

[@tombowman9463]

How about a profile of Bruce Thomas -- bassists for Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Billy Brag, John Wesley Harding, Suzanne Vega, and Yasmin Archer. Just listen to the Attractions first album (This Year's Model) for some great bass-forward production and interesting lines.

[@lucastagorejacomino9817]

Boa!!Sucesso!!

[@4stringp877]

"Unsung heroes" i.e Gerry McAvoy (Rory Gallagher) neither of which ever get any love for some peculiar reason...

[@smashallpots1428]

id love to see a troy sander of mastodon video i think he gets over looked a lot because he isnt particularly flashy

[@paulshephard1907]

JJ Burnel..... all the way from his 63 'green' paint job Precision, his 70s one, Wal, Yamaha (and finally Shuker (even a Steinberger).

[@devinebass]

💚💚💚

[@theodorepalavouras606]

I would definitely love to see Justin Chansellor from Tool!!!

[@danmarshall3089]

hi @Scott's Bass Lessons can i ask what gloves Scott uses i have arthritis and am looking for a good set of compression type gloves I can still play in.

[@devinebass]

Thanks for enquiring about the gloves Scott uses. Unfortunately he has to use them as he suffers from a neurological condition called 'Focal Dystonia'. So... before you run out and buy a pair of black gloves - save yourself the money. If he didn't have to use the gloves he definitely wouldn't be using them. If you do have a similar condition - they are simply tight, thin woolen gloves that you can find in most camping stores or on Amazon. www.amazon.co.uk/EDZ-Merino-Wool-Gloves-Red/dp/B009S4QJOA/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1375953899&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=woollen+gloves+merino+redl Hope that helps

[@danmarshall3089]

@@devinebass thanks been looking on amazon and struggling to see the wood for the trees with them lots of poor quality chinese gloves but was looking for somthing either seemless or with very small seems

[@asherrowland7173]

Lee Sklar!!!

[@darinland1595]

Bill Church (Montrose, Sammy Hagar) would have some cool stories to tell.

[@ifgwelf]

Do more of these type of videos

[@stuartdyker6074]

Would love to see Janek Gwizdala in a Bass Tales episode!! That would be epic!

[@devinebass]

I think we could make that happen!

[@TheBGS128]

Cheers, Scott! Any chance you can get Alain Caron to talk about his gorgeous basses?

[@TheBGS128]

Thanks Scott! To be honest I did not expect any kind of reply. But you really are close to your followers!

[@theriguyayylmao3761]

Would love to see you talk to Jared Smith of Archspire

[@cd0u50c9]

Without mentioning/showing Lemmy's Rickenbastards, Steve Harris' Blue & mirrored P bass, Roger Glover's T-bird or any of Geddy Lee's instruments, I think you have some title adjustments to do for this video, Mr. Devine Lessons of Bass. ;)

[@Redbeard4321]

Mike Watt!

[@yoshi26bass15]

Ben Kenney of INCUBUS, plz!!!!

[@devinebass]

Would love that, Kenney = killa!

[@ethantaylor8306]

For Bass Tales? I'd love to see y'all sit down with the funkadelic priest himself; Bootsy Collins.

[@dirtmagurt2178]

Would love to see the Aussie boys from The Omnific on Bass tales

[@devinebass]

That would be cool! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@LixiN69]

did you do ryan matinees (sorry bad spelling) that would be awsome!

[@devinebass]

That would be sick!

[@rhapsody1the]

if you could get les claypool that be amazing

[@CillBlintonOfficial]

Anyone know what kind of pickup this has in it?

[@dorssberube]

Yeah!!!!!!

[@seancortese4363]

Kinga Glyk! Please!

[@devinebass]

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 Love Kinga dude!

[@cjcremesikle]

There's definitely a couple different bassists that would be great to see on here, just to name a few...Sam Rivers, Aaron Willis "P-nut", Ryan Martinie, Reginald Arvizu "Fieldy", Eddie Breckenridge, just to name a few. 🤣🤣🤙🏼

[@devinebass]

That's a fire list! 🔥🔥🔥

I'd love to see Colin Edwin featured on bass tales (Porcupine Tree, O.R.k.)

[@devinebass]

That would be awesome!

[@buecheman7398]

No Spector and Warwick players? Those are monster crunching basses.

[@olivergold5398]

What about 80s Pop bassists? I'd like to throw Nick Beggs and John Taylor into the ring ... 😁

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@bhburell]

Jean-Michel Labadie from Gojira! 🙏

[@devinebass]

🔥🔥🔥

[@neptvnebeatschannel]

We want Mark Hoppus !

[@KimSE4]

I'm not really a rock metal player, way more pop/funk/rock but... I have a Stingray and a Dingwall! And I use Darkglass. Maybe I should play more hard rock.

[@devinebass]

They are both pretty versatile! Can definitely be used in a pop/funk/rock context!

[@KimSE4]

@@devinebass They really are! The 'Ray though - you need to do it all with your playing style. Rolling off the tone control can only do so much! The Combustion though, you can get away with almost any tonal style ... except muddy!

[@Oscaraha]

John Myung and John Patitucci!

[@crazeyjoe]

Spector first and foremost.

[@lowstringc]

In a different genre, but Phil Lesh would be awesome to see.

[@devinebass]

That would be killer!

[@teresaravenshaw5477]

Peter Hook, Duff McKagan.

[@pedropablosilvabarroilhet1350]

It would be awesome having Alain Caron do a bass tales 🤓!!!

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@user-im4nq5km9n]

JOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEE DAAAAAAAAART!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@devinebass]

🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@harrypalmer5452]

CHRISTOPHER WOLSTENHOLME BASS TALES PLEASE

[@grzegorzkurek9604]

Darryl Jennifer from Bad Brains.

[@rabanomartinez7759]

I would like to see flea in this series

[@JamilLeslie]

Freddie Washington! Please lol

[@amitchelmore88]

Pino Palladino!

[@Sanetry]

John Paul Jones, Rob Mullarkey or Thundercat would be amazing.

[@devinebass]

💯💯💯

[@se7enthsoul]

I may just be dreaming but Victor Wooten is a must

[@gonkdroid2539]

Do a Bass Tales episode with Al Cisneros from Sleep and Om.

[@j4ck.]

Ryan Martinie would be unreal.

[@devinebass]

Would love that!

[@QBprincess]

Sam Rivers from Limp Bizkit please!!

[@pedropablosilvabarroilhet1350]

And John Patitotucci!!!

[@devinebass]

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@N8_Mitchinson]

Les Claypool would be rad

[@brendanaten9045]

Duff McKagan would be sickkkkkkk

[@vrin1]

Scott Spray would be great for a video like this.

[@devinebass]

Sick! We'll check him out.

[@vrin1]

@@devinebass Great, Scott played with Johnny Winter for years. He’s a nice guy and would probably love to do a session with you. I can provide contact info if you like .

[@jaymarcum5863]

I would love to see Rex brown featured

[@devinebass]

Sounds like a good time!