Who's the best bass player of all time?

Who's the best bass player of all time?

  • Paul McCartney

    Votes: 7 24.1%
  • John Entwistle

    Votes: 9 31.0%
  • Flea

    Votes: 7 24.1%
  • Victor Wooten

    Votes: 5 17.2%
  • Chris Squire

    Votes: 1 3.4%

  • Total voters
    29

JamieBoy

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Apart from Jaco and John from The Who (included), I think your list could do with the addition of a few of these:
Tetsuya Ogawa
Stanley Clarke (JAZZ)
Cliff Burton
P-nut
Steve Harris
 

D_N Flay Table

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les claypool is pretty good...
but are you talking technical ability, or song writing?
Paul Mc Cartney has to be the best writer.
there are many things to consider when you say the "best"...
Hard to say
 

pym

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My favorite bass player's:
Berry Oakley/Otiel Burbridge
John Entwhistle
John McVie
Johnette Napolitano
Jack Bruce
Jaco
Stanley Clarke
Chris Hillman
Chris Ethridge
Jack Cassidy
Rodger Waters
Chris Squire
Nick Olivieri
Larry Graham
James Jamerson
Donald DUCK Dunn
Geezer Butler
Rodger Glover/Glenn Hughes
Leland Sklar
Billy Cox/Noel Redding
Phil Lynott
Felix Papalardi
Tommy Shannon.......
That's not all of em', but there the one's that i remember well.
 

Hand_Solo

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Some other personal favorites are John Patitucci, Tony Levin, and Edgar Meyer.

I saw Meyer at a performance with Bela Fleck and was pretty much blown away.
 

Qua

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Gotta give props to John Myung in the soul-less machine like precision metal category. He doubles Petrucci (with greater consistency I'll add) almost the whole time...and those lines are hard enough on guitar.
 

B_cigarbabe

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Stanley Clarke
Charles Mingus
Felix Papalardi
Perhaps even John Troy from the Pousette Dart band.
He can't read music but has a great tenor voice and
can play by ear.
C.B.:saevil:
 
Last edited:

D_Drew Peacock

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Victor gets my vote, for his jam power, solo amazingness and his general all round ability to groove like nobody's business. I am not surprised though that the number 2 man, possibly even better than the mighty Vic is missing, and that is Michael Manring. Look him up and hold on to your jaw. That floor is hard.
 

tripod

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What... no Jaco Pastorius? No Ron Carter? Where the hell is Louis Johnson on this list? Cliff Burton anyone? Les Claypool? Meshell Ndegeocello?

Fuck it, I vote for Jimmy smith, 'cause he played bass lines that most bass players would struggle with, but his hands were too busy with his Hammond, so he used the foot pedals instead! :eek:

But how can anyone beat Jaco's ridiculously melodic bass playing on "A Remark You Made"? Not many bass players can fill the listener with so much emotion. Really anything on Heavy Weather is mind blowing... Teen Town is another standout... Jaco played the drums on that one as well as the bass.
 

D_Tully Tunnelrat

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Great lists.

Jazz: Ron Carter, Jaco, S. Clarke, and Mr. M.

Rock: Entwhistle, Bruce, Lesh, Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power), Greg Lake, and Tony Levin (King Crimson) also rate at the top. A note able mention for Kenny Gradney from Little Feat.

For presence, and physical skill Stanley Clarke is the best I have ever seen. There is NOTHING the man cannot do with a stand up bass, and he puts on a great show.