David Ellefson bass rig - Megadeth - Know Your Bass Player (part 1/2) 

It's about time Pensnut! Glad you enjoyed it.

God this aged badly

@Your Average Golfer Def one of my influences.

The secret to David's tone is Jackson basses, super bright strings, and hartke amplifiers. Dave Mustaine uses marshall amps which are very thick in the mid-range to counteract that Ellefson scooped out the mids but added a lot of bass and treble which really fits in the mix quite well as he's got a very clangy attack. I still go back to the rust in peace record because I really enjoy that bass tone.

@@SanitysVoid… in what way?

Yes please

MegaDave or DaveDeth?

@Javion Solomon bro who cares

🤣

@@tossom3915 definitely mega Dave !!! 😂😂

😏

@@Homicidal_maniac-it8nc pp

Great influence to have that's for sure! Best bass pick hand in metal.

@@WhichBass I second that!

He and Rex Brown prove that you can be a real metal bass player (and a damn good one, too) and use a pick, despite all the trash talk claiming otherwise. While I've never use a pick playing bass, because I wanted/needed the freedom and versatility in tone, attack, and dynamics, that playing with fingers afforded me, and I could always generate the sound of a pick on bass strings, I've never viewed bassists using a pick as inherently or automatically a lesser caliber bassist. For me it's just been about what a bassist is playing, how does it relate, and/or benefit, the song, and how good do they sound when they are playing it. When I started learning bass, 2 years after starting to learn guitar, the bass players that I always admired and was most influenced by, Steve Harris, Geezer Butler, John Entwistle, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Jack Bruce, John Paul Jones, and in particular, Jaco Pastorius and Cliff Burton, were all fingerstyle, with the exception of Squire. Playing finger-style was the direction that I felt I needed to go. This seemed to be confirmed as I discovered later influences like Flea, Les Claypool, Steve Di Giorgio, Victor Wooten, and Billy Sheehan. Playing Segovia and Carcassi classical guitar right hand techniques since my second day of learning guitar has been immensely helpful in developing that pick sound attack and that tone on a bass, without question. Part of the Segovia classical technique requires the player to grow the fingernails on the picking hand slightly longer, and to be very vigilant in trimming and maintaining them, which definitely helps create that sound, while still allowing me to create other tones and other forms of the attack and transient of the notes played. Even more importantly, it's helped me tremendously with my bass playing speed, accuracy, precision, endurance, and in particular the ability to manage dynamics (I've never used any more than VERY MINIMAL compression, and never needed to). That is one area where I think playing a bass is aided when using a pick, and that is managing you are dynamics from note to note, controlling the loudness and or the, "boominess," of a particular note.

@@Metalbass10000 I don't understand how people play metal without a pick imo.

Alexander Denchev It’s hectic, and hard. Pick has an amazing metallic scrapping sound but pretty thin, while playing with fingers gives more options limited by only your finger speed/strength, and nail length But pick cuts through the best

Thanks Matt! You'll be pleased to know Peter will be coming up after part 2 ;)

Finally an answer to that age old question!

Studio, man...

You're welcome Watkinzie. Glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks very much Naes! I'll get it out as soon as possible.

Thank you Ricky, I hope you got a lot out of the video. Stay tuned for part 2!

@@WhichBass I did! Cheers!

Thanks a bunch Scott! Glad to have you watching.

Thank you for taking part Rodney. It was great to have you on board and teaching me new things!

Sorry for the long wait Gabriel. I hope it was worth it!

Haha thanks dude! You have an excellent taste in music. Well done for spotting it ;)

Nice to hear from you Max. I'll put Squarepusher on my list alright?! Glad you enjoyed the video Max.

Glad you enjoy it Tito, good to have you.

@@jackshittle same here

You're a super fan Ant! You've done it all. Sit back and let the content come to you! Thanks for your help!

Excellent! I hope it was worth the wait. Part 2 coming soon!

Thanks Toni! Glad you enjoyed both videos.

Thank you Rigo! Good to have you watching.

Thanks a lot Mark! Good to see you again.

I'm too young for that 🤣

Thanks very much Blaze, I appreciate that.

How cool is that! Do you still play the Jackson or hang it up on the wall? I couldn't play a bass with a signature on it. I'd be worried it'll rub off.

@@WhichBass Its my workhorse, my favorite Silver Machine. We played the Token Lounge in MetroDetroit, just down the road from our practice space, then loaded up for a gig in Manhattan the next day. Drove through the night and had to stop at the CVS at the Empire State building to get clear coat nail polish (Dave's tour manager/merch guy suggested i do that). After a week the coat started to chip, the sig is still there but not as dark as it once was. I couldn't hang up that bass, I don't have the heart or the money to replace it. You can see pics of it at blackheiron dot com. No i did not misspell that

Thanks for watching dude!

Thanks Jimster, for sure. More on the way.

Thank you Carrot, glad you enjoyed the video.

Awesome dude, enjoy that bass!

@@WhichBass I am! Cheers!

I always aim to please Erik, I hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks Chris! Glad to hear it.

Thanks Andrew! I appreciate that a lot.

Aahh that bloody YT. Sorry about that but glad you got here eventually! That WW2 bass is a beaut. I too always wanted a Mockingbird. I saw Pablo from Trivium play one and I just wanted one. ... One day!

Which Bass yea, only way to get it is through custom shop now because BC rich doesn’t do natural finished anymore

Peter Hook would be a great video to do, thanks for the suggestion Erik.

You have an excellent taste in music! Nice to find another FO fan :D

Me too ...

Where would we be with our parents?!

The Modulus Funk is probably my most wanted bass! Good shout.

Better later than never Chris! It doesn't matter what others think of the bass your playing. It matters what you think. If it sounds good to you, it is good. Keep playing!

Good to see you back Cyko! Glad you enjoyed it. Byron is a great suggestion I'll see what I can do!

Thanks Waffle Lord, just taking a break for a bit. Stuff come up IRL. John Myung is a great suggestion. Here's hoping he makes an appearance in 2020 ;)

Very true. I guess it's just to do the complete opposite of what happened the previous decade.

@@WhichBass I even heard that session musicians playing R&B and some pop were playing 5 string bass with active pickups and so forth, until Pino Palladino came to the scene....trend is really funny thing

Thanks Lincoln! Nice to hear from you again. I know you're waiting on Mark Sandman. We'll get there one day!

Haha thanks AD. Fun fact ... I originally had a segment where I did say the WW2 bass recorded Peace Sells ... Then during editing I reread the Red Mockingbird bird Facebook post and had to change it!

Great point Mike.

Thanks John glad you enjoyed the video. I bet that Charvel is sweet. I'd love to give it a go for sure. No idea why pointed headstocks aren't as popular. I like that sort of character.

Goddamnit I was so careful with the dates this time?! Fml. Well, least I said the words in the right order XD. You hear "13" you think Black Sabbath and Suicidal Tendencies and you think "It was released in 2013 right?" lol. Dude, I'd love to see these tour books. Let me know if I missed anything or if they list all Dave's gear :O

@@WhichBass no prob :) I'll check David's gear listed in those.

Thanks Pawl, glad you enjoyed the video. Part 2 out soon!

Hey Alfie, I was away for a few months. I’m back... I’m a gear nerd an appreciate your vids. Keep up the excellent work. I especially appreciated the effort on Geddys keyboards!!!

Thanks Pawl, it's good to hear from you. Really happy you enjoyed the keyboards segment ... That was a long and boring task XD

Sorry for the wait! I hope it was worth it!

@@WhichBass well worth it!

@@ronnocojason4325 Good! Thank you Ronnoco :D

Thank you dude I really appreciate you saying that. I hope you stick around!

I agree, 'very nice video. I appreciate all the research you put into this!

Ah! I'm jealous, you enjoy that bass Justin. Glad you enjoyed the video.

Thanks Vanni! Glad you enjoyed it

His tones got ousted. They brought back James LoMenzo.

Thank you Andrew, glad you enjoyed it. I defo have plans to look at some classic players like Deacon and Waters so great suggestions!

@@WhichBass Cool, I'm looking forward to it. And I always enjoy watching and learning about these guys so the pleasure's all mine. Can't wait for Part 2

Which Bass Also, I don’t know if anyone has ever suggested him but how about Bill Wyman from The Rolling Stones? Really underrated bassist in my opinion and I’d love to learn about what he used with the Stones

They haven't actually! He's on the list!

Which Bass Cool, I always thought that he was a bit of an underrated bassist but his playing on songs like Sympathy For the Devil, Paint It Black and Undercover of the Night is just killer

Oh wow, I hadn't seen that. The Cirrus looks a bit like his Peavy custom. Sure it wasn't that?!

@@WhichBass I had to double check both this and the rockhouse method video, and David’s Equipboard page, I don’t see any mention or use of a cirrus bass outside of that video, or any peavy bass other than his Zodiac series. What confirmed the cirrus against the zodiac was the headstock design, the 2 dual-J style humbuckers, and lack of pickgaurd. If you find any conflicting information, please let me know.

Ooh I cant tell if this aged perfectly or horribly

Hey Ethan, requests are certainly a thing. I will see what I can find for Nikki.

Which Bass wow thank you so much! That really means a lot thanks a million!

I'm looking forward to hearing his bass on the next album. I think Dingwall would be a great improvement for him.

Interesting suggestion AC, let me see what I can do.

Correct!

Can you say what exactly happened?

@@lukasznowosielski basically Chris Poland (I think gar Samuelson as well) pawned off some of the bands instruments for dope… including some of Ellefsons basses ofc

Never say never Jacob. I'm a bass player and feel guitarists already get enough attention.

@@WhichBass OK I'm a bass player as well and yeah they do get to much attention but I love the approach you do with these videos I just thought you could the same for guitar. I could learn a lot more about my favourite guitar players as well as bass players

A great suggestion Zap I like it.

He's not a partner in "Megadeth inc" as he was before he quit. Now he's an "employee" basically. He hasn't said anything negative about that situation though, so I guess it works out well.

That's pretty accurate. Check out this article. consequenceofsound.net/2019/05/david-ellefson-salaried-employee-megadeth/

Interesting suggestion Souad I like it.

Soon Paiva! Great suggestion.

That's correct! It gets the message across anywho.

I keep seeing this, what does Aguante mean?

Great suggestion Adam, I'll see what I can do.

Great suggestion thanks.

Great suggestion Antonio, watch this space.

You bet! I'd love to complete the Metallica triology.

@@WhichBass Holy shit, that's going to be so awasome! 😍😁❤