This article series is about the tools of popular guitarists or bassists.. What are their favorite guitars or basses and how is it related to them? This time with Jonny Knight (Exploring Birdsong).
When you start bass playing and do you remember your first bass?
I kind of fell into playing bass by accident- I was interested in music in a very casual way, but then was asked to play bass in a church band when I was around 12. I played the bass with it face up on my lap and pressing down with my thumb, and we sounded terrible, but it introduced me to the instrument! After borrowing a Fender Squier P bass to try out, I got a Yamaha RBX375 5 string bass, my first proper bass! It didn’t play the best and it took me a long time to get my head around the controls, but I had it for around 4 years.
What are your influences and which bass players are your favs?
I think since I took an active interest in music before I started playing bass, a lot of players influenced me and my playing subconsciously! The work of John Deacon in Queen, John Entwistle in The Who, and Paul McCartney’s melodic lines in The Beatles definitely left a mark on me, but in the years since, the work of so many others has massively influenced me- Jeremy Pritchard (Everything Everything), Joe Osborn (The Wrecking Crew), Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine), Jon Stockman (Karnivool), the list goes on. But I think if I was to choose one player, it would be Carol Kaye. Her melodic lines, the way she fits the bass parts into an overall groove, her tone- she’s an icon and someone every bass player should know!
How many basses do you own and what are your favorite models?
After parting ways with the Yamaha, I bought a 4 string Fender Squier Jazz bass, which actually changed my playing style a lot since its sound is a lot more versatile- and even though it’s a Squier model it sounds great! I also have a Squier Jazz fretless, which I’ve used on the first Exploring Birdsong EP, an obscure 80s Ibanez model I was given by a friend, and a double bass- does that count? However, my primary bass is my Ibanez SRSC805, which I’ve had since 2017, and is the bass I’ve played on all Birdsong tracks. It’s the most versatile bass I’ve played and works so well with my natural playing tone. The clarity is unreal and the feel is great from the 1st to the 24th fret. I love it!
What do you think makes the perfect bass and amp?
Such a subjective question! It depends so much on your style, and what kind of sound you are looking for. I have a Markbass combo that I often use with my Ibanez SRSC805, which is a beautiful combination- but that’s working for what I want (a good amount of grit, nice round low end, lots of high-mid clarity, etc), and when playing festivals I’ve sometimes used the in-house amps so I can dial in a tone that works for the room, as it can vary so much. I have a good platform to start from as I use a pedalboard with plenty of effects (shout out Darkglass!!) that work for the band sound of Exploring Birdsong- obviously covering a lot of the mid range as well as the low end due to their being no guitars- so dialling in the right amp tone is easier. Plus, the tone I am looking for could be completely wrong for someone else- there is so much great gear and sounds people can achieve. Use your ears and remember, tone is all in the fingers!
Which basses and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
I used my Ibanez on all tracks, except for one fretless moment in Pyre- weirdly enough, a great friend of mine leant me his bass, which is exactly the same model but with the frets stripped off for that gorgeous fretless sound. I also used a Fender rumble head they have at Northstone Studios in Bridgend (shoutout to the legends Jayce and Abe there!), and everything was dialled in from there with the head, the desk, and the mixing process!
When you only can choose one bass, which one will you take?
I love the sound, feel, and tone of my Ibanez (that I’ve mentioned a million times so far!), but I haven’t tried nearly enough basses to settle on one perfect one! The warm, roundness of a Fender Jazz model is great to just sit and mess around with, but trying any new model is a great exercise in getting to know your instrument- and sometimes, the creativity you feel when picking up something new can be the best tool in coming up with a new idea (limitations breed creativity)! But, for simplicity, let’s say my Ibanez- it’s my favourite bass and has fuelled my parts for all of the Exploring Birdsong material!
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