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 Jason Stoll (JAAW).
When you start bass playing and do you remember your first bass?
I started playing bass at 16. I’d bought a guitar a few weeks before but realized I wasn’t very good. In hindsight I just needed to practice more. But anyway, I swapped my guitar for the cheapest bass in the shop. It turned out that the bass was fretless, and I didn’t know that. Haha. I did, however, join a grindcore band two weeks after getting the bass and it wasn’t until we had done a couple of gigs that someone pointed out that it was fretless. My first couple of years playing was a steep learning curve.
What are your influences and which bass players are your favs?
Lemmy has been a massive influence on my playing, especially from his days in Hawkwind. It’s so driving and powerful. Just listen to Space Ritual. I love Peter Hook’s playing from Joy Division too, and Lou Barlow’s from early Dinosaur Jr. Soundwise I love the tone of David Wm Sims from The Jesus Lizard.
How many basses do you own and what are your favorite models?
I have two basses. A 1974 Rickenbacker 4001 and a 1979 Rickenbacker. The Lemmy influence coming in strong here.
What do you think makes the perfect bass and amp?
I think the Rickenbacker 4001 is perfect for me as I love the way it feels, the way it looks and ultimately the sound it makes when cranked through some distortion and overdrive pedals. For amp, I think previously I would have said the bigger the better, 8 x 10 Ampeg with a SVT value head. I like a warm sound, and my favorite amp I had was a early ’70’s Fender Bassman 135 and cab.
Which basses and amps were used on the new album or for recordings?
For the JAAW album, I used the 1979 Rickenbacker and a Fender Jazz, and a Ampeg and vintage Peavey head. OH yeh and, The last one – the Fender Rumble is my current amp head.
When you only can choose one bass, which one will you take?
I’d take my 1974 Rickenbacker 4001, it’s been with me for a long time.
