{"id":10039389,"date":"2026-02-06T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/?p=10039389"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:28:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T10:28:40","slug":"8-unusual-bass-lines-that-made-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/inspire\/8-unusual-bass-lines-that-made-history\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Unusual Bass Lines That Made History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In today’s blog, we\u2019re checking out eight world-famous bass lines that initially make you rub your ears and wonder why. But next thing you know, your body responds to the groove, and you begin to realize their ingenuity. \ud83e\udd18<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bassists are often considered the laid-back “Zen monks” within their bands. But at first listen, some bass lines sound as if someone set the coffee machine in the rehearsal room to “Energy+” or “Wake me up when it’s ready”. It gets even crazier when you realize that what seemed completely absurd at first glance actually works fantastically well within the song!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.) Queen \u2013 “Under Pressure”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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“Under Pressure” was written by Queen and David Bowie in 1981 during an impromptu jam session at Mountain Studios in Switzerland. The bass line later topped the charts a second time in Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby”. At first glance, you might think that this two-note bass riff is far too simple to become iconic \u2013 but that’s precisely what makes it so catchy and sets the tone for the entire track.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Fender<\/p>\n

AM Pro II P Bass RW DK NIGHT<\/h3>\n <\/span>\n\n
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Here\u2019s some trivia for gear nerds: John Deacon played one of his many Fender Precision basses on this song, working the flatwound strings with his plectrum. If you want to recreate the bass sound, the ideal choice is, of course, a Precision Bass. Alternatively, you can try the neck pickup of another model, e.g. a Jazz Bass. Flatwound strings can be helpful, but aren\u2019t absolutely essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.) The Beatles \u2013 “Come Together”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Next up is one of Sir Paul McCartney\u2019s many strokes of genius: he takes a bass line, adds a dash of psychedelic blues with lots of distinctive slides, and lets it carry the entire song almost hypnotically. The line in “Come Together” is as sluggish as it is melodic and playful.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Trivia for gear nerds: “Macca” used his Rickenbacker 4001S with flatwounds for this song and used a pick. Fortunately, the Ricky bass is still available today in modern versions \u2013 perfect for warm, melodic lines with heaps of vintage charm!<\/p>\n\n\n

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3.) Peter Gabriel \u2013 “Sledgehammer”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tony Levin being Tony Levin! The bassist, who became famous through his work with King Crimson and others, demonstrates why he is one of the most recorded bass players in the business: he plays a highly unique bass line that breaks many rules, but he does it with such authority that one can only smile in admiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trivia for gear nerds: \u201cSledgehammer” features a very rare fretless Music Man Sabre bass, which Levin played with a plectrum \u2013 a highly unusual combination. The sound was also thickened using an octaver. Unfortunately, the Sabre is no longer manufactured, but the Music Man Stingray is a true classic and not that different in terms of sound. Fretless versions are also occasionally seen.<\/p>\n\n\n

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MXR<\/p>\n

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4.) Red Hot Chili Peppers \u2013 “Around the World”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chili Peppers bassist Flea kicks off the song with a bass line that sounds like Speedy Gonzales turned funk bass player. Insanely fast and absurdly playful, only to culminate in an ultra-fat groove!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trivia for gear nerds: Flea used a Modulus Flea Bass for the recordings \u2013 basically a Music Man Stingray with a graphite neck. To get close to this sound, you should therefore use a Stingray or, alternatively, a bass equipped with a humbucker in the bridge position, such as the amazingly affordable Z3 from Korean manufacturer Sire.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Marcus Miller<\/p>\n

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5.) Michael Jackson \u2013 “Billie Jean”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Technically speaking, this riff from the hands of grandmaster Louis Johnson (R.I.P.) is super simple \u2013 but that’s precisely why this bass line is the epitome of “less is more”. Unusual? Yes, because it’s so freaking minimalistic that every music student goes, “That can’t be the whole groove, can it?” But it is \u2013 and gets even simpler in the bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Music Man<\/p>\n

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Trivia for gear nerds: Louis Johnson was also known for his love of Stingrays \u2013 preferably with a (light) maple fingerboard. Yes, I know, the Stingray again \u2013 but hey, the funk doesn’t lie, does it?<\/p>\n\n\n

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Marcus Miller<\/p>\n

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6.) The Temptations \u2013 “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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James Jamerson, Motown Records’ resident bassist, is often mistakenly associated with the legendary bass line from “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by The Temptations. In reality, however, it was played by his colleague Bob Babbitt, who was also part of Motown’s regular studio crew, “The Funk Brothers”. Babbitt actually plays hardly anything on this track! It’s a bass line with so much space that you feel you could park a van between the notes. But it’s precisely this minimalism that carries the entire song.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Harley Benton<\/p>\n

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Fender<\/p>\n

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Trivia for gear nerds: Like James Jamerson, Bob Babbitt was an early adopter of the Fender Precision with flatwound strings, which he played with his fingers. And indeed, this sound is perfect for airy “less is more” bass grooves!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.) Primus \u2013 “Tommy the Cat”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Okay, now it’s getting absurd: Primus frontman Les Claypool is known for bass lines that sound like a hyperactive alien on a boat engine revving at full throttle. Is that still bass? Yes, of course \u2013 albeit played in a highly unusual way. And yet it works fantastically well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trivia for gear nerds: Les Claypool is known for his collaboration with US luxury bass pioneer Carl Thompson. But even a conventional bass model, such as an off-the-shelf Jazz Bass \u2013 preferably fretless, of course \u2013, will bring you closer to this sound. And of course it doesn\u2019t hurt if you\u2019re a quirky character like Mr Claypool!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Marcus Miller<\/p>\n

V7 Alder-4 FL AWH 2nd Gen<\/h3>\n <\/span>\n\n
\n Rating: 8.00 out of\n 10<\/span>\n
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Fender<\/p>\n

Am Pro II Jazz Bass FL RW 3TS<\/h3>\n <\/span>\n\n
\n Rating: 10.00 out of\n 10<\/span>\n
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8.) Muse \u2013 “Hysteria”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The “Hysteria” bass line is famous for its aggressive, synth-like sound, which was achieved in the studio through a complex combination of electric bass, effects, and an additional synth track. Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme mainly played a Pedulla Rapture RB5 at the time, but a five-string Status Stealth was also spotted during the recordings for “Hysteria”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trivia for gear nerds: Given the high degree of distortion and alienation, the bass model is actually far less important for recreating this sound than a good fuzz pedal! A step in the right direction is the Big Muff from Electro Harmonix (EHX) \u2013 or one of its numerous clones, many of which are available at very attractive prices!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Harley Benton<\/p>\n

MiniStomp Big Fur<\/h3>\n <\/span>\n\n
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Electro Harmonix<\/p>\n

Big Muff PI Classic<\/h3>\n <\/span>\n\n
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Electro Harmonix<\/p>\n

Nano Bass Big Muff<\/h3>\n <\/span>\n\n
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Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, what can we learn from these unusual bass lines? Perhaps that a good sense of humour and the courage to venture off the beaten path can definitely pay off! While the bass lines presented here are amusing (some of them downright absurd!) and break the rules, they ooze character \u2013 and they get stuck in your ears because of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a collection of different bass models can undoubtedly help to open up unusual sonic doors. Ultimately, however, it doesn’t matter whether you play a Stingray, a Rickenbacker, a Jazz Bass, a Preci, or any other model. What matters more is you, your hands, and your musical intuition. I hope you enjoy experimenting and thinking outside the bass box!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have a favourite bassline?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you have a favourite bass groove? And which bass and effects do you use for it? Let us know in the comments!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is an adaptation of a piece originally written by\u00a0Lars Lehmann<\/a>, who is credited as the author of the original\u00a0German t.blog arti<\/a>c<\/a>le.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lars Lehmann shows you eight unusual bass lines that sounded quirky at first – until they became iconic! \u25b6\ufe0e Discover the grooves, the players, and what makes each line work \u2713<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10022,"featured_media":10039390,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"0","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tblog_post_audio_url":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10676],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10039389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspire"],"category_colors":{"color_key":"inspire","css_classes":{"text":"cat-inspire","text_light":"cat-inspire-light","bg":"cat-bg-inspire","bg_light":"cat-bg-inspire-light","border":"cat-border-inspire","text_on_bg":"cat-text-on-inspire"}},"reading_time":{"minutes":6,"formatted":"6 min"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10039389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10022"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10039389"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10039389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10039401,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10039389\/revisions\/10039401"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10039390"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10039389"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10039389"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10039389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}