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Quiz about Whos that on Bass then
Quiz about Whos that on Bass then

Who's that on Bass, then? Trivia Quiz


I thought it might be fun to create a quiz that celebrates the work of some famous bass guitar players. After all, Bass is now cool!

A multiple-choice quiz by DumbarJim. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
DumbarJim
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
353,731
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
9 / 15
Plays
308
Last 3 plays: Guest 68 (12/15), Guest 108 (6/15), Reamar42 (9/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. Now then, this Canadian bass player is most famous for playing a Rickenbacker even though he has played a Fender Jazz longer and says he prefers it. Fender have even created a signature bass for him. I like his work on 'YYZ' and 'Freewill' best. Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. Bill Wyman is said to have made the first electric fretless bass, playing it as far back as 1961!


Question 3 of 15
3. This bassist is a jazz player. He composed many famous jazz standards but is best remembered for 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat'. Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. Many great players have used Precision Basses as their axe of choice, particularly in rock - look at Steve Harris of Iron Maiden or Mike Dirnt of Green Day. You also have to remember that sixties / seventies bassists seemed to prefer the P Bass when going electric. This particular Stax star seemed to know his or her onions and it was all water off his or her back, so to speak. Who is this famous Don of the bass? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. Sir Paul McCartney played bass with the Beatles and later with Wings. He is actually a multi instrumentalist and a wonderful songwriter. As a left handed player, he is most famous for playing what bass? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. When it comes to playing Alembic basses, there is one Jazz Fusion bassist who always comes to mind. Yes, it is Stanley Clarke, although he is just as famous for playing an upright. Along with Chick Corea, Lenny White and Al DiMeola he played in arguably the most famous Fusion band of all time. What was it called? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Who was the very influential, fretless Fender Jazz bass playing member of Weather Report?

Answer: (Two Words first and last name)
Question 8 of 15
8. Jaco Pastorius never played the upright bass.


Question 9 of 15
9. Another famous bass is the Fodera YinYang Bass. Who was this originally built for?

Answer: (Two Words first and last name)
Question 10 of 15
10. After Jaco left Weather Report in 1982, who replaced him? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. Genesis drummer, vocalist and frontman, Phil Collins, started a Fusion side project called Brand X in 1975. This featured a fretless bass player sporting the fairly new Wal Bass and Frunt Amplification. Who was this Welsh bass player? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. The bass player and brother of the vocalist / frontman in My Chemical Romance, since their forming in 2001, plays that rock favourite, a Fender Precision. What is his name?

Answer: (Two Words first and last name)
Question 13 of 15
13. So, when we listen to Cream, you can not help but admire the improvisational skill and creative genius of Jack Bruce. Although he played Gibson EB basses for years he converted to the woody, growly tones of which bass in the nineties? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. We don't seem to be able to get away from Fender P-Basses. What is the name of the Pink Floyd frontman for many years, who wrote, sang and played bass for the band as well as being a founding member? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. This giant of a bassist took the deep end responsibility for Nirvana. Most famously playing a Gibson Thunderbird he also plays Rippers and Ibanez Roadsters. Krist Novoselic has always experimented with his sound. Who makes his signature bass? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Feb 11 2024 : Guest 68: 12/15
Feb 02 2024 : Guest 108: 6/15
Feb 02 2024 : Reamar42: 9/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Now then, this Canadian bass player is most famous for playing a Rickenbacker even though he has played a Fender Jazz longer and says he prefers it. Fender have even created a signature bass for him. I like his work on 'YYZ' and 'Freewill' best.

Answer: Geddy Lee

Geddy is the bass player in Rush, of course. Rush started out in 1968 and are still going strong into 2012. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Also sings and plays keyboards. Some of his solos are incredible.
2. Bill Wyman is said to have made the first electric fretless bass, playing it as far back as 1961!

Answer: True

Yes, he played it on stage with the band he was in at the time, The Cliftons. He is also well known for holding his bass vertically a lot of the time in the early days.
3. This bassist is a jazz player. He composed many famous jazz standards but is best remembered for 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat'.

Answer: Charles Mingus

What can you say. He was a genius composer, player, band leader and arranger. Many likened him to Duke Ellington. He died in 1979 at the age of 56 and will be sorely missed.
4. Many great players have used Precision Basses as their axe of choice, particularly in rock - look at Steve Harris of Iron Maiden or Mike Dirnt of Green Day. You also have to remember that sixties / seventies bassists seemed to prefer the P Bass when going electric. This particular Stax star seemed to know his or her onions and it was all water off his or her back, so to speak. Who is this famous Don of the bass?

Answer: Donald 'Duck' Dunn

All great players. Donald will always be remembered for his role in 'The Blues Brothers' and for 'Green Onions' with Booker T and the MGs. He played on many great hits, such as 'Soul Man' and 'Respect'. Sadly, he died in Tokyo on 13th May 2012. He was a great Memphis Soul brother.
5. Sir Paul McCartney played bass with the Beatles and later with Wings. He is actually a multi instrumentalist and a wonderful songwriter. As a left handed player, he is most famous for playing what bass?

Answer: Hofner 500/1

Sir Paul always cites James Jamerson's melodic style as a strong influence on his playing and Stanley Clarke as a favourite too. Yes, Paul did use Rickenbackers but he will always be remembered for his Hofner, although he complains a lot about its intonation.
6. When it comes to playing Alembic basses, there is one Jazz Fusion bassist who always comes to mind. Yes, it is Stanley Clarke, although he is just as famous for playing an upright. Along with Chick Corea, Lenny White and Al DiMeola he played in arguably the most famous Fusion band of all time. What was it called?

Answer: Return to Forever

Hopefully, that was another easy one. Especially as they were the only fusion band listed! Yes, I know that there were other line-ups of the band but this is the best remembered.
7. Who was the very influential, fretless Fender Jazz bass playing member of Weather Report?

Answer: Jaco Pastorius

Just how many bassists have invested the time to learn 'Teen Town' and 'Portrait of Tracy'? Time well spent in my opinion. They are a lot of fun to learn.
8. Jaco Pastorius never played the upright bass.

Answer: False

Jaco enjoyed playing the upright bass and did own one before he had his two famous jazz basses. Unfortunately, the humid conditions in Florida cracked the body of the bass and he traded it in for a 1960 Fender Jazz. The rest is musical history!
9. Another famous bass is the Fodera YinYang Bass. Who was this originally built for?

Answer: Victor Wooten

Great and versatile player. I love his work with The Flecktones. His novel is fun too.
10. After Jaco left Weather Report in 1982, who replaced him?

Answer: Victor Bailey

Victor did a remarkable job of following the pyrotechnical Pastorius. He had only recently graduated from Berklee.
11. Genesis drummer, vocalist and frontman, Phil Collins, started a Fusion side project called Brand X in 1975. This featured a fretless bass player sporting the fairly new Wal Bass and Frunt Amplification. Who was this Welsh bass player?

Answer: Percy Jones

All Welsh bass players of some renown. Percy is the the ex Soft Machine bass player that Phil picked for his band. Pino has had a remarkable and successful career playing just about every style of music, Nicky Wire is the bassist in Manic Street Preachers and Burke sings and plays bass for the cult prog metal band, Budgie. Percy seems to play Ibanez basses on the whole nowadays. I still prefer the Wal basses, though.
12. The bass player and brother of the vocalist / frontman in My Chemical Romance, since their forming in 2001, plays that rock favourite, a Fender Precision. What is his name?

Answer: Mikey Way

A steady alternative rocker! His brother, Gerard Way, is said to have had a life changing experience when he watched the Twin Towers fall on September 11 and he formed the band about a week after. One of their first songs was called 'Skylines and Turnstiles' and it expresses his feeling about this tragic and horrific event.
13. So, when we listen to Cream, you can not help but admire the improvisational skill and creative genius of Jack Bruce. Although he played Gibson EB basses for years he converted to the woody, growly tones of which bass in the nineties?

Answer: Warwick

There is even a Jack Bruce signature Warwick and it sounds great, especially in his hands! It is called the Survivor Bass. It does cost quite a lot of money, though.
14. We don't seem to be able to get away from Fender P-Basses. What is the name of the Pink Floyd frontman for many years, who wrote, sang and played bass for the band as well as being a founding member?

Answer: Roger Waters

Guy took over on the four strings after Roger left. Nick was the drummer and poor Syd - well, he was a legend - the singer, guitarist and songwriter as well as the co founder of PF.
15. This giant of a bassist took the deep end responsibility for Nirvana. Most famously playing a Gibson Thunderbird he also plays Rippers and Ibanez Roadsters. Krist Novoselic has always experimented with his sound. Who makes his signature bass?

Answer: Gibson

Gibson make the Novoselic RD Artist bass and very good it is too. It looks particularly cool in black!
Source: Author DumbarJim

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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