tony sales is the shit

Macca is a hell of a bassist. Can't believe he hasn't been mentioned yet.

Also, John Wetton, Ron Carter, and Stanley Clarke (granted I'm not crazy about Return to Forever, he's really fucking awesome.)

I agree with a lot of choices in this thread, so I'm not going to repeat anything.

Caxide.

Victor Wooten and Tina Weymouth

Jonathan Chapple
Bob Weston

No big shock but



Mike Watt's playing embodies both the qualities of the bass as melody anchor and as an involved instrument in its own right. He makes the whole song sound good which should be the point of the instrument.

Skoll (Ved Buens Ende, Ulver, Arcturus, Fimbulwinter)
Takeshi (Boris)
Tracey Pew (The Birthday Party)
Andy Rourke (The Smiths)

Four pages of conversation about bass and no-one's pointed out that it's not even a real instrument? Shame on you, SYG.

Oh!!
What does this mean??!..

Carol Kaye
Paul McCartney
James Jamerson

Trevor Dunn, from Mr. Bungle, Fantomas and some other groups. He's incredible.

I did mention him ;)

Yes, I enjoy playing the bass lines of Echoes a lot.

Jenny Lee Lindberg (Warpaint).

How is the bass "not a real instrument"? I purchased one several years ago and it lives at my rehearsal space...... Without question I can say that it exists.......

anyone that plays slap bass is automatically a shitty bassist. I hate that shit. By far the most played out style. It had limited potential to begin with.

Tony Levin.

I was thinking about this yesterday.
She sure can play and has a niiiiice style too.
And sound.
Yes.

You're forgetting that she's insanely hot as well:

 

So cute.

not sure if I already responded to this but peter hook is my favorite bassist and main influence

also see:
anyone that played bass for the magic band or the fall

predictable, I know.