Bassists

Sourced gear profiles for the bassists who shaped rock, metal, prog, funk, jazz, indie, reggae, and session work. Each page lists the instrument, the strings, and the records, with citations where the public record allows, and past-tense framing for historical players.

Showing 5 bassists tagged Classic rock.

• Cliff Williams

  AC/DC

  

  Documented bass-string gauges, brands, and tunings Cliff Williams uses with AC/DC since 1977. Music Man Stingray + Fender Precision Bass, hard-rock pocket discipline. With citations.

  4-stringHard rockRockClassic rock

• Geddy Lee

  Rush

  

  Documented bass-string gauges, brands, and tunings Geddy Lee uses with Rush on his Fender Jazz Bass and Wal basses. Rotosound Swing Bass 66 RS66LD (.045–.105). With citations.

  4-stringProgressive rockHard rockRock

• John Entwistle

  The Who

  

  Documented bass-string gauges, brands, and tunings John Entwistle used with The Who (1964-2002). Rotosound Swing Bass 66 documented historical use, multiple Fender + Alembic + Status Graphite basses, defining lead-bass voice in rock. Historical, with citations.

  4-stringRockHard rockClassic rock

• John Paul Jones

  Led Zeppelin

  

  Documented bass-string gauges, brands, and tunings John Paul Jones used with Led Zeppelin (1968-1980) and across his post-Zeppelin catalog. Rotosound Swing Bass 66 documented historical use, Fender Jazz Bass + Manson 8/12-string + Wal basses, multi-instrumental session legacy. Historical, with citations.

  4-stringHard rockRockBlues rock

• Paul McCartney

  The BeatlesWingssolo

  

  Documented bass-string gauges, brands, and tunings Paul McCartney has used with the Beatles, Wings, and across his solo catalog. La Bella flatwound documented historical use on the Höfner 500/1 violin bass, Rickenbacker 4001S documented mid-Beatles era. With citations.

  4-stringRockPopClassic rock