Bass tone · rock, funk

Primus bass tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 17 Primus songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Carl Thompson 6-string fretted bass into Marshall JCM900 4500.

Basss Primus used

Carl Thompson 6-string fretted bass2 songs
Carl Thompson 6-string fretless (The Rainbow Bass)2 songs
Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, walnut body, EMG pickups)2 songs
Custom Pachyderm bass (4-string) by Dan Maloney / Carl Thompson custom basses1 song
Fender Jazz Bass (red, 4-string, fretted)1 song
Carl Thompson 6-string (custom, likely fretless)1 song
ESP 400 Series Strat-style electric guitar (borrowed from Kirk Hammett)1 song
Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, early 80s model)1 song

Amps Primus used

Marshall JCM900 45004 songs
No traditional bass amp used in recording; live uses Mesa/Boogie Bass 400 into Ampeg 4x10 cabs1 song
Ampeg B-151 song
Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+1 song
Gallien-Krueger small solid-state combo1 song
Marshall JCM800 head1 song
ADA MP-1 Preamp (custom-modded) → Ampeg SVT (likely SVT-CL or vintage SVT head) → Ampeg 8x10 cabinet1 song
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (based on era, genre, and typical Primus studio setup for Frizzle Fry)1 song

31 Primus tones

Song	Part	Bass	Amp	Gain
My Name Is Mud · clean	Clean · clean	Custom 'Pachyderm' bass by Dan Maloney (Les Claypool’s primary bass during Pork Soda era)	Mesa/Boogie bass amplifier	0
DMV · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 6-string (custom, fretless, walnut/maple, EMG pickups)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ head with Mesa/Boogie 2x15 Diesel cabs	0
DMV · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 6-String (custom, fretless, walnut/maple)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ (likely, era-correct for Pork Soda sessions)	6
DMV · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS Custom 24 (early 90s, likely with HFS/Vintage Bass pickups)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio recording era, 1993)	6
Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 6-string fretted bass	Gallien-Krueger solid-state combo (small format, likely 800RB or similar)	0
Frizzle Fry · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, early 80s model)	ADA MP-1 Preamp (custom-modded) → Ampeg SVT (likely SVT-CL or vintage SVT head) → Ampeg 8x10 cabinet	7
Here Come the Bastards · riff	Riff · distorted	Ibanez RG (exact model not confirmed, but consistent with LaLonde's 1993 studio use)	Marshall JCM900 4500	6
Hoinfodaman · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 6-String (custom, Les Claypool signature)	Mesa/Boogie 400+ (likely, based on era and Claypool's rig history)	0
Hoinfodaman · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1970s or 1980s, as used by Ler LaLonde in this era)	Marshall JCM 800 (used by Ler LaLonde on Primus albums up to Pork Soda)	6.5
John the Fisherman · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, likely walnut or maple, passive)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ head into Mesa/Boogie 2x15 and/or Ampeg SVT-810E 8x10 cabinet	6.5
John the Fisherman · riff	Riff · distorted	1980s Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, stock single coils)	Marshall JCM900 4500	6.5
Lacquer Head · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 6-string (custom, likely fretless)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+	7
Mr. Knowitall · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 6-string (fretted, custom)	Gallien-Krueger 800RB (small solid-state head, studio use on Brown Album era)	0
Mr. Knowitall · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (late 70s/early 80s, likely wine red finish)	Marshall JCM800 2203 head with Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1990)	6.5
Mr. Krinkle · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1970s-80s, as used by Larry LaLonde in Primus studio sessions)	Marshall JCM900 4500	6
My Name Is Mud · riff	Riff · distorted	Les Claypool does not play guitar on 'My Name Is Mud'; the riff section guitar is played by Larry 'Ler' LaLonde, most likely using a Fender Stratocaster (exact model not confirmed for this track, but Stratocaster is his main guitar for this era).	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (exact model not confirmed, but LaLonde used Mesa/Boogie amps in the early 1990s studio recordings)	5
My Name Is Mud · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 6-string fretless (The Rainbow Bass)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ head with Mesa/Boogie 2x15 Diesel cabinets	6.5
Shake Hands with Beef · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 6-string fretted bass	Gallien-Krueger small solid-state combo	6.5
Southbound Pachyderm · clean	Clean · clean	Custom Pachyderm bass (4-string) by Dan Maloney / Carl Thompson custom basses	No traditional bass amp used in recording; live uses Mesa/Boogie Bass 400 into Ampeg 4x10 cabs	0
The Toys Go Winding Down · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, walnut/maple, EMG pickups)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ head into Mesa/Boogie Diesel 2x15 cabinets	7
The Toys Go Winding Down · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, walnut body, EMG pickups)	Mesa/Boogie D-180 Bass Head into Mesa 2x15 cabinet	0
Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers (Live At Bass Hall, Austin, TX/2012) · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 6-String Fretless	Ampeg SVT (likely SVT-CL or SVT-VR) with matching 8x10 cab	0
Tommy the Cat · riff	Riff · distorted	ESP 400 Series Strat-style electric guitar (borrowed from Kirk Hammett)	Marshall JCM800 head	6
Tommy the Cat · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 6-string fretless (The Rainbow Bass)	Mesa/Boogie 400+ tube head into Mesa/Boogie 2x15 Diesel cabinet	0
Too Many Puppies · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or 1980s, as used by Larry LaLonde in the Frizzle Fry era)	Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (based on era, genre, and typical Primus studio setup for Frizzle Fry)	6
Too Many Puppies · riff	Riff · clean	1957 Fender Telecaster (belt-sanded, signed by Joe Perry)	Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+	0
Too Many Puppies · clean	Clean · clean	Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, walnut body, EMG pickups)	Mesa/Boogie D-180 tube bass amp (studio, 1990 Frizzle Fry era)	0
Wynona's Big Brown Beaver · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Jazz Bass (red, 4-string, fretted)	Ampeg B-15	5
Wynona's Big Brown Beaver · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Jazz Bass (red, as seen in music video; studio bass not confirmed, but likely a Carl Thompson 4-string or Warwick Streamer Jazzman for the album recording)	Mesa Boogie Bass 400+	4.5
Wynona's Big Brown Beaver · solo	Solo · distorted	PRS Custom 24	Marshall JCM900 4500	6.5
Wynona's Big Brown Beaver · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Carl Thompson 4-string (walnut, EMG 35 pickup, EMG-BTC preamp, Kahler tremolo)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ head with Mesa/Boogie Diesel 2x15 cabinets	6

Primus songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Primus use?

Across 17 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Marshall JCM900 4500 (4 songs), No traditional bass amp used in recording; live uses Mesa/Boogie Bass 400 into Ampeg 4x10 cabs (1 song), Ampeg B-15 (1 song), Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ (1 song).

What bass did Primus use?

Most often: Carl Thompson 6-string fretted bass (2 songs), Carl Thompson 6-string fretless (The Rainbow Bass) (2 songs), Carl Thompson 4-string (custom, walnut body, EMG pickups) (2 songs), Custom Pachyderm bass (4-string) by Dan Maloney / Carl Thompson custom basses (1 song).

How do I get Primus's tone on my amp?

Open any Primus song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own bass, amp, pickups and pedals.