Distorted Tone
Message In a Bottle
The Police
BassReggae rock / New wave / Ska / Pop1970s
Original Gear
BassUnknown (possibly Fender Precision or Ibanez Musician fretless)
AmpStudio DI / console blend (typical Police 1979 Reggatta de Blanc studio practice); live rig used Acoustic 370
PickupsSingle P-Bass split-coil (Sting's fretless-converted Fender Precision) or dual Jazz Bass single-coils (alternate)
Amp Settings
gain5.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble6
presence6
compression4.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Sources speculate Sting used a fretless Fender Precision or Ibanez Musician; no confirmed amp or pickup details for this track.
Tone Character(4)
BrightArticulatePercussive attackClean yet punchy
Difficulty
The bass line features syncopated, driving eighth-note patterns with moderate fills, requiring good timing and articulation, placing it at an intermediate level.
Sources
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Create Free AccountBassReggae rock / New wave / Ska / Pop1970s
Original Gear
BassUnknown (possibly Fender Precision or Ibanez Musician fretless)
AmpStudio DI / console blend (typical Police 1979 Reggatta de Blanc studio practice); live rig used Acoustic 370
PickupsSingle P-Bass split-coil (Sting's fretless-converted Fender Precision) or dual Jazz Bass single-coils (alternate)
Amp Settings
gain5.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble6
presence6
compression4.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Sources speculate Sting used a fretless Fender Precision or Ibanez Musician; no confirmed amp or pickup details for this track.
Tone Character(4)
BrightArticulatePercussive attackClean yet punchy
Difficulty
The bass line features syncopated, driving eighth-note patterns with moderate fills, requiring good timing and articulation, placing it at an intermediate level.
Message In a Bottle settings for your amp
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use on these amps.
- Message In a Bottle on Amp
- Message In a Bottle on Fender Rumble 25
- Message In a Bottle on Fender Rumble 15
- Message In a Bottle on Fender Rumble 40
- Message In a Bottle on Fender Bassman
- Message In a Bottle on Fender Rumble 100
- Message In a Bottle on Fender Mustang LT25
- Message In a Bottle on Acoustic B25C Bass Combo
More The Police tones
- Every Breath You Take · riff
- Message In a Bottle · riff
- Every Breath You Take (Remastered 2003) · riff
- Synchronicity II (Remastered 2003) · riff
- Message In a Bottle · clean
- Message In a Bottle · riff
- Every Breath You Take · clean
- Every Breath You Take (Alternate Mix) · riff
- Every Breath You Take (Remastered 2003) · solo
- King of Pain · riff