String the bass with flatwound strings. Set the EQ to be full and bassy. I have a GK 400RB which has a "String bass" setting. This works pretty good. Use of the left hand for fretting will need to be clear and deliberate while the right hand (Playing with FINGERS) is used to keep the time and slap. Your bassist will need to have good timing & strong hands to keep the tone from distorting though. It's not as easy as people think, but it's possible. I've played tons of Rockabilly gigs like this & I've pissed off a lot of "purists" lol. I used to use a RI of a 51 P bass for this, but now I prefer a Jerry Jones Longhorn bass, which is basically a high end hand made version of a Danelectro longhorn.
Drew Smith said:
I was thinking of a lot of old country(specifically, Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two) when I first started thinking about foregoing a drummer, actually. I love a lot of that old thump and scratch, the vocals are right up my alley too. My issue is that my buddy that I want to draft on bass(hell of a writer with a great sense of rhythm) only plays electric and wouldn't really have the money or the space to go out and get an upright(plus a homicidal, giant cat that still has its claws and loves to scratch things). Trying to think how to get that thump and click on a P-bass.
