Woody, AJ has spoken about how slapping is not part of his arsenal or approach; I believe Chuck Rainey is another pocket player who does not feel that incessant slapping is a determinant of the role of the Fender Bass...
Look what Larry graham hath wrought!
I slap- I have some basses that are slappers- My Tobias and my Sterling are slappers, my new beloved Laredo is not set to be- Heavier gauge OEM strings (I use Roto FunkMasters to really ring!) and pup placement, and overall vibe and tonality make the Laredo the PERFECT pocket groove bass guitar...for me. Don't want to slap w/ it; but I could!!
The overkill use of the slap is at it's worst, non-musical. I admire skilled slap players, the overall effect and output can be a tight, heavy intense groove, and can be enjoyable.
But too too much, and what was/is disheartening is the number of younger players who seem to feel that this way is THE way to play the bass- At the expense of not being skilled in scales, a linear approach, or a melodic composition-oriented way of constructing a musical bass line.
Shame.
Case in point- A 12-year old came to the FLEA bass booth; he picked it up, and proceeded to play/pose, incessantly slapping, while someone videotaped him- It even drew a crowd of sorts, as anything would at the Show-
I did not like it, I was not impressed with his skills, I think this young player would have done MUCH better to go home to his room, close the door, and PRACTICE- Practice and hone his slap technique too, but practice and hone his entire "holistic"
way of playing the bass guitar, and LISTEN! to a variety of stylistic approaches and technique...
Could he Walk?? NO.
Could he play a 12-bar blues pattern, even a basic one?? NO
Could he play over changes? NO
COuld he create and develop a pocket-oriented groove? NO
He COULD, if he took his thing to the next level- "ALL God's Chillun have talent", and he had his, but
Nope, too interested in being Flea. Lotsa luck with that, sonny.
Flea played at the show, a heavy percussive riff, he and a drummer-, he was good; he's got some musical background.
But I could easily listen to some other players do their thing....
I have no issues with choice, and I understand that this guy and others MAY grow-up, but even tho, at an "advanced" age

I am still child-like and immature- Witness my Bass-buying habits! (It's cool; I earn the dough!)
At that age, I myself took it up a notch and tried to develop more than an MTV-type pose to playing the instrument of my choice--
Look at what Lee Sklar told me- Classically-trained starting at age 4- How about what He's manged to do career and music-wise?
It wasn't simply the 12-year old, he's a kid, but 20 and 30-somethings were in the same place.
And Ironically- Ironically- I veered away from the only Rickenbacker model known-to-me then; 4003- because I did not see it as a funk-capable instrument-
I DO perform a lot of R&B that needs the attack of a slapper, as well as the "darker" timbres of an old P-Bass or J-Bass.
No matter- I'm going to dial-in the 4003, and it's going to be a favorite.
Due tomorrow, and slapping non-withstanding, I cannot wait!
