Bryan Kienlen

Bouncing Souls Bassist, Brian’s, Favorite Bass

Brian from the Bouncing Souls is a punk rock legend. He’s been playing bass for decades, and his signature sound is a huge part of what makes the band so great.

In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at Brian’s favorite bass guitar, and learn a little bit about its history.

A ’66 Fender Jazz

Brian’s favorite bass is a 1966 Fender Jazz Bass. He bought it a couple of decades ago, and it was already a “Franken-bass” when he got it. He’s not sure about all the details of its history, but he’s added his own personal touches over the years, including a lot of stickers.

Covered in Stickers

Most of the stickers on Brian’s bass are also about 20 years old. They include stickers from bands like Strike Anywhere, the Beatrats (Brian’s other band), and Hot Water Music. There’s even a Soul Skates sticker on the neck!

Brian says he covered the bass in stickers because he didn’t like the original dark brown walnut stain.

Two Bridge Pickups

One of the most unique things about Brian’s bass is that it has two bridge pickups. This gives it a really “bitey” sound that’s perfect for punk rock.

A Bass That’s Been Played

Brian’s bass is clearly a well-loved instrument. It’s covered in scratches and dents, and the finish is worn off in places. Brian says he feels bad for the bass sometimes because he’s “burrowed a pretty deep groove into this thing”. But he also knows that basses are meant to be played, and that’s what gives them their character.

The Number One Bass

Brian says that this 1966 Fender Jazz Bass is his “daily” bass. He has a backup, but he never needs it. This bass is the one he uses for recording and touring, and it’s the sound of the Bouncing Souls.

The Backup Bass Story

Brian’s backup bass was also a 1966 Fender Jazz Bass. He toured with it for years, but he never really played it. It was just there in case something happened to his main bass.

One day, Brian realized that he was “beating the s***” out of this beautiful old bass, and it was just sitting there as a backup. He decided to retire it, and he got a reissue of the same bass to use as his new backup.

The decision to retire the old bass was actually inspired by Matt Freeman from Rancid. Matt told Brian that Fender had just reissued the same bass, and that he should get one. So Brian did, and now he has a backup bass that he actually plays.

This is just a small glimpse into the life of Brian’s favorite bass guitar. It’s a bass with a lot of history, and it’s clear that it’s a very special instrument to him.