Reader Spotlight: Chris Hardy
Meet Chris Hardy, a long-time bassist who went from performing in bands to becoming a solo artist.
Chris is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight (you could be next). Here’s his story…
Bio:
After playing bass in bands for years, I switched to piccolo bass exclusively for my solo gigs. As a songwriter, I quickly found out that I suck at 6-string guitar, so the move to piccolo was both logical and comfortable. I perform my own songs as well as cover songs, and people are amazed that so much sound can come from just four strings and a voice.
Location:
Edgefield, SC
Years experience:
Since 1983.
Why I play the bass:
I used to play drums, but bass allowed me the freedom to be both visible AND invisible. Plus, I love moving around!
Gear:
I have 2 Alvarez MSB1 travel acoustic basses that are highly modified and strung as piccolo basses – EADG one octave up from a standard bass.
For electric, I have a custom Berkshire Guitars 27″ scale piccolo bass, and sometimes I’ll put piccolo strings on my original 1988 Steinberger XP2.
No special amps or outboard gear, just whatever I have at the moment.
My Influences:
Jaco, Geddy, Stanley, Pino, and other not-so-well-knowns like Graham Maby & Andy Metcalfe.
My bass superpower/claim to fame:
Why join a band when I can play it all myself on just 4 strings?
More on the web:
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