The Allen Woody bass style

FlyGuitars Is it right that Allen was actually a guitar player before taking up bass?

Warren Haynes Yeah, he did start out playing guitar and then switched to bass from there. I think his approach to bass playing was very guitar orientated and especially in the concept of a trio he was able to utilise more of his own style in an aggressive way because of that much space a trio format allows

FlyGuitars How would you describe Allen Woody as a bass player?

Warren Haynes Woody was fearless as a bass player, you know he played with reckless abandon the same way Matt plays the drums and the chemistry between those two guys just happened to work because you could take two aggressive musicians like that and throw them together and it may or may not work. In their case it just happened to work great but Woody had a sensitive side that a lot of people did not see as much because of the nature of the beast, you know Gov't Mule is a very aggressive band especially in the early days because we were trying to bring back something that we thought was missing in rock n roll

Allen Woody with his post-1987 Gibson Thunderbird. This image comes from his discontinued instructional bass video

Once we had done that then we decided let's move on let's keep going, let's keep going in different directions. Our own ambition was not to be a power trio, we wanted to be a lot of things, that was just the first thing we wanted to be. So with each record we were trying to change and wanted to grow as a band. When we did Life Before Insanity with more instrumentation a lot of that was Woody's idea. He wanted to play guitar, he wanted to play mandolin, he wanted me to play more parts and these were just things we would talk about sitting around in the interim. He didn't want to be stuck in the power trio format either. I think there's some misconceptions about that, that some people think that Woody thought Gov't Mule should always be a power trio and I don't think that were the case especially with the songs that we were writing and the new directions we were approaching

FlyGuitars I think for me it certainly came across that Gov't Mule when Woody was in the band was the three of you and it wasn't anyone steering it in one direction.

Warren Haynes There's a conscious effort on the first album to do very little overdubbing, it was almost completely live in the studio, then the second record, let's do a little more overdubbing but not much then by the time we got to Life Before Insanity we all wanted it to be more of a studio record, more layers, more overdubbing, more instrumentation. I played guitar in seven different tunings on that record. So it made it some ways harder to achieve live because I would have to switch guitars all the time to allow for the tuning differences and if Woody played mandolin there was no bass and if he played guitar then there was no bass but we found ways of getting around that, rearranging the songs where they still felt good as a three piece but some of the stuff that had keyboards, about half of the record really sounded better when we brought a keyboard player in and so there was a point where we brought Johnny Neel on the road with us, there were times when we brought Bernie Worrell on to the stage and so you could see the band toying with the quartet idea a little bit. I don't know that we would have ever added a full time member, who knows. That decision wasn't made until after Woody passed and after he passed Matt and I knew that that was the right thing to do

FlyGuitars Is there one Gov't Mule track that you could choose as a demonstration of what his playing style was like?

Warren Haynes A song that would be definitive for him? possibly any live version of Blindman In The Dark - He never played it the same way twice. The signature parts he played on the studio record were really great and even the improv is really great but then live it went way beyond that. That song benefited from a lot of different basses, sometimes he would play with a very bright bass sound similar to the record which is a Rickenbacker. Sometimes he would play an EB and get this huge bass sound and it worked either way, it sounded great either way. Sometimes he would do it on Thunderbirds, which was in between. He very seldom brought the Rickenbacker out live and in Gov't Mule there's such a need for bottom end he would have to add tons of bottom to the Rickenbacker to make it work, he could do that in the studio much easier than you could do it in a live performance but that song really showcased his improv ability cause he was following me, he was following Matt, he was also leading the charge at the same time

The last Gov't Mule studio album to feature Allen Woody, Life Before Insanity

FlyGuitars The third record Life Before Insanity has an obvious keyboard presence, did that alter the way Allen played compared to previous records? Did he feel the need to create space for the keyboards?

Warren Haynes Yeah I think just intuitively, whenever we were playing live and a fourth member would sit in whether it was a keyboard player or another guitar he would automatically adjust his playing to accommodate the setting and in the studio it was the same sort of way. We were starting to write material that sounded better as a quartet and so he would automatically adjust his playing accordingly. Not something he really had to think about that much, it's just when you play the type of music we play it's so improvisation based that it really hinges on listening. So your listening to what people are doing and if there's more space being filled up then your first instinct is to fill up less space

Gibson bass guitars for sale

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1972-1973ca Gibson Les Paul Triumph Electric Bass Guitar

Smiths Grove, Kentucky, 421**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2500

1972-1973ca Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass



This Bass comes with receipt of were it was purchased in Hobart, Australia decades ago. It was purchased by a US Navy Sailor that played in the ship bands around the world. I am selling it for his widdow. He recently passed away sadly. I would think the case has seen the world! I mean chain handle, It??s been well used lol!!! Still has the dealer tag from were Gibson imported from the USA to Australia. It??s a rare Bird at a ... view on ebay

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Hyde Park, New York, 125**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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very tiny ding on the left side of the headstock
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GIBSON 1970 EB-0 Electric Bass (Excellent) ALL ORIGINAL AND CASE

Frankford, Delaware, 199**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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The Gibson 1970 EB-0 Electric Bass is a vintage right-handed electric bass guitar with a solid mahogany body, 4 strings, and 20 frets. This classic instrument is all original, comes with a case, and is a must-have for any bass player looking for a high-quality vintage sound. The brown body color and distinctive Gibson brand make this bass guitar a standout choice for musicians seeking a beautifully crafted and timeless piece.... view on ebay

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Santa Monica, California, 904**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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Used Gibson victory standard bass. One pickup great sounding bass similar tones to a rick. Bolt on neck pale gold finish. 24 frets 34 5in scale length. Set up for low action currently. Available for pick up in Los Angeles area... view on ebay

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Collingswood, New Jersey, 081**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5500

HomeAbout UsView all listingsContact UsShipping MenuCategories
Music, Instruments Jewelry: Antique / Vintag??e MENSJEWELRY: CAMEOSJewelry: 1940-1980's VintageJewelry: 1910 - 1939 Art DecoJewelry: 1837-1910 VictorianJewelry: 1895-1910 Art NouveauJEWELRY: Necklaces, Pendants WATCHES & WATCH ACCESSORIES JEWELRY: Brooches & PinsJEWELRY: EarringsJEWELRY: BraceletsJEWELRY: LocketsJEWELRY: Charms & BraceletsJEWELRY: SetsJEWELRY: RingsJEWELRY: SILVERCHINA & PORCELAINRELIGIOUS ... view on ebay

Gibson USA Thunderbird Natural 1976 Bicentennial Vintage Electric Bass Restore

Orange, California, 928**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1100

Comes as seenDoes not include caseGenuine Vintage 1976 Thunderbird bass but missing some parts, and has some reissue parts on itsee all picturesmostly in pretty nice shape but the neck which was repaired - has opened up along the same crackwill need to be redoneaside from the repair it is has not damage or cracksneck is straight and frets are goodshow some normal age and play wear as seensee all pictures for conditionbicentennial logo on pickguard scratched off as seen- you can still make out ... view on ebay

GIBSON VICTORY STANDARD BASS GUITAR - RARE

Saint Petersburg, Florida, 337**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1750

GIBSON VICTORY STANDARD BASS GUITAR - Serial # 81831614 - 1981 - Monday July 2nd - Nashville TN - Production # 614, beautiful guitar, professional players guitar, the case was made by Quest

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Epiphone by Gibson Power Bass guitar -GOOD CONDITION-

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$249

The Epiphone by Gibson Power Bass guitar is an electric bass guitar known for its quality and performance. As part of the Epiphone brand, this guitar is designed and manufactured by Gibson, a renowned company in the music industry. With its sleek design and powerful sound, this bass guitar is perfect for musicians looking for a reliable and high-quality instrument for their performances. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned player, the Epiphone by Gibson Power Bass guitar is sure to impress ... view on ebay

1967 Gibson Eb-2 bass Guitar Cherry Red

Austin, Texas, 787**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2800

1967 Gibson EB-2 bass guitar in cherry red finish
This is a player??s guitar. The finish is faded, with a few dings and knicks on the body
The neck is nice and sleek, very slender. All cosmetic. TONE CITY!!!
It has 2 headstock cracks that have been fully repaired and the bass holds tension and intonation immaculately. The headstock is missing the pearl inlay
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Gibson Victory 4 String Solid Body Right Handed Electric Bass Guitar

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 532**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1680

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Brand: GibsonType: Electric Bass GuitarString Configuration: 4 StringModel: VictoryBody Type: SolidHandedness: Right-HandedBody Color: BrownSeries: VintageBody Material: MahoganyNumber of Frets: 20Fretboard Material: RosewoodNeck Material: MaplePerformance Level: ProfessionalSize: 4 / 4 Features :
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Kokomo, Indiana, 469**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2500

The 1972 Gibson EB-3 The first Model Mahogany Bass Guitar is a vintage electric bass guitar that exudes classic style and timeless appeal. With a short scale body made of mahogany with a maple neck and a right-handed design, this 4-string bass guitar features a rosewood fretboard for a smooth and rich tone. This model, part of the Gibson series, this bass was used in a band call Featherstitch 1970-1974 they had a couple of albums from OHIO. This Bass needs a new home. The case is old and fraying... view on ebay

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1967 Gibson EB-2 Bass Guitar Sunburst Finish w / Soft Shell Case

San Diego, California, 921**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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This Is Located At Our Brick And Mortar Store In San Diego, CA
1967 Gibson EB-2 In Sunburst
In Very Good Condition Overall - Small Marks, Nicks, And Scratches - Finish Checking Throughout
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Vintage 1973 Gibson EB-0 electric bass guitar==Beautiful bass in Exc to Exc+ 9 / 10 - 9 5 / 10 all original and complete condition==Very light play wear with a few light marks hard to photo -- frets have a bit of discoloration but no real wear==Date on one CTS pot is 13773', with solder over date on the other, wiring is undisturbed==Includes original "Gibson " - logo hard case. also in Exc condition==Really nice shape!==Worldwide==
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1967 Gibson EB-2D Semi-Hollow Bass ?? All Original w / Willie's Guitar COA

Forest Lake, Minnesota, 550**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4500

Up for sale is a beautiful, highly desirable 1967 Gibson EB-2D dual-pickup semi-hollow electric bass guitar in its original Cherry finish This instrument has been professionally evaluated and certified completely original by the experts at Willie??s American Guitars (Saint Paul, MN). The original pickups (including the famous neck 'Mudbucker' and bridge mini-humbucker), the factory tuning pegs, knobs, and the push-button baritone switch are all intact and fully operational The serial number ... view on ebay

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Collingswood, New Jersey, 081**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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HomeAbout UsView all listingsContact UsShipping MenuCategories
Music, Instruments Jewelry: Antique / Vintag??e MENSJEWELRY: CAMEOSJewelry: 1940-1980's VintageJewelry: 1910 - 1939 Art DecoJewelry: 1837-1910 VictorianJewelry: 1895-1910 Art NouveauJEWELRY: Necklaces, Pendants WATCHES & WATCH ACCESSORIES JEWELRY: Brooches & PinsJEWELRY: EarringsJEWELRY: BraceletsJEWELRY: LocketsJEWELRY: Charms & BraceletsJEWELRY: SetsJEWELRY: RingsJEWELRY: SILVERCHINA & PORCELAINRELIGIOUS ... view on ebay

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$1750

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Fillmore, California, 930**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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Jacksonville, Florida, 322**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5997

Up for sale is a truly exceptional 1968 Gibson Dove in its original cherry sunburst finish, complete with its original hardshell case and factory manual!
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