Greg Prato, reporting for Ultimate-Guitar.com:
If there's one thing metal legend David Ellefson is well known for, it's his bass tone. In addition to the sharp attack that comes from his use of picks, David always sounds powerful in the mix, be it a studio recording or a live show.
What we heard in Megadeth over the years is now recognizable in his new band, Kings Of Thrash. Of course, a huge part of his tone is also due to his Jackson basses. In our recent chat with Ellefson, we asked about his Jacksons and how they compare to B.C. Rich, another renowned brand that he has used over the years.
Ultimate-Guitar.com: You mostly use Jackson now, but you're also known for playing B.C. Rich basses. How do Jackson and B.C. Rich basses compare?
David Ellefson: "They're totally different beasts. It's a Gibson to a Fender or something. Look, for me, growing up in the '80s, rock n' roll was getting heavier, and tones were getting more distorted and bigger, and ironically, bass tones were getting cleaner. Like, you listen to Steve Harris, and the Scorpions stuff, bass tones were super clear and clean.
"But it was always about points. Points made it just look cool. Whether it was Dean Guitars which were brand new, BC Riches, which looked like battle axes. I just loved that.
"What's interesting now with Kings of Thrash, we're going back and playing these earlier records, and here's what I found about the Jackson. Jacksons are a high-octane, well-built, precision shredder kind of instrument. Including the basses. They were mostly a guitar company, that, 'Oh, by the way, had a bass.' But I loved it."
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