“Jeff Beck would pick up my fretless and play the craziest licks. I was in awe”: Pino Palladino’s adventures with The Who, John Mayer, Eric Clapton and his Music Man fretless bass

Ernie Ball Music Man Pino Palladino StingRay.

Though Pino Palladino’s resume is staggering, his approach to work is quite simple: “I just turn up with a couple of basses, to be quite honest,” he tells Bass Player. Of course, it’s not that simple.

Through the ’80s and ’90s his beloved fretless StringRay appeared on records by Paul Young, David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Don Henley, Phil Collins, Tears For Fears, Go West and Joan Armatrading, among others. That iconic instrument has now been commemorated by Ernie Ball Music Man with a new signature model.