What's up with lousy bass on classic rock recordings?

@macg19 LA woman was first Doors album with bass player. All earlier Door had Ray playing bass on keyboard. LA Women is fantastic tic and they never looked back!

Maybe they had Cerwin-Vega systems in the control rooms. That would explain it.

As others have noted what mix/pressing you listen to will matter - a lot. One reason is most mass-market produced albums in the 50s-70s were made to be played on one piece consoles with speakers and turntable all in one cabinet. A big bass presence would bounce the needle right out of the track.

I have a double Wally Boston debut and a 1st pressing Van Halen and the bass (low end) is awesome, perfect! I’m really only "Vinyl"  in the house for music internet radio for my sports and talk shows, CD or Mp3 in the truck for music. VTA and tracking force is dialed in on my turntable and level, just finished the Utrasonic cleaning project for all my LP records.

I have 2 systems, one with Fritz Carbon 7 SE's bookshelves and a SVS sealed 3000 model, and a another with Tekton SE double impacts with an SVS sealed 4000 model, listening to just R&R loudly, NO VINYL, just digital CD and stream Quboz.  AC/DC, Def Leopard, Led Zeppelin, Rush, etc. Bass is just GREAT, Dynamic, tight, and accurate, and as others have stated, you will also run into some disc's or songs that just aren't there sonic ally, as they have mentioned, just poor recordings. Robert TN