Tell the Noob about bass tone

Rich_S

Rich_S

HomeGrownToneBrewologist
I can't believe I'm saying this after 40 years as a guitar player, but I've got a bug to play bass. Lord knows the world needs more bass players and has WAY too many guitarists. So, I'm thinking about picking up a MIM P-Bass (or maybe just stealing my kid's sweet Sonic Blue Squier CV '60s for a while).

I'm looking for a short-cut guide to bass tone. More specifically, I know what I like, and want help narrowing down the choices. Many if my favorite bass sounds are your typical Precision-through-an-SVT types, but a lot of guys makes sounds with that rig that I DON'T like, too.

Likes: Gabe Nelson's bass sound on Cake's "Prolonging the Magic" CD, best bass sound I've heard in a while. Fat, but with definition on top, but not Jazz Bass twangy. Bruce Thomas with Elvis Costello. Graham Maby, although he got his definition from a J-B setup. 2007 reunion tour Sting (old single coil P-Bass) great grunting sound.

Dislikes: Late '70s Sting; the mids cut through, but where's the bottom? Similarly, I loved Pete Farndon's playing with The Pretenders, but hated his honky, midrangey tone.

Note that I'm talking more rootsy, pop-y, groove players here. No need to get heavy, distorted, downtuned, or metal.

Keep in mind I'm not buying an Ampeg any time soon. I'll be making do with a couple of bass amps already lying around the house; my son's '80s Peavey TNT 130 or a recently- acquired "free but needs work" recent-model Fender Bassman 100 combo ( SS w. 15" plus horn).

So, what the secret to getting a P to sound like my "likes" and not like the others? Any particular Duncan pickup to try, assuming I decide the original isn't cutting it? Hints on dialing in the amps?

Noob wants to know.

P.S. Great example of Gabe Nelson's awesome bass playing & tone:

 
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Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

I use a string ray bass and for that style of sound, i just boost the bass frequencies on it. Roll back on the treble and boost the bass. Being that the p bass is a pretty bassy bass in the first place just eq for the sweet spot. Most p basses will get a sound like that out of the box.
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

P Bass + flatwound strings.

This is an all-time great reference bass guitar sound. The nearest that I get to it at present is a Squier Silver Series P Bass with an American pickup installed. Right now, I am GASsing for the Fender AVRI '63 P Bass at my nearest dealership. (Same model that Itsabass opened a thread about. https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?275004-NBD)
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

Empty Pockets said:
The bass should always be the loudest instrument.

You need at least 4 times the power of your guitar player. You should have more than 10 times the power available because you MUST. BE. LOUD. ER.

**** the drummer. He's just counting. YOUR rhythm is holding the band together.

**** the melody. You're in control. You can flat, sharp, or add notes as you please. You will always sound good because nobody will care because you are the bass.

You're not Les Claypool. Stop slapping that thing, you *******. Play anything you want (in the key of the song) but STOP SLAPPING AND POPPING HOLY **** IT'S NOT 1997 NOBODY CARES ANYMORE I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU SLAP ONE MORE TIME

Use two amps. One for bass, one for guitar. Use an awesome fuzz pedal in front of the guitar amp and fire your rhythm guitar player. Then buy a 6-string bass and fire your lead guitar player. THEN BUY AN MPC AND FIRE YOUR DRUMMER BECAUSE **** ROCK-N-ROLL YOU ARE A DUBSTEP GOD

Then buy a resonator or a banjo or a mandolin or something else that's retarded because all the cool kids are playing folk music because the 20teen's can't think of an original style of music

then **** god and jesus christ and satan and buddha and everything else then ban Empty Pockets because he doesn't add anything useful to this forum

sweet dreams; i love you; good night
Click to expand...

Are you a delirious Jason Newsted in the middle of a violent flashback throwing a tantrum?
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

I'm glad you guys liked it. I found it pretty embarrassing and am using it as a reminder to do less internet posting while I'm completely wasted.

The first two paragraphs are factually correct. Everything after that... Well... I'm sorry.
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

I like this thread. It's bats#it crazy.

But I'm a noob bassist too. I gigged for a year. Line 6 and Tech 21 everything into a PA.

 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

Tech 21 is absolutely adequate for live bass tone. Other things sound better, but the Sansamp Bassdriver is good enough for every single bass player.
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

I was raised on Ampeg (Portaflex/single 15 in the studio; SVT/dual stack on stage). Here comes the BOOM!!

Then Jaco came along and smacked everybody upside the head. I got into it for certain things, but it's obviously a genre-specific choice.

If you're playing R&B/soul/funk/etc. after the mid-70s, you gotta slap a little. Unavoidable. Larry Graham and Louis Johnson pushed that ship into the ocean, and set it afire.

Rockers can drive a little distortion (think Phil Chen in Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs" -- yeah, he slapped it in his solo. Sorry :( ),
pump with mud and sludge (Jack Bruce), or get that Geddy/Chris Squire grinding pick thing going with lots of mids.

I can cover just about everything with a 4x10 bottom and a GK top. Mud, thud, slap or grind.
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

Empty Pockets said:
Tech 21 is absolutely adequate for live bass tone. Other things sound better, but the Sansamp Bassdriver is good enough for every single bass player.
Click to expand...

There's nothing more gratifying than watching your band mates haul 50 lb amps around, when you just plug your sansamp into the house PA.
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

9unslin9er said:
There's nothing more gratifying than watching your band mates haul 50 lb amps around, when you just plug your sansamp into the house PA.
Click to expand...

For real. About a year or two ago I switched my setup completely. No more heavy stage amps. I now use amp and effects sims running Jamup Pro and Bias on my iPhone 5S (using an Apogee Jam as an interface.) The output of the iPhone goes to a direct box at my feet. Much lighter and sounds amazing.
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

Are you guys that are "sans amp" :p playing at the same venues week after week with consistent PAs? When I was gigging, the PA situation was very sketchy. I used a bass combo with a direct out, but was powerful enough to (just barely) cut it if we we weren't putting bass through a PA.

This allowed:
-Solo Bass amp (small/low budget venues and ad hoc venues)
-Miced Bass Amp (for extra reinforcement when a PA was a little better)
-DI w/ amp serving as my monitor (for nice venues that regularly hosted bands/music)

It was only a Fender combo I was borrowing, but it was better than the glorified practice amp I used before! (Hey, what do you want, it was punk ;))
 
Re: Tell the Noob about bass tone

Honestly, you only need an EQ and a compressor. In my first sting as a "bassist" I used some of my rackmount outboard gear, a TC electronics 4x parametric EQ and a dbx 160x compressor. The bass was a simple 4-string P type Yamaha rbx. I put in an EMG P-bass pickup so that I don't have to worry about the input impedance of the 19" units (although the TC would have been fine for passive, too).

People loved it. They fear nothing more than the bassist going all crazy with the 6th string (higher string than normal) and all weird with effects.

And the extra EQ control allowed me adapt to the room and PA at hand, or cabinet at hand without interfering with the EQing "for sound".

Strings, I still dunno, it looks like I really don't like the standard strings which is hex core and nickel plated steel winding. They sound weird to me when fretted. My current favorites are the hi-beams (round core, stainless steel wind) and the Legends (DR's flats), although the legends have really annoying silly silk and don't fit my Stingray because of it. Oh and I have a Thunderbird with the annoying fat ceramic pickups and Ernie Ball's Cobalt strings :headbang:
 
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