Acoustic B100 and some EQ questions

[makanudo]

Some general info:
Acoustic B100 combo amp
Ibanez SR505 Bass
And ernie ball regular slinky strings (not yet on bass)

I was wondering, i like a meaty grindy growly bass tone but i have never been able to achieve it and i was wondering if it could be because of the gear i have or if there are some EQ tricks i could work on to get something close to it?

The reason i ask this is because i haven't been playing through my amp for quite some time (away for college) and now im going to be playing through it again in a band situation and i would like to get that tone i've been wanting for some time.

I know most of you will tell me to turn all knobs flat or down and work from there, but i would like to have an idea or a general "standard" setting to work my way around it instead of working from zero.

Thanks in advance guys keep it heavy

[Gearhead17]

Originally Posted by makanudo

Some general info:
Acoustic B100 combo amp
Ibanez SR505 Bass
And ernie ball regular slinky strings (not yet on bass)

I know most of you will tell me to turn all knobs flat or down and work from there, but i would like to have an idea or a general "standard" setting to work my way around it instead of working from zero.

Thanks in advance guys keep it heavy

Working from zero is literally the best way to figure this out. But here are some keys to getting a grindy tone.

-Play with a pick
-Pluck towards the bridge
-Blend more of the Bridge pickup
-Boost the 900hz to 3khz zone.
-Use Stainless steel strings (Ernie Ball Slinkys are a good choice).
-Do not boost the tone knobs on your bass, put them flat.

-Gain set to just under the red peak light
-Volume to taste
-Move the Frequency Notch knob until it sounds good to you
-Low and Low Mids flat
-With a little boost on the Hi-Mid and Treble knobs

You can get a decent grindy tone out of a 15, but it will sound edgier and much more "correct" to your ears through 10" speakers. Good luck.

[makanudo]

Thanks for your reply bro, yeah looking around i figured that a 4x10 would get me more close to the tone i want than a single 15" speaker.

Anyway is this choice of tone good for a live band mix situation?

[Gearhead17]

Originally Posted by makanudo

Thanks for your reply bro, yeah looking around i figured that a 4x10 would get me more close to the tone i want than a single 15" speaker.

Anyway is this choice of tone good for a live band mix situation?

Every live band mix is different - the acoustics of every venue are going to vary and so on. Understanding how hand position, tone choices, and what all of your knobs do is the key to getting a good tone in a live situation. In some bands, a grindy pick tone may interfere with the vocals and guitars, while a lower/thicker bass tone might support the band better and still cut through nicely. Keep playing and you will figure it out.

[makanudo]

I see, i play with fingers almost exclusively so i think that takes away some of that grindyness..

How can i achieve that lower thicker bass tone with my current gear?

I know i should just mess around until i like it by myself but as i said id like to have an idea of what i should be working around

[redlikejazz]

Originally Posted by makanudo

I know i should just mess around until i like it by myself

Basic formula is run both pups full blast then adjust the eq on the amp. Your volume will always be limited at 100 watts though.

[Gearhead17]

A good start is plucking closer to the neck pickup and boosting the low mid knob a little.

Many of us say set the controls flat because you can honestly just move your plucking hand around a little and create many different tones without touching the knobs. Live, I just move my plucking hand around the bass to do about 95% of my tone changes. I set the pickup balance knob a little more towards the bridge pickup and switch between a pick and fingers depending on the tone required for the song.

Honestly, I set the controls on my amp so I can hear myself then it is up to my hands to do the rest.

[drewfunk]

I owned a B100 amp for a year and it was naturally a pretty growly amp. The only way you are gonna get a grindy/dirty tone though is with an overdrive pedal. Playing with a pick will instantly help also.

[makanudo]

I think i should really take out the grindy part of the thread, i think what i really meant was meaty growly as in a Ryan martinie or rob trujillo kind of tone

But thanks for the replies man i appreciate it!