Bass tone help......need thicker & smoother

[Whitbass]

Hello Kind Fellow TBers....

this is not quite the first time this sort of thing has been brought up......by others or by me, but would like to revisit......if you'd be so kind to offer thoughts & advice.......


I play Gospel, & Praise type music...no PA normally........
I have a Berg AE410 + LMII (also have 2xHT112ERs for a portable cab solution)
Ken Smith or USA Peavey Bass
Either rig sounds good...but.................it is simply too crisp and a too aggressive.........tonally, its almost there in some ways..but not really.....its not thick enough
I hear this more away from the rig...but remember my rig is backline + house...so tone, authority and throw is important.....
I really like a modern sounding bass dialed more toward the bridge p/u, and rig with a thick, rich, creamy, muscular, but tight tone.....and slammin..........(and clean not gritty)
but I want to keep plenty of definition,
maybe we could say, modern bass guitar, and very focused, but with a more classic sounding rig......I guess
I have auditioned Mesa M9, Mesa Big Block 750, Eden Traveler 550, Hartke LH1000, Ampeg Classic, etc in stores, but have not really had a setting to ultimately determine my best move and haven't had a setting to mix/match to best determine what is the more contributing factor to my current tonal character. In other words, if I pump some rich tubey stuff into the AE410, will it thicken and smooth my tone considerably, or is the AE410 too aggressive...........
of course the AE410 is a great cab.....but is it the right cab
Seriously, in the store, the LH1000 + HX410 sounds really good to me......of course an Ampeg Classic sounds great too, but don't really want that sort of size and weight..........
the Mesa's sound good too, but I need to listen to them with my bass or something closer to my basses personality

I feel my basses are fine......but I am asking you kind folks......what should I do.....?????

for the money, I really want to give an LH1000 a good try, but am afraid it might not match my AE410 so well, as I was not overly impressed with the LH1000 + Eden 410XLT in the store......in fact I preferred the HX410 over the Eden XLT with the Hartke LH1000........
The Eden/Eden really sounded quite good, but the Hartke LH + HX really impressed to me........for what I am after
I also considered selling or trading the AE410 for an HS410...but not convinced the LMII will be thick enough...........


can anyone help???

[lem8r]

who said flatwounds?

[IvanMike]

your cab is great but it is just as you described. Not sure about your amp but IIRC, it is a bit clean as well.

If you can try the eden preamp with your cabs you might find it warms it up a bit. But, messing with EQ might help. I bet you could dial back on the tweeter L pad on the cab a bit (not all the way off), maybe find some high mids/lower treble range to cut. I would mess around with settings before you replaced your rig entirely.

Another trick i use with my swr/bag end setup is using a sans amp bass driver DI. I have a love/hate relationship with that pedal. It sucks out some mids and can fatten up the tone quite a bit. If you're looking for that extra oomph, the various 212 cabs might be more your speed, but i hate to have you totally change your rig w/o trying some fixes. That said, the cab is generally the most decisive factor in your tone more often than not.

Whatever you do, try everything with your bass and your rig. Haul the whole thing down to the store(s). Give them some warning and most will be happy to accommodate you.

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by lem8r

who said flatwounds?

+1 Try them, a lot cheaper than buying amps, cabs & basses

[Gibbsalot]

DR Sunbeams plus Sansamp Para Driver

[IvanMike]

Originally Posted by Gibbsalot

DR Sunbeams plus Sansamp Para Driver

IIRC, the para driver does that same weird tone suck that the bass driver does so not a bad idea.

[aledeville]

Despite your comment about the satisfaction with your basses: Your description cries for a precisionbass...

[Whitbass]

I actually should still own a Sansamp Rackmount RBI that has been at location for sale for a while...should be able to reclaim it and give it a try...............
I tried it mainly as a pre rather than an affect or addition to
I may make a trip shortly to pick it up.......................

how do you recommend connecting it? effects loop, in front or otherwise?

otherwise, feel free to keep some ideas coming.......
thanks!!

[Rick Auricchio]

If the flatwounds don't do the trick, try a touch of Sansamp VT bass.

A "modern sound" dialed toward the bridge pickup seems to be the opposite of what you want.

[IvanMike]

try effects loop-especially if your amp has a blend control on the effects loop. The sans amp has a blend control (at least the DI does) but it really doesn't blend wet and dry for real.

[woolysock]

Given what you've said, I'd run your bass with both pups on full and I'd use the HT112ER cabs. As for a head, I use an AG500. Plenty thick and smooth. If you want even thicker and smoother try a DB750 or DB359.

[Mo'Phat]

If the horn/tweeter on your cabinet is any more turned up than '1 out of 10', it's going to give you a too crisp and too aggressive tone.

I suggest trying the cheapest options. Turning down the attenuator on the tweeter, tweaking your EQ on the LMII, fitzing with the tone controls on your basses, salvaging your RBI (you can use it inline or in the loop...keep blend below about 3...SansAmps tend to really scoop the mids out, which I feel is too effected a sound), or going with flatwound strings.

If you want to stay with roundwounds, I like DR Low Riders. Or just play with dead strings.

Your cabinet, amp and basses should get you what you want...all the ingredients are pretty versatile. It's not like you're playing a single 18" with a P bass and home stereo receiver and wondering why you can't get that sound that Flea gets on Give It Away.

[JimmyM]

lmii can use a shot of vle to cut down the treble. also, try twisting the other knobs.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

lmii can use a shot of vle to cut down the treble. also, try twisting the other knobs.

+1 VLE is the easiest thing to try.

TC RH450 head through that cab will be thick and smooth for days.

Easiest thing is just to blame JimmyM for your bad tone. He's already accepted responsibility in another thread

[stflbn]

Originally Posted by nostatic

TC RH450 head through that cab will be thick and smooth for days.

That was my first thought also. It doesn't excel at a super crisp Marcus miller type top end, but thick smooth and punchy is hell is what it seems to be great at.


.

[theBlindPig]

+1 on the flatwounds. You could also consider picking up a Markbass Compressore pedal. Check out the comments made by Bongomania here: http://www.ovnilab.com/reviews/markbass.shtml
I recently picked one up and concur with his appraisal of the pedal.

[honestjohnny]

Pluck near the neck and you could also try a felt pad under the strings at the bridge. Or you can palm mute like a guitar player at the bridge. Cheers!

[rpsands]

I don't find flatwounds very "Creamy" - they accentuate note attack and make it thumpier than I usually like. Not always, but mostly.

I'd suggest you just use the VLE and VPF in concert until you get a tone you like. Might need to drop some high mids too.

Play more toward the neck and use a softer attack.

[I Forget]

Bridge pickup + LMII + AE410 is one of the leanest, most aggressive sounds I've heard. A good rig but the wrong rig for thick & smooth ime. Can you try out any alternatives via a return policy? Another obvious candidate is epifani, both their amps and cabs. If you can find an alternative rig that works I'd suggest buying just the head first and see if you can make it work with berg before replacing the whole lot.

[Whitbass]

I do favor the bridge p/u a lot, but it takes a meaty, muscular rig to do this tone justice.....