Frustrated with my rig

isorokko · #1 03-25-2010, 03:45 AM

Hey guys!

I've got a bit of a problem which I'm sure most of you've had at some point in your playingcareer. I've got a seemingly good rig, Hartke LH-500 and Ampeg svt-610hlf, but I'm unable to find the kind of sound I'm after. I'm playing an Epi t-bird through the rig, but that isn't the issue here, since I'm experiencing the same problem with different basses. I've also got a project-precision which should be good to play again in a few weeks, and will most likely take the place of the epi, since the p-bass sound is closer to what I'm after...

I've been thinking about selling my current rig, which is oversized for my purposes, and getting the new GK 2x12 combo, or some good head and 2 1x15 -cabs. The sound I'm after is pretty much this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jX8Cen21sc (I will possess your heart by Death Cab For Cutie) Would you think that I'd be able to come close to this sound with the GK? It seems that the LH-500 just can't deliver the mids I'm after. It could also be that I'm not driving my 6x10 hard enough to get it to really open up. The sound just seems too round and dull for my tastes. All suggestions and help is greatly appreciated to help me reach something close to this tone.

Cheers!
J-P

tom once dead · #2 03-25-2010, 04:03 AM

why not just get an ashdown abm 500 and keep the 61HLF?

isorokko · #3 03-25-2010, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

why not just get an ashdown abm 500 and keep the 61HLF?

I'm also looking for something a bit more compact. Our guitarists both play 2x12 65w tubecombos, not very loud. So I'd be well off with a good 4x10 or 2x12. The 6x10 is a bit too much to lug around for my taste.

tom once dead · #4 03-25-2010, 04:24 AM

you could also sell the 610 and grab a couple of ashdown 115's

isorokko · #5 03-25-2010, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

you could also sell the 610 and grab a couple of ashdown 115's

Always an option. The thing is however, I'm feeling that the lh500 might be the culprit, or then I just prefer a tighter sounding cab. It feels like I'm unable to get a tone with any significat punch out of the rig, unless I push it to extreme volumes. The tone is big and warm, but nothing else. No grit, punch or tightness from basses I'm used to getting that sort of tone out of.

WingKL · #6 03-25-2010, 04:49 AM

You do know that the LH500 has a Fender style tone stack which scoops out the mids right? If I were you I'd try using a VT bass pedal into the effects return to cop those tubey tones.

tom once dead · #7 03-25-2010, 04:58 AM

The tone your looking for seems pretty straight forward, just a P bass into an ashdown, if your looking for some punch grab a 410 instead of a 15.

Bootzilla · #8 03-25-2010, 05:05 AM

If you want to downsize anyway maybe youshould first get yourself a smaller cab and see if the lh500 works better with the new cab.
Also try cranking the mids way up on the amp or if you already did that try turning down the bass and treble a bit.
The tonestack in that amp is a bit of a strange one, to see how it functions try downloading the "duncan tonestack calculator" (http://www.duncanamps.com/tsc/).
It's the fender style tonestack (hartke might have changed some values but it will work the same).

If the amp still doesn't deliver you could try one of the new carvin heads.

isorokko · #9 03-25-2010, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WingKL

You do know that the LH500 has a Fender style tone stack which scoops out the mids right? If I were you I'd try using a VT bass pedal into the effects return to cop those tubey tones.

Yup. I can dig out a lot of different tones from it, but the mids just seem missing for some reason. I'm getting a VT once the local store receives my order, so perhaps that'll change the game for me. Thanks for the helpful tips so fare guys. I'll propably still end up changing the 610 for something a bit smalle though.

isorokko · #10 03-25-2010, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bootzilla

If you want to downsize anyway maybe youshould first get yourself a smaller cab and see if the lh500 works better with the new cab.
Also try cranking the mids way up on the amp or if you already did that try turning down the bass and treble a bit.
The tonestack in that amp is a bit of a strange one, to see how it functions try downloading the "duncan tonestack calculator" (http://www.duncanamps.com/tsc/).
It's the fender style tonestack (hartke might have changed some values but it will work the same).

If the amp still doesn't deliver you could try one of the new carvin heads.

I've tried the different "flat" -settings as well as a 2-10-2 or 4-10-2 to really boost the mids. Still not getting enough definition to the sound. Perhaps the main culprit is the cab and the fact that I'm not driving it hard enough to really allow it to open up. Carvin has some interesting offerings, but they aren't readily available over here (Finland).

sevenyearsdown · #11 03-25-2010, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom once dead

The tone your looking for seems pretty straight forward, just a P bass into an ashdown, if your looking for some punch grab a 410 instead of a 15.

Beat me too it. Even something small like an Ashdown Mag has a ton of punch (I have a MAG300 practice rig).

isorokko · #12 03-25-2010, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sevenyearsdown

Beat me too it. Even something small like an Ashdown Mag has a ton of punch (I have a MAG300 practice rig).

I don't know why, but for some reason I don't really gas for ashdown. Played through a few ashdown-stacks and always found myself not really enjoying the tone (with the exception of friday's gig, where the backline was a cheap 300w ashdown-stack. That tone was pretty close), I think I might unload the 6x10 and replace it with an Orange OBC115 and see where that gets me. If I'm still unhappy I'll change the Hartke to a terror bass or something similar.

Thanks for all the helpfull advice guys!

Pbassguy · #13 03-25-2010, 05:44 AM

The "punch"... problem is a funny one.

I use a cheapo Hartke 2500 into a cheapo GK 2x10 which is raised off the ground on rails with my vintage P which wears a set of old dead Fender flats and the tone rolled nearly all the way off.

This combo run flat produces amazing punch....maybe you need to check ur guitar and the way its set up.

PSPookie · #14 03-25-2010, 06:59 AM

I think you have two things going on here:
1) With the Fender style tone stack you can't really boost mids since 10 is flat. What you have to do is cut bass and treble to bring the mids to a higher relative level and then turn thee volume up. Also keep in mind that the tone controlls are interactive so turning one knob will affect the center frequencies of the others.

2) IIRC the HLF series of cabinets have a huge low end but are fairly mid-scooped. See if you can try the head with different cabinet. Preferable one with a more mid-present voiving.

Good luck in your quest.

isorokko · #15 03-25-2010, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSPookie

I think you have two things going on here:
1) With the Fender style tone stack you can't really boost mids since 10 is flat. What you have to do is cut bass and treble to bring the mids to a higher relative level and then turn thee volume up. Also keep in mind that the tone controlls are interactive so turning one knob will affect the center frequencies of the others.

2) IIRC the HLF series of cabinets have a huge low end but are fairly mid-scooped. See if you can try the head with different cabinet. Preferable one with a more mid-present voiving.

Good luck in your quest.

I think you've nailed my problem there. I'll be trying the head with the 1x15 orange cab, hopefully that will get me closer to what I'm after.

JoeVictim · #16 03-25-2010, 07:19 AM

Good luck to you. I have no personal experience with Ashdown gear but I have been having a similar issue. My plan is to build a Fitzmaurice Omni 15 less the tweeter and add a head known for its chubby tone, Carvin B1500 if I can find one, or B2000. With the Omni being a very transparent cab, it should take the shape of the Carvin very well and accentuate the tone others have described here as the end all be all of rock and roll bliss.

will33 · #17 03-25-2010, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSPookie

2) IIRC the HLF series of cabinets have a huge low end but are fairly mid-scooped. See if you can try the head with different cabinet. Preferable one with a more mid-present voiving.

Good luck in your quest.

This. If you're looking for more prominent, cutting midrange, Ampeg isn't the way to go. May wait to get the pedal before you dump the head. The T-bird is more of a deep, not mid-punchy bass as well. Seem to have a couple things working against you here. I'd start by getting a different cab and work the rest of the bugs out from there.

hgregs · #18 03-25-2010, 09:04 AM

sorry if this is too obvious... but i think playing with a pick is key to his tone.

Floridabwoy · #19 03-25-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hgregs

sorry if this is too obvious... but i think playing with a pick is key to his tone.

right and some rotosound 66's

I can get that tone no problem on my P.

isorokko · #20 03-25-2010, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hgregs

sorry if this is too obvious... but i think playing with a pick is key to his tone.

Not too obvious at all, and appreciated, but I've tried it, infact I play a few of our songs with a pick. It just seems that no matter how I eq the hartke, playing with a P or the bird, I just can't get anything but a big round tone. It is really confusing, since the basic characteristic of the tone is there no matter what I do to the EQ, which is leading me to believe the problem is in the head/cab or both.