Not liking my rig SWR/GK content

AdamR · #1 01-25-2011, 07:52 AM

So I recently returned to bass after a 10 year hiatus. I picked up a SWR SM500 and Workingmans 410T aswell as a borrowed MIM fender jazz bass.

I plan on replacing the jazz bass with either a used Specter P/J Euro or a Warwick Corvette $$ .

My concern is the amp. Im just not liking the tones Im getting from it and the EQ is a little overwhelming. Im looking for something with a bit more grind or grit to it and the SWR is pretty much the opposite. Very clean.

Would I be better off replacing the SM500 with something like a GK700/800RB or should I try running a BDDI or VT pedal first ?

Wes Whitmore · #2 01-25-2011, 09:56 AM

Most of the larger GKs are pretty clean until you start driving it hard (louder), and even then, it's not at all overwhelming of a grind. Their punch and definition add to the "clean" sound of them. The good thing with the VT pedal is that it adds all kinds of grind/overdrive, plus has good mid control and sounds really good. It will work alone as a preamp, and with any amp, so you might want to look into that through your existing amp first. It usually makes any amp sound...better, so it probably won't be a waste of money regardless of what amp you use it with.
Wes

AdamR · #3 01-25-2011, 06:27 PM

Thanks Wes. Wish I knew someone that had one of these pedals I could try.
This amp is so hard to dial in (because I dont really understand the EQ) No matter what I try eq wise I either end up with to much lows, to much highs or it gets real hollow sounding..

I've tried adding some grit with a Boss SD1 but that sucks out my bottom end.

ilovenofrets · #4 01-25-2011, 06:48 PM

FWIW-I owned an SWR, good sound, but way too clean. Some guys are looking for that ultra hi-fi sound, and for that, SWR is regarded as the way to go. In my experience, GK works much better. While they aren't really known as dirty amps, either, they do produce a GREAT punch and growl. And with the right speaker configuration, you'll get some nice girth as well. GK's active EQ works incredibly well, and makes it easy to dial in a great, usable tone quickly.

Gearhead17 · #5 01-25-2011, 07:00 PM

EQ is pretty simple to get, but you need to set the knobs to the "Flat" position as designated in the manual. Set your bass flat or or at least good to your ears and mess with one knob at a time on the amp head and you will figure out what frequencies sound like. That is half the battle. Keep in mind that you do not have to boost every frequency you like, focus on decreasing frequencies that bug you first - and do so in small turns of the knob. Big boosts and cuts will not help you out. Good luck.

jedgargroover · #6 01-25-2011, 07:03 PM

You could always add some compression:
http://cgi.ebay.com/T-Rex-Squeezer-T...#ht_2922wt_907

Plays_For_Dog · #7 01-25-2011, 07:19 PM

Try rolling the aural enhancer all the way off. That helps dull the tone.

AdamR · #8 01-25-2011, 08:26 PM

I've started with everything flat, enhancer off, Pre set every were from 6 oclock to 3 oclock. I can get a good clean tone that way but once I try to dial in the mids I want I have trouble finding what Im looking for. I think its a case of just to many options.

anonymous101511 · #9 01-25-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamR

I've started with everything flat, enhancer off, Pre set every were from 6 oclock to 3 oclock. I can get a good clean tone that way but once I try to dial in the mids I want I have trouble finding what Im looking for. I think its a case of just to many options.

Sorry, there are no mids in SWR gear. You will need a different head, for sure. I have tried dozens of gigs worth of fiddling with EQ on SWR heads and there's nothing that changes the sound for the better. SWR's sound like SWR's no matter what you do and I hate that sound, personally. Squishy, slow response with no mids, all mushy and boomy, yuck.
Get a GK or Ampeg and call it a day.

hotrodjohn · #10 01-25-2011, 10:31 PM

Had the SM500 for a while and also could never get the tone i wanted. Also, it would very often go into thermal shutdown when cranking the bass. Since then i have switched to Mesa Carbine M6 and GK 700RBII depending on the gig, and i find them both to be reliable and easy to achieve a ballsy tone.

JazznFunk · #11 01-25-2011, 10:40 PM

Mids are there in SWR gear as long as you start with everything 'flat' (as in at the center detents). I usually roll off the highs to about 9 o'clock on any of my SWR amps. I'm not into the sizzly thing, even as an SWR user. Then, I boost a SMALL amount of the mids to get a little more voice in there. From there, use on-board EQ or the amp's EQ to taste. Since SWR's are a 'full-range' focused amp, you do not need to boost the bass (in fact, CUTTING the bass on an SWR will help in some cases), and the proper EQ'ing will yield a very usable tone. Remember, it's easier to massage a 'Hi-Fi' amp versus cleaning up a 'dirty' amp setup.

dsanders · #12 01-25-2011, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vail_bass

Sorry, there are no mids in SWR gear. You will need a different head, for sure. I have tried dozens of gigs worth of fiddling with EQ on SWR heads and there's nothing that changes the sound for the better. SWR's sound like SWR's no matter what you do and I hate that sound, personally. Squishy, slow response with no mids, all mushy and boomy, yuck.
Get a GK or Ampeg and call it a day.

Interesting that my tone has been excellent with very pronounced warm low mids. In fact that was right around the time I started using SWR

. Go figure.