Question on EQ : Bass or Amp

[Pure.Fusion]

Hey guys,

If I find my bass a touch too bright, would you adjust the amp to suit or would I roll off some top end on my bass?

How do you know when you should be adjusting the amp eq or your bass in general?

Cheers,
FM

[gforce9]

It depends on the frequency you're trying to cut and the frequencies of the on-board eq and on the amp. For example, the treble on my on-board eq is 10k, I think. The amp treble is at 5k. Typically, I cut on the on-board and boost (slightly) the amp. Cutting cleans and not harsh..................

[bongomania]

The point of the EQ on your bass is to have tone controls near at hand, that will affect your sound both through the amp and through the PA. The point of EQ on the amp is to have essentially set-and-forget tone control over what comes out your onstage speaker.

[RoboChrist]

It's usually best to get the tone you want by setting the bass flat and dailing it in on the amp. But for highs I'm inclined to have a little extra on the amp and then cut whatever I need on the bass. The general wisdom being that it is always better to cut than to boost when it comes to an onboard pre.

Boosting frequencies on the onboard is actually a distortion of the true signal, so the less you bang the front end of your amp with a hot signal the better.

[Pure.Fusion]

Cool. So set you bass flat, set up the amp as you like it, then tweak as needed on the bass as you play. (bongomania)

.. and if you get a bit experienced you might work out that some frequencies are better done on one or the other.

That makes sense.

Cheers,
FM

[Pure.Fusion]

I'm use to using the tone controls on my guitars, but my bass (which I'm new to) has an active EQ and there is soooo much scope to sculpt the sound.....

FM

[Pilgrim]

On a passive bass, you can't add highs - all you can do with the tone control is roll off (diminish) the high frequencies. Sometimes that's just what you want.

OTOH, depending on the way your head is designed, you should be able to turn certain frequencies both up and down - which is more versatile.

So to some degree, the answer is "both", but it depends on what you're looking for. If you have the amp dialed in so you have just the sound you want but the bass is just too bright, then by all means roll the tone knob down a bit on the bass.

[JimmyM]

turn whatever knobs you feel you need to turn and have fun.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by RoboChrist

Boosting frequencies on the onboard is actually a distortion of the true signal, so the less you bang the front end of your amp with a hot signal the better.

All EQ is a sort of distortion, whether cutting or boosting, regardless of on the bass or on the amp--and distortion has nothing to do with how "hot" the signal is. Boosting frequencies onboard is not any particularly different or noteworthy "distortion of the true signal".

[Lorenzini]

Originally Posted by bongomania

All EQ is a sort of distortion, whether cutting or boosting, regardless of on the bass or on the amp--and distortion has nothing to do with how "hot" the signal is. Boosting frequencies onboard is not any particularly different or noteworthy "distortion of the true signal".

+1

Sadowskys in fact are boost only and it's a good sound.

[Sartori]

I never use the tone knobs on my bass. But me wanting less treble is not a common occurrence.

[Pure.Fusion]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

turn whatever knobs you feel you need to turn and have fun.

There's a joke in there somewhere.... but I'm not going there.

FM

[Thumpking]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

turn whatever knobs you feel you need to turn and have fun.

Jimmy LIVES to turn knobs! HA!

[Winnb]

Crank the tone knob all the way to high. EQ the amp.