The sound in our head

basswalker2004 · #1 10-21-2010, 08:20 AM

As I sat here this morning pondering my next bass rig (and flashing back to doing the same thing over 40 years ago when I was in high school) it made me think of the sound we hear in our heads. That perfect bass sound that keeps us searching, moving forward and trying new gear searching for the Holy Grail.
That sound, that elusive perfect sound. I have to wonder about all those bass amps I’ve gone through in my quest. Are they still working and making someone happy. The Fender Bassmans (4 of those), the acoustic 360, the SVT’s (several of those), the SUNN, the Marshall, the Traynor, the Peavy, the power amps, the preamps, GK’s, the Messa, Aguilar and the list goes on and on.. 42 years of bass, and still searching.
Is it that as we grow as musicians we expect different things from our gear?
Would love to hear your thoughts…

**BullHorn** · #2 10-21-2010, 11:20 AM

I'm still young and quite new to the bass world but I found that the sound I am looking for has changed many times. When I get close to what I was aiming for, I find out that I want it to be different again.

jpTron · #3 10-21-2010, 11:25 AM

I have two sounds in my head, and I achieve them both with my VT Bass and Eq pedal into a power amp. Thankfully saving myself lots of dough in the long run

edbass · #4 10-21-2010, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basswalker2004

Is it that as we grow as musicians we expect different things from our gear?

I think it depends on the person, but indeed for some their taste in tone changes. I have similar tenure in pursuit of tone as you describe, for four decades I've chased it as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BullHorn

I'm still young and quite new to the bass world but I found that the sound I am looking for has changed many times. When I get close to what I was aiming for, I find out that I want it to be different again.

Careful, it’s a slippery slope! The route I took was always getting the "rig du jour" as they came out and the bass world gushed over them, and I honestly liked and was satisfied that I had found "nirvana" with most of them... for a minute, until the next "new and improved" rig came out and I repeated the process.
I still have most of them, and they aren't worth squat compared to what I paid when they were the newest and bestest ever rigs. They don't/didn't sound so great either. I listen to studio work I did in the 70's, 80's, 90's and wonder "What was I thinking? That sounds like over processed, omnipresent crap, how could I have ever let that get on tape?", when at the time it was recorded, I was strutting like a rooster, boasting about how bitchin' my state of the art gear and state of the art tone was.
Kind of like so many TB forum members do now, when they get a new rig...

I didn't gig a passive bass for almost 20 years, now I haven't gigged an active bass for about 10, with the exception of objectively testing new gear and a fill in 90's rock type gig about 6 mos. ago that I used my StingRay and a transistor rig for.

However, I know some players find "their" tone at an early stage and stick with it with just little refinements over the years. As I mentioned earlier, IMO it just depends on the person.
I truthfully wish I was one of those, it would have saved me the ton of money I spent just to come "full circle"!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpTron

I have two sounds in my head, and I achieve them both with my VT Bass and Eq pedal into a power amp. Thankfully saving myself lots of dough in the long run

Now, that’s certainly a cheap way to get there. I’ve never had any luck with that type of rig or running direct to console, but if it works for you it’s the perfect solution.

Oh well, I suppose it wasn't totally just money spent in vain; at least I finally learned that buying cutting edge technology isn't a fountain of youth, and won't make you seem young and/or hip, that the important thing is to keep your chops up and consistently sound good.

KNURRR · #5 10-21-2010, 12:14 PM

The sound in my head is in my fingers and in my rig. Best thing without much gear-changing.
Warwick Thumb, Eden WT-550, 210XLT and 210XST just nails it.

knuurrrrrrr..... i love it.

rockstarbassist · #6 10-21-2010, 12:26 PM

I always hear "the" Spector sound. That's why I spend/spent what I do on those instruments, so that even through some joe blow DI, I can still get "my" sound.

It's pretty much been that way ever since I first heard it.

JimmyM · #7 10-21-2010, 11:28 PM

sure, we change as we go. some of us go through a lot of stuff, some of just find new ways to use our same stuff. i've had spells where i've done both.

basswalker2004 · #8 10-22-2010, 10:50 AM

lots of great input... :-) a couple folks have mentioned their fingers. And that's the core of it isn't it.. I've heard Janek, Vic, Stanley, Marcus and many others on lots of different rigs and they all sound like themselves. So our audience hears us (our technique, emotion, experience, tone) for the most part the same. For us though, the feed back from the equipment, the tone we hear, the feel and how that all relates to the "sound we hear or perceive in our heads" can really change our playing experience. I think it is fantastic that we have so many options these days.
Jimmy I see you have Portaflex on your sig.. A bunch of years ago i had a rig with two B15 cabs (the amps were shot so I took them off) loaded with JBL speakers and powered by an old SVT head. Best sound I ever had.. IMO

stiles72 · #9 10-22-2010, 11:24 AM

My first bass amp was a Fender BXR 300C. But as I continued to gig out, I wanted the look and "status" of an Ampeg backline, and so I started buying and trying different Ampegs. I love my Ampegs to death, but I set them all to achieve basically the same sound I was getting from the Fender BXR 300C, which I later learned was designed by Bill Hughes who had a hand in developing the SVT. So in essence, I've always had an "Ampeg" type of sound in my head and have just been using different tools to achieve the same thing. I still have the Fender tooo btw...

JimmyM · #10 10-22-2010, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basswalker2004

lots of great input... :-) a couple folks have mentioned their fingers. And that's the core of it isn't it.. I've heard Janek, Vic, Stanley, Marcus and many others on lots of different rigs and they all sound like themselves. So our audience hears us (our technique, emotion, experience, tone) for the most part the same. For us though, the feed back from the equipment, the tone we hear, the feel and how that all relates to the "sound we hear or perceive in our heads" can really change our playing experience. I think it is fantastic that we have so many options these days.
Jimmy I see you have Portaflex on your sig.. A bunch of years ago i had a rig with two B15 cabs (the amps were shot so I took them off) loaded with JBL speakers and powered by an old SVT head. Best sound I ever had.. IMO

nice! would have loved to hear that rig. i do a similar thing, but my b-15n head still works so i use it (we're not very high volume). oh, and my cabs have eminence delta 15a's, which sound more like the cts speakers they used to use. i keep threatening to use jbl's, but i never seem to get around to it.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #11 10-23-2010, 08:02 AM

I first saw the GK 400RB around '85 and wanted one bad but couldn't find the cash. Frankly, I just put it out of my mind and convinced myself that Peavey was good enough.

Since then, I've owned Sunn, Kustom, Ampeg, Eden, Acoustic Image, Markbass and those are just the ones I remember. Flash forward 25 years and a 400RB has made me very happy. THAT's the sound! What a great amp.

skwee · #12 10-23-2010, 09:53 AM

I think if I had my own original band, I'd strive to get the same sound across every song. The problem is that I only really ever play covers, so my sound must needs change during the show a number of times. Most songs get the Jaguar's "P-bass" setting, but I have had use for a flanger pedal on some nineties and seventies tunes, and a J-bass sound on some rockier tunes and country. I've also had a different bass involved each summer, a 1973 Rick, a Schecter, and now my Jag, which will be the first repeat. So, it's interesting how I had to make each of them work with the ensemble.

unlined4string · #13 10-23-2010, 10:57 AM

For me "that" sound is the fretless tone Michael Manring has, especially on the Equilibre album (with guitarist David Cullen). Don't ask me why, but that sound really speaks to me and I've gone to great lengths to try to achieve it. I can get pretty close tone wise with a Zon fretless, DR Sunbeams and a Michael Pope MPP1 preamp recorded direct. Now if only I could get Michaels effortless technique and dead on intonation...

basswalker2004 · #14 10-23-2010, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unlined4string

For me "that" sound is the fretless tone Michael Manring has, especially on the Equilibre album (with guitarist David Cullen). Don't ask me why, but that sound really speaks to me and I've gone to great lengths to try to achieve it. I can get pretty close tone wise with a Zon fretless, DR Sunbeams and a Michael Pope MPP1 preamp recorded direct. Now if only I could get Michaels effortless technique and dead on intonation...

Although it's not my goal, Michael's sound , technique, everything is amazing.... I remember hearing him for the first time at Victor's camp... wow.. everyones jaw just dropped. that is a beautiful thing to strive for..

basswalker2004 · #15 10-23-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clink

I first saw the GK 400RB around '85 and wanted one bad but couldn't find the cash. Frankly, I just put it out of my mind and convinced myself that Peavey was good enough.

Since then, I've owned Sunn, Kustom, Ampeg, Eden, Acoustic Image, Markbass and those are just the ones I remember. Flash forward 25 years and a 400RB has made me very happy. THAT's the sound! What a great amp.

Glad you got your 400RB very cool

FletcherML · #16 10-23-2010, 09:16 PM

I am pretty Stoked on my p bass through my svt. My eq changes on the reqular (I've only had the svt CL for about 3 months) but I hear my dream tone in my head and fortunately my amp puts out the same sound.

Bassdude404 · #17 10-23-2010, 09:19 PM

Kinda chased the "sound" thing for years..Looking for the perfect sound...Funny thing about that though...I can play somebody else's bass, through their equipment, and it still sounds like me on my own gear...Maybe it's my playing style, I don't know...Likewise, I can have somebody sit in and jam on my stuff, and it sounds totally different...I think it's all in the player...

JimmyM · #18 10-23-2010, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassdude404

Kinda chased the "sound" thing for years..Looking for the perfect sound...Funny thing about that though...I can play somebody else's bass, through their equipment, and it still sounds like me on my own gear...Maybe it's my playing style, I don't know...Likewise, I can have somebody sit in and jam on my stuff, and it sounds totally different...I think it's all in the player...

as do i. but i also like gear that lets me get the best out of myself as possible. give me anything and i'll find a way to get my sound, but i won't always like it.

RickenBoogie · #19 10-24-2010, 07:57 AM

Funny thing with me, when I was a regular 3-5 gigs a week player, (80's), I played whatever amps I could afford, and gave little thought to gear in general beyond my bass, (always a Ric). After a long self-imposed musical retirement, I jumped back in head first in '06, with a vengeance. This is when the "tone chasing" began for me, and many thousands of dollars later- I'm at least satisfied with my current 2 rigs, and large assortment of pedals. At some point it just gets rediculous, and takes away from what should be the primary focus,- playing the bass.

kcolyar · #20 10-24-2010, 10:06 AM

I always wanted to be able to switch sounds for the song. I loved Mark King's tone for slapping, Pino's fretless tone from the late 80's, Mannring's tone for me playing by myself in my bedroom. I think, unfortunately I sound too much like myself, doesn't seem to matter too much which gear I get, I sound the same. ;( There's too many cool sounds out there for me to try to copy. I think I would have preferred being a sound man instead of a player.