in your opinion

rkf · #1 06-10-2011, 04:35 PM

What pickup/amp combo convays the old school fat gutty slap sound best? Or do mics pick up the overall sound better since they pickup the overall sound from fingerboard and string?

littlemark · #2 06-10-2011, 10:48 PM

I use a mic and send it to FOH. Works for me.

bassist1962 · #3 06-11-2011, 07:44 AM

Depends on your definiton of 'old school'. But for the most part, I would say a mic works best for picking up the natural sound of the instrument, whereas a pickup senses vibrations.

rkf · #4 06-11-2011, 03:37 PM

I was thinking a mic myself

KStewart · #5 06-13-2011, 09:12 AM

If you're going to be a bar band player and be playing with drums, a mic solely in front of or on the bass will not be enough. If you want a 'old school, fat, gutty slap sound' get Gut strings and an Underwood pickup. Learn how to EQ it.

But... before you start heading off into 'string/pick up' mania.... learn how to play your instrument acoustically first. 99% of tone comes from the players hands.... whether it be good tone or bad tone. No pick up can really help with bad technique.

littlemark · #6 07-24-2011, 03:17 PM

Ronnie Hayward, plays with gut strings and an sm57 mic duct taped to his mic stand. Sounds good. He uses proximity to the mic for dynamics. But bare in mind he's been doing this for years and as a result there is some wear on the font of his bass from it.

‪Ronnie Hayward Trio "Don't Cry Over Me" May 14, 2011‬&rlm; - YouTube
You can see his mic stand in the vid.