getting new setup, not sure what to ask for

[djszymanski]

so i need a new setup on my bass since i haven't had one since the guy i bought it from did one. there's a couple problems with my bass. first, even with heavier strings it sounds like it has too much treble. i play in drop d for the music i play. the e string (or d since its drop d) sounds perfectly fine. it actually sounds like a bass. but every other string sounds like a guitar. it baffles me. every other string also sounds very twangy, and it doesn't sound smooth at all. some frets also seem to sound much louder, or at least cut though the amp with much more power, most notably the 12th fret. the harmonics also sound terrible and they don't cut through at all.

when i go to get a new setup, what should i specifically be asking for based on these issues i've told you?

[walterw]

unless you have strings buzzing against frets to the point they don't sound right or pickup heights that are way out of whack, none of these issues have anything to do with setup.

what kind of bass is it, and what are you plugging it into?

[djszymanski]

Originally Posted by walterw

unless you have strings buzzing against frets to the point they don't sound right or pickup heights that are way out of whack, none of these issues have anything to do with setup.

what kind of bass is it, and what are you plugging it into?

my bass is a 4 string spector. it has passive emg pickups. i don't know the exact model number off the top of my head because it doesn't say so on the actual bass. my amp is a genz benz 400, which is plugged into a 4x10 fender cab with 4 ohms. so the electrical output on that is 330 watts.

i don't really having buzzing issues and i'm not sure about the pickup heights. i don't know what would be an abnormal pickup height. so you're right, it may not be setup issues. i just can't figure out what it is then.

[Turnaround]

Since you are going to get a setup anyway, I suggest you say to the tech exactly what you expressed in this forum. A good tech will tell you what he can do about your "problems" and what he cannot. And he may well explain why. It's your money so get the most for it.

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by walterw

unless you have strings buzzing against frets to the point they don't sound right or pickup heights that are way out of whack, none of these issues have anything to do with setup.

That's not entirely accurate. A setup can absolutely affect tone. Pickup height can effect tone and intonation quite a bit, and some notes can sound choked even if you don't hear any buzzing.

Communicate your needs as best you can to your tech. Tell them about how you attack the bass, whether you use a pick or fingers, how you like your action, what gauge strings you use, tunings, whether you do any significant bending, etc.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by djszymanski

so i need a new setup on my bass since i haven't had one since the guy i bought it from did one. there's a couple problems with my bass. first, even with heavier strings it sounds like it has too much treble. i play in drop d for the music i play. the e string (or d since its drop d) sounds perfectly fine. it actually sounds like a bass. but every other string sounds like a guitar. it baffles me. every other string also sounds very twangy, and it doesn't sound smooth at all. some frets also seem to sound much louder, or at least cut though the amp with much more power, most notably the 12th fret. the harmonics also sound terrible and they don't cut through at all.

when i go to get a new setup, what should i specifically be asking for based on these issues i've told you?

Communicate all this to the tech, and you are getting a new set of strings for this setup, right? The current set could have a dead E string, especially in a dropped tuning, the rest sounding overly twangy in comparison.

Oh, also--turn down the treble.

[djszymanski]

Originally Posted by JLS

Communicate all this to the tech, and you are getting a new set of strings for this setup, right? The current set could have a dead E string, especially in a dropped tuning, the rest sounding overly twangy in comparison.

Oh, also--turn down the treble.

ya i'm getting new strings at a heavier gauge. i keep the mids low and boost the low frequencies on my amp. it helps a little, but it pretty much only makes the low notes on the e string sound lower. the other strings still sound high and twangy.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by walterw

unless you have strings buzzing against frets to the point they don't sound right or pickup heights that are way out of whack, none of these issues have anything to do with setup.

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

That's not entirely accurate. A setup can absolutely affect tone. Pickup height can effect tone and intonation quite a bit, and some notes can sound choked even if you don't hear any buzzing.

isn't that what i said, pickup heights and string choking?

i don't doubt a good setup will help anyway, but it sounds like his issues are more to do with amplification and EQ settings.