Soundgarden SuperUnknown

bronco · #1 10-31-2006, 06:44 AM

I've found that this album has many hidden bass guitar gems. This includes ass whompin tone, great feel, and a sense of perfection in tempo control.

What kinda gear does that guy use? I would offer the normal prayers and sacrifices to his name.

Scott in Dallas · #2 10-31-2006, 09:21 AM

No idea. I love Ben Shepherd ever since the first time I heard "Drawing Flies". That bass sound still makes my hair stand on end.

zongeek · #3 10-31-2006, 09:33 AM

I believe in that era of Soundgarden Ben used Fender P's strung with Dean Markley flats. On and off with fingers and a plec depeding upon the song. Mesa amps and cabs; I think the 400+ and some RoadReady cabs.

I also had read somewhere that during the mix they ran an extra track of bass through a PA and laid it pretty low in the mix so the bass sounds even bigger.

superbassman2000 · #4 10-31-2006, 09:37 AM

i believe he just uses a jazz bass with a mesa V-twin distortion pedal

i think the real secret to sounding like ben is to play your bass really low

Scott in Dallas · #5 10-31-2006, 09:41 AM

Found this online:
Ben - Not one for technical stuff, Ben utilised a range of different equipment, purchasing one amp simply because it had a purple light on it. He was partial to Fender basses, generally Custom and Precision models, but has later used Music Man, Mosrite and a Hoffner bass (similar to Paul McCartney's); his string of choice being Dean Markley flat-wound. Like Chris and Kim, Ben also played through MESA/Boogie amps and 2x15" MESA bottoms

agreatheight · #6 10-31-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zongeek

I also had read somewhere that during the mix they ran an extra track of bass through a PA and laid it pretty low in the mix so the bass sounds even bigger.

Re-amping is a great studio trick, one of my favorites!

these_go211 · #7 10-31-2006, 10:58 AM

i love it how hard rock/metal guys like him and steve harris can make that kind of music using flatwound strings. i love flats but feel they are very associated with just the motown sound, r&b, or old classic rock. but the tone sheppard gets is great and fits the songs very well in that heavy style of music.

bronco · #8 10-31-2006, 11:05 AM

Thanks for all of your replies so far. I'm learning more and more as the thread builds.

Can y'all tell me more about re-amping? That's a nifty concept.

Scott in Dallas · #9 10-31-2006, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by these_go211

i love it how hard rock/metal guys like him and steve harris can make that kind of music using flatwound strings. i love flats but feel they are very associated with just the motown sound, r&b, or old classic rock. but the tone sheppard gets is great and fits the songs very well in that heavy style of music.

It's probably easy when one can afford to buy a new set of flatwounds for every show or for every recording. IME once flatwounds get dull that's when you get the R&B sound.

canopener · #10 10-31-2006, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott in Dallas

It's probably easy when one can afford to buy a new set of flatwounds for every show or for every recording. IME once flatwounds get dull that's when you get the R&B sound.

msquared · #11 10-31-2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agreatheight

Re-amping is a great studio trick, one of my favorites!

Do a search in the recording forum. There are some mentions of it in there (and I just described it in a recent post).

Scott in Dallas · #12 11-01-2006, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canopener

What about my personal opinion on flatwounds confuses you? I'd be thrilled to explain.

these_go211 · #13 11-01-2006, 09:58 AM

interesting comments about the flatwounds. i just started playing them last year. i always thought the thing about them is that they *won't* change much, if at all, over the years due to the physical makeup of the string. but maybe i'm wrong. i guess my point was would using new flatwounds every show really change tone that much from using the same flatwounds for a really long time? sorry to hijack the thread

Scott in Dallas · #14 11-01-2006, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by these_go211

interesting comments about the flatwounds. i just started playing them last year. i always thought the thing about them is that they *won't* change much, if at all, over the years due to the physical makeup of the string. but maybe i'm wrong. i guess my point was would using new flatwounds every show really change tone that much from using the same flatwounds for a really long time? sorry to hijack the thread

I always liked flats at the beginning and then they went what I would call "dead" almost right away, which may be what flatwound guys like, but I didn't think that would work for guys like Harris and Shepherd. It certainly didn't work for me.

The way I remember it is that Steve Harris would use flats in the studio but mike the room for presence to get his "clacking" sound. Since he can't do that live he used brand new strings for each show. Again, it defeats what I thought most flatwound afficianados like about flats. I'll get a set and put them on my Jazz just to see if I've been missing the point all these years.

these_go211 · #15 11-02-2006, 10:00 AM

seems like live, even when using older flatwounds, if your action is set very low you could still get the clacky type sound.

personally, i don't ever plan on changing the TI flats i strung my p-bass with.

Scott in Dallas · #16 11-03-2006, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by these_go211

seems like live, even when using older flatwounds, if your action is set very low you could still get the clacky type sound.

personally, i don't ever plan on changing the TI flats i strung my p-bass with.

Then I'm definitely going to have to give them another chance.

these_go211 · #17 11-03-2006, 10:40 AM

the TI flats are expensive but if they're the last set you may ever need....who cares! they feel really good. smooooooth. go for it.