Tone Question (Yet Another)

schmig · #1 02-16-2011, 07:19 AM

Hi all,

I've been playing about 3 years and gigging a lot for about 12 months. Until now I've not worried a whole lot about tone as I've been worrying about notes, time, feel, efficiency etc.

My interest in the bass is really a result of the guy in the video here. His style and musicality in general got me going, but also, his tone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYErC6LYpKQ&fmt=18

I've never tried to emulate *anything* from his playing, much as I'd like to, I'm working on "bread and butter" playing and will turn my eye to his style in 2 or 3 years if my rate of improvement keeps up and all other variables in life remain equal.

Anyway, had been playing a fender jazz fingerstyle until recently, when i tried playing a precision..preferred the meatiness of the instrument and made the switch.

Lately I've had to do a few Thin Lizzy covers and have taken to using a pick for some tunes.

Lo and behold, I start hearing shadows of the tone produced by the inspirational Scott Thunes (player in the video).

Notes are very "pianoey" to me a lot of the time. Edit: Piano is wrong term..just heavy, defined, punchy, with character...maybe some flanger or something?

Question: Any suggestions on getting closer to it, I am using:

- Fender precision with medium gauge rounds
- GB Shuttle Max 6.0 through Peavey 4x10
- Sansamp VT bass

I had been using the VT bass with the Jazz, tone dialled down, character and drive down low to sort of "hide" and "thump" during gigs. As we're doing some rocky covers I've been opening up as I get more confident and have started to hear compliments about the tone from same people who used not have anything to say.

SO...apologies for the long post...if you've tried to get this Thunes Tone before do let me know any insights...and while I appreciate "just play with your gear", I don't have it at home...I only get near it during gigs and rehearsal as in stored somewhere, at home I use an USB thing into laptop/headphones.

Dreadful post. I know.

fokof · #2 02-16-2011, 09:20 AM

FZ studio stuff is mostly DI, with a very good compressor.
1176 , LA3A or the like. Sounds more SS than tube. IMHO

My tip for a good tone , practice with good hifi/studio/full range reference, and develop your technique accordingly.
If you only play through a bass amp , you'll loose all knowledge of what is happening with your tone in the lower and higher register.
Bass amp are very bad under 60 and over 5k in general.

That is of course , IMHO , IME , YMMV and alll the others

schmig · #3 02-16-2011, 09:38 AM

Thanks for the reply...can you give an example of what you mean when you say good hifi/studio/full range reference, do you mean headphones after some sort of DI to a desk of some sort? Forgive my ignorance, am something of a newbie..

TimmyP · #4 02-18-2011, 08:58 PM

Interesting that you can hear the bassist playing even when he's seen tuning.

I'd guess a PBass with roundwounds, played with a pick, thorough a tube amp played just a little too loud. Very nice.

walterw · #5 02-18-2011, 11:00 PM

yeah, no flanger or any of that mess, just a P-bass with vol and tone all the way up played through a strong, clear amp with maybe a pinch of compression.

(oh, and is it me, or did frank zappa pretty much record hundreds of variations of one song, long, fiendishly hard to play, with a noodly pentatonic guitar solo in the middle and full of poop jokes?)

FretlessMainly · #6 02-19-2011, 12:11 AM

Add a chorus pedal in there.

Thunes was an absolute MF (as were all of FZ's sidemen/women), but a slew of fantastic bass players from Fowler to O'Hearn to Barrow to Thunes and all of the others:

http://www.bassplayer.com/article/fr...ril-2009/94337

schmig · #7 02-21-2011, 02:50 AM

Great link, thank you! I might take a loan of a chorus for a few days and play around with it.

Thanks again!

FretlessMainly · #8 02-23-2011, 11:05 PM

Well, I'm not sure if Thunes used a chorus on the Enema Bandit performance you linked to, but chorus is a great effect when used properly on bass; it sounds like there might be a bit in there, but half of his tone comes from his attitude:

“I did as much as I was required, as much as I was forced to, and as much as I could get away with.” Gotta love it.

I saw the Zappa band with Thunes (not as big a horn section as in the viddy) in '84 in Worcester, MA and I only went because a friend of mine insisted that I had to see it. All I can say is damn. Yes, damn!

But, if you like Thunes, consider checking out Zappa in New York with Patrick O'Hearn and Terry Bozio on bass and drums, respectively. I'm more into the instrumental stuff, and the version of Crusin' for Burgers on that is taken at fast tempo and O'Hearn and Bozzio absolutely rip the whole thing apart. The extended guitar solo with the rhythm section is guaranteed to melt your teeth.

Warning/Dislcaimer: Melted teeth are not effective for chewing. Your results may vary. May cause brain damage.

schmig · #9 02-24-2011, 07:07 AM

Considering I've consumed everything I can get my paws on Zappawise, I somehow missed that version of Cruisin' For Burgers...unbelievable...I tend to lean towards the bands with Thunes or Tom Fowler in them...I'm not trying to flame here but O'Hearn's playing has never done it for me for some reason.

As for seeing Zappa..I was a 7 year old in rural Ireland at the time and of course never saw the man during his lifetime...you were lucky there!

rtslinger · #10 02-24-2011, 07:19 AM

Sounds like he has dialed in a touch of chorus, compression and my guess amp setting flat or The high Mid setup is a variation of the flat setup. The Bass and Treble are at about 5, but the Mid is increased to about 7. This gives the notes a bit more clarity and helps cut through the mix better than a flat setup.Too much middle frequency however will bring about a honking tone. If this happens, drop the Mid to 6-61/2 to try to eliminate it. RTS

schmig · #11 02-24-2011, 07:46 AM

I'll play with this at the next rehearsal. Thank you.