Sh*te Tone While Playing Over Bridge PU!

[BloodTypeBlue]

OK, so I play an SX Jazz. I play pick and fingers about half and half. Lately I've been trying to switch from playing over the neck pickup to playing over the bridge pickup on my fingerstyle songs, but what I've found during rehearsal is, virtually as soon as I move to the bridge I drop out of the mix.

I don't get it. Shouldn't I be punching through better? Maybe it's because I'm wearing earplugs and can only hear the low frequencies. But in any case, the bottom seems to disappear when I try to fingerpick over the bridge pickup with a clean tone, and there's no extra high mids coming in. And if I turn myself up until I can hear, the tone when I move back to the neck PU or neck is just way too thunderous.

Possible factors I can think of:
1. I'm used to using the Trace Elliot's "mid-shape" button with the graphic EQ disengaged, and this is a bit of a scooped setting
2. I've got both pickups on full, which again is a bit of a scooped setting (vs. biased to one pickup)
3. Badass II bridge...you guessed it, bit of a scooped setting
4. I noticed while watching Chris from Muse play his Jazz Basses on their recent tour (he essentially plays over the bridge PU 100% of the time) that he moves his hand toward the neck a little bit vs. directly over the bridge PU...this isn't where my hand naturally wants to sit, but I suppose I can work on that
5. I'm not plucking hard enough. But I am! Everyone says to play with a light touch and I know that I'm already playing with a really heavy attack just to be heard.

Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks...

Oh, but I always play over the bridge when my fuzz pedal's on. sounds great dirty, just not clean.

[sb69coupe]

Playing over the bridge PU versus over the neck PU does generate a much different tone. I don't think it's realistic to expect a single EQ setting to work ideally for both playing positions. When playing over the neck PU, there is much more amplitude generated on the string, and the fundamental of the note is lower, as you've noticed. Playing over the bridge PU generates a much smaller amplitude of the string, and not as much "bloom" of the lower frequencies of the note played. Playing over the bridge PU generates a more "middy" tone instead of the deeper tone of the neck PU position.

So, I'd suggest either tweaking your EQ to achieve a decent tome when using both positions, or get a switchable EQ pedal or a head with two channels, so you can switch between two separate EQ settings and have one tailored for each tone.

[ElBajista]

You shouldn't really need to have to seperate EQ settings just for different playing positions. I would try dialing in more mids on your amp and move away from the mid-scooped tone. Mids are essential for cutting through the mix, and that in itself might be your problem.

Your fuzz pedal might be adding some midrange, and that might be the "good tone" you're hearing.

Another thing to try would be slightly rolling back one of the two pickups, since most passive dual-pickup basses have tone-loss with both pickups on 100%. If you want a meatier tone in the bridge position, I'd roll the bridge pickup back a bit and see how that works. Try fiddling with the tone knob, too.

[penguinbass]

For my SX I use

Neck 25%
Bridge 100%
Tone 25%

and boost the Bass all the way on my amp

or have

Neck: 100%
Bridge 25%
Tone 25%

when I have the bass on my amp normal.

[j-bass-kreep]

try to play more in between the two pickups .

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by j-bass-kreep

try to play more in between the two pickups .

Yeah, try to find the sweet spot where you're happy with the tone and the string tension.

Plus, it is possible to get a bad tone and overtones while playing over the bridge PU if the neck PU is louder then the other one. Back off the volume of the neck PU. But then the sound will be thinner,so it is important to find the sweet spot. I have thumbrest installed on all my basses for that matter.

SB

[iamlowsound]

I only play over the neck pickup, that is where my hand wants to go naturally so I don't argue with it.

lowsound

[tradition_2kill]

#5 you are plucking to light. digging in is in the eye of the beholder. you should be able to achieve the the same levels bridge or neck position. i mainly play by the bridge with what i consider a light touch, when i play near the neck with the same touch i clip the *&^%# out of my trace preamp

[sb69coupe]

Originally Posted by tradition_2kill

... i mainly play by the bridge with what i consider a light touch, when i play near the neck with the same touch i clip the *&^%# out of my trace preamp

This is exactly what I was refering to in my original reply. Unless you alter your technique depending on where you are playing, one settting will not work ideally for every playing position and style.