How do i get this tone?

jtad · #1 11-13-2009, 05:34 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNPE76zQg60
This guy's tone is absolutely amazing. One of the best Youtube player I've seen. Any ideas about how to achieve that tone? I find it weird that a J pickup has such a "bassy" tone, not nasal, like most of them.
Thanks a lot in advance

Craig_S · #2 11-13-2009, 05:55 PM

I would start here: Flats, tone rolled off some, and lean on the front pickup a bit more than the rear. It's all about experimentation, though. Learning to get it on your own is part of learning your instrument.

Smurf-o-Deth · #3 11-13-2009, 06:07 PM

Looks to me like that bass has a 'bucker in the bridge.

KYJazzy · #4 11-13-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig_S

I would start here: Flats, tone rolled off some, and lean on the front pickup a bit more than the rear. It's all about experimentation, though. Learning to get it on your own is part of learning your instrument.

flats will definitely help you get a more authentic sound on Penny Lane, which I'm pretty sure was a Rickenbacker 4001 strung with flats. This guys strings don't look or sound really like flats. He probably has the tone rolled off and is playing with a light touch. You'd be surprised how 'dub' of a tone you can get with some warm nickel strings and the tone rolled off. Pretty much why I switched off of flats and strung my P-bass up with 7250s. With tone control you have much more versatile instrument.

mccartneyman · #5 11-13-2009, 07:28 PM

The bass in this vid is a Lakland 44-94, and a Lakland will give you that tone pretty easily. Flats, roll the pickup mix knob back toward the bridge, bump the bass knob up a bit, roll the mid knob back almost all the way, leave treble flat. Leave the coil selection switch on the bridge pickup in the middle. Even with rounds you can approach this tone with the treble rolled off. Sounds to me like there's a bit of woof from the amp.

ProfGumby · #6 11-13-2009, 08:41 PM

Along with what has been said here, this vid offers a better view of the bass...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz-KhQ-vepQ&feature=fvw

Not your fathers Fender Jazz...

I also think/agree the amp settings and preamp settings have a wee bit to do with the tone as well...

KYJazzy · #7 11-13-2009, 10:54 PM

Yeah, the humbucker helps. But its not unusual for Jazz style pickups to have huge low end. The 'nasaly' tone you're thinking of is because they tend to be mid-scooped pickups by nature, really low lows and high highs. As opposed to a P-bass, which are low-mids focused.