ROSS VALORY FROM JOURNEY NEW TONE

growler571 · #1 12-02-2009, 12:11 AM

Has anyone noticed that Ross Valory from the band Journey has a super fat deep bass tone since he has been using those Stingray HH basses. If you listen to his early work. Like Don't Stop Believin on the original studio albums his tone is very farty and midrangy with that Magnum Ovation he was using at the time. But in more recent times his tone has gotten deeper and fatter over the years. I wonder if he finally decided hey. My bass sounded weird on those old recordings and live shows. I think I will start using the neck pickup also and role off some mids LOL. Maybe it's just impossible to get that Magnum Ovation Tone with a Stingray.LOL Actually I have tried. I didnt get very close no matter how i adjusted the EQ. Well I am glad he started using some bottom in his tone finaly. LOL. Give me your thoughts and opinions of Ross and his verious bass tones please.

Sincerely Growler571

Thundar · #2 12-02-2009, 12:26 AM

Truthfully...I absolutely hate it. I saw them on the Download festival and heard that tone and wondered who in the hell was playin bass for Journey now...LOL. I loved his Ovation/Steinberger tone...and I dont think it was farty at all...lol. To me, the tone he had on Escape and Frontiers was amazing...and I think a lot of different basses can get that sound as well...even with the EBMM Sterling and Spector NS2A that I have, I can get very close. IMO, his is one of THE Iconic bass tones and shouldnt be dicked around with

But heck...he is Ross Valory...he can play a 12 string bass if he wants.

lowendblues · #3 12-02-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thundar

I loved his Ovation/Steinberger tone...and I dont think it was farty at all...lol. To me, the tone he had on Escape and Frontiers was amazing...

+1 He also was an early endorser of the Peavey T-40 bass.

these_go211 · #4 12-02-2009, 07:55 PM

personally, i loved his tone on the earlier journey stuff. i thought it sounded solid and fat, not farty at all. but, to each his own.

EagleMoon · #5 12-02-2009, 09:44 PM

I'm a big fan of the old Ross/Journey tone. Some of the best bass tone in rock, IMO.

Hamrhed · #6 12-03-2009, 05:27 AM

Having seen them recently, I think RV sounds better than ever w/ his MM/Ampeg setup... and I think the Stingray certainly looks better than past basses

Bob C · #7 12-03-2009, 07:22 AM

Didn't "Don't Stop Believing" and many other songs of that era have a heavy slow chorus, or some kind of effect? Myabe thats where the "fartiness" observation comes from.

I know chorus is considered a thickener, but it takes away some of the meaty fundamental too.

Eric Moesle · #8 12-03-2009, 12:10 PM

I prefer his old tone. I wouldn't use it for myself with my own gig, but it gave those tracks immense character.