Has your bass tone... evolved?

[KeithBMI]

I thought this would be an interesting topic. It may just be me, but I have realized that I've gone through an interesting change.

When I first started on bass, I wanted nothing but bass. I changed the strings to flat wounds and turned down the treble and killed the tweeter. I hated string noise and I hated the high end. Now, I have steel strings and I use a lot of mids and highs with the tweeter on 1/2.

I guess you could say I've changed from a dub tone to a more "British invasion" tone.

That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with a dub tone, I'm just saying that I've come to find a different sound that works better for me.

So... Has anyone else changed their perception of what a bass should sound like? Or have you always had "the tone"

[Rick_no7]

The sound in my head was originally a very scooped tone. I tried for a long time to get a very good slap scoop tone out of the couple of basses I used to own.

When I finally got the equipment to nail that sound... I had evolved into a flat EQ sort of tone. The sound of my Warwick was one that lent itself to great flat EQ. The higher strings sounded really well, so I started using them more than I originally did.

I've also learned my bass' own pre-amp in and out, and use it extensively to change between Motown, flat, and rock. I hardly ever do massive scoopage anymore or touch my amp's EQ.

[RJones]

To the OP, when I started out, I was exactly the same. All bass, no highs, and barely any mids. I would turn the bass knob on my 3-band all the way up, cut the treble, and leave the mid midway. Now I'm almost the complete opposite. I have my mid about 3 quarters, treble cranked, and bass midway. I just realized we also play through the same cab. I used to pretty much turn the tweeter off, but now...well I haven't play through it in a while, so I don't even know what I would do with it.

[Snarf]

I started with an ugly scooped sound complimented by terrible piano-hammer technique. Over time my technique became much much better, and I tend to set my eq very flat and let the bass speak more.

[emblymouse]

Yeah, good thread idea!
I'm heading in the opposite direction, Started out with half rounds, then Rotos, W/ a T-Bird through 18's and 15's.
Then D'Addario XL Reds (super bright copper coated rounds no longer made) on a Kubicki in a bi amp rig w/ 12's and 15's. I was known for my thumb and grind sound.

Now I'm looking for a certain passive/mid thing and I'm back to Ground Rounds and flats through a simple 100W tube head and some combo of a 15, a 12 or both. I haven't slapped or popped in years and have no need for a tweeter.

I can't account for the tone morph over the years, it certainly isn't following any trends! I'd say overall I'm loving less vs. more and looking for the essence. Whoh, am I heavy or what?

[Baryonyx]

I used to be after a very bright sound, very clear and sharp. Now I'm after something bright, but with a tight low end and a rich midrange that cuts through the mix. I guess these days I just know what I'm after a little better! I still love the high end, I use 10" speakers exclusively, because I crave definition!

[tplyons]

I started off with a majorly scooped sound, active electronics, stainless steel strings, but EQ'ed the highs out.

Now, I'm mostly passive, nickel rounds and paly with a mostly flat EQ.

[KeithBMI]

Originally Posted by emblymouse

Yeah, good thread idea!
I'm heading in the opposite direction...

Thanks. I don't want anyone to be afraid to post. There is no right or wrong tone. I just find it interesting how we change.

[malicous]

My tone has changed, and is still changing. When I started out playing bass, I used to roll the tone controll all the way down and play over the neck pickup, then a few years ago I started to go the other way and took to using SS strings and boosting highs on the preamp and the tone controlls and played only over the bridge pickup. Now, I still boost the highs on my preamp and have my tone all the way up, but I also boost lows, and alternate between playing on top of the bridge pickup and the neck pickup and between them. If I had to guess, the next step in this progression would be to also boost certain mids, without backing off on the highs or the lows, to try and have a Richard Bona type sound...but who knows.

[PSPookie]

I'm not sure whether my tone is evolving or I just haven't found my tone. I started out all bass. Then, I migrated to a scooped tone. Now, I play fairly flat EQ with a little lift on the low mids. I still employ the scooped EQ when I slap. It just depends on what I'm playing.

It's nice to have options. Tonal variety is the spice of bass.

[Mike N]

Started with a P Bass, nickel rounds and a flat eq.

11 years later still play the same.

[Martybass]

Well, I started with a P-Bass copy that was so good that it had the tone pot soldered closed, so couldn't get any high end from it at all. I then moved to an ibanez which worked and now I'm at a MM Sterling, so yes. Mind, I still go back to that old tone from time to time.

Marty

[Chase_The_Bass]

The Perfect tone in my mind is Victor Wootens, cept I would have a little more bass in mine.

[zcwilkes]

Same here. I started out with a scopped mid-range thing going on, and it changed for several reasons...It's shapped by other musicians I here, the type of muisc I'm into at the time, my on musical experience, and most of all a higher paying job to afford better stuff. Right now I'm running everything flat.

[FrigginChris]

early on i'd cut all my treble boost my mids a little bit and boost the bass more, i've been noticing that my EQ keeps getting set flatter and flatter as time goes on

[scottbass]

Yeah, my tone has changed over the years, too. However, the concept of what a bass should sound like has also changed. Not only is the trend now to be much more hifi, but there is also a wider variety of bass tones and styles being presented in the music of today. I LOVE THE VARIETY!

Of course, when I started gigging the only sound anyone wanted was the James Jamerson Motown sound. The required gear was a P-bass (well, maybe a J would be OK), nickel flatwounds, and a tube amp (preferably Ampeg) with one or (better) two 15's. Tweeter? We don't need no stinkin' tweeter! The amps only had one- or two-band EQ, so it was easy to turn the bass up and the treble down without getting confused by all those middle frequencies!

[Adam Barkley]

Typical rolled off passive tone < Passive tone with tone control on < Heavily boosted mids.

Fairly logically progression for a rock bassist who likes to hear themselves at all times.

[RWP]

Originally Posted by Joshua

I was fairly tone-ignorant for many years. Most of my heaviest gigging years I had no idea how amp eq worked (in any depth), and also no idea how the bass' electronics interacted with the amp.

This was me too! At one time I actually had strings on my EBO that were covered in either vinyl or plastic of some kind. Must have sounded horrible. (MUD)
These days I'm learning more every day thanks to the talent here on TB. My tone, as well as many other aspects of my playing are improving. Even an old dog can learn new tricks

[keb]

I started out with playing with a scooped sound and a light touch. Now I play much more aggressively with more mids. It's almost a de-evolution from a modern refined tone to a more vintage snarling tone.

[ldervish]

Originally Posted by RWP

These days I'm learning more every day thanks to the talent here on TB. My tone, as well as many other aspects of my playing are improving. Even an old dog can learn new tricks

+1