Problems with tone

Leftybass12 · #1 12-21-2009, 04:46 PM

I don't know really where to post this so I figured this was the best place to post it. I just finished playing some songs and I've been having a particular problem with my tone for a few months and no matter how many times I EQ everything I either get a tone with waaayy to much bass or too much of a treble tone. This is all on my 6 string, an Ibanez SR506 to be exact. The current tone I have right now sounds very nice on the A, D, G, and C strings, but when I play on the E and B strings my tone sounds like my freakin' fingers are banging against a trash can. I am looking for nice solid bass, with cutting mids, and a treble tone that can mix well with both the bass and mid tones. Any suggestions? Please don't tell me to turn every knob back to 0 and start from there because I've done that several times and I still can't find a good tone.

Bass: Ibanez SR506 (with Bartolini soapbox active pickups, it's from the factory)
Combo amp: Fender Rumble 500
Pedal board: BOSS ME-50B
Strings: D'Addario roundwounds 0.032 - .135
and I am using Monster cables, but I am upgrading to mogami cables soon

M0ses · #2 12-21-2009, 04:48 PM

I'm confused....you want good bass, good mids, and good treble??

What DO you want?

Or maybe I just can't read.

J. Crawford · #3 12-21-2009, 04:49 PM

Sounds more like a setup issue. Has the bass been setup by a PROFESSIONAL lately? Not yourself, but someone who does it for a living?

Id take that as my first step.

Leftybass12 · #4 12-21-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0ses

I'm confused....you want good bass, good mids, and good treble??

What DO you want?

Or maybe I just can't read.

Basically, I just want the damn thing to not sound like my fingers are playing against a trash can and that it has a SOLID bass tone, with CUTTING mids, and an treble tone what will MIX WELL with the bass tone and mids

Leftybass12 · #5 12-21-2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Crawford

Sounds more like a setup issue. Has the bass been setup by a PROFESSIONAL lately? Not yourself, but someone who does it for a living?

Id take that as my first step.

I had it looked at by my bass teacher, who is a professional and definitely knows what he is doing about two months ago when I put new strings on it. He said it was fine and there were no problems with it. Also I live in Northeast Ohio and due to the relentless and constant whether changes in the past several weeks I'm guessing that is mostly the problem.

TIMD · #6 12-21-2009, 04:57 PM

Your pickups might need adjustment. Maybe lowering them only on side by your B string would help.

archer121 · #7 12-21-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Crawford

Sounds more like a setup issue. Has the bass been setup by a PROFESSIONAL lately? Not yourself, but someone who does it for a living?

Id take that as my first step.

+1

See if they'll let you watch them do it and explain what they're doing as well so you can make adjustments yourself when you need to. Also, some higher tension strings should help.

TIMD · #8 12-21-2009, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leftybass12

I had it looked at by my bass teacher, who is a professional and definitely knows what he is doing about two months ago when I put new strings on it. He said it was fine and there were no problems with it. Also I live in Northeast Ohio and due to the relentless and constant whether changes in the past several weeks I'm guessing that is mostly the problem.

Do you know how to adjust your truss rod? If you believe the problem is from weather changes that could be the answer.

grifff · #9 12-21-2009, 05:04 PM

Have you tried a different brand/set of strings?

I can't find any information on the amp you specified, but have you tried other amps?

J. Crawford · #10 12-21-2009, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leftybass12

I had it looked at by my bass teacher, who is a professional and definitely knows what he is doing about two months ago when I put new strings on it. He said it was fine and there were no problems with it. Also I live in Northeast Ohio and due to the relentless and constant whether changes in the past several weeks I'm guessing that is mostly the problem.

I live in Northeast Ohio too, you dont have to explain the weather changes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grifff

Have you tried a different brand/set of strings?

This would be my second guess. Some strings just dont agree at times.

dmrogers · #11 12-21-2009, 05:14 PM

I would also suggest looking at the pickup height.

I recently purchased a new head, and in doing so, it brought a really bad problem with my P bass. Turns out that most of the problem was the pickup height on the E string side.

However, it sounds like from your post that this is something that has just started bothering you. How old are the strings? Have you changed anything in your setup/rig?

Have you tried your bass with another amp/cab to see if you get the same problems?

With these type of problems, you have so many variables, and you have to start somewhere narrowing them down. Eliminate one thing at a time.

Leftybass12 · #12 12-21-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grifff

Have you tried a different brand/set of strings?

I can't find any information on the amp you specified, but have you tried other amps?

I'm sorry, it's a fender rumble 100.....the 500 was the original price that it was, but got the sales guy to take it down a little bit. I have tried other amps....particularly hartke and carvin....extremely satisfied with them both, much better than my fender rumble 100

J. Crawford · #13 12-21-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leftybass12

I'm sorry, it's a fender rumble 100.....the 500 was the original price that it was, but got the sales guy to take it down a little bit. I have tried other amps....particularly hartke and carvin....extremely satisfied with them both, much better than my fender rumble 100

Seems like you just answered your own question.

Leftybass12 · #14 12-21-2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Crawford

Seems like you just answered your own question.

haha, yeah I guess. I have been going for around 6 months to the jam nights my teacher plays at and he has a carvin cab with a kustom head. It sounds excellent through every bass I've brought to the jam night. I have been using since october though my custom carvin lined fretless 5 string and it sounds awesome through it! However on my fender rumble that bass is way too "powerful" for the combo amp. I have checked out the hartke amps, but only a few times 'cause the nearest place that has them , sam ash, is around 45 minutes away from my house.

Solarmist · #15 12-21-2009, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leftybass12

sam ash, is around 45 minutes away from my house.

That would be slick

Leftybass12 · #16 12-21-2009, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solarmist

That would be slick

What would be? lol

iamlowsound · #17 12-21-2009, 10:33 PM

Set it flat and forget about it.

lowsound

Pilgrim · #18 12-22-2009, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leftybass12

However on my fender rumble that bass is way too "powerful" for the combo amp.

I don't understand how this statement can be true. The signal out of a bass does not overpower an amp...although perhaps an active bass can produce a signal that's distorted? I don't have much experience with active basses.

However, that comment inclines me to think that something about the way you're treating the signal out of the bass is not quite right, either in the way you're setting the EQ on the bass, or the way you're setting the EQ on the amp.

dmusic148 · #19 12-22-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I don't understand how this statement can be true.

He's just running out of headroom trying to produce loud, low bass. Pretty sure that's all that's going on here.

Leftybass12 · #20 12-22-2009, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I don't understand how this statement can be true. The signal out of a bass does not overpower an amp...although perhaps an active bass can produce a signal that's distorted? I don't have much experience with active basses.

However, that comment inclines me to think that something about the way you're treating the signal out of the bass is not quite right, either in the way you're setting the EQ on the bass, or the way you're setting the EQ on the amp.

It has both an active and passive settings and the problem is the way I have the EQ. However, my EQ that I have set on the bass works fine on the several other amps that I have played through. The EQ I have through the Fender Rumble is set all around 5 and I have a BOSS ME-50B running through it too, so there is added EQ to it. I guess I'm running too much stuff for the amp to handle, but if i play at low volume levels it is fine.