REGGAE / DUB GEAR, ETC.

acrofts · #1 03-07-2006, 04:24 PM

I'm not exactly sure which category this post should fall under, so here goes- I am really getting into reggae / dub bass as of late and was wondering if any of you have any suggestions as far as bass / pickup / strings /amp / effects combinations, tecnique, or anything else that makes a real fat, solid dub sound. I play a '62 p-bass with an Aguilar DB659 preamp and an Epifani 310 cab. This sounds great, I am just wanting to hear some different opinions from more experienced reggae bassists out there.

D.A.R.K. · #2 03-07-2006, 04:38 PM

i do alot of dub live and in the studio...
i like lots of power and 18" speakers to get the massive going on..
been renting front-loaded jbl subs, but will be purchasing a nice solid cab soon. i use a dbx 120xp sub synth for bass and other sounds, run in my rig with a mixer off an aux. i also use the old dod fx25 for big bass drops. i suggest checking out some sly and robbie records:
reggae greats, dub factor, brutal dub....
dub is really about a production style, predecessor to hip hop,
drum n'bass, and modern re-mixing.
it's not only about sound, but feel.
obviously by my listening suggestion, i'm into the electronic era but it goes back much further into producers like king tubby and lee scratch perry.
robbie shakespeare is amazing, tight minimalistic lines that really anchor a tune even when everything else is stripped away.
in an old interview in bp he was using a paul reed smith bass w/flatwounds.
there's alot more, i'm sure others wil chime in soon,
some probably flaming 18's 'cause they are not "hip" right now, but for me there's nothing like 'em.
in the end, it's about the feel and the pulse, and that irreplaceable
solid line.
cheers

BurningSkies · #3 03-07-2006, 05:53 PM

I'd be happy to step up and flame 18's.

I've played Reggae and Jamaican music for many years now and have never had the need of 18's. For most of my time I've used 4x10's and a variety of heads. Lots o' reggae guys also play SVT/8x10 combos. Unless your vibe is early 70's 60BPM reggae, then 18's are too slow. Faster Sly & Robbie, Roots Radics or other 'modern' reggae is often in need of a certain amount of response. The last time I played with they Sagitarius guys, their bassplayer had a bunch of mids and punchy 4x10 sound.

That said, don't concentrate on your gear. Real reggae sound comes from how you EQ your sound and how you play your bass. The ol' guys in Jamaica didn't have the luxury of being picky with gear...they played what they could find and just learned how to tweak their sounds. Dub is in the mix...

paulodumb · #4 03-07-2006, 08:18 PM

I keep the tone knob on my bass rolled all the way down, and on the amp I turn the bass way up. If I have a knob that lets you shift the frequency of the mids, turn that all the way up and your bass tone will get so much deeper.
I use a few different basses, strung with flats or rounds, but that's how I get my dub/reggae sound with every one of them.

Stanley Design · #5 03-08-2006, 12:09 AM

Saying 18's are too slow is just like saying 410's can't go low enough. Sometimes it's true, most of the time it isn't.

I like the 18's I've used for a thick and meaty tone, no tweeter. Passive pups on the bass, tone knob definately rolled all the way down. Check out the Italia Mondial bass, it's got good dub tone.

BurningSkies · #6 03-08-2006, 05:28 PM

Thanks, Joshua...Its the truth of things as far as I can tell. I've seen countless bands and the variety of gear and types of basses are endless.

My personal experience from sharing the bill with a bunch of different bands (and also providing backlines for more than a few of them along the way) is that they traditionally ask for a 4x10 for the bass along with a head of at least 300w(tube) or 500w (SS). For guitar amps, the two standard requests are Fender Twin or JC-120.

I've also been on the road with a 4x10 & 1x15 and it's nice too, but unneccessary. Let the PA do the work.