Where's the growl?!

[whiteXcorpse]

I have been totally dumbfounded to why I can't get any growl from my bass. I ta may be tha amp I'm using at the moment But still I cant get that kinda Rex Brown, hollow barrel sound......how should I attempt this HELP.

[bassist4ever]

i think this should be in set up if your concerned about your bass or technique if your wanting to do it with your hand.

your profile says you have a warwick rockbass. not too sure how they sound exactly. but why don't you set all the amps eq flat, and the basses eq flat and work from there? the growl maybe a combination of technique and strings (and if fretless, setup).

[Nickthebassist]

if you want the Rex Brown sound, get a spector. my spector Rebop(twin humbuckers0 nails his sound easy.

[Chris A]

Not really a GI kinda thing, how about Misc.


Chris A.

[whiteXcorpse]

My first post was pretty vague, sry. I was posting it from school. But this crappy combo I'm using has single Shape, Treb, Mid, and Bass, EQs. So preferably I was wanting some suggestions on how to set them. I have worked from the ground up, but still it seems like I cant even get close.

Also I have a Trace Elliot GP7SM, with a 7-band EQ. So when I get my cab, I don't want to feel like a complete idiot. It's not as if I cant get a good sound but, nothing really defined or unique. The best sound I get is a dry, smooth, kinda melodic sound, which is nice but I want some diversity.

I'd appreciate your suggestions...

[whiteXcorpse]

Originally Posted by Chris A

Not really a GI kinda thing, how about Misc.


Chris A.

.............k.

[FenderBender]

Also what kind of strings are you using??? A fresh set of say D R High beams may help.

[whiteXcorpse]

Earnie Ball.....

[Stephen Soto]

Originally Posted by FenderBender

Also what kind of strings are you using??? A fresh set of say D R High beams may help.

Yeah, a set of DR High Beams, and turn up the mids man!

[BottomFeeder86]

I dunno if it would help, but upload a clip of what your bass sounds like if its at all possible. It always really hard to describe how a bass sounds or how you want it to sound without hearing it. I have a Warwick Corvette proline with elixirs, and i get a very defined growl from it. But i might not be thinking of the same sound....

[Kelly Lee]

I know this might be a pain but use thr Trace Elliot, then use the line out and send it to your combo. Ofcourse, that is if the GP7SM has one, I can't remember. The reason I say that is the Trace preamp will give you alot more shaping tools. Just an idea!

[h_oudini]

I find I can get a good "growl" if finger the strings near the bridge and with my bridge pickup selected.

[Rusty Chainsaw]

The way I test a bass for "growliness" is to boost the mids on the amp, and then play the bass hard, either fingerstyle in roughly the neck pickup position or by the bridge with a pick. The note's decay (to my ears anyway) will contain that growl. It's a certain midrange character, I think. Some basses are well known for being growly (Spector, some Warwicks, G&Ls and some Musicmen) but a lot of it depends on your technique - I find it tends to be more audible with hard playing styles.