Deep and fat bass tone

macbassman · #1 01-31-2011, 03:12 AM

I want to be able to create a deep and fat bass tone like Massive Attack, Portishead, Erykah Badu and so on for certain parts and songs.
I am not sure wether to buy a LPF (Xerograph) or a Parametric eq (Empress Para).
I think the Empress Para will give me more options but I am not sure a parametric eq will give me such deep sounds.
What will be the best solution for this " problem"?
At the moment my set up is: bass ==> Wren & Cuff Phat Phuk ==> hybrid amp. I don't like changing the settings for every song, I have my amp dialed in a neutral setting.

RNV · #2 01-31-2011, 03:26 AM

Which bass and which amp/cab setup? I think those need to be addressed first because no pedal in the world will open up your gear's range.

BrandonBass · #3 01-31-2011, 03:30 AM

U shld try the artec para EQ. Cheap, small and offers smooth eq-ing goodness.

macbassman · #4 01-31-2011, 03:43 AM

I have a custom build 5 string, neck trough body, swamp ash body, wenge neck with a rosewood fretboard, Delano quad coil pickups, Glockenklang 2-band preamp. Strings are Elixer round wounds.
My amp is a Hevos 400D hybrid amp with a 2 x 10 and a 1 x 15 cab.
The Phat Phuk gives me some minor grit, enough for my sound.
This setup gives me a very balanced sound for my highs, mids and lows.
I only want to be able to dial in a fat deep sound for certain songs. I think a parametric eq will be more flexible and have more options soundwise. But a LPF will give me a deep fat sound for sure. I don't want to buy both because I don't like a big pedalboard. I want to buy the pedal that gives me the most options.

RNV · #5 01-31-2011, 03:53 AM

I have a EHX Mole that will give you all the big deep fat bottom you can handle. It is a bass boost and sucks you highs and mids just a tad, but it rocks on rock ballet slow long whole note kinda deals. It will destroy your cabs if you aren't careful with it. If there is ever a pedal you double check the setting on before stomping on it, is this one.

I'm not sure if your cabs are sealed or ported, but I have a hard time with sealed cabs personally. I feel that ported cabs speak lower and warmer. I know the peanut gallery will kill me for that one.

The Lurker · #6 01-31-2011, 06:35 AM

Try a Mole. It's simple, has only one knob, and if you turn out not to like it, It's only $40. It doesn't really cut your highs and mids so much as boost the bass enough to overwhelm them. You can also use some envelope filters as low-pass units.

Past that, your rig sounds like it's modern and hi-fi (though I've never played glock or hevos kit so I'm just guessing, really). Turn down the highs and really boost the low midrange on the amp. Leave the amp eq flat or with a slight high cut and bass boost, and keep the volume down enough that it doesn't sound pushed.

Hit the strings gently, up over the end of the neck, and relax your left hand, play everything with a bit of legato.

Matt Dean · #7 01-31-2011, 09:02 AM

I used a Xerograph in my dub band for the first time last night to create deep fat dub lines... my band mates all commented on how good it sounded and requested that I use it on a number of songs we do.

pmaraziti · #8 01-31-2011, 01:49 PM

The xerograph is everyday more interesting!

macbassman · #9 02-01-2011, 01:26 AM

I think I will get the Xerograph first. Just the "standard" version with no options. Taylor PM'ed me that there will be 2 versions of the pedal: the standard and the version with all the options.
I don't need the envelope so I think the small/standard version will be the best/cheapest solution.
But I'm tempted to buy the Empress Para also. Just for the tone shaping qualities.