Fender Jazz and lousy DI bass sound

[kellyapp]

I am new to the forum, so thanks in advance to anyone who responds to my questions. I have a Fender Jazz bass with Dimarzio pickups. I have recently acquired an ART tube preamp and a Fostex MR-8 recorder. Have not been able to get a decent bass sound using this combination, though am told that it should work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get decent bass sound. Right now it just seems fuzzy and difficult to hear the notes. If I run it directly into the MR-8, the sound is a bit clearer but tinny and not at all like what I wopuld expect to hear from a bass. What am I doing wrong. Do I need a specific bass preamp or what?

[bbe]

tech 21 sansamp bass di.

[JanusZarate]

Suggestions for new gear aside...

Have you tried out your new DiMarzios with your amp?

If it sounds great to you there, then we can start eliminating the usual suspects.

[assboglin]

Yeah, are you satisfied with your bass sound running through an amp? You need to make sure the problem isn't just your bass before any extra gear is going to sound good.

And because I'm pretty sure no one else will say it, I do not recommend the Sansamp BDDI. I've had the programmable one and now the non-programmable one and I am personally astonished at how much it sucks every time I plug into it. It will give you a bigger sound, but other than that kills absolutely everything I like about my bass sound. Not for everyone.

[bongomania]

Especially if your complaint is that the notes are fuzzy or indistinct, I would not recommend the Sansamp or anything else with amp simulation, cab-sim, tube-sim, etc.

+1 to eliminating variables one by one. Also, I recommend experimenting with the EQ on the ART pre, I bet the sound you want may just be a matter of EQ.

[kellyapp]

Thanks to all for responding. Bass sound fine played through an amp. Strings are in good shape, though not brand new. What other variables might there be? I had one suggestion that the Dimarzios are quite hot, thus keep the preamp gain down as low as possible, but then it seems hard to hear what you are playing, especially with other tracks going at the same time. Its also a bit difficult to determine the right settings when you have input and output on the ART, then trim and gain on the MR-8 depending on what type of input you use XLR or 1/4". I'm new to home recording so still very much in the experimental phase. Dont have the cash for a Sansamp, so thats not an option. Have seen some other cheap bass preamps out there like Electronix Submarine Pro and Hartke VXL, but dont know if they would just be a waste of money. It seems that the ART should do the trick. Its got plenty of gain. No EQ on the ART, though just input, output.

[julo]

Hi,

Is there on the ART a switch with -20dB... this might also be a problem.
I tried to search on ART website for tube preamp and they have quite a few. what is the model you have?

Good luck.

[kellyapp]

Its the basic ART tube amp (Tube MP studio). That button is on this model, but I dont use it. Just use the input or gain knob which goes up to 40 db.

[bongomania]

Oh, I thought you meant one of their more feature-filled preamps. In that case, try adding an EQ. It really can make a world of difference to how your sound projects on its own or in a mix.

You mention the Submarine- be aware that not all so-called preamps have the same type of output signal, so double and triple-check that any preamp you buy puts out the type of signal you need for your application. The ART should be fine though, unless there's something defective about it or the tube.

[John Wentzien]

Make sure the signal does not go above 0 on the MR8. They can clip and square wave very easily.

[Puru]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Oh, I thought you meant one of their more feature-filled preamps. In that case, try adding an EQ. It really can make a world of difference to how your sound projects on its own or in a mix.

Originally Posted by John Wentzien

Make sure the signal does not go above 0 on the MR8.

The TubeMP is cool for bass, but you'll still need some EQ somewhere in your signal, and make sure you signal's not clipping.

[Jazzdogg]

Originally Posted by kellyapp

I am new to the forum, so thanks in advance to anyone who responds to my questions. I have a Fender Jazz bass with Dimarzio pickups. I have recently acquired an ART tube preamp and a Fostex MR-8 recorder. Have not been able to get a decent bass sound using this combination, though am told that it should work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get decent bass sound. Right now it just seems fuzzy and difficult to hear the notes. If I run it directly into the MR-8, the sound is a bit clearer but tinny and not at all like what I wopuld expect to hear from a bass. What am I doing wrong. Do I need a specific bass preamp or what?

When you run Bass -> ART -> Amp how does it sound, and what settings do you use on all three devices to obtain a sound you're happy with?

[kellyapp]

Thanks for all the comments.

Just went downstairs and played around with it again. Try to describe exactly what I have. Using a 15' Mogami guitar cable from bass to ART, then a 3' live wire cable from ART to MR8. Volume settings on the bass is all the way up on the neck pickup, tone about halfway. Have tried both pickups, not much better. Have tried various settings on the ART (I have 2 of them by the way, so not defective), seems noisy, so try to back off on the input, maybe 1/2 way up, output maybe 3/4 up. 20db button is not in use. Dont seem to get much response from the signal meter, it moves but not very much. Fostex is set for guitar, gain about 1/2 way or less, anymore and background noise increases too much. Get a decent signal on the MR8 meter telling me its recording. Using Bose headphones, volume about 1/2 way up. Sound is OK for low notes but gets fuzzy as higher tones are played. Overall volume and tone only OK at best. So I'm wondering is the sound that I'm hearing actually what is being recorded or will it sound better if converted and played through larger speakers? Have not had a chance to do that or play around around with mixiing software (Kristal) because I have had trouble getting a clean sound in the headphones.

Confused about John Wentzien comment, do not let signal go above 0 on MR8, what does that mean? Signal on the MR8 bar meter? If signal is 0 then little or no sound is being recorded. Sound is not clipping, I'm trying to keep it low and as clean as possible.

Also, how is EQ added? I thought that was done during mix with software like Kristal.

[John Wentzien]

On an Mr8 "0" on the meter is where the led's go from yellow to red- if your signal is higher than that when you record you will get digital clipping (the bad kind of distortion).

[musicelectronix]

Originally Posted by kellyapp

..... Have seen some other cheap bass preamps out there like Electronix Submarine Pro and Hartke VXL, but dont know if they would just be a waste of money. ...

I know I should have sell the submarine for twice as much to avoid that lol

[johnnycat42]

Originally Posted by assboglin

Yeah, are you satisfied with your bass sound running through an amp? You need to make sure the problem isn't just your bass before any extra gear is going to sound good.

And because I'm pretty sure no one else will say it, I do not recommend the Sansamp BDDI. I've had the programmable one and now the non-programmable one and I am personally astonished at how much it sucks every time I plug into it. It will give you a bigger sound, but other than that kills absolutely everything I like about my bass sound. Not for everyone.

I feel exactly the opposite. I love the tone of the SANSAMP stuff. That being said, everyone's idea of their sound is different and different combinations of gear yields different results as well. If you want a good recording solution, go try a SANSAMP BDDI, Line6Pod, Behringer V-AMP Bass, MXR M80, the Radial Direct Boxes and choose the one that sounds the most pleasing to you ear using your equipment.