How do I get a dirty tone?

JBoucks · #1 01-19-2010, 05:44 PM

I hear lots of bassists do this. Can you guys help me out on how to get a good dirty tone? I got a Marshall Gov'nor (old) distortion pedal with the distortion at 10 o'clock and the EQ is the same as the amp settings, and I have a Boss GEB-7 EQ and I don't know what I should set that too. Can you guys help me with both my situations?

adamrobertt · #2 01-19-2010, 05:44 PM

Use distortion.

grifff · #3 01-19-2010, 05:45 PM

Why not play around with the settings and find a tone that you like? Someone can't tell you a tone and be sure that you will like it. I wouldn't even use the GEB-7 unless you can't get your amp to sound like what you want.

bassman1185 · #4 01-19-2010, 06:15 PM

It's probably redundant to have the same basic settings on your dirt pedal as on your amp. Start with the EQ knobs on the pedal flat and add or cut frequencies as you like. If you're looking to get a more old school fur sound, you'll probably want to turn the treble down a bit and boost low mids and mids. For a more modern sound, you'll want to boost bass and treble.

moose23 · #5 01-19-2010, 06:34 PM

Turn the distortion knob up on you guvnor, try around one o'clock, if that's not dirty enough turn it up again or vice versa if it gets too dirty.

Leave the eq out for now too.

Getaway Driver · #6 01-19-2010, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman1185

If you're looking to get a more old school fur sound, you'll probably want to turn the treble down a bit and boost low mids and mids. For a more modern sound, you'll want to boost bass and treble.

By cutting my mids and boosting bass and treble a bit, you can get a nice cutting tone that holds the lows and will shine between the guitar and drums. I can get sounds like Entwistle, Tool, and Flea. It's a very modern sound, though, maybe not your cup of tea. If you want something thick and muddy, Bass and Mids are the way to go. Listen to some stoner rock for that sound.

mattfong · #7 01-19-2010, 06:51 PM

I got this trick from drummers - bury your bass in your garden for a few years. The soil absorbs into the wood and the electronics, and really dirties up the tone. 2 of my other basses are in year two of their treatment, and I dug up my Jazz bass just a month ago - the difference is ridiculous!

I'd post sound clips but I don't have a recording device.

NKUSigEp · #8 01-19-2010, 06:58 PM

Spector + Aguilar AGRO + GK 700RBII + Aguilar GS412 = DIRTY!

groooooove · #9 01-19-2010, 07:03 PM

forget the effects. turn up your amp untill its "too loud." untill its distorting.

or buy something to emulate that sound, a la VT bass.

stuonbass · #10 01-19-2010, 07:06 PM

Depends on what you are looking for. I would describe dirty as a the effect known as "overdrive". It can be used to simulate a hard driven tube sound.
A good example of this would be the bass tone on When's It Gonna Be My Turn by Hoobastank. This borders on distortion but sounds good using overdrive effects pedal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh4O8LMGUM0

rratajski · #11 01-19-2010, 07:09 PM

Hoobastank? Really?! Really?!!

JBoucks · #12 01-19-2010, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Getaway Driver

By cutting my mids and boosting bass and treble a bit, you can get a nice cutting tone that holds the lows and will shine between the guitar and drums. I can get sounds like Entwistle, Tool, and Flea. It's a very modern sound, though, maybe not your cup of tea. If you want something thick and muddy, Bass and Mids are the way to go. Listen to some stoner rock for that sound.

Hahaa, oh it's my cup of tea lol. I like Tool RATM, and bassist with tones like that. So you guys are saying I just work with bass and treble and no mids at all?

Getaway Driver · #13 01-19-2010, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBoucks

Hahaa, oh it's my cup of tea lol. I like Tool RATM, and bassist with tones like that. So you guys are saying I just work with bass and treble and no mids at all?

I found that with mids at halfway or above my amp has a tendency to get way too loud and I lose definition in the treble and bass ends. Since I'm using a few pedals for dirt, and those effect mostly the higher frequencies, I can create a pseudo-bi-amp effect with strong bass and a distortion that can cut through the mix. If I ever get a real bi-amp setup or a splitter for a clean signal this could change, but for now I like the way it sounds.

LAG · #14 01-19-2010, 08:26 PM

For me, single coils pushed hard into an 800rb, yeah. Or anything into a V4B with the volume past 7.

Eric Grossman · #15 01-19-2010, 08:35 PM

The Sansamp bass driver is the best tool for a dirty sound that I've used. The great thing about it, is that you don't have to use your amp to get the overdrive. You can really dial up the tone that you want on your amp and bass, and then add the overdrive on top of it without losing any of what you like about your EQ setting.
If overdrive (grind) is what you want, that's the way to go.

stuonbass · #16 01-19-2010, 08:43 PM

Eric
Where in your signal chain are you placing the sansamp?

Spacelordmother · #17 01-19-2010, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

Hoobastank? Really?! Really?!!

Somebody sig that!

maevinj · #18 01-19-2010, 09:09 PM

P-bass into a tube amp + 2x15 cab
That works for me everytime.

darkstorm · #19 01-19-2010, 09:14 PM

Use your ears to set the eq's. Marshall govner pedals good for bass. But most peeps will want to boost low freq's some after whatever overdrive or distortion effect. Again that is best done by useing your ears to adjust the eq's to what sounds best to you and in the mix.

Kuchar · #20 01-19-2010, 10:19 PM

Both of those bassists tones are blended with two amps. One amp set clean and the other amp set with the overdrives and other effects. It's going to be hard to cop their tone with a single pedal. But you can get probably get close enough. Just experiment with what you have. Twiddle with the knobs on your bass with distortion on, then twiddle with the knobs on your pedal, etc.

Good luck