my favourite bass fuzz sound of all time...Any clues as to what it can be??

soma89 · #1 08-23-2009, 12:11 AM

Ok, my favourite bass fuzz sound is found on Velvet Undergroundls song "The gift"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI-YiaWDgB4

Any clues as to what it can be or what can get me close to that sound? Thanks a lot!

**DosiYanarchy** · #2 08-23-2009, 06:25 AM

an overdriven tube amp?

something, tube-like, maybe a Tech21 VTbass.

stflbn · #3 08-23-2009, 06:27 AM

Many times a cool or great sound has to be taken in context with the lick or song being played. Put the same sound in a different song and often it doesn't work at all.

groooooove · #4 08-23-2009, 03:07 PM

immagining the velvet underground atmosphere, i dont think they were trying to get that tone. that was simply a "im turning up my amp because i like to play loud" situation.

and there you have it - get a tube amp, and turn that sucker up. the VT bass gets a lot of love for emulating that sound, but IMO it sounds too "amp modeler" rather than "dirt box" to me. you may like it though. really, your going to just have to start searching for the right dirt box for you.

Jim C · #5 08-23-2009, 04:22 PM

Don't remember that song specificaly, but agree that many times a small tube amp (often guitar amp) was used in the studio and turned up for the distorted feel.
You would need to mic this small amp live to accurately reporduce the sound live (and feed it to your monitors). IMO

Much of early Rod Stewart and the Faces has what I remember to be a similar tone

Mark Olson · #6 08-24-2009, 12:20 AM

I believe everyone in the Velvet Underground endorsed Vox amps during the time of White Light/White Heat (if memory serves it was recorded 1967, released january 1968). More than likely it was a cranked Vox amp of some sort. If you're really interested, my friend recommended this book, which, by the way, neither me or my friend are in any way affiliated with:

http://www.voxguidebook.com/