Newsteds tone - AJFA. Would you call it OD or distortion?

jcburn · #1 05-15-2011, 05:39 PM

This is one of the master tracks obviously. What would you guys call it? It's not a tube amp - from memory back in the day he was using Gallien Kruger amps and cabs.
Im not sure whether to class it OD or distortion. I like the sound, also bearing in mind some of the sound is very heavy pick attack and low action.

Kromwarp · #2 05-15-2011, 06:21 PM

As far as I know, it was Ampegs he was using on Justice, as far as tone goes, its more on the side of overdrive IMO, its more controlled than distortion tends to be

rob_thebassman · #3 05-15-2011, 06:24 PM

i know he used a sansamp bass driver, or it could jus be the ampeg

vegas532 · #4 05-15-2011, 06:40 PM

I'm pretty sure he recorded AJFA with a Gallien amp, so there could be some Sansamp action going on there.

prd004 · #5 05-15-2011, 06:52 PM

You can't even hear the bass on AJFA, how can you disect the tone? If you're into the Newstead tone "Garage Days Revisited" is the disc! SOunds like an Ampeg to me, but I could be wrong

bigchiefbc · #6 05-15-2011, 06:54 PM

YouTube - Metallica - Blackened - Bass Only

I could see that being SS amp + sansamp, if you crank the presence up high. It certainly has what I consider to be the standard sansamp scoop.

jcburn · #7 05-15-2011, 08:19 PM

Cool guys - sorta what I thought, although I know he uses a Bass Muff these days too and could quite decide what was creating that tone. To me it sounds a little more harsh than a Sansamp, but not as fuzzy as Big Muff.

bigchiefbc · #8 05-15-2011, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcburn

Cool guys - sorta what I thought, although I know he uses a Bass Muff these days too and could quite decide what was creating that tone. To me it sounds a little more harsh than a Sansamp, but not as fuzzy as Big Muff.

If you turn up the treble and drive a bit and the presence a lot, you'd be surprised how harsh a sansamp can actually get.

jcburn · #9 05-15-2011, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prd004

You can't even hear the bass on AJFA, how can you disect the tone? If you're into the Newstead tone "Garage Days Revisited" is the disc! SOunds like an Ampeg to me, but I could be wrong

I have a feeling he recorded this with Cliff's Aria SB, so maybe even Cliffs MESA tube head? It is definitely a different sound than the master tracks for AJFA. I like both actually.

bigchiefbc · #10 05-15-2011, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prd004

You can't even hear the bass on AJFA, how can you disect the tone? If you're into the Newstead tone "Garage Days Revisited" is the disc! SOunds like an Ampeg to me, but I could be wrong

You are correct that the bass is almost inaudible on the final album mix. However, the master tracks for a few of the songs are on Rock Band / Guitar Hero releases. They can be extracted from the game and recorded as audio files. I posted a link to one of them.

moles · #11 05-15-2011, 09:46 PM

This is all very interesting. Back when that album came out he was telling interviewers he just went "straight into the board", IIRC.

alec · #12 05-16-2011, 05:08 AM

I don't know whether it's OD or distortion, but the mix sounds awesome with the bass pumped up. Its such a travesty the way it sounds on Justice.

Maybe there'll be a 25th Anniversary Remaster... not

Argali · #13 05-16-2011, 07:49 AM

Funny story: Back in the day my brother and I both had the "official" tablature books for AJFA (he played bass and I played guitar). I remember the bass tabs actually had you palm muting almost every single note played. It was hysterical.

rockstarbassist · #14 05-16-2011, 08:08 AM

A lot of it may just be his Alembics straight into the board with an overdriven or clipping signal going on.

FWIW, this article re: Jason and the bass levels on AJFA just came out and is an interesting read. Definitely worth the $.99 to save to PDF...

Lame, and makes Jaymmezzz and Larrzzzz even more clownshoes than they already are.

Metallica 'One' | Classic Tracks

chris lykins · #15 05-16-2011, 08:22 AM

That tone in isolation sounded kinda cool but even in the justice for jason remixes he just vanishes into the guitar mix other than his initial attack. He just occupies the same frequency spectrum. I much prefer Martin's tone in an Opeth mix where you can actually hear everything he plays because he occupies the bass frequencies of their mix.

rockstarbassist · #16 05-16-2011, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris lykins

That tone in isolation sounded kinda cool but even in the justice for jason remixes he just vanishes into the guitar mix other than his initial attack. He just occupies the same frequency spectrum. I much prefer Martin's tone in an Opeth mix where you can actually hear everything he plays because he occupies the bass frequencies of their mix.

Yeah.

Eff Jason for purposefully doing that to himself. :facepalm:

GreggBummer · #17 05-16-2011, 03:32 PM

I hope, one day, someone will go back and re-mix AJFA. It is poorly mixed album. In my opinion, everyone (not just Newstead) sounds awful. The whole thing needs a good remix.

Bigjohn · #18 05-16-2011, 06:43 PM

This comment sounds reasonable.
That sound is pretty clean and hi-fi with a good amount of top. He's just HITTING HARD so you hear the inherent "distortion" of the string's vibration being limited by hitting the frets, which is a form of clipping.
Flea's sound is that way a lot of times, especially live.
I LIKE it :-)
Hard hitting fret buzz rules!
OK, farther into the track, there sounds like a little bit of signal clipping on the low notes. But he might have been slightly overdriving the board. But mainly he's just slamming the strings.
I had NO idea he had THAT kind of tone on AJFA. What a dumb mix.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moles

This is all very interesting. Back when that album came out he was telling interviewers he just went "straight into the board", IIRC.

MOTORHEADBANGER · #19 05-16-2011, 06:51 PM

I think it's safe to say that just about everyone on the planet thinks the AJFA album is just terrible sounding on an audio/mastering perspective. Actually out of Newsted's earlier stuff, I would definitely have to say the tone on Garage Days is best for me. The heavy picking style plus the always unique sounding Aria SB Black 'n' Gold just seems to fit perfectly. It's fat, nasally, and somewhat honky, but it really fits perfectly and really cuts through James, Kirk, and Lars.

GreggBummer · #20 05-16-2011, 07:09 PM

Someone took the isolated bass and did a "remix" with the original studio track.

While it isn't a good mix (isn't ment to be according to the author) it is fun to listen to.

The song has BALLS now.

YouTube - Metallica - Blackened w/ enhanced ORIGINAL bass