That Nick Thineman sound

Din Of Win · #1 07-07-2009, 12:15 PM

I thought that the "effects" forum would be the best place for this layred question, as the grouping of heavy bass players here is more concentrated than elsewhere....

How much of it is pedals? How much of it is the actual bass? How much is the amp/cab?

Without giving too much away, it looks like i'll be joining bass with some long time best friends of mine who are about to be signed to a pretty damn well known "heavy" label. I was talking with the guitarist (whom i use to be in a band with) and we both thing that a Nick style tone would be the most suiting for the band.

I've been experimenting for a long time with the sound but have only gotten "some" success by running a clean and dirty singnal to two respective cabs.

So, what do you all think? I honestly can't tell if that dirt is more fuzzy/overdrivey/distortedey... I know some of you have gotten pretty mosterous tones in your own right and any help pertaining to specific dirt would be much appriciated. Right now, in the dirt department i only have a Bass Big Muff, ODB-3, and Bad Monkey...

Right now my tone isn't BAD at all... kind of resembling the bass tone of CurlUpAndDie and Majority Rule... but Nick has that extra "umph" i guess that seems to keep eluding me...

bigchiefbc · #2 07-07-2009, 12:18 PM

Do you have any clips? Sorry, I don't know who that is, and when I googled "Nick Thineman", it didn't pull up any band sites that I saw.

ourworldisgrey · #3 07-07-2009, 12:28 PM

Nick plays bass for Young Widows.

As far as his sound goes, my ears are thinking that his sound is about 80% Vintage Proco Rat (yes, there is a big difference in how the new ones sound). Problem is they are not good for keeping the low end. But I got my rat modded by fuzzrocious (rratajski is his user name here on TB) and it sounds possibly better than Nick's sound.

Din Of Win · #4 07-07-2009, 12:37 PM

Ah sorry about the lack of soundclips...

Here's Nick with Young Widows:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgdv5JVJhHY

Here's Nick with Brainbanger:

www.myspace.com/brainbanger666

I understand that "sounding exactly like so-and-so" is pretty lame. I just want to get "closer" i suppose that what i have now.

Also, i could have SWORN that he uses a newer RAT and not an older one...

EDIT: Here's his board from the pedalboards of the stars thread... haha unfortunatly the picture is blocked at work for me... so i can't even see if it's a vintage or newer RAT.

Pedal Boards of the Stars: Part Deux

ourworldisgrey · #5 07-07-2009, 12:44 PM

Every picture that I have seen of his pedalboard (the pedalboards of the stars thread) all had a vintage rat. A newer one (or a turbo rat, which has supposedly better bass response) will get you just about there, though.

bigchiefbc · #6 07-07-2009, 12:49 PM

Ah, its because his last name is spelled Thieneman, that's why I didn't find it before. OK, I feel less stupid now.

Anyways, yeah that's a pretty grindy distortion on there. I can definitely buy that its a Rat of some type. Personally, if you're gonna go with a Rat, I wholly recommend the Turbo. Better low-end than the Rat 2 (stock anyways) and I think it has a more snarling grit to it, as well.

Din Of Win · #7 07-07-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigchiefbc

snarling grit.

First... sorry about the miss-spelling. It's never been a strong point for me

Second... EXACTLY!! At first i was going to throw words like "growly" or "glugg-gluggy" but i felt lame... "Snarling" is the exact kind of tone i was thinking of.

Man i love onomatopoeia!!

ourworldisgrey · #8 07-07-2009, 01:29 PM

The thing with RATs that I've noticed is that they like to become hard to notice when all of that snarling is getting masked by guitars. My band has two guitarists and sometimes I find it hard to hear the rat. Just a word of warning.

Din Of Win · #9 07-07-2009, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ourworldisgrey

The thing with RATs that I've noticed is that they like to become hard to notice when all of that snarling is getting masked by guitars. My band has two guitarists and sometimes I find it hard to hear the rat. Just a word of warning.

I've had that problem with my Fuzz and OD. So far, i think running clean tone into a designated cab has been the best course of action. Basically I run all my effects into a 2x15 but have a 6x10 handling a clean channel. It's not as obtrusive as ALL EFFECTS, but i like it for what i'm doing... may be worth a try...

rratajski · #10 07-07-2009, 02:43 PM

Nick definitely uses a Vintage RAT reissue. His sound in general has less bass and is more dirty/growly. SVT Classic head w/ bass and mids both less than the treble.

vegas532 · #11 07-07-2009, 02:52 PM

Actually Nick's sdound is comprised of 3 main elements:
1) Solid State Ampegs (svt450 and 200T)
2) Vintage Rat Reissue
3) 15" Speakers (biggest effect on his tone)

Din Of Win · #12 07-07-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

Nick definitely uses a Vintage RAT reissue. His sound in general has less bass and is more dirty/growly. SVT Classic head w/ bass and mids both less than the treble.

OOOOOh... damn, see i SWORE i saw his EQ pedal with the MIDs boosted and almost no highs or lows... But that helps.

Quote:

Actually Nick's sdound is comprised of 3 main elements:
1) Solid State Ampegs (svt450 and 200T)
2) Vintage Rat Reissue
3) 15" Speakers (biggest effect on his tone)

Hrmmm, that works... i guess that's why i've been "close" but not "there":
1) Vintage Peavey and Kustom Solid State heads
2) OD and Fuzz
3) 3x15s

rratajski · #13 07-07-2009, 03:52 PM

On the last tour he had an SVT Classic head and it was heavier than this recorded tonerz.

fruitysquirts · #14 10-02-2009, 12:50 AM

[quote=Din Of Win;7639342]OOOOOh... damn, see i SWORE i saw his EQ pedal with the MIDs boosted and almost no highs or lows... But that helps.

This might be too late to post but yes he does have all the highs and lows completely down on his boss GEB-7. Only thing all the way up is the mid. If im also correct he actually doesn't use much distortion from the rat. I could be wrong....don't hold it to me. just look up some posts i've made it pedal of the stars. I took the pictures of his board and also i have a picture of his 200t...or was it the other....i forgot

SnakeAnthony · #15 10-02-2009, 08:00 AM

Myth: Vintage RATs can't keep low end.
Myth: New model RATs will get you 'close.'

I would say most of his tone is the RAT. That's the only thing my set up has in common with his and it gets me pretty close. Then again, his speaker setup is also a pretty big factor, as well as his use of low powered solid state amps, but I've found brand doesn't matter much. Personally, I think Sunn Collesiums do it better than the Ampegs. Then finally, his Gibson RD is a factor, but apparently not the biggest. He sounded pretty similar when he was using Fenders.

Din Of Win · #16 10-02-2009, 11:07 AM

Ah, forgot about this.

I actually went right to the source and Myspace mailed Nick dirrectly. He is an AWESOME dude and super-duper nice and willing to answer my overly-fanboy sounding questions.

To paraphrase, he said that most of his sound comes from a combination of his RD (which he's used on all YW recodings and the last Breather Resist), his Amps, and the Emperor cabs. He mentioned the RAT added a lot too, but he didn't imply it was one of the lead factors... I personally think it adds more than he implies

Also, I personally like his work with Brain Banger way more than the YW stuff and he mentioned he used a Fender Jaguar for that recording and played that and his Jazz live. He mentioned he was orginally a guitarist, and in Brain Banger he plays more chords, so the thinner Fender neck was easier to work with.

Lastly, he said he just ('just' meaning back in July) got a First Act Custom modeled after the RD and he absolutly LOVES it and says it has the 'hugest' sound he's ever had from a bass.

Din Of Win · #17 10-02-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnakeAnthony

Personally, I think Sunn Collesiums do it better than the Ampegs.

Agreed. My old Sunn Concert Bass and my curent Kustom200 have the most awesome 'dirty' tone i've ever recieved from an amp. Which is why i have always dug old Solidstates over Tube heads.

fruitysquirts · #18 10-05-2009, 01:21 AM

Hasn't he always had a first act as a backup before? The rat does help...A TON. I've got an old fender BXR Spectrum. 2x10 and an 18. I used this with the shittiest 75 dollar head....it's a toshiba solid state. When i got my Turbo Rat and geb-7 it was pretty damn close to the sound we all love. I didn't get to mess with the GEB-7 too much before the head died on me. so..sadly i never got to dial in to that perfect sound. Running through 12's also helps.

Edit: I stand corrected...it;s not a toshiba bass head it was a yamaha....either way just as bad....and toshiba doesn't even makes amps.

rratajski · #19 10-05-2009, 04:47 AM

Did you have your bass plugged into the S-video slot, HDMI, or component plugs on your Toshiba?

fruitysquirts · #20 10-06-2009, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

Did you have your bass plugged into the S-video slot, HDMI, or component plugs on your Toshiba?

It didn't even have any of that...it used coaxial....like the old NES systems.