obtaining tool/korn tone with my rig: is it possible?

[the wako kid]

I have a few nice guitars, and a pretty decent rigand I've decided that I'd like to obtain this sort of tone. before you point me to the searchbar,I don't want Tool's effect's laden sound,I just want his clean tone(think the intro to sober). I want this sound,but my peavey's EQ is so insane that I don't really understand how to do it,or if I even can.

My rig consists of:
Johnson P with Quarter pounders
Squier P
Squier Jaguar VM special
Peavey Combo 300 head W/ acoustic B115 neo cab
Boss OBD-3
MXR dynacomp compression

my sound has previously focused on a very midrange driven sound,and I feel like it's not cutting through in my metal band. if there is a thread that can help me to this,or you have any advice,it would be greatly appreciated.

[Toolmybass]

I would suggest you rent a cabinet with 12" speakers (check your ohm rating on head before renting)

IF you have more than one guitarist in your band you may have to get an amp with more muscle to "cut through"

The response you get with 12inch speakers that involves "grit/OD/dist/fuzz" going through it sounds great IME

I have seen GK1001RB's in the classified go for peanuts and they are LOUD!

hope this helps

[NeroJazz]

You're not even gonna get in the ballpark with a P bass. IMO the closest you're gonna get to Justins tone without getting a Wal is by getting a Stingray, either a Musicman or Sterling by Musicman.

Oh, and get some cabs with "10s. Lots of them.

[Immigrant]

Korn tone is low frequency maxed, highs maxed, mids non-existent, and play percussively. And tune down a full step on a five string.

Percussively means beat on it.

I like it, but it's not for everyone.

[the wako kid]

Kind of momentarily stuck with the gear I have, I have a massive traffic ticket I have to pay off. no renting buying trading,bartering stealing,or begging for gear until I have this ticket out of my way.

[austentaciousC]

Originally Posted by Immigrant

Korn tone is low frequency maxed, highs maxed, mids non-existent, and play percussively. And tune down a full step on a five string.

Percussively means beat on it.

I like it, but it's not for everyone.

Don't want to derail the thread, but I for one have always loved fieldys playing. The way the drums and bass lock on the first album is so tight, I don't know how people can knock him. His tone may not be for everyone but I listen to him almost as much as Marcus or feraud.

[ZombieSpacebat]

Originally Posted by NeroJazz

You're not even gonna get in the ballpark with a P bass. IMO the closest you're gonna get to Justins tone without getting a Wal is by getting a Stingray, either a Musicman or Sterling by Musicman.

Oh, and get some cabs with "10s. Lots of them.

Justin didn't play on Sober, that was their old bassist Paul and I believe he used a Rickenbacker. Though P ain't going to sound like Rick either...

[FaithNoMan]

Originally Posted by the wako kid

I don't want Tool's effect's laden sound,I just want his clean tone(think the intro to sober). I want this sound,but my peavey's EQ is so insane that I don't really understand how to do it,or if I even can.

Paul D'Amour's Ric is going through a Mesa Boogie Bass 400+ in that song with a good amount of dirt. What you are perceiving as "clean" is the Ric and the amp's natural brightness and grittiness.

The Boss ODB is not going to get you that sound. I would try for aggressive stainless strings, and a more cutting overdrive, such as the Microtubes B3K, B7K, or a Tronographic Rusty Box.

Fieldy has a lot "cleaner" high end going on, but it sounds a lot less metallic. It sounds more a percussive "click" than a "kraang" sound.

[stepswork4me]

Two vastly different sounds. Mid heavy with rounds should get you closer to that Tool sound.... For the Korn, try detuning and rounds. The P is definitely not ideal, though.

[Toolmybass]

Originally Posted by FaithNoMan

The Boss ODB is not going to get you that sound.

Did you mean this because of the particular bass he is using?

[dozicusmaximus]

P Bass with Flats.

[Tendollarcat]

In a word.....

No

[deeptubes]

I can pretty much hit JC's tone with my P Elite II > GK 1001 RB-II > SWR Workingman's Tower (8x10). General EQ - bass up, mids down, high center.

[kenbert]

sans amp rbi or rpm will help!

[gregmon79]

With what you have it is going to be extremely hard if not even close. I would follow the recommendation of trying different strings for one and cutting your miss way down and bass and treble way up. It sucks you don't have the cash to buy anything. A raunchy preamp would help. And a different bass. I have an ibanez ATK and I can get somewhere in the realm of tool tone with my GK 1001 RB and Neo 410. I'm also using the B7K as a preamp. Was using a sansamp BDDI but not any longer. not sure if you'd get closer or further away with a BDDI. Not sure what else to recommend with your existing gear.

[FaithNoMan]

Originally Posted by Toolmybass

Did you mean this because of the particular bass he is using?

I should correct myself. I made it sound impossible when it probably is worth a try. I owned a Boss ODB-3 in the past and now use a B3K, which can sound a lot closer to Paul's tone, or at least seems easier to get there.

I'm a huge fan of Billy Gould(obv) and tend to gravitate towards his really old tones he got. They aren't the same, but they have the same clanky character of Paul D'Amour's tone on Undertow.

[benthughes]

You can get close with a P-Bass, I don't find the Tool sound to be that elusive with most basses. Throw on a new set of strings, set up your bass with fairly low action so you get a bit of fret noise when you attack it with a pick. A barebones SansAmp BDDI will get you close-ish with a bit of tweaking. I run a BDDI into a GT2 into my amp and it retains it's sound no matter what amp I'm running through. A good amp and enough speakers to push some air will help immensely.

This will get you close enough that if playing live it'll be fine. having a bridge pickup would help add some definition but use what ya got. I've never really found a Stingray to really nail the sound either although, like I said, you can make anything work.

[Toolmybass]

Originally Posted by FaithNoMan

I should correct myself. I made it sound impossible when it probably is worth a try. I owned a Boss ODB-3 in the past and now use a B3K, which can sound a lot closer to Paul's tone, or at least seems easier to get there.

I'm a huge fan of Billy Gould(obv) and tend to gravitate towards his really old tones he got. They aren't the same, but they have the same clanky character of Paul D'Amour's tone on Undertow.

Gotcha.....I was going to point out that the only two pedals that would have anything to do with OD/grit/dirt etc have ever been confirmed appearing on Paul's board were

-Boss ODB-3
-Tube Screamer

There was rumor at one point of a GT-2 but nothing concrete....I have had 4 different GT-2's and a/b'd them thru a Mesa head and cab with a Ric and I can tell you he didn't use it for Sober ( as an example)


TMB

[FaithNoMan]

Yeah, I should have said "amp overdrive". The clank is definitely from the Mesa and Ric. I remember a while back when I first got my Mesa Bass 400, and got my Ric at nearly the same time. People would come up to the stage when I would play out and compliment me on the tone I got, and my bandmates thought the "Tool tone" was inherent in my bass and amp.

Also, I enjoyed that APC song you sang on. You did a good job.

[Toolmybass]

Tnx!...I do now have the B3K and the B7K and now that you mention it....probably would sound dreamy thru a Ric and Mesa.

I may have a Ric I can borrow to try it out. A Ric is one of the few basses that is left on my GAS list

TMB