Official Virtual AMPEG Portaflex Club

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

I agree about the mids on the BDDI, and trying to emulate it with the B15R will get closest. But you're right about the mids, in order to really sound like a Sansamp, you gotta be careful with the midrange.

I'm primarily a finger player, with passive P-basses (SCPB and split coil). For my style of playing, which is kind of a weird cross between Black Sabbath & Chuck Mangione, mids are essential. I usually use the mastering EQ to add just a touch of extra midrange.

I have noticed that without the mastering section, you get almost an exact BDDI sound. Only problem is that for me that's a bit thin. So by adding the mastering EQ and compression, I end up with an Ampeg on steroids. I can live with that. I've never owned an Ampeg so there's nothing holding me to that tone.

Exactly! I use my Bad Monkey in front of my PBDDI in order to get more edge in the mids

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by adambomb

Rip,

Get up! Get down!
That one sounded good too.
I wish I had one of your " dualing" pickup set ups that you showed off in your vid that bass sounds fantastic with no other help at all.......
I need new strings bad.!!!

That dual pickup bass cost me $169 from GFS. The neck is a POS though so it's a wall hanging till I make a new neck.

The dual pickup/dual output didn't really work out so well. It sounds great and adds some serious low end, but is just too much of a pain to be practical.

[adambomb]

Before the boomers I had a set of 5ers from DR called fat-beams it was the Marcus miller sig. Strings. I may be going back to those.

I am intrigued about some flats.....

[PrietoBass]

You guys are having a party here!! I'm at work; can't wait for vacation in 3 weeks!

Boo the haters!

I think modeling is the future. I get frustrated, but it's mostly me. I know with y'all help I'll get it working.

The guy in the video is from a band up in Montreal (great place to visit!). He can get some sick tones out of that VT (plus other goodies in chis chain). I ran into a video from duo (bass and drums), can't remember who.. anyway, the guy's on drums and the chick plays a Ric. I think they are married.

I think it's cool that you can treat the bass as a 1ry instrument; it can drive the melody. I have a 2 vids from Billy Sheehan, and he can make his bass sound like a guitar almost. It's incredible!

FWIW, I use Fender 7250s on my 4, FatBeams on my 5, and I just strung my Ursa 6 with D'addario XLs.

[adambomb]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

The dual pickup/dual output didn't really work out so well.

Oh I didn't know it had two outputs I thought, like mine.... It had a pickup selector knob you could go with one or the other or blend the two to your liking. It sounded great on the video.

[Rip Topaz]

I have Billy's instructional videos, too. Those things have been watched so many times I've got them engraved into my memory.

Another huge influence on me was Geezer Butler. When I was first learning bass, I'd sit in my room and just play for hours. I managed to learn every song Black Sabbath ever did with Ozzy (not a big Dio fan) note for note. Funny thing is that I've only ever played Paranoid and War Pigs with bands.

And the first Rush album.

Then there's KISS. I know they get slammed on TB, but I love KISS. Something Paul Stanley said way back really stuck with me. I can't quote exactly but he said something about how at some point, no matter how good you can play, mistakes happen. And you can either stress about them and play a tight, boring show, or you can just move on and accept that it's just rock and roll and who really cares?

I forget where I was going with this, but what I'm getting at is that as cool as these toys are, eventually we'll get to the point where we're too busy tweaking to just PLAY MUSIC. We've got some slamming tones between us, now lets make some friggin' noise with them and see who listens!!

[adambomb]

Originally Posted by PrietoBass

You guys are having a party here!! I'm at work; can't wait for vacation in 3 weeks!

Boo the haters!
I think it's cool that you can treat the bass as a 1ry instrument; it can drive the melody. I have a 2 vids from Billy Sheehan, and he can make his bass sound like a guitar almost. It's incredible!

FWIW, I use Fender 7250s on my 4, FatBeams on my 5, and I just strung my Ursa 6 with D'addario XLs.

I'm at work too...... Glad you finally made it to the "party".

I was kinda using the Happy Day post as like a major highlighted instrument. I wouldn't think I could use it with the rest of the band..... I imagine the looks I would get if I pulled that sound out for tonight.

How you like the fat-beams? I've been looking at fender brand strings too.... I can't decide

[PrietoBass]

Originally Posted by adambomb

I'm at work too...... Glad you finally made it to the "party".

I was kinda using the Happy Day post as like a major highlighted instrument. I wouldn't think I could use it with the rest of the band..... I imagine the looks I would get if I pulled that sound out for tonight.

How you like the fat-beams? I've been looking at fender brand strings too.... I can't decide

My Affinity V came with stainless steels, but I changed them afterwards to nickels.

I tried Ernie Ball Super Slinkies and FELL IN LOVE with them. Low tension (you need to adjust the truss rod), easy to play for my aging hands, GREAT tone. But they died quickly (about a month on avg) so I continued looking.

On that bass (Affinity V) I was looking for a string that allowed me to hear the highs clearly (my biggest challenge). The FatBeams ring like a bell on the highs (to my ears), and have a nice/solid bottom end. They don't appear to have as strong/harsh mids as a nickel string. I don't know if that's because Marcus designed them and he's a slapper. They are the best sounding ones on my Affinity I've tried so far. They don't feel as smooth (stainless?), but --here's what I like the most-- they last an eternity and keep their intonation well, IMO. I change them about every 4 months, not because they need changing, but because I like the zing they have on the highs and that's why I have them on this bass.

(more to come on the Fenders the first opportunity I get)

[Duke21]

Tried a new thing with my tone, added an envelope filter:


On the first clip I use the envelope on the first 3 sequences. On the second part I play about 4 sequences without the envelope.
http://soundcloud.com/duke21/apogeddy-2-mix-m4a

And here is an other clip with the new setup
http://soundcloud.com/duke21/machine-messiah-mix-m4a

[Rip Topaz]

You really boost your mids on the amp. Doesn't that add noise with the Geddy?

A bit more distortion than I would use personally, but in the mix with a heavy band it would sound great.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

You really boost your mids on the amp. Doesn't that add noise with the Geddy?

A bit more distortion than I would use personally, but in the mix with a heavy band it would sound great.

On the Geddy this setup will be too bright, but with the 4003 which I used it was nice. I'm just messing a bitt around. This setup is much more demanding as every time I'm not sufficiently smooth it is very audible....
I'm actually not into heavy rock, but I guess by heavy you meant a band with heavy sound stage which do not necessary is due to lots of distortion.

[Rip Topaz]

What I meant was it would work really well against a wall of Marshalls.

[PrietoBass]

Nice job there Duke.

I took another crack at the AT recorder. I am using the iRig as I don't have anything else. The sound through my headphones is very weak, so I couldn't tweak it much because quite frankly, I can't adjust it.

But I did as best as I could to adjust the input gain in AT as close to full w/o clipping.

Chain is:

bass -> iRig -> iPhone -> AT (Compressor -> EQ -> B15R). (I'll screen cap my settings and post later; I need to get offline soon.)

http://soundcloud.com/prietobass/belle-et-fou-v1

http://soundcloud.com/prietobass/hurt-and-the-healer-v1

[Rip Topaz]

I think I nailed the Sansamp. I play the riff four times. The first two are slightly cleaner, with the envelope filter providing a decent mid scoop. The second two also have the envelope filter, as well as the Moller OD.

http://soundcloud.com/rip_topaz/sans...b15r-agaig-mix

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by PrietoBass

Nice job there Duke.

I took another crack at the AT recorder. I am using the iRig as I don't have anything else. The sound through my headphones is very weak, so I couldn't tweak it much because quite frankly, I can't adjust it.

But I did as best as I could to adjust the input gain in AT as close to full w/o clipping.

Chain is:

bass -> iRig -> iPhone -> AT (Compressor -> EQ -> B15R). (I'll screen cap my settings and post later; I need to get offline soon.)

http://soundcloud.com/prietobass/belle-et-fou-v1

http://soundcloud.com/prietobass/hurt-and-the-healer-v1

Try this. Hit the tab that says MASTER. Then on the mastering screen, activate the compressor and turn up the compression to 12:00.

Turn the amp master down before doing this or it'll get very loud.

[PrietoBass]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

I think I nailed the Sansamp. I play the riff four times. The first two are slightly cleaner, with the envelope filter providing a decent mid scoop. The second two also have the envelope filter, as well as the Moller OD.

http://soundcloud.com/rip_topaz/sans...b15r-agaig-mix

Wow! I like this!

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by PrietoBass

Wow! I like this!

Thanks. Here's how I did it.

I'm using an iPhone 4S.
Put the envelope filter in effect slot one.
Moller in slot two.
I use the X-Chorus as my third effect, but that's not relevant to this tone.
The warmth is coming from the amp gain. The dirt is coming from the Moller pedal. The compressor evens everything out and boosts the levels. There's a slight mid cut from the mastering EQ. I'm not a fan of cutting mids so this is just for show. Adjust to your taste, but the more you go past 12:00, the less you'll get the Sansamp sound.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

What I meant was it would work really well against a wall of Marshalls.

Indeed

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

I think I nailed the Sansamp. I play the riff four times. The first two are slightly cleaner, with the envelope filter providing a decent mid scoop. The second two also have the envelope filter, as well as the Moller OD.

http://soundcloud.com/rip_topaz/sans...b15r-agaig-mix

That is very close, both. The second one maybe even more. My 3.5 years old girl liked it also, and she loves Rush, Yes and Spocks Beard!

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

Thanks. Here's how I did it.

I'm using an iPhone 4S.
Put the envelope filter in effect slot one.
Moller in slot two.
I use the X-Chorus as my third effect, but that's not relevant to this tone.
The warmth is coming from the amp gain. The dirt is coming from the Moller pedal. The compressor evens everything out and boosts the levels. There's a slight mid cut from the mastering EQ. I'm not a fan of cutting mids so this is just for show. Adjust to your taste, but the more you go past 12:00, the less you'll get the Sansamp sound.

I see you have the voice turned on. I like it both on and of. But I turn it of if I boost the mids.