P-Bass Grind w/SansAmp

Smallmouth_Bass · #1 12-21-2007, 03:48 PM

Hi guys,

I've been playing back and forth with a few sounds these days and one sound that I am trying to cop is a P-Bass with some tube-like grind. Think U2's Adam Clayton on Wire from the album The Unforgettable Fire (and to a lesser degree, Pride (In the Name of Love) ).

I play though a LMII with two Berg 12s and have used the SansAmp PBDDI to round things in the front with some success on occasion. I did manage to tweak the SVT setting and get a pretty good sound although I find I need to play with a pick to get it the way I like it. I generally don't play with a pick and am not very good at it.

Do you have any suggested settings to get this sound or do you have a favorite setup that differs that gives you this sound?

Limlam · #2 12-21-2007, 04:01 PM

Id say find your own sound, the sound on that album is very 'boring'

Smallmouth_Bass · #3 12-21-2007, 04:05 PM

I'd have to disagree with you on that one.

Normally I do my own thing, but what if you are trying to cover a specific part and/or specific sound?

dancehallclasher · #4 12-21-2007, 04:48 PM

you need to embrace the pick my friend. I learned years ago that to get that tone, I needed to suck it up and play with a pick. It gets much easier with practice.

bassman1185 · #5 12-21-2007, 05:02 PM

I agree with dancehall. Also, I don't think of the BassDriver as being a very "grindy" sounding OD. I think more of Tube Screamers for grind. I've got a Digitech Bad Monkey, which is basically a TS clone, but with bass and treble EQs. It sounds really good and only costs $40.

treebranch13 · #6 12-21-2007, 05:15 PM

The sans amp should get you some good tube grit. I would turn up drive real hight, put blend past 50% and turn up bass a little.

Maybe even turn up level to try and overload slightly to distort a bit. (although doing that can be slightly sketchy and you need to know what your doing to make sure nothing gets hurt.)

JanusZarate · #7 12-21-2007, 05:46 PM

The best grind can only be achieved with a pick, no matter what kind it is. Fingers can "grunt", but only a pick can grind.

IMHO, of course.

diechris · #8 12-21-2007, 06:32 PM

i must say that my DHA VT1 w/pbass and a PICK get some amazing grind! i love it much more then how it sounds through my sansamp.

alema · #9 12-22-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

The best grind can only be achieved with a pick, no matter what kind it is. Fingers can "grunt", but only a pick can grind.

IMHO, of course.

Just my opinion, but i have to disagree with you.
I think fingers can grind alot, just think of Tim Commerford tone.

Paulitics · #10 12-22-2007, 03:08 PM

I find that playing with the blend control helps the most. You get your mids back and everything seems to stand out and cut through better. I find that mids are very helpful for grind. Back off the blend knob to around 12:00 and you will see what I mean. Of course I am running my PBDDI into a GK which certainly adds some grind itself.

Smallmouth_Bass · #11 12-22-2007, 04:12 PM

Funny enough, at rehearsal last evening I tried the same song with both a pick and fingers and when playing with the rest of the band, it didn't make that much of a difference. Solo, it sure does. Both sounded pretty good too.

By the way, I know the term grind can be very subjective. I was thinking of it in terms of a nice round distortion/overdrive. More like a natural distortion that's pleasing. My U2 reference above was the best example I could think of.