Salsa and merengue effect?

[ironrat]

Hi:

I want to know what kind of effect bassist use in merengue and salsa. The bass doesn't sound clean.....so?

[RedLeg]

i use an EUB, thats all
but i no play merengue, just salsa (our group leader is Puerto Rican and hates Dominicans!)

[ironrat]

I am Puertorican too! (and I don't hate dominicans).
I have seen many players with an EUB but I know Bobby Valentin (AFAIK) use a P bass. Others use any electric bass.

[jpTron]

Pretty sure they don't use effects. Just uprights. Or pbass with flats to emulate the upright sound.

[ironrat]

hmmmmmmmmmm I have a P bass clone with Pbass pickups....I roll off the tone but still don't get it. I'll keep trying.

[RedLeg]

when I was usin a pbass (with flats). I rolled some terry cloth in cylinder shape and stuck it under the strings right by the bridge to act like mutes. then I said f#$k it and just bought an Azola. Now I get the right (in my mind) sound.

[bongomania]

No effects at all, period. When you hear what sound like fuzz bass, that's actually a tuba. Seriously.

[elgecko]

I use a NS Wav EUB in arco mode when I want that "effect".

[garmenteros]

My friend who plays son and salsa uses whatever he can find and has no effects in his chain. He plays EUB, his favorite being ampeg baby basses. Fretless basses with flats are also used.

[smeet]

Yeah, the baby bass is the sound... Lots of attack and fundamental, like a set of tuned bass drums.

[kevteop]

The geezer from Fabulosos Cadillacs plays a baby bass a lot.

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by RedLeg

i use an EUB, thats all
but i no play merengue, just salsa (our group leader is Puerto Rican and hates Dominicans!)

I've been to PR once and the DR twice...love them both

[RedLeg]

You know for the longest time I thought my name en Espagnol was "pinche guero". My group leader always used to call me than when I was learning!

[DGbass70]

Originally Posted by bongomania

No effects at all, period. When you hear what sound like fuzz bass, that's actually a tuba. Seriously.

There's NO tuba on Merengue nor Salsa,tuba is used mainly in Banda music from Mexico.As far as Salsa and Merengue it's just on the eq. no effects.

[T. Alan Smith]

Originally Posted by ironrat

hmmmmmmmmmm I have a P bass clone with Pbass pickups....I roll off the tone but still don't get it. I'll keep trying.

Try playing with your thumb; downstrokes just over the heel of your neck(allows you to mute with the back of your palm). ...works for me.

[autopilot]

there´s no fx in merengue, it´s pure finger, technique and groove. the same for salsa, perhaps a bit of slapback if you want to cop it with a normal band (guitar, bass and drums)

i´m dominican

[ironrat]

Thanks guys!!!! I'll try the suggestions, specially the mute and eq settings.
Sorry but the presidents ($$$) don't allow me to buy a new bass :-(

Oh! btw......I use flats on my 2 basses. Chromes and TIs.

[sikamikanico]

I'm surprised TIs don't get you that sound? which kind of bass? use the neck pickup...

and work on your technique! if that doesn't do it, add string mutes... and last, EQ (cut higher frequencies)...