Gear for Playing with Pick?

tonesponge · #1 01-03-2011, 07:01 PM

I hear over and over again that tone is in the fingers, but I want to play with a pick (because of my guitar background).

But the tone I get when recording is awful. I'm plugging straight into a GK700RB and using the direct out. I get huge amounts of fret buzz, too. I wind up low passing at about 6K to eliminate it.

Is there some magic piece of gear or signal chain that is especially well suited to playing with a pick? If not, how do pickers get good tone?

Floyd Eye · #2 01-03-2011, 07:02 PM

Technique. Try a felt pick.

tonesponge · #3 01-03-2011, 07:27 PM

Thanks for the tip. I just ordered some felt picks.

**Ric5** · #4 01-03-2011, 07:30 PM

I like big fat derelin triangular picks over 1mm thick. Pick back by the bridge. Try a p-bass or a Rickenbacker. Boost mids and low mids. Try palm muting for a flatwound sound.

NKUSigEp · #5 01-03-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonesponge

I hear over and over again that tone is in the fingers, but I want to play with a pick (because of my guitar background).

But the tone I get when recording is awful. I'm plugging straight into a GK700RB and using the direct out. I get huge amounts of fret buzz, too. I wind up low passing at about 6K to eliminate it.

Is there some magic piece of gear or signal chain that is especially well suited to playing with a pick? If not, how do pickers get good tone?

Fret buzz is caused by either a bad setup, bad technique, or both.

spaz21387 · #6 01-03-2011, 07:35 PM

I dont get fret buzz and I play 90 percent of the time with a pick. And I dig in pretty hard. Id say you need to set up your bass properly you might need a new nut. Or just to raise the saddles on your bridge alittle.

CharlieC · #7 01-03-2011, 07:39 PM

I exclusively play with a pick for the very same reason as you and I use Dunlop Tortex 1.14 mm (the purple ones.)

Have a listen to some great DI I recorded pick-style on this page:

http://www.zinfanus.com/vamp

Cheers!

Floyd Eye · #8 01-03-2011, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieC

I exclusively play with a pick for the very same reason as you and I use Dunlop Tortex 1.14 mm (the purple ones.)

Have a listen to some great DI I recorded pick-style on this page:

http://www.zinfanus.com/vamp

Cheers!

I use the same picks.

CharlieC · #9 01-03-2011, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

I use the same picks.

Great minds think alike! But I wish the 1.14 mm ones came in a different color off-the-shelf besides purple :-)

Floyd Eye · #10 01-03-2011, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieC

Great minds think alike! But I wish the 1.14 mm ones came in a different color off-the-shelf besides purple :-)

I know and I've tried the 1.0 ( light black) and didn't like them.

By the way, I am an Anti-Behringer guy, mostly with good reason, as I've been the victim of gear failure live on stage ( not my gear, but a PA), but I have to say, some of the tones out of that V Amp on that page were pretty damn impressive.

CharlieC · #11 01-03-2011, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

I know and I've tried the 1.0 ( light black) and didn't like them.

By the way, I am an Anti-Behringer guy, mostly with good reason, as I've been the victim of gear failure live on stage ( not my gear, but a PA), but I have to say, some of the tones out of that V Amp on that page were pretty damn impressive.

Thanks!

Check out my V-AMP thread for more satisfied customers besides myself

Behringer Bass V-AMP Pro

Cheers!

spaz21387 · #12 01-03-2011, 07:58 PM

I usualy use dunlop 1.0mm ultex picks. They seem to be pretty durable. I tend to play fast and shred other picks pretty fast. One pick will sometimes last me about a month if it doesnt get lost before then. they seem to disapear in my carpet when they get dropped.

fingerbun · #13 01-03-2011, 08:00 PM

I use both pick and fingers. I think both are good sounds in different ways. But I will usually choose which to use based on the sound I want.

By all means experiment with felt picks, eq, different basses and so on.

But I never found anything that makes a pick sound like fingers. So if that is what your ears are looking for.....

Ricnroll · #14 01-03-2011, 08:01 PM

Has anyone tried the "Wedgie" Rubber picks? I've got some on order awaiting arrival. I'm hoping for something similar to the felt pick tone but without the mess. The felt ones seem to shed all over my bass.

Tunaman · #15 01-03-2011, 08:02 PM

I use only .58 Dunlops, nothing else feels right, I want the pick to bend but not too much when I'm playing fast

Floyd Eye · #16 01-03-2011, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaz21387

I usualy use dunlop 1.0mm ultex picks. They seem to be pretty durable. I tend to play fast and shred other picks pretty fast. One pick will sometimes last me about a month if it doesnt get lost before then. they seem to disapear in my carpet when they get dropped.

You know, I am fairly aggressive myself and I have never destroyed a bass pick. I've lost some and rounded a few over, but I have never "Shredded" one.

Floyd Eye · #17 01-03-2011, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieC

Thanks!

Check out my V-AMP thread for more satisfied customers besides myself

Behringer Bass V-AMP Pro

Cheers!

Thanks, I will.

CharlieC · #18 01-03-2011, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

You know, I am fairly aggressive myself and I have never destroyed a bass pick. I've lost some and rounded a few over, but I have never "Shredded" one.

I found a great tip on YouTube that shows you how to re-sharpen rounded picks on a piece of carpeted floor

It works so good, I've cut my pick usage in half and I always have a sharp point on them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYKT0SzrBo

spaz21387 · #19 01-03-2011, 08:06 PM

stay away from the wedgie picks the rubber ones even the plastic ones will leave pick dust all over your bass. And maybe its my picking style but i end up sharpening them on my strings untill they break. Its more common with delerin and celluloid pics for me though.

theory028 · #20 01-03-2011, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CharlieC

I exclusively play with a pick for the very same reason as you and I use Dunlop Tortex 1.14 mm (the purple ones.)

Have a listen to some great DI I recorded pick-style on this page:

http://www.zinfanus.com/vamp

Cheers!

Are those your recordings? The DI track for riff two was brought up in another thread several weeks ago and I've really enjoyed it. The V Amp doesn't sound too bad at all but the clean signal really shines as it is. I've actually got the track on one of my mix CDs because it sounds so darn neat.