• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

About that vintage tone...

#22
i don't actually use a p for my p bass flats finger style tone, i use a g&l sb-2 with alleva coppolo flatwounds, a little brighter, punchier, and cutting
i use my p bass variant g&l lb100 for the overdriven american rock and roll roundwound tone
just a public service announcement before i go to my photo shoot on this lovely saturday morning
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mwbassace and Muddslide
#24
It depends how they use the gear. I work with mucho vintage gear EQs, Neves Etc.. It can sound modern or vintage..
obviously TAPE sounds different than more modern DAWs... But still as i said earlier. I think it has more to do with teh human input than the gear itself

pedroims said:
I always wonder how much of the "vintage" sound has to do with the recording equipment and technique of that era, any idea somebody?
Click to expand...
 
#25
svtb15 said:
It depends how they use the gear. I work with mucho vintage gear EQs, Neves Etc.. It can sound modern or vintage..
obviously TAPE sounds different than more modern DAWs... But still as i said earlier. I think it has more to do with teh human input than the gear itself
Click to expand...

Agree, so, now that everybody is obsseded with perfect time and the use of a click is normal, do you think the musicians have changed they way they feel?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grant Lockwood
#26
pedroims said:
I always wonder how much of the "vintage" sound has to do with the recording equipment and technique of that era, any idea somebody?
Click to expand...
The signal chain remains somewhat simple. A bit of EQ, maybe a little scoop in the tone department. A lot of that vintage tone comes from a DI into the board, with maybe a bass cabinet mic'ed and mixed in for a bit of presence. Compression doesn't hurt either. I find it's easier to leave the tone up on the bass and adjust at the amp, unless you're planning on an overdriven sound, which then you should fiddle with your tone accordingly to the sound you're looking for.

Also, by the way, you can get that vintage tone with a Jazz bass, Hofner, Ric... it's all in the strings and the way you play 'em. Labellas, TIs, well broken in Chromes and Rotosounds, but even Fenders and especially GHS strings. Also, if you want to pay for extra coin, I also recommend the Optima flats. Great sounding set with a nice clickiness at the top end, and they're very responsive to picking too.

If the guys in the videos would play closer to the fretboard, they'd get an even fatter tone when picking. There's also the economy of movement to consider. Pick too hard with too much of the pick, and you'll lose some bottom end as well.

Finally, foam, foam, foam at the bridge. Not very much, and not too dense. Scoops and filters out overtones that muddy up the sound a little.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rayjay
#27
denton57 said:
Also...some P basses just have "it" and some don't. The regular American basses I have owned haven't had it. Maybe it's the graphite rods in the neck, or maybe it's in my head, I don't know.. I just know that they didn't have it. The 62/63 RI's I have had have had it.
Click to expand...

My p bass has it the kids I've been jamming with for the past 16 years on and off can tell the tone of my p bass over everything it's strange and it's mine
 
#34
pedroims said:
I always wonder how much of the "vintage" sound has to do with the recording equipment and technique of that era, any idea somebody?
Click to expand...

Well it does too, and everybodys perception varies a little.
At my house broken in rounds and eq and tone control and my technique will all work together. I've be been playing them since pre round days and the only flats I like are







Roto 77's and they are basically are flats that feel slick but sound like broken in rounds, best of both worlds. Anyway, it's pretty personal from player to player.I love how Duck sounded with pure flats. But not me. :)
 
Last edited:
#35
There are lots of good sounds available in any decent bass. I like having two pups and blend, and I like having a midrange control, but even without them, you can get a huge variety of great sounds just using a treble control and your hands, with a properly eq-d amp and a good speaker. If the strings suck, that's another matter. What you can't do, I think, is take a P-bass that's set up for old school rock or R&B and make it sound like something it's not. You can do a lot to get a bass CLOSE to that sound, as many have pointed out on this thread.

I'm actually not all that into the P-bass mystique, but I can hear why lots of people are. Done right, it's classic.
 
#37
Very little sustain seems to be a hallmark. Could be the bent plate bridge, but more likely broken in flats clogged with skin oils and gunk. I just bought back one of my beauties, and the guy had a set of Sadowsky Black Label Flats in the case. Strung 'em up. Made by Richard Cocco. Sound good right out of the box! Better than any LaBella or other flats I have tried.
 
#38
A P bass with old flats and high action is a good place to start, but none of these are necessary.

A lot of it is in the technique, as stated. In addition to the right hand, left hand muting is also very effective. Play notes with your 1st finger as much as you can, and mute with your other fingers laying over the string. It requires a lot of hard shifting, much like upright bass technique. It's ALMOST all in the hands!

Foam bridge mutes are another very effective tool. Old flats, as stated, are very good, although I can get a similar tone with old roundwounds.

The tone I gauge by is Wilton Felder's line on the Jackson 5's ABC (also sampled on O.P.P.). I soundcheck with that line when I'm on gigs where I'm going for that tone. Also check out Carol Kaye's FB page, I signed up and she has offered tons of advice...she's on a lot and is super insightful (and the MASTER of that tone...think Beach Boys basslines)
 
  • Like
Reactions: christle
#40
deeruss said:
Hello,

Let's be honest, on youtube a Pbass sounds (almost always) like that :

Metallic tone, sounds very cheap and the tone out of the pick is ...

But sometimes after digging a little more, here comes a distinguish vintage tone :

(He's using an american standard Pbass with flatwounds and a pick)

(No name precision bass with flats and using a pick)


(Fingerstyle, vintage 62 pickup with flatwounds)

(Fingerstyle with an american standard Pbass ?? no idea about the strings)


So what's the secret :
using flatwounds ? using a vintage pickup ? palm muting ? playing with a pick ?

I'm planning to buy an american standard precision bass, but I'm afraid to be disappointed by the tone...I'm really digging that vintage tone which is pretty uncommon on youtube!

Thank you
Click to expand...


1st video ... lame
2nd video ... awesome
3rd video ... mediocre
4th video ... awesome
5th video ... mediocre

The main difference is the hands of the player and the eq settings. I am not a Fender guy or a flats guy but i do appreciate good tone when I hear it.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back