Adam Clayton amp settings help

[P-BassPat]

Obsessed fan i know,it also helps to have a mate who is in close contact with his bass tech.

Thanks for sharing this info with us, though, it's pretty nice from you.

I am a big U2 fan and although I am the first one to admit that Adam Clayton is not necessary the most spectacular bassist out there, he is sill the one that initially got me interested in picking up the bass over the guitar. I love his cool cat attitude and his simple yet effective bass lines. He really serves the music well.

 

[A.CLAYTON]

Thanks for sharing this info with us, though, it's pretty nice from you.

I am a big U2 fan and although I am the first one to admit that Adam Clayton is not necessary the most spectacular bassist out there, he is sill the one that initially got me interested in picking up the bass over the guitar. I love his cool cat attitude and his simple yet effective bass lines. He really serves the music well.

Very true,he is nothing spectacular,nor does he need to be.But his style and tone are what suits the bands sound.At the end of the day he does what he has to so the songs are as good as they can be.As Bono often says,they had to write there own songs early on cause they were never good enogh to play anyone elses.They have made a pretty good living out of it though.

 

[P-BassPat]

Very true,he is nothing spectacular,nor does he need to be.But his style and tone are what suits the bands sound.At the end of the day he does what he has to so the songs are as good as they can be.As Bono often says,they had to write there own songs early on cause they were never good enogh to play anyone elses.They have made a pretty good living out of it though.

No kidding! I guess it proves that you are always better off doing your own thing and believing in yourself as opposed to try and be like someone else.
It also proves that working towards being a stunt player does not always mean that people will like your noise and that you will be able to make a living out of it. Nothing wrong with bad ass solos, but it is one thing to ''perform/show off'' and it is another thing to play music that people will want to listen to for years and years.

Not that I am necessarily a huge fan of Coldplay, but I see U2's Adam Clayton and Coldplay's Guy Berryman as very similar bassists. Their bass lines are simple but they are the ''glue'' that sticks it all together. I think it takes a lot of self-confidence and maturity to have such a ''global'' approach to writing and playing bass lines in a way that will highlight/complement the playing/signing of the other band members, as opposed to solely display your technical skills.

 

[NorCal Dog]

No kidding! I guess it proves that you are always better off doing your own thing and believing in yourself as opposed to try and be like someone else.
It also proves that working towards being a stunt player does not always mean that people will like your noise and that you will be able to make a living out of it. Nothing wrong with bad ass solos, but it is one thing to ''perform/show off'' and it is another thing to play music that people will want to listen to for years and years.

Not that I am necessarily a huge fan of Coldplay, but I see U2's Adam Clayton and Coldplay's Guy Berryman as very similar bassists. Their bass lines are simple but they are the ''glue'' that sticks it all together. I think it takes a lot of self-confidence and maturity to have such a ''global'' approach to writing and playing bass lines in a way that will highlight/complement the playing/signing of the other band members, as opposed to solely display your technical skills.

AMEN Bro, it's always better to play what the song calls for,,, than to just start wankin' to stroke your own ego

HUGE + 1

 

[bassguppy]

U say "Drive 12.45 and Sub 7.30".
So he plays with the drive and sub on at all times (even though 7.30 is close to off)?

With a blues band I gig with occasionally I have had the sub-generator around the 8 o'clock position for most of the evening. It's something that is subtle and it adds a thickness. It's not in your face sub-octave but it does add a layer.

 

[timzrage]

Thanx Much for the info!!! While I generally play metal I am also a huge U2 fan and have always love Adam Clayton's bass tone.
I was lucky enough to meet Bono a couple years ago and he was kind enough to take a picture with me. Most of my friends assumed he would have been a jerk but actually he was very friendly and made the time to take a pic.

 

[tomich]

No kidding! I guess it proves that you are always better off doing your own thing and believing in yourself as opposed to try and be like someone else.
It also proves that working towards being a stunt player does not always mean that people will like your noise and that you will be able to make a living out of it. Nothing wrong with bad ass solos, but it is one thing to ''perform/show off'' and it is another thing to play music that people will want to listen to for years and years.

"stunt player" - that is a hilarious (and accurate) phrase!

 

[topcat2069]

Adam has one of the coolest jobs on earth... and he does it very well.. His band doesn't call for a Jaco, Stanley, Les or Victor or anybody that plays the Bass as opposed to the song.

I guess hot rod shredders are ok for what they do but a great song beats a hot solo every time as far as I’m concerned. I don’t think many people sing along with the Bass line or the Guitar solo, I believe it's the chorus that everyone sings too.

(Though I do like Pino’s work with Don Henley, he said singing… “ down at the sunset grill &#8221

 

[A.CLAYTON]

For anyone wanting his compressor settings from the Vertigo Tour they were Threshold -10 dBu,Compression 4:1 and Output at +5 dB.This was on a 160a as i said earlier.

 

[SnorLars]

Lovely. Thanks.

 

[tomersg]

Hi
this is a great thread.
i am also fan of U2 and Adam Clayton and he is one of my early heroes.
just wanted to ask -
what are the rigs that Adam Clayton played at the zoo TV tour and pop tour?
at pop show video, i noticed a yellow amp and cabs. are they mark bass amps?

 

[RockNRollAl]

Forgot one control setting: Power Switch ON!

 

[SnorLars]

A.CLAYTON, here's a tricky one for ya.
What distortion does he use on the new singel Get On Your Boots??
I'd guess a Little Big Muff box.

 

[A.CLAYTON]

A.CLAYTON, here's a tricky one for ya.
What distortion does he use on the new singel Get On Your Boots??
I'd guess a Little Big Muff box.

It's actually a pedal Daniel Lanois either made or had made and they used it on Boots,not sure what he will use live though.It does sound like a muff.Do you like the song?I love it.

 

[A.CLAYTON]

Hi
this is a great thread.
i am also fan of U2 and Adam Clayton and he is one of my early heroes.
just wanted to ask -
what are the rigs that Adam Clayton played at the zoo TV tour and pop tour?
at pop show video, i noticed a yellow amp and cabs. are they mark bass amps?

I put his Zoo TV setup on this thread earlier.Popmart he used SVT's combined with a DI mix.He had SWR 4x10's with a couple of Big Bens 1x18's as well.I have all my notes at home so i'm going of memory here.

 

[SnorLars]

It's actually a pedal Daniel Lanois either made or had made and they used it on Boots,not sure what he will use live though.It does sound like a muff.Do you like the song?I love it.

Like it alot. 150BMP!!!! Can't wait to play it live. Gonna sound so much better live.
I'm an old Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilot and Audioslave fan and the riff in GOYB takes me back. :-D

Glad to hear the guys still love to make music and experiment with it.
Can't wait till 2 of march which is when the album will be released here in Sweden.

Tnx for the info on the distortion.

Edit: Listening to it again for the 10th time. Love the drums, especially the confident 4/4 hihat.

 

[anstratdubh1979]

I thought it was Jazz basses during War, at least from some of the videos. And during the Joshua Tree/Rattle & Hum, he switched to P-Basses.

And didn't he use a Gibson during alot of the Achtung Baby era?

Adam used Jazz and Precision basses for most of U2's career. Not exclusively, but more than other bass guitars.

Adam has an early 1970's Precision that he's used for a very long time. (It could be a 1972 or 1973 as he's referred to it as a 1972 in some interviews and a 1973 in others)

He has used Gibson bass' in the studio. I've seen pictures of him using a Thunderbird as early as the 1988 Rattle And Hum sessions, that took place at the Point Depot in Dublin.

He also used a Reverse Thunderbird in video from "The Fly" (Achtung Baby)

Adam used a 1970's Gibson LP Recording Bass during Achtung Baby forward, in the studio for some tracks. "Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World" (Achtung Baby) comes to mind, as does "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb) [source: page41 - Jan 2006 Bass Player magazine]

Adam also has used a Gibson RD bass in the studio; there are photos of him using it during the recording of "Achtung Baby".

 

[anstratdubh1979]

I thought it was Jazz basses during War, at least from some of the videos. And during the Joshua Tree/Rattle & Hum, he switched to P-Basses.

And didn't he use a Gibson during alot of the Achtung Baby era?

Not to go too off topic but as the question was posed about some of Adams used of Jazz basses and Gibson basses...

...Adam used Jazz and Precision basses for most of U2's career. Not exclusively, but more than other bass guitars.

Adam has an early 1970's Precision that he's used for a very long time. (It could be a 1972 or 1973 as he's referred to it as a 1972 in some interviews and a 1973 in others)

He has used Gibson bass' in the studio. I've seen pictures of him using a Thunderbird as early as the 1988 Rattle And Hum sessions, that took place at the Point Depot in Dublin.

He also used a Reverse Thunderbird in video from "The Fly" (Achtung Baby)

Adam used a 1970's Gibson LP Recording Bass during Achtung Baby forward, in the studio for some tracks. "Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World" (Achtung Baby) comes to mind, as does "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" (How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb) [source: page41 - Jan 2006 Bass Player magazine]

Adam also has used a Gibson RD bass in the studio; there are photos of him using it during the recording of "Achtung Baby".

 

[telebravo]

Wow, too good, thanks for all the info "A.Clayton".

Clayton rules it.

Loving all the tech info I can find.

And finally finding some useful info.

Does he ever run different settings on separate Ashdown heads and switch from one to the other?

Thanks Again!

 

[chadds]

If you caught the HBO Pre Inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial there are some very clear shots of his two Ashdown Heads revealing the eq setup for that day outside.
Yep they slayed me that day. They were on point, playing what's necessary and meaning it. There is a lot to be said for some folks sticking together for a long time making their sound. It often exceeds in the real world what a bunch of hired gods of the bass, guitar, drums, and voice can do. IMHO.