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Bass for player who likes go "ALL MUD" on the amp

S

serruto

Oct 16, 2008
5
0
#1
Well, I'm talking about getting a subsonic low frequency to mimic the ultra low subass of drum machines (think prodigy, Placebo). My band plays electro pop with some brithish pop influence here and there and I'm looking for the kind of sound that fills the whole room without that annoying boxie midrange that so many bands favor nowdays. I crank the bass knob all the way up, scoop the mids (less than half way) and cut the tone in the bass and in the amp all the way down.
Oh and i play fingerstyle exclusively. I'm down to three choices Jazz bass, P or thunderbird ( this last one gives me the lows that I'm craving but I know many players in my style of music who play t birds use a pick and the bridge pup, so I'll be way too much mud with my style of playing and amp setting). I really dont like the tone of humbucker bridge basses ala stingray, the tone is way too midy for my taste and i cannot live without the lows of a neck pup
Any suggestions? No flaming
 
#2
Line6 has an amp model in their X3 called SubDub that does EXACTLY what you need. I'm not sure, but I bet you could find an effect or something to do this (BBE maximizer comes to mind).

The option for an instrument would probably include a piezo bridge pup, as they capture a lot of lows, but you'd need to eq the mids and highs out.
 
#4
+1 to the gibson baby bass as a good option.

Another good option is the Rick 4001/3. The neck PU is very easy to EQ for a good muddy low bottom with not a lot of mids. In fact, it's hard NOT to get a muddy low bottom with no mids out of it.

LS
 
#6
Jazz or P for sure. I'd go for the Jazz. It also gives you a whole lot of builders to choose from, since everybody makes one. You also might consider a Warmoth project. Just pick your pickup configuration and away you go.
 
#7
unclejane said:
+1 to the gibson baby bass as a good option.

Another good option is the Rick 4001/3. The neck PU is very easy to EQ for a good muddy low bottom with not a lot of mids. In fact, it's hard NOT to get a muddy low bottom with no mids out of it.

LS
Click to expand...

I would have to respectfully disagree about a muddy neck pup on a Ric. Smooth, yes, muddy, no way. The Tbird or EB certainly fits the bill, though.
 
#10
DEFINITELY the muddiest are the Gibson(/epihpone) eb-0/eb-3 and the fender/squier telebass with the humbucker. The squier telebass has insane lows for not much $$.

Out of the stuff you listed, I would probably go with the P + tone rolled all the way down. A thunderbird would be a good option too.
 
#11
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or
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#12
+1 to the EB0 (or neck pickup of an EB3) - you'll get that sound without rolling off the tone, and with all amp settings somewhere in the middle.

You know most people who own these basses call the neck humbucker a mudbucker - try one and you'll see why.

If money is an issue either get a mudbucker from ebay (theres always a few up) and install it - or buy a 'Kalamazoo' bass, which has one in too. Completely different woods, and a lot cheaper than a Gibson, but the same sound more or less.
 
#13
Honestly, I think that ANY bass can be EQ'd/boosted to be little more than the fundamental of the string. You can't get any "muddier" than that.

Once a nearly pure fundamental tone is found, the questions then become "are those frequencies low enough for what you want" and "is your rig going to be able to deliver them at the level you want?"

BTW, I will not be attending any of your performances...:hiding:
 
#16
GlennW said:
The '70s Guild HB pickups are also muddy, about 36K.
Click to expand...
good lawd!

+1 to an active piezo bridge system. a good one will sound "bigger" than any magnetic pickup, with more extension in both directions. eq out the mids and highs, and it will be huge and dubby.

that said, +1 also to a plain ol' jazz or p through the right system. with enough power, speakers and eq, it'll still get you there.
 
#18
Toastfuzz said:
Interesting...I actually have this pedal and use it for this purpose more than for envelope funking. Why is it that with the sensitivity down it turns into a mad reggae machine?
Click to expand...

Filtering = removing energy from the signal. In this case, you are asking the "machine" to remove all upper partials (mids and highs) and stay that way (no change in filter parameters with amplitude envelope). Any questions? :p :p :p
 
#20
Filter parameter changes are what make the Wah sound as the envelope (shape of signal energy that gets cut/boosted/or not) unfolds. Think the the pedal in the setting you desribe as being stuck on the "W" part of "Wah."

Say the word WAH slowly and loudly. That is a filter with an envelope that changes (unfolds) at the speed of your jaw dropping. Your mouth (and mine) is a filter. Say it backwards for fun. Hee, hee.

We change the filter parameters by where we hold and how we move our tongue, lips, jaw, etc. Think of these as filter setting that can move dynamically through time. :ninja:
 

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