Basses ideal for lower tunings and distortion.

[TheControlled]

G'day JMJ. I hope you and the family are well.

You've obviously played and recorded countless basses and know a thing or two about distortion tones. Have you ever been fond of any particular basses which handled lower tunings (low B and C for example) which really suit good distortion tones for melodic/heavy rock type sounds?

I noticed that quite a few great players like Jeordie and Chi Cheng latched on to the older Precision Deluxes (the humbucker version) for such bands in the 2000s, so I got one. And didn't like it at all. It didn't sound anywhere near as 'organic' as I like, even though they sound pretty rad on the DVDs. I'm certainly a passive guy.

My Jazz Basses (Geddies with Fralins) go ok, but there is a fine line between losing the fatness with both pickups on full and rolling off either a bit - sometimes they can be a little too wooly or too middy when rolled either way.

Even good P basses are often too wooly, especially all the way down in B. (Unless you're playing for QOTSA )

Surprisingly, I've been enjoying a passive Schecter Diamond P Custom which I picked up for a video shoot for $200. The P pickup is set a little further toward the bridge compared to a Fender P which seems to help with clarity and less 'woof' and still retains quite a decent P/J kind of sound without being as scooped as a normal P/J.

Kind regards,
Elliot.

 

[gillento]

The NP4 pickup by Nordstrand adds a good bit of clarity to P basses. ..... I play all my basses passive and I love overdrive sounds

 

[jmjbassplayer]

G'day JMJ. I hope you and the family are well.

You've obviously played and recorded countless basses and know a thing or two about distortion tones. Have you ever been fond of any particular basses which handled lower tunings (low B and C for example) which really suit good distortion tones for melodic/heavy rock type sounds?

I noticed that quite a few great players like Jeordie and Chi Cheng latched on to the older Precision Deluxes (the humbucker version) for such bands in the 2000s, so I got one. And didn't like it at all. It didn't sound anywhere near as 'organic' as I like, even though they sound pretty rad on the DVDs. I'm certainly a passive guy.

My Jazz Basses (Geddies with Fralins) go ok, but there is a fine line between losing the fatness with both pickups on full and rolling off either a bit - sometimes they can be a little too wooly or too middy when rolled either way.

Even good P basses are often too wooly, especially all the way down in B. (Unless you're playing for QOTSA )

Surprisingly, I've been enjoying a passive Schecter Diamond P Custom which I picked up for a video shoot for $200. The P pickup is set a little further toward the bridge compared to a Fender P which seems to help with clarity and less 'woof' and still retains quite a decent P/J kind of sound without being as scooped as a normal P/J.

Kind regards,
Elliot.

Gosh, Elliot this is not my area of expertise at all. I've also owned one of those 2000's Fender Precision Deluxe's, and I didn't like it at all either. Anyway, whenever I'm doing lower tuning stuff I usually use a P-Bass, I guess. But my Jaguar basses are the best I have at handling super low stuff, ironically. A little more clear than my P.

 

[TheControlled]

Thanks. That will do! The Jags have certainly been on the list of ones to try- now I'll look with a little more intent.
I realise it doesn't happen every day but you know how sometimes someone plugs a bass in and your eyes open wider, everyone in the room nods and it's immediately obvious that it is perfect for that particular job? I was hoping that maybe that this may have happened to you on one of your sonic adventures in relation to this.

But anyway, this is still helpful. Thankyou.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Thanks. That will do! The Jags have certainly been on the list of ones to try- now I'll look with a little more intent.
I realise it doesn't happen every day but you know how sometimes someone plugs a bass in and your eyes open wider, everyone in the room nods and it's immediately obvious that it is perfect for that particular job? I was hoping that maybe that this may have happened to you on one of your sonic adventures in relation to this.

But anyway, this is still helpful. Thankyou.

Not particularly, but yeah: Jags held up well, as well as my Thunderbirds TBH.

 

[TheControlled]

Not particularly, but yeah: Jags held up well, as well as my Thunderbirds TBH.

Thanks. Makes sense. I've been very impressed the few times I've seen and heard both Jeordie and Fred playing Thunderbirds with Manson - although both seemed to whip out a Stingray for the Low B songs. Dean from Chevelle appears to have had great success with Thunderbirds tuned right down to A# also. Listening to your work with NIN without looking I can't decide which I like better sonically out of the two so I guess it will come down to playability.
Thanks again. Very helpful as always.