I can corroborate, used to own an NS2a and I never used anything other than my Boogie amp.
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Basses that sound great plugged straight in
- Thread starter Drop1
- Start date
Seems my research into spector is lining up with everyone posting. I mentioned earlier in the thread, I've never heard a Spector called dull or dark. Ever. My only real concern is the spector I've heard are rather aggressive sounding and I'm not sure that's something I want daily. Who knows though, maybe I'll love it.
They're fairly easy to tame. Blend more towards the neck and dial back the treble and voila.
JeezyMcNuggles
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Because. That's the frequency that makes you sound honky, and makes other instruments sound strong. Take it out of you, and you start supporting the other members of the band instead of covering them.
500 iw a good frequency. My fav eq points are
The issue with my bass is there is a TON of low mids bur very little 600 and up. I can eq it up, but the overtones and harmonics still sound dull and some even missing. So I have no problem making the bass sound brighter, but whenever I do, it still doesn't sound good. I like those upper mids to be well balanced, almost equal (to the ear) with the low mids and lows.
You just can't eq up something that isn't there and THAT is my issue with this particular instrument. If the upper harmonics were present and clear, I wouldn't care that It needs eq. But the bass seems to just naturally kill them off. Not all mind you. There are "some" upper mid and high harmonics, but they are missing a good portion of them.
When I get off work, I'll post a clip of the bass with no eq at all. It will be a lot easier for you guys to hear what I'm talking about over me trying to explain it.
Hi pass filter, 80, 250, 500, 1200, 3000.
The issue with my bass is there is a TON of low mids bur very little 600 and up. I can eq it up, but the overtones and harmonics still sound dull and some even missing. So I have no problem making the bass sound brighter, but whenever I do, it still doesn't sound good. I like those upper mids to be well balanced, almost equal (to the ear) with the low mids and lows.
You just can't eq up something that isn't there and THAT is my issue with this particular instrument. If the upper harmonics were present and clear, I wouldn't care that It needs eq. But the bass seems to just naturally kill them off. Not all mind you. There are "some" upper mid and high harmonics, but they are missing a good portion of them.
When I get off work, I'll post a clip of the bass with no eq at all. It will be a lot easier for you guys to hear what I'm talking about over me trying to explain it.
The only pedal that I think is a must for bass is a compressor. Other than that, I always plug straight in.
Fender p bass
Fender pure vintage 63 pickups
Fender nickel rounds
0.1 uf tone capacitor
Tone turned down 10%
Play it hard for punk rock, play it smoothly for soft rock and ballads. Can’t go wrong with that.
Fender pure vintage 63 pickups
Fender nickel rounds
0.1 uf tone capacitor
Tone turned down 10%
Play it hard for punk rock, play it smoothly for soft rock and ballads. Can’t go wrong with that.
Fender p bass
Fender pure vintage 63 pickups
Fender nickel rounds
0.1 uf tone capacitor
Tone turned down 10%
Play it hard for punk rock, play it smoothly for soft rock and ballads. Can’t go wrong with that.
P basses aren't immune to what's going on with my bass. I have heard plenty than sound great, but also a ton of dead ones. It's just that with a p, an awful lot of people like that dead sound. I don't unfortunately. Plus a p by nature boost low mids while keeping the upper mids and highs a good bit lower. It's in the design of most of them. Great for recording , but not what I'm looking for right now.Fender p bass
Fender pure vintage 63 pickups
Fender nickel rounds
0.1 uf tone capacitor
Tone turned down 10%
Play it hard for punk rock, play it smoothly for soft rock and ballads. Can’t go wrong with that.
JeezyMcNuggles
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Ibanez sr 800, John east uni 5 pre, nordstrand big single pickups. I DO like them, but they aren't enough to save this bass unfortunately.
Dont get me wrong, the bass may sound amazing to someone else. I think its a dud personally. I'm gonna post some sound clips I'm a little while.
I had a Peavey Cirrus 5 string that I kept tuned to A that sounded fantastic straight into the board. I usually used it set flat with both pickups on full. Occasionally just gave it a very slight bass boost to fatten it up if needed.
here is a sound clip. dont judge my playing please. i literally just got home from work and started playing.
i still have wood flooring glue all over my fingers lol. i dont slap, but I figured it may be useful here so, i improved a little.
keep in mind, this bass has 2, maybe 3 day old steel dr hi beams on it. If i try to use nickels, it super dull. i had to use some compression to get the volume up to listenable levels and that also adds some brightness unfortunately. i didn't think the clip would be loud enough without the comp. Just understand the raw clip is a bit duller than what you hear here.
i still have wood flooring glue all over my fingers lol. i dont slap, but I figured it may be useful here so, i improved a little.
keep in mind, this bass has 2, maybe 3 day old steel dr hi beams on it. If i try to use nickels, it super dull. i had to use some compression to get the volume up to listenable levels and that also adds some brightness unfortunately. i didn't think the clip would be loud enough without the comp. Just understand the raw clip is a bit duller than what you hear here.
JeezyMcNuggles
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Hmmm, that's very odd man. Ibanez SR basses are usually very thin and high mid heavy. How do you have the pre amp set up?
JeezyMcNuggles
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Oh, dude...your bass sounds killer bro. Hahahaha.
What rig are you playing out of? That might actually be the problem.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Compression actually kills your high end. That's why good ones have tone/enhance knobs. If they don't, you use the attack knob to bring the attack of your note back in. Because compressors squash that when they engage. So, you set them to engage slightly after the threshold.
I've played Alembic basses for a little over 30 years now. One doesn't need to boost the highs on an Alembic. In fact, virtually all the tone shaping one needs is on the bass.
Did you listen with actual speakers or a phone or something? It sounds normal to me through a phone.
I "want " that clicky clacky sound most srs have. Some even mentioned it earlier in this thread. They can usually do that without even touching the electronics.
As far as cabs, right now I'm playing a 210 rumble with the tweeter on. I know it's not bright by nature but me previous amp was a genz shuttle with an ampeg 410 and 115 and ir was still top end dull and those shuttles can really push the Highs.
Idk. Maybe it sounds fine and I'm just sick of it. I don't think it's broken or anything, just top end shy.
