Bright, punchy picked P Bass tone

[StanM42]

Nothing too crazy here, just losing my mind trying to recreate this tone on my precision bass.

It calls to mind the sound that's on a lot of 90s and 2000s rock/alt rock and I've never really been able to recreate it at home. Is it just a cranked valve amp? Normally, I've seen people recommend turning the bass knob to about 9 o'clock for this type of sound, but the video I've linked still sounds like it has a substantial amount of low end dialled in. I might just be stupid, since I doubt it's anything complicated, but I'd really appreciate some help!

 

[lz4005]

For the bass, start with new stainless steel rounds, both knobs all the way up.

For the amp tone, I'd start with a 50/50 wet/dry mix on a sansamp. Or combining a DI signal with a distorted amp.

 

[Bassclef46]

sounds like Run Like Hell. Agree with the Steel strings

 

[Funk With Me]

Could be that some of it is in the technique of the player. Also, if you play with a pick and want a bright, punchy attack the bass needs to be set up with the action high enough to withstand an aggressive style.

 

[cdef]

Plectrum technique is the way to get that kind of note attack.

 

[Qlanq]

Get that guy to give you some lessons. Might be a cheaper option than spending 30 years trying to get the sound you already have in your head.
It took me 40 years. It was fun but not cheap.

 

[chanson]

I feel like a Sansamp Bass Driver or VT Bass could get that type of tone pretty easily.

 

[MDBass]

Nothing too crazy here, just losing my mind trying to recreate this tone on my precision bass.

It calls to mind the sound that's on a lot of 90s and 2000s rock/alt rock and I've never really been able to recreate it at home. Is it just a cranked valve amp? Normally, I've seen people recommend turning the bass knob to about 9 o'clock for this type of sound, but the video I've linked still sounds like it has a substantial amount of low end dialled in. I might just be stupid, since I doubt it's anything complicated, but I'd really appreciate some help!

Lots of low end in that signal for sure.

It’s the end result of a P bass with a pick and fresh steel strings, run through an SVT and mic’d with something like a Beta 52, and heavily compressed.

Great sound: both articulate and interesting while still very solid and foundational.

 

[StanM42]

Lots of low end in that signal for sure.

It’s the end result of a P bass with a pick and fresh steel strings, run through an SVT and mic’d with something like a Beta 52, and heavily compressed.

Great sound: both articulate and interesting while still very solid and foundational.

Just modelled something like this using a couple plugins and got EXACTLY what I was looking for. It's not exact, since it's just simulated, but exactly the type of saturation and fullness I was hoping to achieve. Thank you so much!

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Lots of technique in that tone. If you had the exact same rig set the same way, and had the same bass with the same strings, it still might be a challenge to get exactly the same tone.

Sounds a little like isolated bass tone of Dave Hope / Kansas.

 

[MDBass]

Just modelled something like this using a couple plugins and got EXACTLY what I was looking for. It's not exact, since it's just simulated, but exactly the type of saturation and fullness I was hoping to achieve. Thank you so much!

Happy to help

 

[burgerdj]

Sounds great! There is definitely some compression going on there and even a bit of reverb. Might be the room or how it was recorded. In any event, get your self some fresh strings, a heavy pick and a well sorted bass and you’ll get there. An Ampeg (or similar preamp) will get you even closer.

 

[micguy]

Plectrum technique is the way to get that kind of note attack.

I agree. Different pick materials and thicknesses give different attacks - try a few, you'll find one that works for you. I've got a green* tortex pick (fairly stiff material, but not too thick, so there's some snap) and a bass with Boomers (relatively middle of the road nickel strings with a few months on them) in my lap that's brighter sounding that that clip with the tone control open. You probably don't need steels with a pick - unless you want it crazy bright.

*The color on Tortex picks indicates their thickness. Green = .88 mm

 

[Tommy Sparks]

I agree. Different pick materials and thicknesses give different attacks - try a few, you'll find one that works for you. I've got a green* tortex pick (fairly stiff material, but not too thick, so there's some snap) and a bass with Boomers (relatively middle of the road nickel strings with a few months on them) in my lap that's brighter sounding that that clip with the tone control open. You probably don't need steels with a pick - unless you want it crazy bright.

*The color on Tortex picks indicates their thickness. Green = .88 mm

Love my greens, though I was the only bass player that used them. Just something about that “snap” that hits it.

 

[el jeffe bass]

That was fun to watch. He has great pick, finger style, slap and thumb technique. I envy his skills.

 

[micguy]

Love my greens, though I was the only bass player that used them. Just something about that “snap” that hits it.

Thicker picks move the string more before they release it, so you get more low end, which starts to hide the snap. Thinner picks, the low end starts to sound wimpy. Greens are (to me) the "Goldilocks" picks - just right.

The green teardrop shaped ones have more snap than the triangl-ish ones - as the tip is thinner, it's "snappier". If you want more meat and less snap with the teardrop shaped ones, you can rotate it so you use a "shoulder" instead of the tip.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Nothing too crazy here, just losing my mind trying to recreate this tone on my precision bass.

It calls to mind the sound that's on a lot of 90s and 2000s rock/alt rock and I've never really been able to recreate it at home. Is it just a cranked valve amp? Normally, I've seen people recommend turning the bass knob to about 9 o'clock for this type of sound, but the video I've linked still sounds like it has a substantial amount of low end dialled in. I might just be stupid, since I doubt it's anything complicated, but I'd really appreciate some help!

It sounds like a p bass to me. No drive. Tone up. Mids down. And they sound like nickel rounds to me. And the amp is set very moderately. The reverb in the room is what's causing the extra low end boom.

You have to hit the strings hard. That's the entire sound he's got. Just a P with a pick...hard.

 

[Rib 13]

New roundwounds and you have to keep them as fresh and new as possible......this applies to any bass......personally, I use nickels: they are slightly less abrasive then steels but enough to make a difference in annoyance............I'm primarily a fresh rounds guy and I spend a lot of money on strings

 

[onamission]

PBass and Rotosound roundwounds played with a pick.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Nothing too crazy here, just losing my mind trying to recreate this tone on my precision bass.

It calls to mind the sound that's on a lot of 90s and 2000s rock/alt rock and I've never really been able to recreate it at home. Is it just a cranked valve amp? Normally, I've seen people recommend turning the bass knob to about 9 o'clock for this type of sound, but the video I've linked still sounds like it has a substantial amount of low end dialled in. I might just be stupid, since I doubt it's anything complicated, but I'd really appreciate some help!

Pretty much it. Except my strings are about 5 months old. And I recorded this off my phone, not a mic in a production environment.

Yeah, I totally screwed up the east bay...among everything else. Whatever dude.