Yeah... nice catch! My bad.
I think a "piezo" my brain must have have gone into way-too-high impedance mode.
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Bright sounding pick ups
- Thread starter Seth DuSith
- Start date
Yeah... nice catch! My bad.
I think a "piezo" my brain must have have gone into way-too-high impedance mode.
I gotta set of Bartolini's on this build..very bright sounding. Tho the 500k pot, straight wiring to output jack would be cheaper for sure.
I would first get some new strings like nickel roundwounds o something like that. If that's enught brightness for you, lookout for string wear to the point you loose brightnes... this can become expensive if you are planning of getting new strings pretty frequently, but that'll give you a good idea of how much top end you can get.
Other option is active pickups, but don't just try to boost highs, if you have gain to spare, reduce the lows and boost the gain, that'll give you a brighter tone (some would say a thinner tone it depends on if you use the positive adjectives or the negative ones). If reducing lows gives you a more pleasant tone, you would have some more highs in the preamp...
Pickups are very subjective and kinda hard to a-b them, even when looking for videos on youtube, but the general rule is that the larger impedance, the larger output, that could give you more volume or push an amp into overdrive easier, not what I think I would want if I want to go for a brighter tone, but that dependes on your personal preference.
Stainless strings are the first thing to try. If it has to be pickups, hum cancelling pickups - wired in parallel (Dimarzio model P and model J) will get you a brighter sound. If it’s too bright, a loading capacitor can be used to nail the exact brightness you want.
By the way, Whether it’s parallel wiring or lower impedance pickups, making a bass brighter sounding gets you less output - but assuming you plug into something with a volume control, that’s easily fixed.
You can also make it brighter with active pickups or a preamp, but you can get the same sound without a battery in your bass if you do parallel wiring.
By the way, Whether it’s parallel wiring or lower impedance pickups, making a bass brighter sounding gets you less output - but assuming you plug into something with a volume control, that’s easily fixed.
You can also make it brighter with active pickups or a preamp, but you can get the same sound without a battery in your bass if you do parallel wiring.
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So many to choose from and choices are very individualized decisions. Depends on your music and what you like.
Koog
Koog
For recording, there’s zero benefit to putting an EQ pedal between the bass and the interface. You can just EQ to taste in the DAW. If you’re having trouble with the process, have one EQ plugin at the beginning and treat it just like the preamp pedal. But for live, that’s a good option. If you don’t want to deal with a pedal, the Audere preamp is awesome. The 4 band eq is very flexible, and then the Z switch can make the bass sound brighter as a starting point before even touching a knob.
Reading about it, sounds like that bass has an active circuit already, tho only bass boost? Can you confirm which model exactly?
I’d echo the comments here. Try new strings first, ideally stainless steel. Depending on preferences, might explore gauges and core types (round vs hex). Together with a good setup and technique, you should be able to get a lot of range out of a decent bass.
this assumes decent electronics. In my experience, most cheap active circuits are poorly designed, so I’d turn it off if you can. Cheap passive pickups can be fine, especially PJ variety. Run all (passive) controls on full. Higher resistance pots or fewer pots can brighten the sound further too (direct to output being brightest). And yeah, with passive pickups, use short, low capacitance cables. Like micguy said, more brightness is available running the P in parallel (standard is in series) and using loading capacitors to tune the sound passively.
If the pickups are still kinda not doing it after all that, I’d look at replacing them with some cost effective options. Many of us are fans of the Wilde/Bill Lawrence pickups. Clear and powerful, tho not harsh. Their P works well in parallel. Duncan spb1 also has lots of fans, tho not sure what their PJ options are. DiMarzio Model P/J are another classic choice.
I don’t disagree with the EMG recommendation, I just wanted to outline some passive options. It’s a preference thing and you don’t have to sacrifice brightness with passive pickups.
I’d skip EQ to achieve brightness, frankly… it works more like a bandaid rather than a solution that’s likely further upstream. Unless you want something that’s unnaturally bright…
oh, and be ready for some trial and error… what worked for some doesn’t work for others… for example, maybe you prefer the brightness of new nickel wound string more than stainless… or maybe you find a P by itself more pleasantly bright than PJ or J by itself… etc.
I’d echo the comments here. Try new strings first, ideally stainless steel. Depending on preferences, might explore gauges and core types (round vs hex). Together with a good setup and technique, you should be able to get a lot of range out of a decent bass.
this assumes decent electronics. In my experience, most cheap active circuits are poorly designed, so I’d turn it off if you can. Cheap passive pickups can be fine, especially PJ variety. Run all (passive) controls on full. Higher resistance pots or fewer pots can brighten the sound further too (direct to output being brightest). And yeah, with passive pickups, use short, low capacitance cables. Like micguy said, more brightness is available running the P in parallel (standard is in series) and using loading capacitors to tune the sound passively.
If the pickups are still kinda not doing it after all that, I’d look at replacing them with some cost effective options. Many of us are fans of the Wilde/Bill Lawrence pickups. Clear and powerful, tho not harsh. Their P works well in parallel. Duncan spb1 also has lots of fans, tho not sure what their PJ options are. DiMarzio Model P/J are another classic choice.
I don’t disagree with the EMG recommendation, I just wanted to outline some passive options. It’s a preference thing and you don’t have to sacrifice brightness with passive pickups.
I’d skip EQ to achieve brightness, frankly… it works more like a bandaid rather than a solution that’s likely further upstream. Unless you want something that’s unnaturally bright…
oh, and be ready for some trial and error… what worked for some doesn’t work for others… for example, maybe you prefer the brightness of new nickel wound string more than stainless… or maybe you find a P by itself more pleasantly bright than PJ or J by itself… etc.
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"brighter" is such a nebulous term. I know you said you didn't have a favorite bassist and like to use your amp/EQ/DI/etc, but - what kind of amp are you using? How are you setting your EQ?
Is there a player whose tone you like that makes you go "why can't my bass sound like that?"
Is there a player whose tone you like that makes you go "why can't my bass sound like that?"
Bill Lawrence Wilde pickups - I've standardized on their P pickup in part because they tend to be a bit brighter / more articulate than others I've tried.
For my Stingray type basses, I'm running ceramic rather than Alnico because if the brighter response.
For my Stingray type basses, I'm running ceramic rather than Alnico because if the brighter response.
I'm not sure if I am able to reply to everyone, but thank you all for your suggestions. I Wil try make a large enough reply it covers all comments
I use a Jackson Spectra, one of the dirt cheap ones with the P J pick up's, dot inlays, and laural wood fretboard. I'll look up the exact model when I get home. I play it through a peavey TKO 80, usually with my mids and highs cranked and bass at an 11 o clock position, and my OD at a 10 o clock position. Sometimes I use a digitech Death Metal pedal with the bass at 11 o clock, mids all the way and trebel a little shy of all the way (usually with my bass volume knob 75% down, to control the gain). I aim to replace this with a demonfx dark glass knock off when I can (sorry dark glass, but I'm dirt poor right now lol).
This is just for jamming. I usually use garage bands amp simulators for my recording, as I make industrial music, along with hip hop, post rock and prog metal style stuff (although I'm not as good as I make myself sound, but I'm not terrible either). I like to tweak all my amp sims, and EQ each channel individually, and EQ the entire thing as a single channel when that is done.
My bass has passive pick up's but an active bass boost pre amp that I only use when I am jamming, and I tend to boost my amps OD all the way if I am not using the pedal.
I find the pedal helps me get that gnarly modern metal sound, if I use both pick up's on 50/50, to get that over tone rich sound. Only thing I hate about it is my lows get sucked out, so I plan to upgrade one day
I use a Jackson Spectra, one of the dirt cheap ones with the P J pick up's, dot inlays, and laural wood fretboard. I'll look up the exact model when I get home. I play it through a peavey TKO 80, usually with my mids and highs cranked and bass at an 11 o clock position, and my OD at a 10 o clock position. Sometimes I use a digitech Death Metal pedal with the bass at 11 o clock, mids all the way and trebel a little shy of all the way (usually with my bass volume knob 75% down, to control the gain). I aim to replace this with a demonfx dark glass knock off when I can (sorry dark glass, but I'm dirt poor right now lol).
This is just for jamming. I usually use garage bands amp simulators for my recording, as I make industrial music, along with hip hop, post rock and prog metal style stuff (although I'm not as good as I make myself sound, but I'm not terrible either). I like to tweak all my amp sims, and EQ each channel individually, and EQ the entire thing as a single channel when that is done.
My bass has passive pick up's but an active bass boost pre amp that I only use when I am jamming, and I tend to boost my amps OD all the way if I am not using the pedal.
I find the pedal helps me get that gnarly modern metal sound, if I use both pick up's on 50/50, to get that over tone rich sound. Only thing I hate about it is my lows get sucked out, so I plan to upgrade one day
... In other words, I'm a weirdo musician. I do my own thing.
But I dig Justin chancellor, Adam nolly, dick lovgren, the guy from faith no more, and a few others I can't think of right now
Bass has been more of a tool to me. One of the many tools I use to write my weirdo music, but I've been in a few metal core bands
But I dig Justin chancellor, Adam nolly, dick lovgren, the guy from faith no more, and a few others I can't think of right now
Bass has been more of a tool to me. One of the many tools I use to write my weirdo music, but I've been in a few metal core bands
- Apr 18, 2008
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Maybe a mix n match! I feel like a Seymour SJB-3 will work great in the bridge. Maybe something similar to what Matt Freeman from Rancid or Mike Dirnt from Green Day are using for the neck?
I have also heard that the Geezer PJ set can get it going on. I'm not up on the P side of things, admittedly.
I have also heard that the Geezer PJ set can get it going on. I'm not up on the P side of things, admittedly.
In the event that there is a bit of cable run and some pedals, I want to know if they are buffered or they indeed have a separate buffer on the board. The loss can be delegated somewhat.
I have been listening to samples of the SJB-3. I like them used individually. If I used a pick a lot I would go with those. I like something lower output for slapping with both pickups on
