Calling EQ experts

[Eden66]

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I had several quality rigs and basses ,playin bass for 20 years but i always been a noob when it comes to EQ's.

Ifell in love with that guy's tone and i would like you to guide me to eq that tone out of my rig.

He's playin a Stingray with Mesa amps and cabs and i'm playin a Stingray in a Genz Benz GBE 750 with an Aguilar GS410.I just want to know what are you analyzing in his tone..is it scooped,does he boost the low mids, high mids,what is going on ,What is proeminent in his sound.Does that tone sounds compressed to you.Any information you can give me would be much appreciated.Only asking EQ and compression,not the guy himself or his playing or whatever.........thank you

 

[plangentmusic]

That tone is coming mostly from the bass, the amp and the pick. It does sound somewhat scooped -- 800hz and 1k cut 80 hz and 4 k boosted.

It's not super compressed sound but most everybody uses some compression in a loud setting like that.

 

[Eden66]

That tone is coming mostly from the bass, the amp and the pick. It does sound somewhat scooped -- 800hz and 1k cut 80 hz and 4 k boosted.

It's not super compressed sound but most everybody uses some compression in a loud setting like that.

Thanks,i tried setting my eq like that, but i'm at home right now so i can't krank it.Getting closer to it but i think that part of the sound may come from the echo of the room and the fact that the speakers are realy 'breaking' wich i can't do right now,but will definitely try it that way at my next gig.

 

[plangentmusic]

Thanks,i tried setting my eq like that, but i'm at home right now so i can't krank it.Getting closer to it but i think that part of the sound may come from the echo of the room and the fact that the speakers are realy 'breaking' wich i can't do right now,but will definitely try it that way at my next gig.

Yes, the room is part of it as well as the volume.

 

[Jimbob Jones]

I think the biggest factor of that tone is the stingray with the mids cranked and very new strings...EQing will help, but fresh strings on your 'ray and a plectrum should get you 80% of the way there.

 

[plangentmusic]

I think the biggest factor of that tone is the stingray with the mids cranked and very new strings...EQing will help, but fresh strings on your 'ray and a plectrum should get you 80% of the way there.

I agree with the new strings. (Sound like steel). But what mids are you referring to? That's not a very midrange sound on the vid.

 

[JohnMCA72]

Yes, the room is part of it as well as the volume.

Not to mention, the computer & speakers/headphones you're using to play it back from YouTube!

 

[modulusman]

I doubt you are hearing the bass amp at all. The recording is probably taken at the board and may have been from a DI. The sound is the bass with new strings and a pick.

 

[EastCoastThump]

+1. I'd bet this bass track is DI. Although the bass feed might come from the amp's DI, the cabinet and the venue acoustics aren't likely to be contributing to the tone you hear.

 

[rockstarbassist]

The Joe-era Chevelle toan = Stingray w/ DR stainless steel Lo-Riders through a Sansamp RBI or BDDI. Boost onboard Treble and Bass and you're there. Not really even an EQ issue.

However that "click" is going to be around 1-2khz. I boost the graphic EQ on my M9 around 800hz-2khz and while I don't like it that clicky or trebly, I get plenty of pick grind/attack. Get an MXR or Boss bass EQ pedal and mess around in the upper mids to get there if you don't have the option on the amp already. He's probably running some outboard compression too as I run compression on my tone to help w/ the natural grind/growl you get when using a pick.

 

[dougjwray]

Not to mention, the computer & speakers/headphones you're using to play it back from YouTube!

And your ears' inability to hear certain frequencies, anymore!

But, yes, brand new steel strings (like the Rotosound Swing Bass set, for example), the treble band cranked all the way on a Stingray, and forceful picking (get your whole arm into it) should get you most of the way there.

 

[jmac]

I can get that tone with my MusicMan Sabre. A pick really accents it.

 

[Eden66]

The Joe-era Chevelle toan = Stingray w/ DR stainless steel Lo-Riders through a Sansamp RBI or BDDI. Boost onboard Treble and Bass and you're there. Not really even an EQ issue.

However that "click" is going to be around 1-2khz. I boost the graphic EQ on my M9 around 800hz-2khz and while I don't like it that clicky or trebly, I get plenty of pick grind/attack. Get an MXR or Boss bass EQ pedal and mess around in the upper mids to get there if you don't have the option on the amp already. He's probably running some outboard compression too as I run compression on my tone to help w/ the natural grind/growl you get when using a pick.

Wow, good to know because i have a Sansamp bass driver deluxe but i never used it, if you are sure about that i'll start to tweak that sucker untill i nail that tone....thanks

 

[steveksux]

Yup, that's fresh stainless on stingray, I had one for a while, preferred less bright strings on the Ray, and I like a bright modern sound... You might have to change strings monthly to keep that tone.

Randy

 

[rockstarbassist]

Wow, good to know because i have a Sansamp bass driver deluxe but i never used it, if you are sure about that i'll start to tweak that sucker untill i nail that tone....thanks

Yup, am sure. You gotta boost your onboard controls though to really drive it home. I boost the onboard T and B controls on my NS-5 to about +50% each (if center detent is even at 0, and full on is 100%) and it makes all the difference in the world in getting the tone I'm after.

Joe always had killer tone. TTOT(CDUI) has one of the greatest modern rock tracking jobs ever, IMO. Even though I'm not a Stingray guy, every time I listen to that record it makes me want to go nab one just to play along with that record.

 

[funkybassinator]

i don't know if this has been said yet, but another big part of that sound is the fret noise.

 

[kudzoorude]

I'm running a SR Classic through my TC Electronic Staccato'51 and I can get close to this sound with a slight cut in my low mids and boost in the high mids. Bass and Treble are at 1'oclock. I generally have more luck getting something like this through the bass itself with new strings though (like others have stated). The Classic's 2-Band Treble control really allows me to dial in the bite via the bass. Still working on a good 'growl' if I could ever define that.

 

[rockstarbassist]

i don't know if this has been said yet, but another big part of that sound is the fret noise.

Yup, low action helps a lot too.

 

[walterw]

Wow, good to know because i have a Sansamp bass driver deluxe but i never used it, if you are sure about that i'll start to tweak that sucker untill i nail that tone....thanks

turn the blend all the way up (so it's all sansamp and no dry sound), keep the drive low (it's now your preamp gain, and a little goes a long way), and run the output straight into a power amp, or into the effects return or "power amp in" on your bass amp (the BD is itself now your amp's preamp section).

do this, turn the horn off in your cab, and you'll be in grindy rock heaven.

 

[Eden66]

turn the blend all the way up (so it's all sansamp and no dry sound), keep the drive low (it's now your preamp gain, and a little goes a long way), and run the output straight into a power amp, or into the effects return or "power amp in" on your bass amp (the BD is itself now your amp's preamp section).

do this, turn the horn off in your cab, and you'll be in grindy rock heaven.

I didn't get the Chevelle tone but I did what you said and tweaked the BD's preamp and I just got myself a SVT and a SVT810e.I had a SVT rig a couple years ago and I swear that I nailed that tone perfectly with my Sansamp,Genz GBE750 and Aguilar GS410,my only complain is that it sounds realy compressed even with my comp bypassed........thanks