case of missing mid range

[ladycabdriver]

why do all the 80s funk records and motown esq recording have such strong mid range in bass guitar. do i need a different amp. using fender jazz bass with a roland kc 350 amp.
no effects or compressors etc...my tone seems suby and has decent highs but little mid. I'm not eq on the amp and leaving bass settings pretty flat.

 

[NoiseNinja]

Have no idea, not familiar with that amp, but could it be the pickups in your bass?

Also no harm in using the EQ, it's there for a reason.

Eventually get an EQ pedal if the EQ on your amp is not adjusting the desired frequencies.

Also I know on Trace Elliot amps there's a pre shape bottom that scoops out the mids, for whoever strange persons would ever want that and for God knows which bizarre reason, just a wild guess, but could your amp has something similar that you overlooked is engaged?

 

[EW1010]

Having played keyboards I have used my KC500 for bassplaying at home. The KC series have been designed for synths etc. and although the 15" speaker (KC500) can handle the bass its certainly no bass combo.
Meanwhile I have sold it and bought a LMIII and Vanderkley 12" cabs which brought my Fender Jazz alive.
There's plenty low end and midrange. In the 12" cabs I am not using the tweeters.
I am afraid the keyboard amp will limit the possibilities of your jazzbass.

 

[two fingers]

Yeah when I worked at a store I sold dozens of those amps to gospel keys players. They are actually quite scooped by nature (lots of lows and highs but not much mids).

I would start with trying to get a bass amp. Now, if you're after mids, sealed cabs tend to excel at that. Not sure what is available where you are.

Also, a fresh set of round wound strings and using more bridge pickup than neck pickup will help as well.

Edit to add: WELCOME TO TALKBASS !!!!!!

 

[Wfrance3]

You might "try" an eq pedal. Something that has the 800-(at most)100 range on one of the siders/knobs. You'll want to be able to give that a little nudge - among other freqs. Set amp flat, boost that and kinda dial in from there. Boss bass eq pedal is good, the source audio one is good, but a little pricey. Heck- you might try a multi-pedal like the zoom they have, among other things, an eq.

Hope this helps!!

 

[NoiseNinja]

Based on the responses, and to me, new information about the amp you are using, I would follow Two Finger's advice and get a dedicated bass amp.

Eventually maybe sell your keyboard amp, unless you use it for other aplications, to finance part of your new investment.

Also welcome to Talk Bass

 

[ladycabdriver]

thanks for quick responses . makes sense that it might be amp design for keys. anyone recommend good combo or amp/head in the under 1k.

 

[NoiseNinja]

thanks for quick responses . makes sense that it might be amp design for keys. anyone recommend good combo or amp/head in the under 1k.

For 1K I would buy an Ampeg PF-20T or Ampeg PF-50T all tubes head (modern reissue of the old B-15 amps).

It has a poweramp line out so you can get the full tube sound going into a dedicated more powerful solid state poweramp.

So if respectively 20 W, which admittedly is not much or 50W, which is actually quite decent power wise speaking tube amps, should not be enough for your application eventual buy a decent power amp and a decent used cab.

Should be able to be done within your budget.

If you prefer solid states, I personally would look into an old used Trace Elliot amp of the SM or SMX series or get their new small handy class D ELF amp or their Transit B preamp pedal pared with a decent poweramp and cabinet.

Just what I would do, based on my experience.

Never tried a solid state that sounded better than the Trace Elliots I used, and loved my B-15S tube amp.

As for good cabs to go with it, I think there are more qualified people than me here on the forum to advice you.

 

[EW1010]

I don't know where you are but if I do a quick google I find plenty 150w combo's under €1000. I would advice to try different amps out yourself. My recommendation will not necessarily be what you're after. In addition, depending on how you intend to gig with it I would look for a little more power.

 

[two fingers]

thanks for quick responses . makes sense that it might be amp design for keys. anyone recommend good combo or amp/head in the under 1k.

Roughly where are you? We have members from dozens of countries and the answers for different geographic areas would vary greatly. I haven't tried one myself, but the Fender Rumble series seems to have everything quite the fan club around here, as does the Ampeg BA series.

Edit to add: If you can find a Mesa Walkabout Scout combo for well under a grand used its a deal....and I highly recommend them myself.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

why do all the 80s funk records and motown esq recording have such strong mid range in bass guitar. do i need a different amp. using fender jazz bass with a roland kc 350 amp.
no effects or compressors etc...my tone seems suby and has decent highs but little mid. I'm not eq on the amp and leaving bass settings pretty flat.

Welcome to Talkbass, I got nothin'.
But allow me to offer up your first snarky response.

You have to place a cassette deck in your effects loop to get that sound.

 

[JimmyM]

I'd like to recommend some of Ampeg's BA combo offerings, but honestly, if I wasn't getting the sound I wanted out of an amp, I would try moving the knobs first thing instead of helplessly staring at them while they're nooned and only buy something else if the sound I wanted was impossible to get.

 

[Badwater]

The sound you get from listening to old recordings or "digitally remastered" is contingent upon the audio equipment you play back on. Back in the day Motown was known for their high fidelity sound, as they used a lot of custom made preamps and effects. Fast forward to the late 1980. Sub woofers became popular, and recording studios started to mix for the sub bass frequencies which didn't exist in most of the pre 80's music.

By the early 90s CD, and digital audio was becoming the standard. Thus audio equipment changed, and continues to evolve at a rapid pace.

Nevertheless, older stereo systems, and expensive audiophile system will reproduce the best sounds from the old recording the way it was intended to be heard. Modern, digital playback devices and cheaper digital audio playback systems will playback the analog recording to sound different.

And the reason for that is. Technology in the digital era operates at a wider frequency range, and has more headroom for volume than did the old analog recordings. Thus, modern recordings are mixed different that they did back in the 60s and 70s. Also, the playback devices enhance specific frequencies to make it sound clearer. And they can make instruments stand out, or up front.

The age of mp3 and compressed music. This also affects the quality of sound. Thus, manufacturers of consumer electronics, build their electronics to enhance the sound of the compressed music format. In addition, companies that manufacture speakers, headphones, and earbuds, also, enhance their products to boost bass frequencies, or specific vocal frequencies to make their product more appealing to the masses.

So there you have it. This is why old music may not sound as good as the new music. But with the right playback equipment, old music can sound good. In fact with good quality vintage stereo receivers, turntables, and speakers, you'll hear things in those old recordings that you just can't hear on the consumer grade digital playback devices.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Try plucking closer to the bridge than the neck. Turning down either one of the jazz pickups just a little gives it the jazz snarl.

 

[Stumbo]

I'd like to recommend some of Ampeg's BA combo offerings, but honestly, if I wasn't getting the sound I wanted out of an amp, I would try moving the knobs first thing instead of helplessly staring at them while they're nooned and only buy something else if the sound I wanted was impossible to get.

^This.
+1 try the pickups separately.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

why do all the 80s funk records and motown esq recording have such strong mid range in bass guitar. do i need a different amp. using fender jazz bass with a roland kc 350 amp.
no effects or compressors etc...my tone seems suby and has decent highs but little mid. I'm not eq on the amp and leaving bass settings pretty flat.

J basses are well known to tend toward a scooped sound, depending on the pickups; I know nothing about that Roland amp save that I've never seen anyone play a Roland bass amp anywhere at any time, so I'd guess it's not the beez kneez... I know that I can get plenty of mids / burp out of my J bass, but I bought gear that would make that happen.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I'd like to recommend some of Ampeg's BA combo offerings, but honestly, if I wasn't getting the sound I wanted out of an amp, I would try moving the knobs first thing instead of helplessly staring at them while they're nooned and only buy something else if the sound I wanted was impossible to get.

You'd recommend Ampeg?

Jimmy?

 

[TheRealKong]

I am wih Jimmy M. and Stumbo. Just try using the EQ. In "the old times" lots of (today) dedicated bass amps have been so called "instrument amplifiers" and have been used for organ, bass, guitar - and sometimes for vocals.

Organ provides a lots of bass, so this amp should be able to deliver it - and loud! Maybe you should try something like a Sansamp Pre before the amp - or into the "effects return" - if there is one. This preamp will feed the Roland with all the mids you'll need.

Roland amps, at least the newer bass- and guitar - amps, are known to have presets, don't know if yours has some. But if..... maybe choose a preset with more mids.

Try this and try the knobs you find on your bass (Toneknob as well as using the pickups seperately / blendet over), maybe you find yourself satisfied without taking lots of money in your hand.

If you do want to go for a "dedicated Bass - amp", something newer, I recommend getting a used Hartke LH 500 and a single cab, maybe a good 115", or a 212", this depends on your taste. Take your Bass to a music shop and check out some bass amps - and some cabs.

But make sure to get a cab at 8 Ohm. I recommend an 8-Ohm - cab because you are able to connect a second one if needet. With one 8-Ohm - cab the LH 500 will give you about 300 Watt, 500 Watt if maxed out with 4 Ohm.

Be sure, not the "mighty 500 Watt" of an amp produces the SPL, its the cone aerea. The more speaker surface you use, the louder you will get.

 

[Element Zero]

Get yourself a Markbass CMD112. Very light weight (30 lbs), very small footprint (in case space is an issue), plenty powerful (300 watts as it is though if you hook up another 8 ohm cab you'll be running 500 watts), and under $1000. Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

 

[39-Bassist]

I would try a Fender Rumble 500 combo...easy to use and very good tones and enough power to go around. When ready to do bigger gigs just get the extra 210.