Classic Rock Bass sound

[Deleted member 271037]

Precision Bass: Perfect for classic rock!

If your idea of classic rock includes 70s British bands I strongly recommend Rotosound 66 stainless steel (orange packaging). They're extremely bright for the first week or so but mellow out relatively fast. Roto 66 steels = THE sound of British 70s rock.

Hartke.... As far as I can see you didn't specify which exact Hartke amp/cab you're using. Every Hartke amp I've played has been VERY bright, especially if the cab is also Hartke. A good ALL-tube amp with a "vintage" voiced cab would be a much better choice for classic rock.

With the right amp the only pedal I would personally want for classic rock is a tuner pedal. I would definitely avoid any kind of multi-effect pedals. Bass players didn't really use effect pedals back then.

If replacing the Hartke isn't an option, maybe a suitably voiced low/medium gain dirt pedal could be cool, to mellow out the tone and simulate overdriven tube amps (or mic pres!) which they DID use a lot back then. Just make sure you don't get an aggressive, bright, "modern" sounding dirt pedal. The EBS ValveDrive is my weapon of choice when I need to soften a bright/aggressive amp a bit. It can also provide a bit of dirt. The Valvedrive can be a bit woolly/muddy sounding with some amps/setups, and it obviously won't give you the tone and feel of playing an all-tube amp, but it is absolutely superb for mellowing out both the tone and the dynamics of bright/aggressive amps.

 

[chuck65]

I just need this one pedal for that song , turned into this as I went from band to band playing various cover set lists. And , all this still goes through a GED 2112 and two channels…almost forgot , now there is also a Digi-Drop on one end and a volume pedal on the other.

 

[Zbysek]

I prefer single pedals over multieffects.

This is my pedalboard for Classic rock:

 

[Zbysek]

IMO, some overdrive is expected from rock bassist. Hartke amps and cabs are very clean IME, so you will need to get the overdrive via pedal. I am using the following pedals to achieve overdrive: Damnation audio MBD, Aguilar Tone Hammer, Broughton Scorpion, TC Spark, Jive, Sushi Box Space Heater, Ehx Bass Big Muff.

 

[Rib 13]

much of the recorded bass you hear from that era is just a DI'd passive bass, hitting some tasty analog goodness in the recording and mixing process.

Yup. I've mentioned this several times on TB.....Growing up bass in the early early 80s, I adopt this 'transparent' philosophy in just about everything I do

 

[Zooberwerx]

IMO, some overdrive is expected from rock bassist. Hartke amps and cabs are very clean IME, so you will need to get the overdrive via pedal. I am using the following pedals to achieve overdrive: Damnation audio MBD, Aguilar Tone Hammer, Broughton Scorpion, TC Spark, Jive, Sushi Box Space Heater, Ehx Bass Big Muff.

Thru strange circumstances, I lucked into a full Hartke stack some years ago and it always sounded better with a character pedal on the front-side. In my case, it was something as simple as a BDDI.

Riis

 

[Guitalia]

Precision Bass: Perfect for classic rock!

Hartke.... As far as I can see you didn't specify which exact Hartke amp/cab you're using. Every Hartke amp I've played has been VERY bright, especially if the cab is also Hartke. A good ALL-tube amp with a "vintage" voiced cab would be a much better choice for classic rock.

Hartke LH1000, if I remember correctly from earlier in this thread.

Hartke amps have tone controls that can lessen the brightness. First example of Hartke bass amp tone that came to mind:

 

[lark_z]

Straight in, as many suggest, is likely perfect. If you get GAS, a couple of inexpensive options to add some overdrive/grit.

Under $50 - Joyo American Sound
Under $90 - TC Spark - Four knob

 

[Bassistcool]

I don't use any amp nor a cabinet anymore. After a long period using that stuff, I ended up with a Kemper Stage and an in ear system. With this, all needs can be fulfilled. The need of moving heavy devices is gone, now I can move all the equipment with just two hands. Instead of the in ear, I can attach a wedge monitor instead when needed. The Kemper gives me also the possibility, to try different amps. I would never go back to the old, classic stuff.

 

[sgiacomo]

Wow, thank you, guys for the fast response; this is great info!
I didn't know about Mojo Mojo or the Blumes; both sound great and about the sound I wanted.
Regarding overdrive, the bass only with the amp, the Harkey head I have doesn't have that option. (LH1000) I used to have an Amper SVT with tall 8x10 speakers, with that one, I had the option of Ovedrive with the head. But that was years ago, now after being out of the music I am starting again that why I got the Hartkey, it seems like a good option for a more 'modern' sound, but now I will play classic rock so, the joke is on me LOL.
Yea I know old timers used to crank their amp and that was it, and today we need to buy effect and pedals to get that old sound, it is funny

Former Zoom B3 owner, they are good but there are other choices as mentioned. IME - doesn’t get much love here but if you’re looking for Ampeg tone in a multi effects unit check out the Line 6 HX Stomp. Both Ampeg and Line 6 are now owned by Yamaha. I have a 50th Anniversary SVT & matching 810 cab that needs no pedal other than a tuner. However, like you said these modeling capabilities and effects pedals are light years ahead of the old stuff and perfect for lightweight needs. The Line 6 HX Stomp SVT settings sound as close to my actual SVT as anything I’ve heard to date in front of my light weight Genz Benz 210 rig. The added effects are just a bonus for me.

 

[Ggaa]

P, flats, 212 cab, and something to get a tubey od sound when needed.

 

[gmarcus]

If you want a rock sound that just works get an Aguilar Tone hammer 500 head and be done with it. They sound great in a live band situation. No pedals needed.

 

[Standalone]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ehx-bass-soul-food-overdrive.1636053/

 

[faulknersj]

Plug your P bass into your amp and you just nailed the sound of most of the songs you plan to play.

The bass players in the bands you are covering certainly never used all those gizmo’s…

 

[Bass-Babe]

It’s worth remembering that a lot of classic rock was performed and recorded on equipment far crappier than 99% of the gear you can get today. You’ll be fine with a P Bass and a Hartke rig.

Jazz Bass too. Many many classic rock bands used j basses

 

[jimmyjames77]

Some flats or semi rounds on that P and your current Hartke rig should work. Maybe get a eq pedal to shape further along with a comp and dirt. Should be all you need.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Skip the zoom. Run that P Bass right into your Hartke —

This !! This is the old school way to get the classic rock sound! Keep it easy!
The Hartke can be a Little punchy, drop the highs and mids down a little. Plug that p bass in, crank it up and you will have that classic BTO bass sound! You will be “takin care of business”

 

[groovaholic]

Also this. I have it. It’s great.

Ditto this - 100%!

I started with the Visual Sound "Open Road"; their road-worthy version of the ODR-1.
The Open Road is a great pedal...though a bit ugly with the banana yellow color and oddly shaped enclosure.

Later, Visual Sound came out with the VS-XO that has a modded Tube Screamer on one side, and the Open Road circuit on the other. It's even better, but by the time I discovered it, I had started building my own pedals.

The ODR-1 clone that I built has been on my pedalboard for 7 years and counting.

 

[mrcbass]

From my experience, bass effects largely get buried under the guitars in a classic rock band. It's a lesson I learned the expensive way. Effects pedals are fun at home, but for me, are useless with the band.

I use a pedal board as a preamp so I can plug into any clean amp and get "my sound". I do have a few effects pedals, but they don't get used with my classic rock band. Only two pedals affect my sound in the classic rock arena - my HPF/LPF (great for dialing the boominess out of random spaces - a must have for me) and my Ampeg SGT-DI, which adds a little attitude (not really noticeable with the band going), but provides me with a DI option when FOH support is provided.

I have an octave pedal which might be used if playing in a trio setting, and I have a few other noise machines that I use with a more "delicate" project, where the guitars are not simply blasting 100% of the time.

Welcome to TB!

 

[Rooster009]

I agree with everyone about the bass + compressor straight to the amp for most Classic Rock situations, but the OP has mentioned Grand Funk as one of the bands that they will cover. Come on! It’s Grand Funk! It’s gotta have an overdriven bass tone. Bass + Comp + drive pedal into the Hartke rig. That’s it. That’s the winning combo.