If you want clean tone the last thing you need is a pedal. You can't add "clean".
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Clean Bass Tone
- Thread starter pshep68
- Start date
I use a BOSS BC-1x for this purpose. In addition to compression, it evens out the tone, making it much brighter than when off. My strings are LaBella LTFs that have been on for a few months.
For clean, clear, and crisp -- I would not mess with the amp too much (filters off, EQ at noon), and I would run the master way up (like 3/4), and use the gain to set my volume. This will take care of the "clean and clear" part.
For the "crisp" part you could try to just boost my treble on the amp. That's going to be a pretty specific frequency, so might not hit the mark. If that's not doing it for you, and you want to do it with a pedal my recommendation would be the Aguilar DB 925.
It's a super simple two band - boost only EQ. The EQ curves are WIDE - so just boosting the treble side would work well I think. As your strings die, you can just boost that T a bit more to taste.
I've not used it, but all the demos I've heard are very nice.
Funny to me that guys are recommending distortion pedals when you want a clean tone. I think a EQ or clean preamp is more what you might be looking for.
If you want to get more in the weeds something like a Empress Para EQ maybe.
The Sadowsky SBP-2 (very similar to the Aguilar).
For the "crisp" part you could try to just boost my treble on the amp. That's going to be a pretty specific frequency, so might not hit the mark. If that's not doing it for you, and you want to do it with a pedal my recommendation would be the Aguilar DB 925.
It's a super simple two band - boost only EQ. The EQ curves are WIDE - so just boosting the treble side would work well I think. As your strings die, you can just boost that T a bit more to taste.
I've not used it, but all the demos I've heard are very nice.
Funny to me that guys are recommending distortion pedals when you want a clean tone. I think a EQ or clean preamp is more what you might be looking for.
If you want to get more in the weeds something like a Empress Para EQ maybe.
The Sadowsky SBP-2 (very similar to the Aguilar).
Adding a pedal would be the only way to avoid a clean, clear tone with that rig. I've been running a Little Mark 800 into Markbass cabs for 10 years and there's no doubt that they're the right tools for that job. Just change your strings, it's unavoidable. And keep your VLE and VPF all the way counter clockwise, not at noon, if you're looking for the cleanest, clearest sound possible. I also have all EQ knobs at 1:00 and have not needed to touch them since 2011 no matter what bass I'm playing or what band I'm playing in. I would also suggest disabling the tweeter in the speaker. I feel the sound ends up coming through stronger in the mix without those frequencies in there.
Yeah it really depends on your amp situation. With that said though, I know IME, I had to add some EQ/a preamp to get me where I wanted to be. So I can't recommend the Whirlwind Bass X EQ. That thing is friggen AMAZING for clear, crisp tones. Second suggestion, the Rusty Box. I still use both these two units (on separate boards) to achieve that clear and crispy tone. Just remember though, the EQ runs @ 18v and the Rusty Box runs at 24v. There is a newer ver of the Rusty out now though that I'm pretty sure runs on 9v and pumps up the voltage internally.
But your amps EQ and possible voicing options is the best place to start.
It’s usually ethanol (drinking alcohol) to which is added a small amount of methanol (highly toxic). This is so it can be sold as a solvent, cleaner and/or disinfectant, subject to very different laws and regulatory controls than drinking alcohol.
Isopropyl alcohol, or isopropanol, better known as rubbing alcohol, is very similar, even identical for most purposes.
Bryan R. Tyler
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Basically it's ethyl alcohol that has an ingredient added to it that makes it taste terrible or is toxic to drink. You can legally distill it to make fuel with the proper permits in most states but you are required to "denature it" by adding any of a number of nasty substances to it.
It has the lowest flame point of any of the alcohols, so be careful; it catches on fire easily. It doesn't burn as hot as other flames, but it will give you a nasty burn.
I have used it with a bunson burner-type bottle to heat up and take the set (an unwanted otherwise permanent bend) out of a split bamboo rod. Heat it just right and it bends easily. Then you just hold it in place for a minute for it to cool enough to hold your adjustment. Problem is if you try to bend it before it's softened up, you will break some bamboo fibers or maybe the whole rod. Then if you heat it up to high you will ruin the resilience of it (becomes brittle) and once again can break fibers or more probably the rod. It's that Goldilocks effect - not too little, not too much...just right!
Anyhow, it works great for getting oils and other contaminants out of the strings. Most hardware stores have it.
The thread title lacks context. Here's the OP's problem: he's looking for a way to make stale roundwounds sound fresh again.
Roundwounds sound bright and zingy because of upper harmonics. They sound stale when those harmonics fade, usually from dirt between the windings. Cleaning the strings with denatured alcohol is one solution. Here's another: a multi-band distortion pedal that only affects the highs can restore harmonic content and emulate the zing of fresh roundwounds. Not exactly, but reasonably close, especially in the band mix. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.
Me, I'd rather use that pedal than mess around with denatured alcohol. Decades ago I used to boil strings, but that wrecks your strings fairly quickly.
Just remembered: I believe the Aphex Exciter (and perhaps similar enhancers) adds harmonics up top for extra crispness. I owned one for awhile and found it a bit too subtle to bring stale strings back to life, but if multi-band OD doesn't appeal to you, it's worth investigating.
You need a good multi band EQ and a fair amount of time to work with it to dial in “your sound” A 2 or 3 band EQ on a bass is not going to cut it.
As far as I know, there is no pedal, preamp or pickups that can make a set of strings that have been played for 100+ hours sound new.
Presuming you have a decent bass, which is sure sounds like you do, you really need to look at your amp and your cabs if you want clean, clear, and crisp sound. The cabs you use are especially responsible for that. There are quite a few amps that will give you a clean, clear, crisp signal but how the cabinet converts that into the sound you hear is the final piece that really determines what you hear.
I use Eden and DNA gear because they get me the clean, clear, and articulate sound I'm looking for. I was lucky enough back in 2010 to buy an Eden WT500/800 (was upgraded from 500-watts bridged into 8Ω to 800-watts bridged into 8Ω) directly from David Nordschow, the founder of Eden. After selling Eden in the early 2000's, he left Eden in 2009 to start a new company (DNA). He sold me the Eden amp that lived on his cab design workbench. He used it for all the Eden cabs he designed from 1999 until he left in 2009. It's a great amp although it weighs ~36-lbs in its rack.
In 2009 David founded DNA (David Nordschow Amplification) and in 2010 he came out with some completely newly designed cabs. I have two of them myself. I bought my [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] in 2015 and was amazed at the clarity of the cab. Compared to the acoustic B410 and the GK115 that I had been using, it sounded like I had just taken a thick blanket off of my sound. It also has a very clean and articulate sound. Articulation is so good you can distinctly hear all three notes of a bass chord if you like to use those.
I bridged my 800-watt Eden amp into it because the cab will handle 1,400-watts rms and will produce a max SPL of 137db. My 800-watt amp will only push it to about 135db, which is still well above the threshold of pain. I never got close to that those levels. At Outdoor Festivals I get told to turn down if I run the master on that Eden amp up to 10:30. So I run it at~10:15 at Festivals. It's clean, clear, articulate, has a very tight bottom end and it's LOUD! Thought I'd never need another cab...I was wrong.
At small venues I was always being forced to use their small backline - often a 112 combo - because my 410 scared them, "that's way too big for here". So I figured I should get 210. In 2019 I applied to DNA for inclusion in their Endorsing Artists group and was accepted. I don't get anything free from them but I do get a break on the price, so I immediately ordered the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] cab. It handles 700-watts rms and has a max SPL of 134db (still beyond the threshold of pain) and nobody looks twice at a bass player bringing in a 210 cab..
First night I played it was at a pretty big club and I wasn't sure if the 210 would cover it OK. So I brought my 410 with me and stacked the 210 on top of it. Just plugged in the 210, but could unplug it and plug in the DNS-410 in a mater of seconds. Well that DNS-210 handled it quite easily.
Anyhow either of those cabs will give you the clean, clear, and articulate sound you're looking for along with a very tight low end. The street price on the DNS-210 cab runs from ~$869 to $949. The DNS-410 is between $1,049 and $1,149 ($1,269 with Neo speakers). I can pretty much guarantee you they will make you sound better. You can sometimes find good deals on them used. Notice in the pic below my DNS-410 that I bought in 2015 has the black and silver logo badge whereas the 210 that I bought in 2019 has the black, silver and gold badge. Not sure when they changed them but when looking at used cabs, the silver badge is the earlier of the two.
Here's mine with the Eden WT500/800 amp:
In May of this year I bought the DNA-800 amp which is also 800-watts but it only weighs 4.8-lbs. Super clean, clear, and articulate. Plus it has a built-in compressor with adjustable threshold and ratio. I carry it to gigs inside a shoulder bag.
My first thought is how clean are those DiMarzios? Aren’t those good for crunchy rock tones?
I might try some Fralins or Seymour Duncans.
I also prefer nickel round wounds. They are not as bright as SS, especially at the beginning, but deteriorate less over time in my experience. My favorites are DR Sunbeams.
I might try some Fralins or Seymour Duncans.
I also prefer nickel round wounds. They are not as bright as SS, especially at the beginning, but deteriorate less over time in my experience. My favorites are DR Sunbeams.
Firstly, I'm with @mrjim123 you do not want/need a pedal for what OP describes.
Secondly, re: ethyl alcohol...
Secondly, re: ethyl alcohol...
^^^this makes me wonder: Has anyone ever tried Odorless Mineral Spirits for cleaning/degreasing/"embrightening" their old bass strings? Seems like it might do the trick, with slightly less stink and danger.
The chemistry of each of us is different. However the soap residue on your hands causes them to fail. I've gotten the same clean sound all summer through sweaty outdoor concerts one set of strings.
Set you amp and bass flat. But first put your ear to the horn of your bass and listen. Okay listen to your bass unplugged. Then play gently. Now set amp flat bass flat. Play. What do you like or not like? Subtract just a little treble if you want more bass.
Remember the practice tone maybe too much for with the band.
Use as little eq as possible. Crank gain add master to taste then play gently. Since I'm not playing your amp some amps love cranked masters.
Set you amp and bass flat. But first put your ear to the horn of your bass and listen. Okay listen to your bass unplugged. Then play gently. Now set amp flat bass flat. Play. What do you like or not like? Subtract just a little treble if you want more bass.
Remember the practice tone maybe too much for with the band.
Use as little eq as possible. Crank gain add master to taste then play gently. Since I'm not playing your amp some amps love cranked masters.
If you're using more modern class D amplification keeping the drive setting very low and the channel gain setting a couple of notches below the master volume will help. Further, boost the midrange settings slightly, set bass about half way and cut treble slightly. An example: set the master volume at 12 o'clock, drive at 7 - 8 o'clock, gain at 10 o' clock, treble at 10 o' clock, high and low mids at about 2 o 'clock and bass at 12 o' clock. If you need more volume get it from the master and your sound should remain clean. This, in my experience, will give you a good, clean tone that will really do well in the mix. At the least it is a good starting point to begin tweaking to find your preference.
If you try the above and want to dirty it up a bit, you can use the drive and gain settings to a accomplish this. And, if that's not enough dirt, there's a variety of distortion FX you can try. I have no recommendation for FX, however, as I have no experience in this area. I don't use them.
I hope this is helpful.
Koog
If you try the above and want to dirty it up a bit, you can use the drive and gain settings to a accomplish this. And, if that's not enough dirt, there's a variety of distortion FX you can try. I have no recommendation for FX, however, as I have no experience in this area. I don't use them.
I hope this is helpful.
Koog
