Distortion on bass

[basst scho]

However in other cases its the bass that takes the cake and is used as the main instrument, with the guitar just playing psychedelic riffs high up.

no distortion, but a great example for bass as the lead (IMO)

 

[basst scho]

A lot of people I have talked to are not fans of the genre at all, even ones i've been to gigs to, but everyone loved the gigs, so its more of a genre you listen to live i'd say

i like stoner. i´ve seen around 100 stoner-bands live, and not a single bad gig.
there is a lot of bands i don´t listen on record, but love to see them live...

I've seen 50 year olds thatlisten to the same music

here in germany there are lots of 40-60 years olds at stoner gigs...

 

[Hypercaffium]

It depends on the music you play.
I usually have an overdrive and a fuzz in my pedalboard, no distortion.

 

[SonnyBassPlayer]

I currently play with an always on COG Knightfall66 in my post rock-stoner band (instr. trio), I'm literally always overdriven, while I go fuzz (Swollen pickle) in a pair of songs with my calmer alt-rock band, since I need to stand upfront two guitars and vocals.
Anyway when I'm at home and noodling I usually do that with a Bass big Muff.

 

[40Hz]

A lot of people I have talked to are not fans of the genre at all, even ones i've been to gigs to, but everyone loved the gigs, so its more of a genre you listen to live i'd say

I could understand that. With a lot of the music I grew up with (mid 60s to mid 70s) the sense of community - and the social aspect of going to a concert or catching a band at a club or a rally - was a big part of the whole music experience. It wasn’t something to just listen to. Music was more something you entered into and became a part of.

 

[AdamR]

I could never get a heavily distorted bass tone I liked until I got my Alpha Omega Ultra.

 

[InternetAlias]

I like this sort of distortion - kinda muddy but articulate and heavy sounding

 

[stefancaunter]

I've seen 50 year olds thatlisten to the same music

im one of them

 

[gregmon79]

I love dirty bass! It's the best. And it is actually used across more genres than some may think. My signal is effected with some type of dirt at least 90% of the time. Mostly OD, a Damnation MBD1. I love that thing. Check out Death From Above 1979 @DNbass17 . They are one of the more popular bass and drum duos around that used dirt always on pretty much.

Using dirt on bass isnt just for heavy music although it does suite it well. I mean, the Beastie Boys used bass fuzz a bit back in the day. One of their biggest songs was built around one of the raunchiest gnarliest fuzziest bass sounds around. So IMO, its more about how you use it or rather, how you could compose it into the song. Man I love dirt

 

[gfen]

I always feel like a dirt bag when I talk to other parents and a discussion turns to music and I have to sheepishly say, "yeah, I like stoner metal."

Let me tell you, that goes over real well at Cub Scout meetings.

I think part of the appeal for the over 40 crowd and stoner metal is that it's kinda raunchy, retro, sleazy. It's throwback to our '80s metal era (which had a lot of '70s metal as our standards), it's a little bit grunge (again, lofi, rough, sleazy) and it carries a lot of markers for stuff we grew up with.

As for me? I've learned to describe it as "retro-throw back '70s metal, like Sabbath."

 

[Hypercaffium]

I discovered the beauty of fuzz when I switched from guitar to bass. Never been a fuzz fan until then, now I can't say I use it all the time but man... a bass with fuzz is glorious. Some fuzz pedals are really hard to turn off.
Despite the degraded sputtery dirty sound of the fuzz, I think it's very musical and somehow less aggressive compared to a bass distortion pedal. Distortion is definitely more wicked and heavy, even if the amount of perceptible gain is somehow lower compared to a fuzz, which basically transform the waveform into a square.
I also love bit crushers, it's a different kind of distortion that sounds huge on bass.

 

[skydivingninja]

Bass distortion is the best. I have a huge spotify playlist devoted to it:

I just got an Earthquaker Monarch yesterday and I'm loving the grit and growl it adds to my tone, and it works very well running into my all-time favorite, the Blower Box. I might get a Line Selector to blend some clean tone in there because I love the sound of my amp by itself, but overdrive/distortion is great.

 

[Skybone]

Peng-core

 

[stefancaunter]

Grand Funk Railroad. Screaming tube distortion on bass. I get close with an Ampeg B-25B turned up. Rock on.

 

[TeamScorpioRI]

I play general covers and have a couple drive pedals on my board. One is an overdrive (Darkglass BK3) to get that SVT style tone, and the other is a flat out distortion (Darkglass Alpha/Omega). Both are amazing pedals and help fill up the sound.

Distorted bass sneaks it's way into various genres on music. From old school funk to modern pop. Its a great tool to have in the bag.

 

[saabfender]

Current band has two guitars so no heavy fuzz for me. Not my job.

 

[TeamScorpioRI]

Helmet is one of my favorite examples of a good drive on bass.

 

[stefancaunter]

Current band has two guitars so no heavy fuzz for me. Not my job.

yep, only one spacy guitar in my band, so i get to do the fuzz

 

[NoMoreDeathStrs]

I’m a punk/related genres guy, and the only pedals I use are a tuner and a fuzz. I used to swear by Big Muffs, and I still love their sound, but the best sounding fuzz I’ve found in bass is the Frantone Peachfuzz. It has the most low-end and gain of any pedal I’ve ever plugged into... the volume doesn’t go above 8:00. It also has immense clarity for how dirty it is. Chords sound huge but not muddy. I get compliments on my fuzz tone all the time, and when I stomp it on at a show the whole room just FEELS it. I’ll never get rid of that pedal... might even buy a second one.

 

[Sixgunn]

Crystal clear and clean with zingy SS rounds for me. Sonic nirvana!!