Distortion on bass

[Hypercaffium]

I tend to skip distortion and go overdrive or fuzz, I always did the same with guitar.
I think that having the two "extremes" can cover also distortion, which is something in between. But it depends on the kind of music you play. I've heard KILLER distortion pedal for bass, but I don't think I'd use one very often.

 

[alack]

I just recently heard the beauty in fuzz and overdrive. The fuzz helps achieve synth sounds when used in a variety of combinations with modulation, pitch, and envelope effects. Some light to medium OD can warm up a SS amp. Last night I did a blues gig during which I left my Way Huge Green Rhino mkIV on just about all the time. It worked beautifully as a tube-like preamp stage.

 

[ProgressiveDoom]

I think just about everybody goes through a phase of heavy sounding music....when they’re a teenager.

Those teenagers are now up to 70 years old and they are still playing it......live in front of thousands.

 

[Bassmann79]

With basses like Spector, Warwick, Sadowsky...they already sound mean but when you add a little dirt on top for me thats my sweet spot!

For me this works:

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[armyadarkness]

If you like raw, defined, saturated, sonic power!!! CHEAP!!! Then grab one of these while you still can.

Digitech Hardwire Tl-2 Metal Distortion

 

[dannybuoy]

@DNbass17 lol, thought you might also be from England, don't hear the word 'peng' often around here!

This might be your cup of Bovril:

 

[Lownote38]

I recently picked up an EH micro Big Muff for bass. I love it! Finally a distortion that doesn't take all the bass frequencies out!

 

[zachoff]

I use full blown distortion sparingly. IMO, if it's going full on all the time you get lost in the mix unless the guitars are sparse and spacey. Not at all a fan of fuzz. Note definition is all but lost and the overtones just don't do it for me.

However, I'm starting to have a bit of a grind on most of the time... A little different though as my dry tone is still very present.

 

[mellowgerman]

I don't think "peng" is an age thing... unless it really is the newest of young-adult/teen slang. I'm 29 and this is the first time I've heard it.
In regard to distorted bass though, here's one of the founding fathers (skip to 1:40)

 

[br1qbat]

Fuzz, distortion, overdrive. Yes please. Love me the Doom. Welcome to TB. You can follow us down into the stoner doom thread if ya like. Lots of dirt discussion there. Good to have another lover of the low, the slow, and the fuzzy around here.

 

[dannybuoy]

I don't think "peng" is an age thing... unless it really is the newest of young-adult/teen slang. I'm 29 and this is the first time I've heard it.

Not an age thing, more of a London thing!

 

[PaulJSmith]

First of all, I had to look up "peng." (yep, getting old)

Not into stoner music (or stoner anything) at all. However, I've been using bass distortion on and off since 1991 when I bought the Pearce BC1 preamp with the Billy Sheehan factory mod. I love it.

Welcome to TalkBass.

 

[vegas532]

I think just about everybody goes through a phase of heavy sounding music....when they’re a teenager.

19 responses before the ol' Talkbass elitism kicked in. Is this a new record?

 

[mpdd]

If you like raw, defined, saturated, sonic power!!! CHEAP!!! Then grab one of these while you still can.

Digitech Hardwire Tl-2 Metal Distortion

Are you a millionaire? Hell-0 endorses the Behringer SF300 for bass, vocals, and guitar

 

[Miker27607]

My bass lines sound best when they're mean and clean, and I like to leave the effects, including overdrive and distortion, to the guitar players. Rock on!

 

[Nashrakh]

The only peeve I personally have about full-on distorted bass is that it gets really hard to fit a piano into the mix. If you do it right, you don't need no guitars though.

 

[br1qbat]

19 responses before the ol' Talkbass elitism kicked in. Is this a new record?

Hardly.

Though I learned I must be a lifelong teenager. Who knew? Thanks TB

 

[vegas532]

I'm 47 and a fan of music styles that tend to terrify 20 somethings.

 

[4StringAxe]

Give it to us raw and dirty.
Love dirt /distorted bass tones.
TFR and MXR bass distortion grace the board right now.

Edit: And I'm old as dirt.

 

[Ender_rpm]

I on the "OD or Fuzz but rarely distortion" train myself. For my indie/Americana band I use both quite a lot, fuzz bass rules! I also do dig some of the stoner/doom metal bands and sounds, its rekindled my teenaged interest in heavy, not gonna state publicly how old I am