Enhancing slap tone

[GizmoTheOne]

Hi effects guys,

I need your advice, as I'm almost completely ignorant when it comes down to effects. I own a Tech 21 VT-Bass, and that's about it.

My problem is, I plan on stringing my bass with flats, but a few parts of our songs require slapping. I want to know if there is a good pedal out there to enhance my attack for those few parts where slapping is ABSOULETELY NEEDED.

I currently run through : Ibanez SR500 with active Barts (stock) -> tuner -> VT-Bass -> "Ampeg SVT3-Pro" (effects lovers will kill me lol)...

So, do you have a suggestion? I don't really have a maximum budget for now, just want to know if it exists and which one is "the best" (very subjective).

Thanks for your advice!

 

[J. Crawford]

Filters make slapping sound amazing, IMO.

 

[christw]

Try an EQ pedal-That's where I'd begin.

 

[Smurf-o-Deth]

Another suggestion would be an expander, like the EHX Steel Leather--a touch of that can add a lot of attack.

 

[line6bassist]

try the boss limiter enhancer pedal.....the enhance knob achieves a great slap tone

 

[RickenBoogie]

Flats are a horrible idea if you want a good slap tone. They'll kill all your sparkly, snappy highs, no matter what effects you use to counter it. Stick with stainless rounds for a good slap tone.

 

[Happynoj]

Flats are a horrible idea if you want a good slap tone. They'll kill all your sparkly, snappy highs, no matter what effects you use to counter it. Stick with stainless rounds for a good slap tone.

+1

If there are no snappy highs in your tone to being with, there is nothing you can do which will add them in, because they don't exist (if that makes sense - an EQ boosts certain frequencies, but if they aren't there to boost then you can't boost them).

Either use a second bass with rounds for slapping, or use rounds all the time with an EQ pedal to make it sound like you've got flats when you want to.

 

[GizmoTheOne]

Flats are a horrible idea if you want a good slap tone. They'll kill all your sparkly, snappy highs, no matter what effects you use to counter it. Stick with stainless rounds for a good slap tone.

Yeah, I know... but I love their tone so much...

My problem is, I don't slap very often (let's say, "average" of 5-6 bars per song, though in many songs I don't even use slapping technique).
Do you think I should go for Half-Rounds with an EQ pedal?

If so, which one do you suggest?

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You're not going to get that high end sizzle out of flats. But the flats sound great for 98% of what you're doing, so just keep the slap sound old school and don't worry about it.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Another suggestion would be an expander, like the EHX Steel Leather--a touch of that can add a lot of attack.

I don't know if it's an expander, but what about the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]? I've heard some good things about it and the demo sure makes it sound good. I almost bought one, but my G.A.S. for a Sansamp BDDI (which sounds fantastic with flats, BTW!) won at the time. lol

You're not going to get that high end sizzle out of flats. But the flats sound great for 98% of what you're doing, so just keep the slap sound old school and don't worry about it.

I definitely prefer the sound of nickels for slap (I use D'Addario EXL's), but I've got flats (D'Addario Chromes) on my P-bass V and I think slap still sounds pretty good. They certainly don't have that high-end sparkle of the nickels, but I've heard that Chromes do have more highs than most flats. They're my first set of flats though, so that's all I have to go on.

5sg.

 

[Way Off Bass]

Just crank up the highs and slap away. New fender flats sound decent slapped, btw

 

[RCCollins]

Flats are a horrible idea if you want a good slap tone. They'll kill all your sparkly, snappy highs, no matter what effects you use to counter it. Stick with stainless rounds for a good slap tone.

depends what kind of slap tone sounds good to you.

 

[Mudfuzz]

Flats are a horrible idea if you want a good slap tone. They'll kill all your sparkly, snappy highs, no matter what effects you use to counter it. Stick with stainless rounds for a good slap tone.

- 1

depends what kind of slap tone sounds good to you.

+1
A filter is nice but you can get a good slap sound with flats as long as they arn't totally dead.

 

[kesslari]

Do you *need* to slap on that 5-6 bars per song?
and if so, do you *need* that bright slap sound?

Ghost notes fungerstyle can be your friend... just a thought.

 

[Stampy]

I really don't like slapping it's not my style but when I would mess around with it I had a Boss GEB-7 which on the slap setting sounded killer.

 

[GizmoTheOne]

Wow, thanks a lot guys!

Just ordered Ernie Ball Flatwounds (which seem to sound similar to D'addario Chromes (btw, I didn't order Chromes because I think gauges are too small))

I'm going to give it a try, and if I really don't like the sound, I might try an expander or a filter.

Thanks again!

Gizmo

 

[Mudfuzz]

If they are at all like chromes then you wont have a problem slapping.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Let me break out the pedal board and see what I can do for an enhanced slap tone with flats. I currently have Chromes on my P-bass. What kind of bass are you using?

 

[LanEvo]

Filters make slapping sound amazing, IMO.

That's what I was thinking. A good envelope-controlled filter (auto-wah) can really bring out the "bounciness" of a slap line.

See if you can find a used Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron for a reasonable price. That's pretty much the best you can get unless you're willing to pay big $$$ for the boutique stuff (e.g., Lovetone Meatball, Moog MF-101, vintage Mu-Tron III).

 

[GizmoTheOne]

Let me break out the pedal board and see what I can do for an enhanced slap tone with flats. I currently have Chromes on my P-bass. What kind of bass are you using?

1)Active Ibanez SR500 (Bartolini electronics)
2)Custom passive bass with dimarzio dp126 pups

I use mainly the Ibanez, but also like playing on my custom bass