No problem also any kind of static discharge across the bass or over voltage would more than likely go to ground anyways that is what is designed for.
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So many variables here. Gain structures are all different. Pushing the gain can thicken the tone by inducing compression and overdrive. Because of the variable factor of the level of the incoming signal, the gain setting is a useful tool for adjusting to get the sound you want. Too much clipping? Then back off the gain. Sound is a little thin? Then bump up the gain. Every pre will respond in a different way. Some will clip in a pleasant way, others won't. Some will compress more than others. The master will get you to the speaker output level you want for the settin (assuming your amp has the power and/or speakers have the displacement).
My V4B is a non master volume from the 70s but my SVT 2 pro I dime the master and control volume with the gain. This makes the amp behave more like a non master volume SVT. In a recording situation maybe their would be a little too much noise, but for the gigs I play it's perfectly acceptable. You can't hear it after the drums, guitar and synth all start either.
I have an Orange and a GK and I've never dimed the gain on either. A little distortion is fine but I'm more an old school sound with lots of thump and flats or tapes on every bass.
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Ah, no biggie. You live and learn. As a guitiarist, the rule of thumb for tube amps with a master volume is with the master dimed, the secondary control can dial in the cleanest tone possible.
The inverse is true, too, so with the gain/secondary volume dimed, the master can be used and will bring out the most gain from the preamp.
I do this as well with my SVT CL. It allows me to get a clean full sound, but the tubes power stage just gives it a great sound. I can dig in and get growl as I want that way. With the pre dimed, it's too fuzzy and to my ears, it has basically just one sound. I will occasionally run the master at 3/4 so I can get a little more bite off the front end, but that's with my lower output basses.
I don't do this with my solid state amps. Those I run about 1/4 on the pre and run the master for volume.
Yes, exactly.
Let me ask you, how gainy does the old V4B get with the gain up and the master down? Is it similar to the newer version if you've ever heard the demos on youtube?
If it sounds good, then it works with your set up. I wouldn't put too much into worrying about what others do.
I've had other bassists look at my rig and tell me how I was running it "wrong". Funny thing is it never sounded wrong to my ears.
- Feb 12, 2006
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- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Many amps (primarily solid state types) have plenty of gain in the master section, and these amps generally do not do well with the master volume all the way up unless the input signal is very weak.
I do the same. Master volume on amp at zero, bass on max, then putting max on the strings till it starts clipping, back off little. Then adjust volume with the master.
Think of your gain as adjusting the preamp section for how hot your instrument is. If you have a weak output from your bass, turn the gain up - if you have a hot output from your bass, turn the gain down. If your bass puts out too hot a signal and you turn the gain up too high you will have distortion in the preamp (which may sound good to a point depending on your preamp - or it may just sound like ugly distortion). So adjust your gain to get the amount of clean/dirt in the preamp.
Think of your Master as how loud you want the amp to be - if you're practicing at home, turn the master down to control the volume but leave the gain where it sounds best.
If you're comparing a passive bass to an active bass - adjust the gain control on your preamp (on your amp) as you switch between the two basses so they sound the same volume then you'll get a more fair comparison between the sound of the two basses.
Think of your Master as how loud you want the amp to be - if you're practicing at home, turn the master down to control the volume but leave the gain where it sounds best.
If you're comparing a passive bass to an active bass - adjust the gain control on your preamp (on your amp) as you switch between the two basses so they sound the same volume then you'll get a more fair comparison between the sound of the two basses.
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As others have indicated a lot depends on what kind of sound you are trying to achieve and also what gear you have in your signal chain. Personally I always go for the cleanest sound I can get from my setup and avoid any settings that makes things sound crunchy. Usually that means having the gain controls on my QSC PLX2402 on full then bringing up the gain on my Alembic F1-x till I get the volume I want. On smaller venues I often need to bring the QSC down a bit and take the pre-amp up to get a bit more signal going into the system but usually it's never more than at the 9 o'clock position. Also my basses are rarely, if ever, max'd out on their master volumes.
Unfortunately my smaller bass head which is a mesa boogie walkabout head is too hissy if I have the master on anywhere near full.
Unfortunately my smaller bass head which is a mesa boogie walkabout head is too hissy if I have the master on anywhere near full.
For my SVT3-PRO Ampeg recommended turning up the master and balancing the volume on the gain. I could never get the master full up because of the hiss but when backed off 2 clicks it was was fine. A great sound.
Most D class amps I've used since then I run the gain on noon and balance the volume on the master. Works very well for a clean, full, punchy sound.
Most D class amps I've used since then I run the gain on noon and balance the volume on the master. Works very well for a clean, full, punchy sound.
I repeatedly hit an open A and start turning up the gain just until the peak light flashes then back it off just a tad. Currently at around 1 or 2 o'clock. Any more and I get a distorted sound. I go to 4 o'clock for Sabbath and dime it for heavily over driven tones and back off the volume accordingly.
Control volume with the master.
Control volume with the master.
BobDeRosa
Commercial User
- May 16, 2012
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I agree completely with bholder. Did you smell anything funny while the Gain was all the way up? Some amps have an LED to worn you about excessive Gain because I understand it can fry your preamp. I'd be very careful about "diming" it (or anything else, for that matter).
I mainly use four amps and each behaves fundamentally different concerning gain and master.
1. Aguilar Tone Hammer500: You can do to the gain whatever you like. Set it to zero and there will still be a signal loud enough to play. Dime it and you get distortion. Set it somewhere in the middle and you get that angry sound that starts getting furry around the edges when you dig in.
2. Markbass LM II. Very clear on this one: Turn the gain up enough that a signal passes but avoid clipping at all costs, it sounds terrible.
3. Peavey Mark IV: Dime the Master and do the rest with the gain.
4. H&K Tubemeister 18: With both pre and and powersection being tube driven, you can pick where you want what kind of saturation. I usually have the master quite high and the gain rather low, picking my volume with the 1, 5 and 18W settings.
1. Aguilar Tone Hammer500: You can do to the gain whatever you like. Set it to zero and there will still be a signal loud enough to play. Dime it and you get distortion. Set it somewhere in the middle and you get that angry sound that starts getting furry around the edges when you dig in.
2. Markbass LM II. Very clear on this one: Turn the gain up enough that a signal passes but avoid clipping at all costs, it sounds terrible.
3. Peavey Mark IV: Dime the Master and do the rest with the gain.
4. H&K Tubemeister 18: With both pre and and powersection being tube driven, you can pick where you want what kind of saturation. I usually have the master quite high and the gain rather low, picking my volume with the 1, 5 and 18W settings.
It gets really dirty the higher up you turn the volume knob. The older ones don't have a gain and master setup, it's just a volume knob. Past 9 o'clock you get some breakup and past 11 o'clock ish it's full on overdrive into distortion. It's amazing through my 810.
