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Getting a Gene Simmons Monster Tone

G

Growly Lytes

Dec 4, 2009
1,358
13
Downunder Oz
Disclosures
Bass player
#1
Howdy,
Im a big Kiss fan & picked up the lastest cd Monster.
After hearing the Growl Gene`s getting now its maddnes i really want to try & get this sound.
Im wondering if anybody would know what he uses to get this kind of sound ?
I know he uses Ampeg amps but who knows what he uses when recording these albums.Ive heard the same sound when he is on stage too.
A couple people said his sound hasnt changed but i can really hear it.Sounds like he now uses the bridge pickup also.Im sure he never use to but theres no way he could get that much mid growl with just the neck pickup.
When i try to get this bottom end growl through my Sansamps the sound is distorted more on the top end rather then the bottom,where i think for Gene its the other way round.
Anybody know what he uses in his set-up or how to get a sound thats close to it ?
 
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#4
Bassmike62 said:
It might not be Gene who is playing bass in the studio, even if he is credited for it. I've read a few times over the years that he hasn't played in studio for a long time. So I guess that trying to identify the players and their gear would be a logical move.
Click to expand...

in the past, yes, but monster and sonic boom are just straight up band albums. no extra people, no outside writers. they pretty much at this point have dropped the secrecy of who did or didnt play what on all the albums. theres no reason to think that they would be lying about monster at this point.
 
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#7
Savage_Dreams said:
in the past, yes, but monster and sonic boom are just straight up band albums. no extra people, no outside writers. they pretty much at this point have dropped the secrecy of who did or didnt play what on all the albums. theres no reason to think that they would be lying about monster at this point.
Click to expand...
True theres footage of all of them on YT recording Sonic Boom.
Gene is using a Gibson but it aint a Grabber.Then another clip where he uses the Punisher while recording that is.
What really gets me is the sound not the player.The Growling thats going on is just in your face.He never had this sound before except for Sonic Boom.
Does somebody have an idea of the chain of equipment he uses ?
How to get the bass to distort or Growl on the bottom-end rather then the top-end ?
 
#13
To get a real Gene sort of growl, you'd want to use a Grabber. I can completely rip off his tone off of Alive! with my Gibby Grabber and Gallien Krueger MBE-III.

Also the GS Punisher II bass has a very aggressive tone.
 
#14
NOT said:
To get a real Gene sort of growl, you'd want to use a Grabber. I can completely rip off his tone off of Alive! with my Gibby Grabber and Gallien Krueger MBE-III.

Also the GS Punisher II bass has a very aggressive tone.
Click to expand...
Yep it is.Even the Cort Punisher has an in your face tone coming out of the lower regions.
Im pretty shocked by those MM pickups it has full`on mids this bass puts out.I quess its all in the bass & preamp & also how you play the thing.The harder you play the more growl that comes out.
Im happy he uses Sansamps cause thats what ive got RBI/RPM & the Cort Punisher.
I ran one cab clean & one dirty last nite & it was great never have done that before,im quessing he does something like that too.
Thanks guys.
 
#16
andvari7 said:
Now, all we need is for Gene to play songs from The Elder live...
Click to expand...
Ha, i dont think he knows any of them apart from the most easy song on there,
World Without Heroes.
Also i just went looking on YT & noticed the Big Muff.
This seems to really sound like what he uses.Is it possible that he is using a Big Muff pedal ?
Cause it sounds alot different then a Sansamp !
 
#17
Hey Growly Lites,

I too searched for a long time to get Gene's current bass tone. I largely based my search off the tone in a YouTube video from one of the KISS Kruises where a fan sat in front of Gene's rig and picked up every little detail of his playing and sound.

I play in a band and wanted his bass tone and finally found it. Here's what I do:

Bass: Cort Punisher II - P Bass pickups selected, not Jazz Bass pickups - this bass switched to the P bass pickups will give you the sound of Gene's EMG pickups on their normal setting

Strings: Rotosound 66 Swing Bass Strings - Not the ones Gene uses but they best mimic his tone with the Punisher. They're also the choice of John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee, and Duff McKagan to name only 3 of many who use them.

Amp: Any Gallien-Kreuger or Ampeg should get you the right tone. I cranked my gain up to full and then put the treble and bass settings at 5 and the mid setting at 10. Gene's tone has a lot of mids which help cut through the mix.

That's it my friend. No effects, just the right combo of bass, amp, and strings.

Keep rockin' lml,
 
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