Getting more 'attack' from a P-Bass

[rafitoprtx]

Use a booster like the tc Sparkbooster. I had the same problem with mine. Pressurewonds work really well with the pbass.

 

[Laurent]

As others mentioned, fresh strings are a must for any recording.
If this is still not working for you, I would simply try different pickups.

For vintage tones I would recommend Lollar or Arcane.
If you really want a lot of attack, DiMarzio Model P record like champs and will cut through the mix effectively.

 

[Mosstone]

I have an EMG GZR and EB Cobalt flats on my P-bass and its got 'attack', 'bite', 'growl', 'punch' and every other adjective you could want from a P.

I've found Pressurewounds to be a little on the thumpy side for me.

 

[chilliwilli]

And, the problem with that is?

Good point. What he really needs is to add a j pup, 4 band pre amp, a bad ass bridge, a graphtech nut and most importantly a tort guard. Once that is taking care of he should get a second identical p bass, but with a mint guard, cts pots, a varitone circuit and put 12 year old flats on it. If he can do all that then he might be ready for an ash bodied one 2 months from now.

 

[BassLover668]

Use a good EQ and new strings.

 

[Kukulkan61]

I think your sound guy was on drugs

 

[lz4005]

So you don't think a note played on a set of 10 year old flatwounds will have a much quicker decay and less sustain?

Decay and sustain are not attack.
Look at the diagram some more.

 

[morgan138]

"New strings" seems like dangerous advice unless everyone at the session is okay with hanging out for awhile while you get through the super-boingy break-in stage!

 

[morgan138]

Decay and sustain are not attack.
Look at the diagram some more.

I know what you mean, but I think the issue is that if the initial attack is concentrated in the low frequencies, it'll get high-passed out, EQ-ed to make room for the kick drum, compressed, buried in guitars, etc. You don't just need that first volume spike...you need a volume spike in the right frequency range.

Flats or semi flats may have plenty of attack, but it may not be the right kind of attack for this mix.

 

[barry irwin]

I'm primarily a P-bass player, and I love the idea of keeping things simple - one bass, two knobs. But a few recent studio experiences have me wondering if I need to augment my situation in some way. I'm also not a studio guy, just showed up to record some tracks for a friend, so I'm not expert in how it all goes.

In the past year, I recorded two separate tracks with an American Standard P-bass. Both times, the producer (same one each time) remarked that I wasn't getting enough 'attack' from the bass to situate it properly in the mix. Even after opening up the tone fully, it still wasn't quite enough for one of the tracks - I ended up using a pick super close to the bridge just to get a little more bite. The track sounds ok, but not nearly as meaty as it should've been. (I should note that I was using GHS pressurewounds on this particular bass).

My question is, (without of course knowing if the pickups were faulty) should I look into adding some sort of overdrive, or a preamp to my setup? Right now I just go PBass into amp (or DI in the studio), no effects. I've always loved the P tone, but if it's going to be my workhorse, what could I do to maybe add a little more presence to it? FWIW, I typically play rock in the style of bands like Wilco, MMJ, Dr Dog, etc. But I also take on some Motown/Soul stuff from time to time.

A preamp will defintiely sort you out.An Aguilar tone hammer if you don't want to mess with your bass is not a bad idea. John East makes a great preamp for bass which is easy to install and you charge it with a battery kit through your input jack. I personally chose the Bartolini HR-2.2AP.(which I thought would be cheaper but not the case)
This involved more than I anticipated.
Firstly the battery/batteries do not fit into the slot when you remove the pick guard,Nor does the preamp. What you have to do is get a luthier to.
Cut a hole in the back of the bass for a battery pack.You can run the preamp both 9/18 volt. I chose to go 18 to give me an option. If you go to the Bartolini site you can read up on it.
Then another slot had to be cut to house the preamp inside the bass where the controls are.
My luthier (TOM Jacobs Jacobs Guitars on Courtney in Cocoa FL.) also made a tiny hole in the pick gaurd to adjust the preamp gain so that you did not have to take the whole pick gaurd off the bass to turn the control.It was certainly a great idea when you using affects or depending on how hot your amp is. It sounds like a lot of work but the bass is much improved and I have no regrets doing it. Another thing. If you buy that preamp you will also have to get different knobs for your bass as the shaft on the potentiometers are different. If you love your bass it is a very worthwhile investment. I could find no reviews on this preamp as I think most bass player shy away from this option.
Labor is around +- $200 plus the price of the preamp +-$140 plus knobs +- $15+battery pack.
If you have the cash to spare you wont regret it.
PS this is not a post to promote Tom just telling you what it took to install and who did a great job as there are no reviews I could find concerning the Bartolini Preamp that can be used with a P bass.(Volume/Tone bnass).

 

[chilliwilli]

Decay and sustain are not attack.
Look at the diagram some more.

Thanks for the condescending answer, but you are missing the point. Different strings can have different kinds of attack, decay, sustain, etc due to things like frequency response, tension and age. To say that your perceived dynamics in a mix are ONLY technique related and have nothing at all to do with your bass or tone is incorrect IMHO.

 

[chilliwilli]

"New strings" seems like dangerous advice unless everyone at the session is okay with hanging out for awhile while you get through the super-boingy break-in stage!

"Just give me a few mins to sautée these in some chicken grease and we will be all set....you guys have a stove in your studio right?"

 

[chilliwilli]

But, this is how TB works.

True, but the customer is always right. All that matters is what the producer or engineer thinks and he is saying not enough attack.

Unless OP was doing it for free or as a favor. If that was the case he should have brought his semi hollow body/piezo equipped parts bass that he has been dying to try out, played whatever he felt like playing and blurted out "You're welcome!" after the take was done.

 

[Ender_rpm]

Tone is in the fingers. You need harder fingers.

OK, a bit facetious, but there is some truth to it. I have hard callouses, and when I want a good attack, I don't pull on the strings, I strike them (my finger is moving pretty fast before it's touching the string). If I do it near or over the fretboard, I can get a bit of bounce off the frets (that's what the frets above the octave are there for), and I get all the attack I want.

This is how you get that Ziggy Stardust clack and clank. Took me forever to get it right,but now its a nice tool to have.

Beyond that, I agree about going with SS rounds next time. I have a TH500 as a DI, and a DB 924 pre, and neither really add that edge, at least to my ears. Tons of low end, but having a hard time groking the EQ to make it as agressive as my LM2.

 

[Blackjac97]

or...

Take your pic

 

[commonplayer]

If he can do all that then he might be ready for an ash bodied one 2 months from now.

Don't forget maple neck with hipshot tuners.

 

[jamro217]

Bring a Ric to the next session. Seriously, what producer or engineer can't get a P bass to sound right in the mix? Sounds like the problem is at the other side of the board, not you.

 

[Tom Baker]

Attack is usually a word that describes your technique and not something that gets adjusted in the tone. More attack = digging in harder and getting more volume out of the strings, which also opens up other tonal characteristics. This might include a little more fret noise, but also the strings themselves will give you a different response. The increase in string travel will also react differently with the magnetism of the pickups which can further color the tone.

Were you maybe trying to play too clean, being in the studio, or is your playing style a little on the lighter/smoother side?
.

^^^This.^^^

One trick you can use in the studio since it lacks the energy of an onstage performance is have you signal a little low in the mix and play harder to make up the difference.

 

[jimmyjames77]

A good compressor before the amp may help.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

In my book, you use compression to decrease attack (make everything the same volume, "squeeze" the dynamics) not increase it. But it does depend on what is meant by 'attack'.

That is true, compression is used to level out the sound but I've heard it can be used to increase attack as well. I personally don't use compression so I can't fully comment on how it's done but I know there are sound engineers that use it a few different ways.