Gibson Tone

[Voodoochild1970]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum. I've been trying to get that good old Andy Fraser/Jack Bruce, Gibson bass tone. I'm playing an Epiphone Les Paul Special through a Fender Rumble 350. The LP has two Alnico Humbuckers with a volume control for each and a master tone control. I was just wondering if you guys could help me out?

 

[ShoeManiac]

Add some sort of overdrive. While a player like Jack Bruce was a trailblazer in the world of bass guitar, his sound from that Cream era was ultimately compromised by amplification that really did not work well for bass. He wound up playing through Marshall stacks that were really more geared towards guitar players. Your Fender Rumble 350 probably sounds considerably better than any bass rig Jack Bruce used during his time in Cream. Given those considerations, you might want to try adding a pedal like the Sansamp VT Bass to give your sound a bit more of that old school grit.

 

[Fly Guitars]

That tone is EB3 (often bridge pickup, or maybe bridge plus neck) played through a turned-up marshall valve stack. Obviously it depends on exactly which track you are talking about.

I always think of this one
YouTube - Free - Mr Big

To me it sounds like the bridge pickup with either a small amount of neck dialed in, or perhaps a bit of extra bass through the amp. Both pickups on the EB3 are very distinct sounding, and complete opposites tonally. Not sure how the newer (tamer) Epiphones and Gibsons compare in replicating this sound.

A subtle amount of gain from a pedal might help, but also try playing with your fingers down near the bridge pickup - the sound is fat with a lot of bass and mid, but little attack - so no pick

hope this helps a little

 

[GM60466]

Dan Armstrong hotrodded Jack's EB3. I believe it choked off most of the bridge pickup

 

[jumbodbassman]

Jack set his amps very midrangey. He still actually does with his hartke and eb-1. that and some good tube distortion is his secret....

 

[jumbodbassman]

also he used roto flats on the eb3

 

[JTE]

also he used roto flats on the eb3

Nope, not Rotosounds. He used LaBella flats according an interview in Guitar Player Magazine back in the olden days.

Jogn