Sounds burpy to me too. There's some reverb and a fairly narrow frequency band being reinforced that I'd bet is the room's fault as much as EQ settings. I'd bet if he was playing on his back porch it'd sound a lot more balanced and clean, but that might not sound as nice.
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How do you describe this tone?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
We’re talking about bass tone here, not your underpants!
My underpants are not fluffy. I am! But not my underpants.
I think that everyone not only has a different set of ears, but a different set of speakers, a different set of headphones, and a different set of expectations.
For myself - I feel that the mids are a trifle hot and sticking out too much. But guess what. I'm listening on a set of teeny computer speakers with 2 1/2" drivers.
For myself - I feel that the mids are a trifle hot and sticking out too much. But guess what. I'm listening on a set of teeny computer speakers with 2 1/2" drivers.
The mirror behind him looks like there is a ghost sitting next to him.
After watching several videos, it seems Lee keeps a few mannequins in his house. I assume it's to be just creepy enough to keep people away.
Well, part of it is Lee playing it of course, but that tone is not far from many basses I've played. I just think of it as "modern" or "piano string". Plenty of upper harmonics and a full low end.
wmhill
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A very good but characterless tone. Probably sounds better in the room with him.
Somewhat unrelated - I’ve tried to like the Dingwall sound, and I enjoyed my super PJ5. But all the 37” dings I’ve played had no warmth or sweetness to their tone. I’ve not tried an NG3 or the higher end models, but there’s something there that I don’t enjoy playing. But I can’t get myself to like G&Ls either, so make of that what you will.
Somewhat unrelated - I’ve tried to like the Dingwall sound, and I enjoyed my super PJ5. But all the 37” dings I’ve played had no warmth or sweetness to their tone. I’ve not tried an NG3 or the higher end models, but there’s something there that I don’t enjoy playing. But I can’t get myself to like G&Ls either, so make of that what you will.
Based on the recording, and it might be different via DI, lots of low mids, not a lot of lows, not much top. Live that's going to sound fairly bassy but not muddy so would be not a bad choice. But I have to reserve judgement on the basis that it's a pretty poor recording and I don't know what the amp is like.
Actually... my '59 custom shop precision with flats, foam in the bridge and tone rolled off sounds remarkably similar. My Yamaha BB 2000, on front pickup with tone rolled off - almost identical. Both are very mid-forward. Both have a very 'thick' sound.
It has a pretty audible mid bump with a not-too-shallow Q on the peak.
That, combined with a hifi bass tone, is what I hear. Probably turned down the treble control a fair bit, and not boosting the bass audibly, just the mids at a particular range that makes it sound like that.
Also a compressor is audible running.
It sounds to me like he runs relatively light strings, but I haven't checked - it just has that kind of tone and attack to me (I love light strings and really dislike the tone of heavy strings on my basses).
I can get something similar to that tone on either of my main basses, both of which have semi-parametric mid controls.
But then - I could be completely out to lunch.
Also, look at who is playing. It's him, and his settings, and his playing technique and skill too... that we're hearing.
That, combined with a hifi bass tone, is what I hear. Probably turned down the treble control a fair bit, and not boosting the bass audibly, just the mids at a particular range that makes it sound like that.
Also a compressor is audible running.
It sounds to me like he runs relatively light strings, but I haven't checked - it just has that kind of tone and attack to me (I love light strings and really dislike the tone of heavy strings on my basses).
I can get something similar to that tone on either of my main basses, both of which have semi-parametric mid controls.
But then - I could be completely out to lunch.
Also, look at who is playing. It's him, and his settings, and his playing technique and skill too... that we're hearing.
His skills are astounding. “Misunderstanding” is a nice bassline, but not phenomenal, but Sklar plays it perfectly (even though it is rough by his standards.) At 73, he has lost more than most of us ever gained, and he is still first call good.
