How to get this Precision tone

[pepito666]

Hi. I want my P to sound like this:



I love this dirty sound. I guess there are many factors involved, like the most obvious:
- low action
- hard digging

But I've set up my Precision like that and I can't get that delicious tone. There must be other factors involved, maybe amp settings, some overdrive or compression, strings, pickups or who knows what.
Can you help me to make my P to sound like this?
Thanks

 

[Jay Corwin]

I doubt he's digging in as hard as you might think. There is some really tasty right hand stuff going on that wouldn't work well playing ham fisted. My guess is lots of tone knob, and whatever interface he's playing through.

My Micro-VR gets pretty close to that with flats/fingers. Not quite as fat though.

 

[GodyP_Bass]

Ive never have a PBass but I can tell you about that you can get that tone just plucking harder with the fingertips, with flats, and a bit open the tone knob... and for sure a good set up...
Good luck! I hope this can help you a bit...

 

[MechaSparky]

Hi. I want my P to sound like this

What stings, pickups are you running?

 

[AngelCrusher]

Rounds, maybe brighter ones like rotos or hi beams. Also you can drive the amp more. I can get this tone with a little drive and steel rounds. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is using that origin effects blackface di or something similar that lets you drive the signal a bit.

You don’t have to play super hard to get this tone unless you want to.

 

[ole Jason]

Just sounds like a P with rounds to me. Tone is open. I don't think you need any effects here.

 

[Dbassmon]

In this video, Pbass with flats, no secret... articulation and vibrato are in the players hands... the rest is the Pbass.
Flats are articulate and bright (depending on brand and how old they are), but no zing that you find on Rounds.

 

[ahbradot]

Danny Sapko is there using Scott's bass.
Maybe you could research some of the previous SBL's videos and narrow in on when he talks about the P bass in episodes.

 

[mambo4]

A Pbass + rounds doesn't need help from other gear for that tone
The player also matters

 

[Heiwa]

I can get this tone with a little drive and steel rounds

I agree. I think its easy to get too

 

[Carl Hillman]

Hi. I want my P to sound like this

There must be other factors involved...

Indeed, try applying a fragrant glaze of Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese to your fingers.

 

[Paul New]

Those are flats. Brighter flats, cut skme bass, dig in.

 

[pbass2]

A Pbass + rounds doesn't need help from other gear for that tone
The player also matters

Yep. A regular 'ol P with broken in rounds or maybe bright-leaning flats hitting whatever it's going into with a little drive is all that is. Could be hitting a mic pre hard, a pre pedal with a little drive dialed in, whatever. Boost some highs, upper mids somewhere down the line. Really nothing special happening there. If you wanted to really nitpick though, I'd say action that's high-ish and digging in like he is is gonna get that vibe as opposed to really low action. My P with ganky old nickel rounds, high action, sounds like that if I play that way.

 

[MechaSparky]

Sounds a lot like cobalt flats.

 

[sears]

tone is in the hands -- just look at em! QED

 

[Fuzzbass]

Definitely a bit of grit in there, but yeah, it's mostly technique.

 

[ATLbassist]

Do you have a P-bass or a P-behs?

 

[oldcatfish]

A Pbass + rounds doesn't need help from other gear for that tone
The player also matters

Another +1 for just a pbass with rounds. I currently have two p basses. Both have somewhat dead nickel rounds. The one that has a bit less low end and a bit more midrange frequencies gets this tone to the point that it’s kind of difficult NOT to.

 

[MechaSparky]

Another +1 for just a pbass with rounds. I currently have two p basses. Both have somewhat dead nickel rounds. The one that has a bit less low end and a bit more midrange frequencies gets this tone to the point that it’s kind of difficult NOT to.

You can just say nickel rounds - we'll assume they're somewhat dead.

 

[matti777]

It has the Fender '57 CS pickup according to this