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How to make bass speaker sound lower?
- Thread starter Ishmael_22
- Start date
Hartke always sounded bright, however what you hear up close is not what "they" here out there.
It's possible with effects to change the overall timber and make it sound lower yes. You'd have to try them out.
It's also possible that other changes like Pickups, EQ, different speakers (or amp/cab) could also change it.
More than one right answer lurking around.
It's possible with effects to change the overall timber and make it sound lower yes. You'd have to try them out.
It's also possible that other changes like Pickups, EQ, different speakers (or amp/cab) could also change it.
More than one right answer lurking around.
I was thinking about getting the 15'' Hartke cab to pair with my 4x10 but don't really want to add another speaker to carry to gigs.
Here is what I got.
And here is what I was planning on getting.
I'm not sure about which effects pedal to get.
A 4x12 bass cab should be able to make enough low end to void your bowels.
You shouldn’t need any pedals to get loud low end.
Turn off the tweeter on the cab and work with your amps eq. If everything is working correctly you should be able to get what you need.
You shouldn’t need any pedals to get loud low end.
Turn off the tweeter on the cab and work with your amps eq. If everything is working correctly you should be able to get what you need.
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Adding a 15 to your 410 won’t give you a deeper sound. It does not work like that.
Sooooo many variables.
Bass, plucking/picking position, strings, pickups, amp, cab, eq, environment... all of these have an impact on the sound. When you say “lower sound” do you mean a deeper tone? Thicker? Less bright? Have any examples of songs that have a particular tone you like and want to emulate?
Bass, plucking/picking position, strings, pickups, amp, cab, eq, environment... all of these have an impact on the sound. When you say “lower sound” do you mean a deeper tone? Thicker? Less bright? Have any examples of songs that have a particular tone you like and want to emulate?
One easy useful pedal or device I'd add is a High Pass Filter: reduce the frequencies you can't hear to begin with, so your amp/speakers arn't wasting power/excusion trying to reproduce them. Usually cleaning up that extreme low end actually makes the low end sound better.
Read up on HPF's and decide if its something you want to try/mess with and if so, then I'd get something thats a combo HPF+LPF, whether in a multi-unit (Zoom, Line6, etc), or a Broughton makes a great combo LPF+HPF pedal for ~165.
Read up on HPF's and decide if its something you want to try/mess with and if so, then I'd get something thats a combo HPF+LPF, whether in a multi-unit (Zoom, Line6, etc), or a Broughton makes a great combo LPF+HPF pedal for ~165.
Seems simple enough. Thick beefy tone with plenty of low Mids and dark top end. What have you done with the EQ of your amp? Picture of the front panel and what kind of bass guitar would be helpful.
Hmm. Tapewounds? Those are thumpy. I’d suggest (if you haven’t tried already) setting the “Shape” at about 2 o’clock and the “Frequency” to 9 o’clock. I’d keep the “Bass” and “Treble” controls where they are. Then on your bass run both pickups Volumes on full and roll the Tone control back about half way.
I've got two pedal suggestions and both should be used carefully as they can over exert your speakers and potentially blow them :
1. DOD Meatbox /Mantic Hulk - these are both analog octave down pedals that can also boost eq ranges at about 40 and 60hz (I think) you don't need to use it octave and can just use the EQ.
2. Electro-harmonix Knockout - this one has two powerful filters, one at 85hz and one at I think 7khz that you can individually blend in to your clean tone.
I've had both and they both add some outrageous low end to the signal
1. DOD Meatbox /Mantic Hulk - these are both analog octave down pedals that can also boost eq ranges at about 40 and 60hz (I think) you don't need to use it octave and can just use the EQ.
2. Electro-harmonix Knockout - this one has two powerful filters, one at 85hz and one at I think 7khz that you can individually blend in to your clean tone.
I've had both and they both add some outrageous low end to the signal
Add eq in the 80-120hz area and it should get boomy pretty quick. Going much lower with the eq doesn't have the same effect, IME.
Pickup height... the closer the better due to the proximity effect
What Dosi said above is pretty good advice if you are going the pedal route. You can add some nice low end and kind of fade it in and out to exactly how much you want with a blend. I am doing somewhat the same thing with a Geddy Lee 2112 pedal. I'm sure you could do the same with a simple eq pedal but the blend is really nice to have. I'd try everything possible with pickups/settings before relying on a pedal though.
On your Hartke, set the Frequency knob full CCW (200 hZ) and start increasing the Shape past 12:00. Experiment with increasing the Frequency a bit (up to about 12:00) and varying the Shape control up to about 3:00.
If that isn't flexible enough, then get an EQ pedal. Boost in the 200-500hZ range, but not too much or it becomes mud.
If that isn't flexible enough, then get an EQ pedal. Boost in the 200-500hZ range, but not too much or it becomes mud.
