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I need more "big"

Thunderscreech

Thunderscreech

Jun 4, 2008
6,707
271
Fredericksburg, Virginia
#1
the band I'm in, Ganon, is a 2 man doom/sludge/drone/stoner/loud metal band. I've been having trouble, as the sole stringed-instrument player, filling all the sonic space.

The dilemma, as I see it, is that my tone is clearly not big enough. Aside from aquiring sevral Sunn amps, what things can I do with effects to make my tone have more big?

I have a tech 21 XXL B, Metal Muff, MT-2 Metal Zone, Boss CH-1 Super Chorus, Digitech Bass Multichorus, MXR Jimi Hendrix Classic Fuzz (the JH-25 version), and a Rocktron Heart Attack. If it involves any of those, it's game.
 
#2
you could consider a bass boost of some sort, but if you amp EQ isn't doing it for you, it might be time to go with an actual all-tube head (doesn't have to be a vintage sunn) or maybe try different pickups (or a higher-end bass) - assuming that your profile gear is current

it honestly doesn't sound like an effects problem to me

also, you might try playing closer to the neck, blah blah blah... but you knew that already
 
#6
I think that the problem is that you aren't filling the entire frequency range, which is why it sounds empty - you need more frequency.

My suggestion is to play more notes, and play them faster - the audience will hear notes with more frequency, so the gaps in the frequency range should be filled in nicely. If it still sounds empty then you aren't playing enough notes, and definitely not fast enough.
 
#13
The distortions that you have seem to be really harsh. Maybe (if this is an option) split your signal into two different amps, and use different sounding drives on each one. I play in a hardcore band, and we lost one of our guitarists a few months back, so our one guitarist has taken to using our drummer's Mesa/Boogie F-100 combo in addition to his own Marshall JCM2000 half stack. The Mesa has a really high-gain, modern, kind of scooped sound and the Marshall is set up for a more old-school, midrangy rock and roll sound. Together, they sound HUGE.
 
#14
If you want the amp tone, Line 6 pod through a PA will give you the tone of some monster Sunns, and you can run 2 at once.

Try getting an 8 or 12 string (octave courses) bass, so that you're filling up more of the sonic landscape.

I'm guessing 2-man is you and a drummer. You could also find a guitar player
 
#15
Or a 2nd bass player! I know of a band that has 2 bass players + 1 baritone guitar.

There's a thought - try something like the Gretsch Jet Baritone, 6 strings, spaced more like a guitar, but long scale and in the same octave range as a regular bass but with 2 extra strings up top. That'll be real easy to rip out stomach churning power chords on!

Try running 2 amps, linked by a slow and subtle stereo chorus pedal, one slightly dirty, one fuzzed to hell.
 
#16
takfar said:
I'd say octaver... Plus, blend in your clean signal on top of all the distortions.
Click to expand...

I have thought about this, but the main reason I haven't done it is that I lack a blender.

bassman1185 said:
The distortions that you have seem to be really harsh. Maybe (if this is an option) split your signal into two different amps, and use different sounding drives on each one. I play in a hardcore band, and we lost one of our guitarists a few months back, so our one guitarist has taken to using our drummer's Mesa/Boogie F-100 combo in addition to his own Marshall JCM2000 half stack. The Mesa has a really high-gain, modern, kind of scooped sound and the Marshall is set up for a more old-school, midrangy rock and roll sound. Together, they sound HUGE.
Click to expand...

I've thought of doing that, too. The only problem I ran into was the wattage gap between a 250 watt head with a 4x10 and a 1x15 and a little 100 watt 1x15 combo. If I had, say, a 200 watt PA with a SansAmp doing light grit and then my 250 Watt Laney with the full-on grind, would that work the same way?

HogieWan said:
If you want the amp tone, Line 6 pod through a PA will give you the tone of some monster Sunns, and you can run 2 at once.
Click to expand...
I have a Pocket Pod. Will that work?

HogieWan said:
Try getting an 8 or 12 string (octave courses) bass, so that you're filling up more of the sonic landscape.
Click to expand...

I have thought about this before, albeit with a 10-string dual course. So far the five string OLP puts out the big pretty well, but that is worth considering.
HogieWan said:
I'm guessing 2-man is you and a drummer. You could also find a guitar player
Click to expand...

This might happen.
 
#18
Yo,
need big? need frequency filling? dont wanna spend buck on 8/12 string basses?

*BA-BOW!!*

Micropog - like the guitarist who is following YOUR lead!


*Mr. Matthews, can i have my cheque now?*


+1 to dual amp setups.

-1 pocket pod - even the Fender Bassman model is a guitar model.

personally id say ditch the Metal muff and the MT-2 i hated both on bass, couldnt get any decent lows on them - but if it DOES work for you, then hell, go to town on it

At the risk of sounding Cliché - get a bass big muff? the price is right and it has a clean blend built in and stereo outputs.
 
#19
The PA thing might work ok, but the odds are that if you're plugging in through PA speakers without subs, you're going to lack a lot of bottom end. Most PA speakers' frequency responses drop like a rock after about 75hz. I wouldn't be afraid to try that with the BA115. It's a pretty solid amp that puts out a lot more sound than it seems like it would.
 

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