Is this just the classic P-Bass / Ampeg SVT magic?

[dbsfgyd1]

Hi guys,

see in this video



Around the 02:00 mark, Duncan from Basement can be clearly heard as he’s playing on his own for a bit… He’s got that gritty, overdriven sound which I love. I can’t seem to get that sound with my P-Bass

Is it just the magic P-Bass/Ampeg SVT sound, or do you reckon there’s an OD pedal somewhere in the middle? What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Is it live or Memorex? Heaven only knows what they do to the sound on videos. Two things, one, sounds a lot like Bass Boomers or RS Swing bass rounds, two, this is an over driven pre amp (pedal) somewhere in the signal chain going into the SVT.

BTW, the guys rock. Enjoyed the video much.

 

[JimmyM]

Am I missing the fact an SVT with that gain at 100% direct into the board sounds exactly like that?

Not at all. It does, except you have to cut the highs or the distortion will pull your ear out of joint.

However, there are a lot of pedals on the market that can get you that sound...Fulltone being one of them.

 

[StayLow]

Sounds SVT to me. Like:



Dude certainly could be adding some crunch before it. Probably is.

There are different ways to get ‘there’, and yes it is a magic place.

 

[Laurent]

A P bass with round wounds and a pick played hard are the most important factors.
What happens afterwards can be achieved in different ways as long as the mids are cranked up. A pedal will help, an SVT will as well but they are not the only way to do it. A Sans Amp bass drive will get there too. A studio take will often mix different approaches.

Perhaps I am dating myself but the Clash or the Stranglers often had better tones than this in that cranked up P bass pick style. Look up Paul Simonon or Jean-Jacques Burnel.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Hi guys,

see in this video



Around the 02:00 mark, Duncan from Basement can be clearly heard as he’s playing on his own for a bit… He’s got that gritty, overdriven sound which I love. I can’t seem to get that sound with my P-Bass

Is it just the magic P-Bass/Ampeg SVT sound, or do you reckon there’s an OD pedal somewhere in the middle? What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Yes!

 

[Ian774]

couldn't listen that far.

You’re too old

Just a reminder: What is shown in a video may not necessarily been what was used on a track....Also, string type and newness also plays into it........It certainly sounds like a P Bass - how it was processed on the actual recording may or may not be what we see

It is a live session recorded… what happened during mixing is a mystery.

 

[Aussie Player]

Not intending to generate offense but I simply cannot like that sound. Demonstrates the new against the old I guess. I prefer fingers and no pedals so all you year is the playing without the strumming. Then the tone highlights more as a feature. Someone posted a clip of Sean Hurley playing the same equipment with John Mayer and that was more like it. Also noticed a lot of positive feedback from the readership. Bass playing has clearly fallen into 2 camps.

 

[dmichaels10]

Not intending to generate offense but I simply cannot like that sound. Demonstrates the new against the old I guess. I prefer fingers and no pedals so all you year is the playing without the strumming. Then the tone highlights more as a feature. Someone posted a clip of Sean Hurley playing the same equipment with John Mayer and that was more like it. Also noticed a lot of positive feedback from the readership. Bass playing has clearly fallen into 2 camps.

I'm not going to argue that Sean Hurley doesn't have amazing tone. But you are also in a bass guitar "effects" forum that exists to talk about people playing bass through pedals.

BTW I have nothing else to add to the OP's question that hasn't been answered already. I would crank a sans amp or even a TC Spark (the 4 knob version) to achieve said tone.

 

[Mike Rowland]

The pick attack over the pickup is important too. I had that lightbulb moment myself.

Not intending to generate offense but I simply cannot like that sound. Demonstrates the new against the old I guess. I prefer fingers and no pedals so all you year is the playing without the strumming. Then the tone highlights more as a feature. Someone posted a clip of Sean Hurley playing the same equipment with John Mayer and that was more like it. Also noticed a lot of positive feedback from the readership. Bass playing has clearly fallen into 2 camps.

Do you really think all art should be the same?

 

[Aussie Player]

The pick attack over the pickup is important too. I had that lightbulb moment myself a lot


Do you really think all art should be the same?

No, that's why I posted an alternate view.
Do you think it should all be the same?

 

[Ian774]

Not intending to generate offense but I simply cannot like that sound. Demonstrates the new against the old I guess. I prefer fingers and no pedals so all you year is the playing without the strumming. Then the tone highlights more as a feature. Someone posted a clip of Sean Hurley playing the same equipment with John Mayer and that was more like it. Also noticed a lot of positive feedback from the readership. Bass playing has clearly fallen into 2 camps.

It is what you prefer, and I respect that. Now, there’s enough space in this world for all sorts of bass sounds. The nice, finger style round bass sound (Sean Hurley), and the gritty, pick style overdriven bass sound (Basement). To each musical style their own bass sound.

Play what works.

 

[Mike Rowland]

No, that's why I posted an alternate view.
Do you think it should all be the same?

I enjoy all the meats of our cultural stew

 

[sifrancis]

Managed to get this capture from the video, and then from some cross-referencing with some of the bassists' pictures on instagram, I reckon we are looking at the following:

Darkglass B7k
MXR Bass Distortion
Darkglass Duality

Of those, I'd imagine it's most likely the B7k in use there, but the MXR Bass Distortion can definitely achieve something similar at low gain settings on the LED mode. Could possibly be the two stacked...

 

[Ian774]

Any idea on how to set up my SansAmp BDDI V2 to achieve something similar?

 

[socialleper]

Sounds like there is some drive there.

They probably multi tracked the bass, left the lows and highs clean, then put like an OCD on the mids.

 

[Ian774]

I happen to have an EHX Glove (OCD clone) on my pedalboard, before my SansAmp. I’ll have to get tweaking!

 

[Ian774]

I had a response from the man himself

There we go…

 

[_Some Dude]

Was going to mention that after the fade out you can see him hit a pedal when they silence their guitars, probably turning off an overdrive.

 

[Fuzzbass]

This video makes me want a black on black on Maple P bass badly

See avatar: black/black/maple P is my jam!

Mine happens to be a 5-string Sadowsky, but it can deliver similar enough tones. Also, the Darkglass B7K is one of my favorite pedals, and I am not surprised it was used in the video.