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I've been tone chasing the Precision gutteral 'clank' for years....

Seratone1

Seratone1

Jun 2, 2014
81
43
Toronto
#1
The thread below is great - but I want to start my own...

I want my P Bass to be clankier/have more zing

I have been pursuing the Precision gutteral 'clank' for years - This tone is an elusive one to describe. and I'm not talking about fret buzz. It's a buzz free- resounding piano pick sound.

Here are a few examples ( I wish I could recall some good sound clips).
I recall John Wetton in UK (opening for Jethro Tull - yes, a long time ago).
A fairly obscure pre- grunge band from Vancouver called 'Sons of Freedom'.
Tommy Stinson in either G+R or the replacements.
Karl Meuller in Soul Asylum.

The other day in a music store to plucked away at a Fender American Standard 'Dimension' and it had that 'clank' tone unplugged. Also a friend had a Tokai 'Hard Puncher' P Bass that had the 'clank' for days. This leads be to believe it's a Light weight body/maple board/string thing as much as a compressor/preamp/amp/speaker thing.

It's not just a question of scooped mids.

Someone in this thread said Seymour Duncan quarter pounders help....I'm going to check out a ESP Vintage 4 Reliced' Tommy Stinson thing)today to see if it has that 'mojo'. For record I have owned 4 P basses, 2 Jazz's and three Musicman Sabre/Stingrays - and it has eluded me. I've owned SVT's , GK800 RB's and a Trace Elliott - I have never really delved into compression until now. I'm also going to try stainless steel strings (Gauge ?)

Just wondering if the tone I'm looking for rings a bell.
 
#3
I get that sound from TI's and a low action on my bass. No fret buzz. I play with a light touch but I can get the clank if I dig in just a wee bit with the tone dimed. With a pick, it is even more like the sound you describe.
It does sound like you are describing a Ric (think YES) sound though as @allanmac00 says.
 
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#8
Sounds like what I like out of my bareknuckle loaded satellite neckthrough P with a maple board(I imagine the tokai hard puncher would be in the ballpark too!). I use a pick, nickel rounds and light overdrive, which compresses it a little.
IMG_5555.JPG


I tried replicating that tone with a MIM P and an ashdown CTM30 but whenever I dug in it sounded awful, it just bottomed out -maybe it needed different technique or set up, maybe the MIM was a lemon.

I suspect the clank comes more from a combination of bass, technique and setup more than effects-for me the overdrive refines my clank more than making it in the first place.
 
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#9
MrMoonlight said:
I can attest to the fact that a maple board will raise your bass' coefficient of clankitivity. Maple will get you more brightness and attack vs. rosewood (all other things being equal).
Click to expand...

This is just a quick recall from Clankistrution Engineering 101 but I think I nailed it. Optimum Clank would require faded ripped jeans and tassels hanging from your leather jacket, but I don't remember the formula for all of that.
20161219_145450.jpg
 
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#11
I found this vid where you can really hear how the one bass in the bunch that has a maple board (the '77 USA Moccha) clearly has more attack, punch and "clank potential" then the others equipped with rosewood boards.

It's actually pretty cleverly made, and they go through various settings and playing styles. Worth watching all the way through. Take a listen...

 
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#13
Seratone1 said:
The thread below is great - but I want to start my own...

I want my P Bass to be clankier/have more zing

I have been pursuing the Precision gutteral 'clank' for years - This tone is an elusive one to describe. and I'm not talking about fret buzz. It's a buzz free- resounding piano pick sound.

Here are a few examples ( I wish I could recall some good sound clips).
I recall John Wetton in UK (opening for Jethro Tull - yes, a long time ago).
A fairly obscure pre- grunge band from Vancouver called 'Sons of Freedom'.
Tommy Stinson in either G+R or the replacements.
Karl Meuller in Soul Asylum.

The other day in a music store to plucked away at a Fender American Standard 'Dimension' and it had that 'clank' tone unplugged. Also a friend had a Tokai 'Hard Puncher' P Bass that had the 'clank' for days. This leads be to believe it's a Light weight body/maple board/string thing as much as a compressor/preamp/amp/speaker thing.

It's not just a question of scooped mids.

Someone in this thread said Seymour Duncan quarter pounders help....I'm going to check out a ESP Vintage 4 Reliced' Tommy Stinson thing)today to see if it has that 'mojo'. For record I have owned 4 P basses, 2 Jazz's and three Musicman Sabre/Stingrays - and it has eluded me. I've owned SVT's , GK800 RB's and a Trace Elliott - I have never really delved into compression until now. I'm also going to try stainless steel strings (Gauge ?)

Just wondering if the tone I'm looking for rings a bell.
Click to expand...

You might try a G&L SB-1 or LB100.







SB-1s seem to get that piano-like tone IMO.

LB100s too. When I had a LB100 with a maple board it sounded like I imagine your definition of "clank" is.
 
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#15
two fingers said:
This is just a quick recall from Clankistrution Engineering 101 but I think I nailed it. Optimum Clank would require faded ripped jeans and tassels hanging from your leather jacket, but I don't remember the formula for all of that.
View attachment 1012138
Click to expand...

I think the equation even works if the goal was to say maple increases clank!

If you increase M, fix other vars, you get more clank squared. If you increase R, fix other vars, you get less.

What units are "Clankitivity" in ;)?

The only problem I see is if you have zero maple, your clankitivity could be off the charts!
 
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#18
Antisyzygy said:
I think the equation even works if the goal was to say maple increases clank!

If you increase M, fix other vars, you get more clank squared. If you increase R, fix other vars, you get less.

What units are "Clankitivity" in ;)?

The only problem I see is if you have zero maple, your clankitivity is off the charts!
Click to expand...

It depends on which kind of Clank. (All English units)
Hot Clank = degrees Fahrenheit
Heavy Clank = pounds
High Volume Clank = hogsheads (look it up)
 
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#19
MrMoonlight said:
I can attest to the fact that a maple board will raise your bass' coefficient of clankitivity. Maple will get you more brightness and attack vs. rosewood (all other things being equal).
Click to expand...

This is so. I recently bought a Fender Classic 50's P bass with a maple board, strung with rounds... it has exactly the clank and P attack I was looking for, with a bright snappiness to it-- especially through an all tube head. Far different than the P with rosewood and flats that I have, which does not clank, really, but sounds more fat and farty.

So, I'd say get a P with maple board and put rounds on it. The 50's P is on sale for $600 at Musician's Friend BTW, reg. $749.
 
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