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

[MCS4]

Fresh strings and slightly lowered action get me plenty of fat clank with my basses without the need for any scooping of mids. Both of them are J-style and have completely different wood combinations (walnut maple Carvin, and a swamp ash/walnut/synthetic Zon).

 

[Jakeman]

Great advice all around. "Clank" pretty much describes my sound. I'd like to add that these help-

 

[AndyLES]

I know I'm late to the thread, but I can nail the Tommy Stinson tone with a p style bass w/ QP pickup into a VT Bass pedal, into whatever amp.

 

[AndyLES]

Another great example of Tommy's tone from the same show:

 

[gregmon79]

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.

Get some EMG PAX's, put some D'Addarrio Pro Steels on a P bass, open the tone up all the way, you got it. Really. I have that stuff on my P bass and it sings and clanks all day with a piano like chime to it. Even more so with DR Low Riders on it. It sounds amazing to my ears. I play it through an Ampeg B50R and GK1001RBII through a Fender Bassman 410 at home or an Electric Power Unit through a GK Neo 410 and it absolutely sings. I love that bass and its tones.

 

[gregmon79]

Maybe check this song out. I used my P bass on this song. Is this close??

 

[billiam5billion]

I've been chasing Matt Freeman of Rancid's tone since I started, and my recipe is this-
Pbass, knobs dimed
Rotosound swing 66
Boss overdrive pedal, gain almost all the way down
Amp mids about 2 o'clock, bass right at noon, high at 3 o'clock

 

[ShadowImage]

Maybe OP is looking for the mic'ed tone of a plucked upright bass

 

[MobileHolmes]

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...

That 77 is really something

 

[Bassmann79]

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...

That '77 kills! the Mexico one is crap...ugh!

 

[bigtone23]

I didn't read all 6 pages of this thread, but do know this clank that is being chased. It starts with certain basses' inherent neck/body resonance for sure, but it accentuated with certain ingredients.
My purposely, clankiest P is an 80s Ibanez RB630 with a basswood body, maple neck/fingerboard, stainless rounds (GHS Progessives or Smith Rockmasters) with an 80s EMG P feeding the EMG BTS EQ. The set up is pretty standard factory spec of a medium action with slight neck relief. The pickup is backed off just a touch from the standard 1 nickle G/2 nickle E height by about a dime.
If I run the EQ at the mid-point flatness (5), it clanks, if i slightly boost the treble and bass (7ish), it gets that ultra modern bass tone. If the bass and treble are dialed back a number or two (3ish), the bass takes on a more traditional/passive middy P tone. It's a great chameleon.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Play with just the tips of your fingers while also hammering down with fretting hand ... also max gain and volume control with master knob. You will want the tone open.

Edit: I'm sure you can do it on a P, but I use my 63 AVRI for the opposite kind of tone. I use the Rick in the 4001 setting for clank personally. I use Roto 66's as well.

 

[Joybass]

If you want clank then try a Dimension bass!

 

[ThudThudThud]

I think really dead stainless steel strings are the answer, personally.

With Rotos, that won't be long after installation.

 

[static0verdrive]

Definitely stainless steel strings and low neck relief so there's a little tiny bit of fret buzz. With a pick if you like (I hate playing that way but it works for the tone you're after), and finally, a jazz more-so than a precision. But you asked with regards to a precision, so try the rest!

 

[MrMoonlight]

That '77 kills! the Mexico one is crap...ugh!

It sure does.
I wouldn't mind having that one in my arsenal.

The '96 MIM and the '98 MIA were really weak IMO. The MIJ sounded pretty nice, though. A lot of folks dismiss basswood as a second rate body wood because it's light and fairly cheap. But it's actually a great tonewood. I once owned an MIJ P-Bass with a basswood body, and that thing really sang. So the nice tone of the MIJ in the video didn't surprise me.

 

[George Himmel]

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.

It's not just a question of scooped mids.

I would say you're on the right track in looking for a P with an ash body and maple board. The right pickup will do it too, and it won't be an overwound model--just a good P-pickup with natural growl/texture. Leave the tone open, and don't scoop the mids. That clank lives in the upper mids (about 800-1kHz on the low end of the clank). After all that, the only barriers should be in amplification!

 

[suededoesit]

This is the sound I go for 80% of the time, and for my two cents you start with a fresh set of strings. I think any decent set of roundwounds will do. Some on the ol' TB swear by one or the other, but I think there's a wide variety that can accomplish what you're going for. That's ground zero for the "clank". Stick with something in the $18-$22 price range and you'll be fine.

I also think that the P will get you there faster than other models and makes. (again, in my experience) And I crank the knobs at about 90% and I play through a big a$$ all tube head. I don't want to ruffle the feathers of the SS/Class D guys, but I personally think the tube amp will get you there faster. But folks will argue that til death, but that has been my experience. And the hotter the tubes get? The more of "that" you'll get.

Then I take that and run it through an MXR M-80 and that's the icing.

Folks will attest to the type of wood on the neck? Me? I can't tell any discernible difference. That would fall into the "hair splitting" category for me. But this without question will get that sound you're looking for. Then after you try it, you got to make it yours and fine tune what you want. Hope this helps.

 

[DD Gunz]

I have a 77 P (ash/maple) with a set of EMG Geezer PJ's in it that will clank by just looking at it. I also have a 2015 P (alder/maple) that will get aggressive.

In my opinion a bright set of new NPS strings and your attack can make this happen on any P bass. I have played P basses with a pick for over 20 years and I have never had an issue obtaining the tone described here.

 

[deeptubes]

+1 to clank being achieved primarily via setup and technique, with rounds being beneficial. I thoroughly dig some clank and can get it out of any of my basses - active, passive, maple, rosewood. I set string heights at .085" and keep the necks just shy of arrow straight. If I don't want it, I either change how hard I'm hitting the strings or alter my attack angle. I seem to get much more clank out of my ss GK than Traynor tube amp, when playing through the same cab.