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Looking for that midrange punch....
- Thread starter 4 string mofo
- Start date
I got a dbx 31 band graphic rack EQ for less than $150. It really opened up the world in terms of tone shaping. It might be a cheaper investment to help get you there compared to buying a new bass, cab, or amp, etc. I too focus on a nice punchy midrange (but a Mesa cab and GK head helps...)
31 band? wow haha i remember when i first got my trace and the 7 band EQ used to baffle me! i have a berhinger bass EQ pedal which (i know its cheap) actually does a pretty good job with dialing in tones. But from the vibes im getting from this forum that its all in the cab(s)...in my case anyway
Thanks for the tip my friend! btw have you heard about trace elliot lately? i heard they went into liquidation from one of the forums around here....
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/trace-elliot-is-done.1116684/ this one specifically
hmm looks interesting...im not an active kind of guy myself but i will look into that!
the sound of that rig make my mouth water haha i cant wait get my B3K which will help me a tonne to look for what i want!
IMO its possible to get mid range punch with a few pedals and as others hace stated, the right cab. A cab can have a lot of bearing on what comes out of your bass/board/amp. I have always been a huge fan of Tool, JC and TImmy C from Rage. I used to try and mimic their tone but after I realized I am not them and that I wanted my own sound, I gave up tyring to mimic them. Im not saying that is what youre doing in the least. I know how it is to be inspired by what we hear and what gets us off, I think thats whats happening here. It was for me anyway. I started with the amp and cab. I was lucky enough to find a GK 1001rbII and a Neo 410 around the same time I could afford it. THose were great atarts to the direction I was trying to go tonally. Then I started down the pedal rabbit hole. To me, the preamp you choose is where a lot of your flavor. I actually technically use 3 preamps and a coupe other toe shapers. I love them. They allow me to sculpt my tone into most any genre for any situation. I usually keep the same settings though for my band.
Anyway, there are other possibilties out there than buying a whole new rig (amp n cab n pedals). I would start with either a preamp or maybe even an overdrive pedal. Or even a good EQ pedal with a lot of mid perameters. They can all drastically change you tone in an instant.
Anyway, there are other possibilties out there than buying a whole new rig (amp n cab n pedals). I would start with either a preamp or maybe even an overdrive pedal. Or even a good EQ pedal with a lot of mid perameters. They can all drastically change you tone in an instant.
Spot on my friend! im purely just inspierd by these tones defiantly not trying to mimic them! ive been looking down the preamp lane alot. Probably a stupid question but could you use (a darkglass B3K for example) as a pre-amp? my mids on my ashdown are pretty good in themselves as well as the mids on my berhinger EQ pedal. I think il have to look around and experiment with different cabs as a starter, which alot of you kind fellows have advised me to do so,
Thanks for the tips bud!
A lot of good advice here. I'm using a Bergantino CN212 which provides a great mid punch to my sound. They're not cheap but it is an awesome cabinet!
Another not so cheap solution is an Alembic SF-2. It's a 2 filter style preamp that can/will transform your tone! If this doesn't work with your existing setup then you know something is wrong with your setup.
Another not so cheap solution is an Alembic SF-2. It's a 2 filter style preamp that can/will transform your tone! If this doesn't work with your existing setup then you know something is wrong with your setup.
Spot on my friend! im purely just inspierd by these tones defiantly not trying to mimic them! ive been looking down the preamp lane alot. Probably a stupid question but could you use (a darkglass B3K for example) as a pre-amp? my mids on my ashdown are pretty good in themselves as well as the mids on my berhinger EQ pedal. I think il have to look around and experiment with different cabs as a starter, which alot of you kind fellows have advised me to do so,
Thanks for the tips bud!
I've heard is guys using the B3K as a preamp. It's really a dist pedal but it can be used as a preamp to IMO. You just don't get the EQ. You do however get voicing switches that effect your EQ. You could just save an extra $100, get a B7K and be done with it
the B7K is my main flavor and preamp. It will always and forever be a part of my board/sound.
When I had my Ashdown I ran it through a SWR 410 and used a Tech 21 VT Bass pedal set close to the SVT setting and it was probably the punchiest tone Ive ever had. I think at the time I had a couple of P basses.
Man id kill for a rick` any day! those markbass cabs must have set you back...ive never seen markbass gear cheap (then again i never go looking for them).
Btw i had a listen to one of your bands songs taxi cab if i remember correctly....man thats such a chilled funky tune,,,that rick sounds super smooth
Thanks for the kind words, mate! That recording had the Rick going through my old Ampeg B-18; love that combination. But we've got some new stuff coming out soon which should blow that first record out of the water!
The Markbass cabs are definitely kinda pricey. I managed to score one of them used for about half cost, so that made me feel less bad when I sprung for the second one brand new (not to mention selling some old guitar gear to come out with no loss!)
those bassman 100t`s look super cool...what is the overdrive channel like? what cab(s) do you use with it? its great you got the sound in your head into your amp its what im exactly trying to achieve
I only use the overdrive channel and have it at 7 for overdrive and 7 for mix. Most gnarly and best sounding tube grind I've heard. The biggest surprise with the amp though was the mid controls. You get one for setting the frequency and one for the level and its freaking gorgeous- PLUS the DI is all tube and you can run it on record mode so you don't have to be plugged into a cab. I'm currently using an Ampeg 410 SVT Classic Pro, but I'm saving to go back to the Fender 410 neo bassman - had one and it was great until i destroyed it.
I read that Doug from Darkglass ran his personal B3K through a Boss GEB-7 before he created the B7K. If your B3K alone doesn't get you there the Boss should do the trick.
Through my personal rigs my B3K was enough but my B7K's eq section can make almost any rig sound great. The xlr out makes it great for recording and has saved me at live shows where there was a problem with the house bass rig and I had to go through the pa.
Through my personal rigs my B3K was enough but my B7K's eq section can make almost any rig sound great. The xlr out makes it great for recording and has saved me at live shows where there was a problem with the house bass rig and I had to go through the pa.
I've got an Ashdown ABM 900 myself, along with a Class D Ashdown MiBass and my original UK Trace AH500, sounds like you just need some 10's and or some 12's in your life. Both your rigs are single 15's, go for the 4x10,8x10 you'll get some mids out of the Ashdown 
. Oh and your Trace combo is gooched if it only works with the compressor engaged, needs a little TLC from a tech. One phrase that's not commonly heard is my "Trace Elliot is too quiet" I run my Ashdown Mibass through a pair of the cheaper TC Electronic cabs, a BC210 and a BC212, unlike the RS cabs both of these are under $400 Canadian, got mine for $350 and $399 respectively. No problem with mids there and it's portable unlike the ABM and the matching blueline cabs that go with it.
Also, even though I'm not a Fender fan, in fact I hate 'em, but I might possibly own a couple of jazz basses loaded with EMG j sets using D'Addario Pro Steels strings which are go to machines for mid range and in your face punch.
. Oh and your Trace combo is gooched if it only works with the compressor engaged, needs a little TLC from a tech. One phrase that's not commonly heard is my "Trace Elliot is too quiet" I run my Ashdown Mibass through a pair of the cheaper TC Electronic cabs, a BC210 and a BC212, unlike the RS cabs both of these are under $400 Canadian, got mine for $350 and $399 respectively. No problem with mids there and it's portable unlike the ABM and the matching blueline cabs that go with it. Also, even though I'm not a Fender fan, in fact I hate 'em, but I might possibly own a couple of jazz basses loaded with EMG j sets using D'Addario Pro Steels strings which are go to machines for mid range and in your face punch.
Regarding the mids you want to push, you have to keep in mind that they depend on how the guitarists you play with are eq'ed.
If they're already full of high mids you'll have troubles to cut through there.
So you'll have to work together to find your own settings that give everyone some space to be heard.
If they're already full of high mids you'll have troubles to cut through there.
So you'll have to work together to find your own settings that give everyone some space to be heard.
I've got an Ashdown ABM 900 myself, along with a Class D Ashdown MiBass and my original UK Trace AH500, sounds like you just need some 10's and or some 12's in your life. Both your rigs are single 15's, go for the 4x10,8x10 you'll get some mids out of the Ashdown
Also, even though I'm not a Fender fan, in fact I hate 'em, but I might possibly own a couple of jazz basses loaded with EMG j sets using D'Addario Pro Steels strings which are go to machines for mid range and in your face punch.
yeah ive never had a complaint about my trace being too quiet i play with it in my covers band (both guitarist have hybrid marshall combos and they always think my amp is too loud XD ) and yeah il have to get a buddy of mine to have a look at my trace
i have a squender (squier and fender, squier bass with fender pick-ups) jazz bass and its sounds beautiful and if your getting EMG`s with the daddarios....man you will never want another bass!
yeah will have to keep that in mind....my guitarist dual amps will he always have both on. il have to chat with him to see what settings he has
thanks for the advice!
i havent seen anyone write about the set up of the bass coming into play? will a lower action help better? i play mainly in E flat if that comes into play in any way?
If the others think you're too loud and you still have the feeling you don't hear well yourself it's probably because you have too much lows in your tone.yeah ive never had a complaint about my trace being too quiet i play with it in my covers band (both guitarist have hybrid marshall combos and they always think my amp is too loud XD ) and yeah il have to get a buddy of mine to have a look at my trace
Try cutting à bit the lows and if then you find your tone too trebly in the mix, play with your tone knob on your bass. Your sound will be more focused but still bassy.
The best tool you could use is a parametric eq to find the perfect frequencies to cut and boost. The ms-60b and zoom B3 are great affordable tools for that kind of stuff
