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Mid-Rangy Cut-Through Basses

What is the best cut-through-er?

  • Rickenbackers

    Votes: 30 14.8%
  • J style Bass

    Votes: 75 36.9%
  • P style Bass

    Votes: 45 22.2%
  • Fretless Bass

    Votes: 3 1.5%
  • Custom Bass (please post the builder)

    Votes: 15 7.4%
  • Other (please post)

    Votes: 35 17.2%

  • Total voters
    203
Is it possible that the problem has nothing to do with the equipment but rather the volume at which the other instruments are turned up?

I'd think any bass should be heard regardless of the make/model.


It's not about the volume at all, it's about the timbre (the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices). For example, ONE oboe will be heard through a full orchestra with strings, brass, drums etc. if everything is mic'ed up right. The oboe's sounds is very unique and therefore it cuts through the mix like a hot knife through butter. Every bass has their own personality (sound) some are more laid back and some love to be heard. Not going to name any examples because everyone has a unique set of ears.

What I'm trying to say is, that an EBMM Stingray, Sterling or Bongo will cut through the mix no matter how many instruments are playing with you.

EBMMs like to be heard

Note: Volume levels have to reasonably equal

P.S. An active '77-'78 Fender Jazz with ash body and maple freboard will work as well.
 
The first thing to do is to have that band meeting. Volume and mids alone aren't going to solve the problem. (Sometimes, more mids from the bass can make the whole band sound worse... a surprising discovery that I made, a while back.) You have to occupy your own niche in the sonic scheme, probably going UNDER the other guys. My guess is that a passive P-Bass, which goes under, but which can also give you pretty aggressive "barky" mids, might be what you want. (Active electronics are a complicated issue too, in my experience... they can make a Stingray (for example) very aggressive, which can be great... but they can also make your tone so rich and complex that it competes too much with other sounds going on. The dryness of a passive bass can often cut through better.)
IMHO
 
IMO cutting (if you stick to the instrument's influence) is more an issue of pickup wiring and placement than anything else. The Stingray sound isn't my thing, but trebly sounds picked up closer to the bridge cut best IMO.