Minor setup advice.

[alanolynn]

Good morning fellow TB'ers

I've slowly accrued a respectable setup, but the itch is back and am looking for general opinions on what you think might be missing from the rig.

I have my new favorite P-bass, so there's no challenging that with something different.

The rig is as follows...

P-bass-->Donner Chromatic Tuner-->MXR M80 D.I.-->Boss LMB3-->TC Electronic BQ500-->Pre-Fender SWR Henry 8X8 (tweeter set to about 9 o'clock).

To be clear, I am digging the tone, but I know there's always room for improvement/experimentation.

So? What would you suggest?

 

[k5koy]

Good morning fellow TB'ers

I've slowly accrued a respectable setup, but the itch is back and am looking for general opinions on what you think might be missing from the rig.

I have my new favorite P-bass, so there's no challenging that with something different.

The rig is as follows...

P-bass-->Donner Chromatic Tuner-->MXR M80 D.I.-->Boss LMB3-->TC Electronic BQ500-->Pre-Fender SWR Henry 8X8 (tweeter set to about 9 o'clock).

To be clear, I am digging the tone, but I know there's always room for improvement/experimentation.

So? What would you suggest?

it’s all personal taste really. We could all spend a lifetime chasing what we feel is the perfect tone, and never find it. If we do eventually find it, at some point we will hear another player’s tone and find it alluring! It’s a losing battle.. my 2 cents....
Koy

 

[alanolynn]

it’s all personal taste really. We could all spend a lifetime chasing what we feel is the perfect tone, and never find it. If we do eventually find it, at some point we will hear another player’s tone and find it alluring! It’s a losing battle.. my 2 cents....
Koy

Exactly! But you know how it goes....Imitate, assimilate, innovate.

So what one piece of gear do you consider the biggest contributor to your "sound"?

 

[k5koy]

Exactly! But you know how it goes....Imitate, assimilate, innovate.

So what one piece of gear do you consider the biggest contributor to your "sound"?

Ok, great question. While the amp, cabs, and room are the final product of your sound, and a properly setup bass, with a good straight neck is important, pedals and effects can help also. I feel that the hands are most important in creating the perfect sound, and great tone. We all have a pile of pedals and effects, but I don’t really use them. The good crisp tones I tend to gravitate to are generated by technique. Playing softly when needed, plucking, muting (both hands) a good clean touch where necessary can produce a very nice sound. My answer is techniques. And I spend hours with technique, and if I ever master that, then maybe my pedals will become useful again. My late brother could play, and really really well, and he taught me that. Best bass lesson I ever learned..
Koy

 

[alanolynn]

Ok, great question. While the amp, cabs, and room are the final product of your sound, and a properly setup bass, with a good straight neck is important, pedals and effects can help also. I feel that the hands are most important in creating the perfect sound, and great tone. We all have a pile of pedals and effects, but I don’t really use them. The good crisp tones I tend to gravitate to are generated by technique. Playing softly when needed, plucking, muting (both hands) a good clean touch where necessary can produce a very nice sound. My answer is techniques. And I spend hours with technique, and if I ever master that, then maybe my pedals will become useful again. My late brother could play, and really really well, and he taught me that. Best bass lesson I ever learned..
Koy

I'll take it. Good words of advice.

 

[Funky Ghost]

I've been on and off the gear / set-up wagon for years. Just lately I've taken a different tact.

I've been experimenting with the way I play. So far, I've REALLY been amazed with what I did and what I now do. We always hear tone is in your hands. Well at my advanced stage I'm finding it's truer than I knew. I've tried different things and decided some weren't for me but some things are now an obsession ( my hand position, for instance and the way (angle actually) I attacked the strings ( I'm 95% finger style )).

Another little tid bit, for me was changing my bass set up. After getting a bit of advice from Mr. Sklar ( I know right?!? ), I've raised my action a bit. I've liked that change.

 

[Element Zero]

I suggest a Fodera, an MTD, or a Ken Smith.

 

[Stumbo]

Broughton HPF/LPF.

See my TB Wiki for more info: High Pass and Low Pass Filters | TalkBass.com

 

[mongo2]

The thing I've found most effects my final tone is the room I'm in. No matter what I tweak at home, when I play out the settings always change, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.