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Need some advice getting a good sound.

N

Noose

Nov 19, 2010
267
87
#1
I am trying to get a good multi purpose sound out of my rig but I'm struggling. Im kinda broke so starting over from scratch isn't really an option, unless I absolutely have to. Here is my current rig. Feel free to tell me what to toss, what to add, etc.

Hartke 4X10 transporter
Behringer 115
Fender jazz with dimarzio ultra jazz 149 pickups DR hi beam strings
Behringer BH4500 head.
Digitech bp80 multi effects pedal

Even with a jazz bass I struggle to get a good clean sound. I either get mud or thin clanky sounds. I know my amp isn't the top of the line but I got it very cheap. I've been toying with the idea of buying some kind of preamp or something but I don't know much about em or if that would even help. Suggestions?
 
#2
OK, I'll give it a shot.

You might want to try the following:
1. Take your head and connect it to the 4x10 only.

2. Plug your Jazz into the head with the best & shortest instrument cable you have.

3. Set all your EQ adjustments to a neutral position.

4. Get a good gain/volume setting.

Slowly adjust EQ, while objectively observing your sound.

Basically what I am saying is to cut out everything from your signal chain except the basics. Kinda start from scratch, and remove some of the variables. Sometimes this helps. In fact, this is all I use.

I might add, check your pickup height adjustment, string action and intonation.

Hope this helps, good luck!
 
#4
You could go with a boss geb-7 and have a little more tonal control. I recently put Dimarzio model j pickups in my jazz and Dr Hi beams were my favorite strings until I tried D'addario nickel wounds and I really liked the tone I got out of them not as zingy as Hi beams.
 
#5
Yeah the guitar is the one thing I didn't go too cheap on. The rest of the stuff is bottom shelf pretty much.

I already tried the Hartlke by itself. Sounded very clanky with no definition even when eq flat. I used to have an 8x10 and kinda had this same problem. Would a different head make a significant difference? What about some kind of preamp?
 
#6
Noose said:
Yeah the guitar is the one thing I didn't go too cheap on. The rest of the stuff is bottom shelf pretty much.

I already tried the Hartlke by itself. Sounded very clanky with no definition even when eq flat. I used to have an 8x10 and kinda had this same problem. Would a different head make a significant difference? What about some kind of preamp?
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Either one would get you a better sound. I would suggest a new head over just a preamp.
 
#7
honestly, if it were me, i'd scrap it all and start over. hartke makes some very nice stuff but the transporter cab is not one of them imho. and behringer just makes crap.
 
#9
Noose said:
Yeah i didn't do much research when I got the behringer stuff. Saw the rig at a estate sale for 200 bucks, offered 150 and the guy said yes. Figured I wasn't losing much if it sucked.
Click to expand...

Hey, no harm in that, you'll never know until you try.

Funny thing, we were discussing this topic yesterday at practice. I have heard many times to start out with the very best rig you can afford, and even with a moderately priced solid guitar you can get a good sound instead of the other way around.

Like with the current rigs I have, I can take my MIM or MIA Jazz and get a great sound. Even with an old cheap Peavey P Bass copy it sounds good.

The good thing is, you can find tons of great used equipment right here on the forum.
 
#10
well the price isn't bad. maybe you could keep the head. but it's always a good idea to spend as much on a cab as you can afford. don't have to get the top of the line cabs, but don't get the cheapest, either. the cab is the most important part of the rig. you can cheap out on everything else and if you have a good cab it'll still sound good. but if you get a cheap cab, even the best bass and amp on the market will sound like crap.
 
#13
I've run my sansamp DI or my RBI preamp into the effects return of some pretty bottom of the line equiptment and was able to get a good tone. If you like an Ampegish tone you could most likely pick up a used VT pedal fairly inexpensively and try that. Use the 410 cab alone and bypass you're effects pedal. I did a small coffee house type gig using my sansamp DI into a 4 channel Behringer keyboard amp and was able to get a passable tone.
 
#14
Starting with the bass, I'd put new strings on it if the ones on there aren't fairly fresh, get it a good setup and intonation and then get to know it better if you don't already. Solo each pickup and sweep through the tone knob, the mess with different pickup blends again sweeping through the tone and all the while adjust not only where you pluck the strings but how and how hard. Tip of finger lightly and hard and pad of finger lightly and hard. Lot's of different sounds and flavors just in that much.

Moving on to the multi-effects pedal -- sell it. Yeah, there's some cool weird sounds in there but my experience has been most if not all of those all-in-one multieffects units sound cheap/thin/weak when compared to the natural sound after the new wears off. Can also lead into a tweaking nightmare with no positive ending.

Moving on to the amp. Useable sounds can be had with the amp, not great or stellar but useable. Do not use the sub-octave thing. Can turn the bass and lowmid knobs up some if booty is lacking but focus some on turning down what you don't want to hear as well as turning up what you do. Money's tight, the amp works, use it for now but save your penny's for later. Those things are not known for reliability or great tone, you'd be better off with an old Peavey.

Moving on to the cabs. If plain volume is needed, keep the 410 and sell the 15. If tone takes a bit of a precedence over sheer volume, keep whichever one sounds the best to you and sell the other. Better yet, sell them both and buy a single, quality cab, 212, 410, single loud 15 or a 215.

Do all this on the used market, your money will go further, except the strings obviously.


My 2 cents.
 
#15
will33 said:
Starting with the bass, I'd put new strings on it if the ones on there aren't fairly fresh, get it a good setup and intonation and then get to know it better if you don't already. Solo each pickup and sweep through the tone knob, the mess with different pickup blends again sweeping through the tone and all the while adjust not only where you pluck the strings but how and how hard. Tip of finger lightly and hard and pad of finger lightly and hard. Lot's of different sounds and flavors just in that much.
Click to expand...
pretty good advice.

Moving on to the multi-effects pedal -- sell it. Yeah, there's some cool weird sounds in there but my experience has been most if not all of those all-in-one multieffects units sound cheap/thin/weak when compared to the natural sound after the new wears off. Can also lead into a tweaking nightmare with no positive ending.
Click to expand...
whoa! couldn't disagree more! i think multis are a great way to try out a bunch of effects without committing to individual pedals. i'd say try to get a good sound without it first, but then knock yourself out and have fun! effects on bass are cool.

Moving on to the amp. Useable sounds can be had with the amp, not great or stellar but useable. Do not use the sub-octave thing. Can turn the bass and lowmid knobs up some if booty is lacking but focus some on turning down what you don't want to hear as well as turning up what you do. Money's tight, the amp works, use it for now but save your penny's for later. Those things are not known for reliability or great tone, you'd be better off with an old Peavey.
Click to expand...
now you're back on track.
 
#16
I haven't tried every multi effects unit out there but it could be a personal taste thing. If the OP needs weird sounds to fit his music, fine. Speaking from my own experience here. You can get grind from most any bass even through a "clean" amp if you pluck it with that in mind. If you need chorus or delay or something, that's different. Envelope filters can be cool though.:D I'd just flip pedals on craigslist until you end up with something you like although I do understand that's not a such a luxury in every town as it is here.
 
#17
I'd think a jazz with those pickups would give you something workable, even with that amp/cab setup. With a little push in the mids, it should be in the ballpark? Better than mud or clanky sounds.

We're not looking at an electronics issue are we? Wiring? That sort of thing? All connections are good? Pick ups installed by a pro?

I agree with the other guys.... Get a good fundamental sound before chasing the effects. Effects only do so much. Same with the preamp.

A good amp & cab made all the difference in my sound. Any bass I plug into it sounds relatively good. Something with nice with good pickups like your jazz really shines.....
 
#18
Seems to be a consensus on getting rid of the 15. Any particular reason why? I know behringer isn't exactly known for reliability but there are no technical problems with the cab. Everything works as it should. Is it a tone issue with behringer cabs? Is it because it's a 15? I was actually thinking the cabinets were the least of my problems. Guess I was wrong.

In regards to the pedal, I don't really use any of the effects other than compression. I also use the tuner. I got it to toy around with different sounds mostly but I don't use them live. I am gonna sell it and keep my eyes open for a used compression pedal or maybe a preamp of some sort.

No one has mentioned trying flatwound strings yet. I have always played roundwounds mostly out of habit. I love the brightness of a fresh set of rounds, but I also know that what sounds good by yourself isn't necessarily what works well in a band setting. Would flatwounds Help get a good, punchy midrange tone without a bunch of fret clanking and finger squeaking? Or is that just wishful thinking?
 
#19
two reasons...

1. behringer sucks.

2. a 410 is twice as loud and will usually go as low or lower than a 115. having said that, there are 115 cabs that are awesome, just not that one. but mixing cabs, especially cabs of different brands, is very unpredictable in how well it works because of phasing issues (google it or do a search on here...tons of info written about it) and volume imbalances.
 
#20
tharv said:
I'd think a jazz with those pickups would give you something workable, even with that amp/cab setup. With a little push in the mids, it should be in the ballpark? Better than mud or clanky sounds.

We're not looking at an electronics issue are we? Wiring? That sort of thing? All connections are good? Pick ups installed by a pro?

I agree with the other guys.... Get a good fundamental sound before chasing the effects. Effects only do so much. Same with the preamp.

A good amp & cab made all the difference in my sound. Any bass I plug into it sounds relatively good. Something with nice with good pickups like your jazz really shines.....
Click to expand...

Glad you asked about the pick ups. I installed them myself but it was a fairly straightforward procedure. I wired them exactly the way the diagram that came with them said to and I put good solid solder joints on em. I wired them to function the same way the stock pickups were wired to function. I get mixed up with terms like parallel and series. Should I try residing the pups to where they act as humbuckers? Is that possible?
 

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