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Nobody cares about your tone....

#81
Paladin54 said:
And Jesse Reeves said that he used to have all sorts of pedals to shape his tone until he came to the realization that all the audience hears is bass, so he dumped the pedals.
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A ridiculous statement on its face. First off, sometimes you might want to use an effect that isn't necessarily perceptible but makes a difference in how the mix plays out. I do this with overdrive all the time. Second, there are plenty of effects you can use that are entirely noticeable if that's your thing, and if he can't get them to sound different from his clean sound, I consider it a failure in him, not the pedals. I saw that video and thought he was quite arrogant about his position, and it kinda pissed me off ;) If you don't want to use pedals, that's fine, but it doesn't make you a big shot.
 
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#82
I have people compliment my playing all the time, but never my tone. It's not (usually) a bad tone, people in pubs where I play don't give a crap about bass players. Not such a bad thing, I see singers and guitarists getting hassled during breaks while I'm free to go to the bar.

On an interesting note... the guitarist in my band keeps changing from one amp to another. Each time he sets them up so they sound the same as the last amp he had. If I can't tell the difference, can the audience?
 
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#84
JimmyM said:
A ridiculous statement on its face. First off, sometimes you might want to use an effect that isn't necessarily perceptible but makes a difference in how the mix plays out. I do this with overdrive all the time. Second, there are plenty of effects you can use that are entirely noticeable if that's your thing, and if he can't get them to sound different from his clean sound, I consider it a failure in him, not the pedals. I saw that video and thought he was quite arrogant about his position, and it kinda pissed me off ;) If you don't want to use pedals, that's fine, but it doesn't make you a big shot.
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He certainly wasn't ever going for any type of distortion or truly noticeable tone change. He was vintage Fender through Ampeg all the way.
 
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#85
the_stoot64 said:
I have people compliment my playing all the time, but never my tone. It's not (usually) a bad tone, people in pubs where I play don't give a crap about bass players. Not such a bad thing, I see singers and guitarists getting hassled during breaks while I'm free to go to the bar.

On an interesting note... the guitarist in my band keeps changing from one amp to another. Each time he sets them up so they sound the same as the last amp he had. If I can't tell the difference, can the audience?
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Probably not, but he's having fun and keeping inspired and isn't hurting anyone, so who cares?
 
#86
JSandbloom said:
Actually, as most people probably have experienced while working with a producer. You walk into a studio with a high end bass. Say in my case was a Modulus Q5 and a Genz Benz GBE1200. They stay in the case as the producer walks in with a P bass and an SVT from the back room. Producers wanna here a round tone, not the staleness of a hifi bell like bass tone.
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yup, been there, done that. Guy didnt like my bass, comes in with a P bass and tells me to play this instead, not the best P I ever played by a long shot, but hey, I was just a hired geek so if thats what he wanted to hear than I was happy to accomadate him. Wouldnt have been my first choice but I got paid and never heard that song again so I was fine with it.
 
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#88
Paladin54 said:
He certainly wasn't ever going for any type of distortion or truly noticeable tone change. He was vintage Fender through Ampeg all the way.
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Nothing wrong with that ;) but I just hate that superiority complex that bassists who don't use pedals have. It's like, "You suck because you think you need pedals, whereas I'm totally awesome and don't need a single pedal." And that's the attitude this Jesse Reeves came off with, and it's smug and very far from the truth.
 
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#89
1. tone is a very VERY subjective thing.
2. there are people who care about it.
3. for me personally - it is important that I like my tone, if others agree with me on that - great, if not - what can you do?

You can't please everybody - there will always be someone who doesn't like your tone, your music, your accent, your race, your political views, etc. I believe that first and foremost - you need to like what you do/how you sound. It's quite a universal principle - applies pretty much to everything: You CAN'T be happy if every day you HAVE to do something that you don't enjoy.
 
#91
I used to think that no one cared or noticed.

Then I got in a band with some dudes who had been around the block. And they really dug my tone and let me know. I think it inspired them to play better. It certainly did me.

Sometimes audience members can tell that something's different, but they can't put their finger on it. That doesn't mean great bass tone isn't having a subliminal positive effect on them.
 
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#92
I dont chase tone at all, since 2010 the only amp I use is a MBX GK410 cab it was $159 on sale from $350 at guitar center and its powered by a old gk 800RB I paid $250 for. As long as I have some form of decent playing PJ in hand , I favor old Jazz Specials from Japan or Aerodyne's, then I am happy and lots of people compliment that they really like that tone, PJ+GK is a nice combo, ask Duff.

The total set up of that would be around 1k for a used J Special or Aerodyne paired with a 800RB and 410. I just buy lots of gear for the thrill, to test it out and trade up. I have never got geeky about amps, if one was to look I have 10,000 posts here, maybe 10 are in the amps section.
 
#97
flam said:
I care because I play bass to make ME happy, and to please my own ears with my own hands. If other people can share in that happiness, great. If not, I'm still happy.
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Listen, I'm a part-timer with a career and family responsibilities. I was a full-timer many many moons ago. Now, I primarily play music for my enjoyment and fulfilment. This, for me, constitutes being in a band that gigs. I like reasonably nice gear and feel I've earned that luxury, Hell, I'm a Canadian who does not hunt , fish or drive an expensive snowmobile. I play bass. If I determine that tone, which includes passive P basses though a tuber, fulfills me musically, that's enough.

** This message sponsored by my wife.;)

Marc
 
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#98
JSandbloom said:
Well crap, in that case..... Lol
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Now, they were educated music fans mind you, and realized that I made it a point to stand out.
But honestly, it can be a genre thing.
Fans of (for example) The Jesus Lizard, Young Widows or Shellac or something of the sort, expect a certain bass tone.
And are pleased when others have it. Or something similar.
It may be something that's not necessary in, say, a cover band or a pop group.
But, in the underground, it matters, even to the ladies.
 
#99
JimmyM said:
Nothing wrong with that ;) but I just hate that superiority complex that bassists who don't use pedals have. It's like, "You suck because you think you need pedals, whereas I'm totally awesome and don't need a single pedal." And that's the attitude this Jesse Reeves came off with, and it's smug and very far from the truth.
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See, I didn't get that feeling. He seemed, to me, to be commenting on what worked for him. He does say in the video that the pedals did change the tone on stage but in the house it didn't. He didn't seem to be putting them down, just that they didn't work for him.
 

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