ok recording bass choice question

[Andy Marshman]

I called my Hofner a one trick pony. It actually had 2 tones but the bridge added too much treble for my liking when it was switched in. I wouldn't select the Hofner for any recording because it's too limiting, unless you're doing all Beatles songs.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Not as many Jazz basses as P basses in classic recordings, but probably second.

 

[salmon256]

The guy from Big Thief uses a Hofner, and the bass tracks on their recordings sound incredible.

I'm happy to learn of this band thank you! Yeah a lot of indie and psych bands use hofners or at least semi-hollow/hollow basses! I think they sound awesome, I get the problems but a little soundwork in the DAW can fix it!

 

[Paul New]

Just ignore everyone except me. Play the jazz, both pickups wide open, and maybe roll the tone back to 75% at most. Very few people could distinguish that sound from a Precision without looking.

 

[zubrycky]

Pick the bass you're most comfortable playing, OP. It saves studio time.

 

[pbass2]

Sure a pbass will always work, but don't get hung up on that too much(even though the "you gotta have a pbass" mantra is hard to avoid on TB! I'm as guilty of that as anyone). Ultimately it depends on the song, and the mix and overall sound you're going for. You have 3 different basses that are pretty distinctly different, you got plenty to work with there! Any one of those basses might be the ticket for a particular track. Think about the approach--fingers vs pick for example. For an "old" sound as you say try some foam muting under or on top of the strings down by the bridge. It's all relative to the whole mix, the song. For example sure, you can usually get a Jazz into P territory with just the front pickup, but the everything-dimed Jazz sound isn't just for slappers - sometimes it sits just right in a mix leaving an eq notch for other elements like guitars while supplying a cushy bottom and some detail on top. Experiment!

 

[zubrycky]

Any bass with only the neck pup selected will get you on that territory, OP. Keep in mind, however, that the Pbass sound is the sum of many variables, such as strings, right and left hand technique, action, scale length...

 

[Jeff Scott]

Sure a pbass will always work, but don't get hung up on that too much(even though the "you gotta have a pbass" mantra is hard to avoid on TB!

I gave one a shot back about 15 years ago and decided they weren't my cuppa bass tone.The neck shape on it and the ergonomics were uncomfortable. Tone I won't bring up (well, I guess I just did ) as that is a very personal preference.

 

[skortch]

Just ignore everyone except me. Play the jazz, both pickups wide open, and maybe roll the tone back to 75% at most. Very few people could distinguish that sound from a Precision without looking.

Hmmm, both pickups open? There are two tests in that video, A and B. In A the Jazz has both pickups on, test B it's only using the neck pickup.

The difference with the Jazz having both pickups open (test A) is pretty sizeable but with just the neck pickup (test B) it's close enough to a P-bass sound, especially with a little bit of EQ tweaking.

That said... I'd suggest the OP try either the Jazz with the neck pickup solo'd or the SR800 with the bass set flat and the treble cut at least half way. (Might also want to experiment with having the volume knob backed off a bit.)

 

[P. Aaron]

Any bass will get you there really. What is key when recording is keeping each instrument in its sonic lane unless bleed is your thing. Recordings can be clogged, messy or simple-demos, it's the artists choice.

Sometimes, these things build in your head first. Sometimes you'll get happy accidents. Most times, it's feel first, tone quality second, cohesion last.

It takes time and patience. Hoping you have all that.

 

[juancaminos]

When recording I usually choose my only stock Jazz bass.

 

[prowla]

Wow - they'd been watching too much Dynasty!

 

[iamjethro]

Thanks again.

 

[micguy]

For most recordings, everything I read says that a Pbass with flat strings (which I alreay love and put on my basses) is the sound I am looking for.

If it's 1962, and you're James Jamerson, that's good advice. If you want to sound like something besides Motown, you may not want to pursue that sound.

The recording studios of the 1960's didn't have eq in their consoles - all that had to affect the sound was mic choice and placement (or, in the case of Motown, one DI) - if someone came in with an unfamiliar bass, it took time to find a different mic placement that worked (if the DI didn't sound OK). But it's no longer the 1960's - we have mic choices and placement, but we also have ridiculously powerful signal processing. Things have changed a lot; you can (and maybe should) bring a different bass.

Play the bass that has the sound that's closest to what you want it to sound like. If that's a P with flats, then a P with flats it is, but there are plenty of other very good sounds that are on albums yesterday and today - don't limit yourself to what worked for a genre that was happening 60 years ago.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

If you want that kinda tone with your current basses you've got two options:

1) Install some old school flats on either the MIM Jazz or the Ibanez. LaBella 760FL flatwounds would be a good choice for that tone. If the Ibanez doesn't have an active/passive switch you should choose the MIM Jazz. A passive tone control is crucial for that type of tone. You don't necessarily have to roll the tone all the way off, just a little bit to slightly thicken the tone can work wonders too. Active tone controls simply can't do this. Whichever bass you choose, use ONLY the neck pickup. Bridge pickup or both pickups blended won't work for this type of tone.

2) Install Pyramid Golds on your Höfner and enjoy one of the most iconic bass tones ever. It's not quite the same as a P-bass with LaBellas but when played fingerstyle it can get pretty close. It has that same "bounce". A Höfner with Pyramid Golds has INSANE lows but also enough mids to sit nicely in the mix. It's a classic tone and one of my personal favourites for recording. Höfners are great basses and much more versatile than some people give them credit for, although playing them fingerstyle can take some time getting used to.

Neither of these options will sound EXACTLY like a P-bass but with the right type of flats you can a very similar tone/vibe. Close enough unless you're doing a Motown/Jamerson tribute band.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

(Of course there's also Option 3: Rip out the pickups/electronics in your Ibanez, install a vintage voiced P-bass pickup and wire it passive. That would more or less give you a P-bass. Install LaBella 760FL or other old school flats and you're good to go).

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Just get a Squire P CV and be done with it.

 

[BlueTalon]

I am mainly a guitar player who loves bass...

So, is there anyway to get that old sound without spending more on another bass?

Use your own ears. Don't pay attention to "everything" you read. You have enough experience as a guitar player who loves bass to know what you want your bass to sound like.

FWIW, I wouldn't play a P bass with flat strings on it if you paid me. Well, maybe if you paid me enough. I certainly wouldn't record with it. OK, if you paid me enough, I'd do that too. But if I'm recording my own bass for my own music and I want my own bass sound, there's no way I'm using a P with flats.

Given your selection of basses, I'd either use the Ibby or the jazz, with a fresh set of roundwound strings on it. Which one would depend on the sound and the feel.

 

[Basslice]

If you are recording just the bass, this would be easy. Play them all and pick the one you like. What is not being mentioned here is that you have to play the bass and see how it fits into the mix for the song you are playing. Isolated bass tracks and good sounding songs are two different things. Are you going direct or miking? Are you playing with others or building tracks and comping? So much to play with. I am afraid your question and answer is not so simple as picking one bass. You need to experiment. I have never played a Hofner, but I do own a Ibanez SR1200 and that is my go-to axe live. However, I prefer my F Jazz or Squire P bass for recording DI.

 

[Paul New]

Hmmm, both pickups open? There are two tests in that video, A and B. In A the Jazz has both pickups on, test B it's only using the neck pickup.

The difference with the Jazz having both pickups open (test A) is pretty sizeable but with just the neck pickup (test B) it's close enough to a P-bass sound, especially with a little bit of EQ tweaking.

That said... I'd suggest the OP try either the Jazz with the neck pickup solo'd or the SR800 with the bass set flat and the treble cut at least half way. (Might also want to experiment with having the volume knob backed off a bit.)

Many, many, recordings feature the jazz both pickup full open sound, which is not all that different from the p bass, and was used more on recordings than the precision for a while. It's a great sound for the studio, and quiet. I love my p basses but that's not the only game in town.