Pbass sound

[Bob McAlister]

Hi there folks. I’m looking to get a classic p bass sound from my USA fitted p bass played through my GK mb500 amp. Not classic like Geezer, but that fat yet thumpy sound. Also, I don’t like flats and the foam in front of the bridge thing. What are your suggestions?

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

Taking flats and foam out of the equation pretty much means not getting the answer you want.

I guess you could try going really extreme with your tone cap value to roll off more highs?
Also raising the action might help, but not sure how much that applies to round wound strings.

 

[turf3]

I've got a cheap plywood nylon string guitar and I want to make it sound like Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster, but I don't like electric guitars, Marshall amps, or wah wah pedals. Can anyone help?

 

[Killing Floor]

Flats aren’t essential, just play the snot out of your rounds and don’t wipe them clean, they’ll dull out a lot and you’ll get close. The main thing flats offer is less string noise. But older rounds also make less noise because all the skin and sweat gravy gets in the grooves, mmmmm good. Try a small piece of foam or felt shoved under your strings at the bridge. That helps. Even though I hear you saying you don’t like it, that was a very common way to achieve the tone you are seeking. Since you’re using rounds keep the tone dialed back.

And learn to palm mute too.

The classic P Bass sound is really a simile for “any 60s song I like” as the reality outside the bounds of bass forums is that not every song was recorded with a P bass with flats and a mute and a pick. But a lot were.

Palm Mute Technique. Go

 

[Bob McAlister]

I've got a cheap plywood nylon string guitar and I want to make it sound like Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster, but I don't like electric guitars, Marshall amps, or wah wah pedals. Can anyone help?

CUTE

 

[Bob McAlister]

Flats aren’t essential, just play the snot out of your rounds and don’t wipe them clean, they’ll dull out a lot and you’ll get close. The main thing flats offer is less string noise. But older rounds also make less noise because all the skin and sweat gravy gets in the grooves, mmmmm good. Try a small piece of foam or felt shoved under your strings at the bridge. That helps. Even though I hear you saying you don’t like it, that was a very common way to achieve the tone you are seeking. Since you’re using rounds keep the tone dialed back.

And learn to palm mute too.

The classic P Bass sound is really a simile for “any 60s song I like” as the reality outside the bounds of bass forums is that not every song was recorded with a P bass with flats and a mute and a pick. But a lot were.

Palm Mute Technique. Go

Ok, I think I'll try the foam mute thing to start. Thx.

 

[Levent]

Palm mute but soft mute, hard thumb.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I don't like the feel of the flats, but can get close to the sound using rounds w/ foam. It's not going to be identical but very close.

 

[Manticore]

Use a P and whatever strings, amp and cab you want. Use a combination of EQ on the amp and palm muting to achieve the desired results. Simple. No special equipment needed.

 

[FullumMusic]

“I want the classic P Bass sound without the things that make the classic P bass sound.”

But all jokes aside, play with the thumb + palm mute. Dead roundwounds. Play finger style at the neck (not the neck pickup, the neck) and get good at fretboard hand muting. Roll the tone all the way off. Tube amp.

 

[Pilgrim]

Hi there folks. I’m looking to get a classic p bass sound from my USA fitted p bass played through my GK mb500 amp. Not classic like Geezer, but that fat yet thumpy sound. Also, I don’t like flats and the foam in front of the bridge thing. What are your suggestions?

If you don't like flats, my best idea is to wait about five to 10 years until the rounds on your bass have mellowed to the point they sound like flats.

And if you don't like foam, try putting a scrunchie hair band over the strings on the neck.

Check back in 5 years after the strings have settled in, and let us know how it's working.

Otherwise, you're asking a Jag XK-E to drive like a Chevy pickup.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Flats are what make that old P thump come out. Other than that maybe an old amp or something, but that’s significantly more expensive than trying a couple sets of flats out and seeing what works for you. I personally like LaBella 760fl on P’s and GHS precision flats on J’s.

 

[Lowendchamp]

Have you tried Tapewounds? Got the desired effect on my P bass with them after flats rounds and pressures didn't do it for me.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hi there folks. I’m looking to get a classic p bass sound from my USA fitted p bass played through my GK mb500 amp. Not classic like Geezer, but that fat yet thumpy sound. Also, I don’t like flats and the foam in front of the bridge thing. What are your suggestions?

EQ with low mids boosted. Like around 125 HZ. Do not boost the bass high mids or treble,mileage those flat.

‘On the PB set the volume at slightly less that 80 and roll off the tone to taste. One last thing, you may want to try some compression wounds as opposed to rounds. Once you get some hours on those compression wounds, you should get much more of of the sound you are looking for.

 

[Cleezmo]

I guess my first question is, which 'classic P-bass' tone are you chasing? For me, I think of two versions of 'classic P-bass' tones - 60's Motown (that was all, or nearly all flats) or the 70's / early 80's P-bass rock tone (I'm thinking early John Mellencamp or Tom Petty tunes, for example). Which are you after, Jamerson or '70s rock?

At the end of the day, even if you don't change a thing on your bass, you can play with EQ knobs on the amp and the tone knob on your bass until you get somewhere close to what you want. And then you can decide if that's close enough, or if you want to reconsider part of the bass setup equation to get closer.

 

[Grinderman]

Standard Dunlop nickel rounds, not the Super Bright ones, played for about 6 to 12 months and palm mute at the bridge, and, if you really want to go Ye, a.1μF cap on tone.

+ What dbsfgyd1 said, bump up the EQ mid lows. A tube amp or tube pre-amp would help.

//Disclosure, I did all that before. Then came the foam and eventually the LaBella DTF 760M 1954s one P and GHS Precision 105-55 flats on the other P. Trying out Fender 9050 flats, coming from using rounds could be a good intermediate or transitional step.

 

[SpiderBass1965]

Fender 9050 flats and dial the tone potentiometer back until you wear those flats brilliance down a bit. You might look into a tube preamp for some warmth.

 

[Bob McAlister]

If you don't like flats, my best idea is to wait about five to 10 years until the rounds on your bass have mellowed to the point they sound like flats.

And if you don't like foam, try putting a scrunchie hair band over the strings on the neck.


Check back in 5 years after the strings have settled in, and let us know how it's working.)


Otherwise, you're asking a Jag XK-E to drive like a Chevy pickup.

 

[Peterson]

Use old dirty strings
Bass up all the way on amp and guitar

 

[Bob McAlister]

I tried cranking the tone knob on pbass to like 20% from off. AMP: cut 20% off amp treble, flat on upper middle, boosted the low mids 20%, and boosted the bass about 20%. Strings are a bit old, and the tone is very close to what I was looking for! I also have one of those Velcro fuzzy things guys place right before the nut. That might increase the ‘thumpage factor’.

BTW Pigrim,
I wanna join a ‘scrunchie hair band’’!
Ops, too late.