Preamp or not

[OptimalOptimus]

Hi all!

Before going into my question here a little background. I play two Warwick Thumb BO6, one fretted and one fretless. I don't own any amp right now because I don't really care anymore to play outside. So I play into a Yamaha MG06. It is really well made, easy to use and I can play with whatever accompaniment I want.

Since I got the fretted one, I always find it kinda lacking. I mean I often lost it in a dense mix ( like playing with some Dream Theater ). So in a quest to make the bass pop up a little bit I tried 3 differents compressor. BOSS Bx1, MXR M87 and EBS compressor.

The MXR was kinda close to make it like I wanted.

But I got rid of them all.

Now I've got a preamp... I've got the Sansamp Bass driver V2. Cool pedal but I find it a little bit useless since the best tone I get with it is at noon without the Drive and Presence.

It has a nice distortion but I still prefer my Bigmuff PI over it.

I feel like I just don't know anymore. I guess somekind of boost and maybe some mid to make it POP a little bit would be enough. Or even try another compressor and boost the volume. I don't know.

 

[bassbrad]

A preamp might be what you are looking for but which one is going to be a game of trial and error that can get expensive. I have collected a dozen or so preamp pedals plus the ones on my Zoom pedals so if I may offer a two penny opinion.

Most flexible option for a clean preamp Southampton Ictineo just makes any instrument sound it is hard to find a bad sound on this pedal.

Best bang for the buck Zoom MS60B lots of preamp options, eq options and all the other bells and whistles. If you find something your really love this may tell you a direction to investigate and save lots of time and money in the long run.

 

[Jazz Ad]

A tone that gets through perfectly in a dense mix will most often sound ugly by itself.
The SansAmp gives a fair amount of compression when you push it. It is a pedal you typically use to push through.
Just don't be afraid to get to extreme settings.

 

[Pulverizor]

Sounds like a job for the Q-Strip.
Link Removed

 

[Jazz Ad]

Here's a good example.
This song was recorded with a Stingray straight into a Bass Driver, Nothing else.
At 2:15 there are 2 bars where the bass is by itself. It's rather raspy.
In the mix though, it sounds perfect, getting through without being obnoxious.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

Here's a good example.
This song was recorded with a Stingray straight into a Bass Driver, Nothing else.
At 2:15 there are 2 bars where the bass is by itself. It's rather raspy.
In the mix though, it sounds perfect, getting through without being obnoxious.

To me it sounded like typical metal tone. Alone you sound very distorted and in thé mix you disappear because the guitar play the same

 

[bassbrad]

To me it sounded like typical metal tone. Alone you sound very distorted and in thé mix you disappear because the guitar play the same

That is the challenge finding a working bass tone that too many many miss, you must consider context. What sounds good through your amp, speakers or head phones never translates in the mix with guitars, drums, cymbals, keys, synths because all those things have a masking effects over the bass. Very few bass players have a say in the final mix, we are only actors unless we produce and mix the record. .

 

[Jazz Ad]

Here's another approach and the guy uses a Thumb too. Very obnoxious clean, busy tone, full of mediums.
Well heard but he doesn't have much of a driving force.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

Here's another approach and the guy uses a Thumb too. Very obnoxious clean, busy tone, full of mediums.
Well heard but he doesn't have much of a driving force.

I like it a lot. Pretty much what I'm looking for

 

[JohnArnson]

Here's another approach and the guy uses a Thumb too. Very obnoxious clean, busy tone, full of mediums.
Well heard but he doesn't have much of a driving force.

Interesting, sounds like if Rush and Mr. Bungle had a child together.

 

[JimmyM]

Other than the frets, what's different about them?

 

[OptimalOptimus]

Other than the frets, what's different about them?

Nothing both are Thumb BO6, they are a year appart but the specs are the same.

 

[JimmyM]

Nothing both are Thumb BO6, they are a year appart but the specs are the same.

That seems weird they'd be so different, then. Maybe a preamp would help. Getting lost in a dense mix usually means lacking in mids somewhere. Do their own pres not have a mid control?

 

[OptimalOptimus]

That seems weird they'd be so different, then. Maybe a preamp would help. Getting lost in a dense mix usually means lacking in mids somewhere. Do their own pres not have a mid control?

The mwah of the fretless make it very audible

and yes both don’t have mid control