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Rusty Box settings for The Jesus Lizard tone

theholeinthings

theholeinthings

Dec 1, 2012
69
11
Carbondale, Illinois
#1
I've seen a lot of discussion about the Rusty Box on here but no actual settings for acquiring a tone like David Sims from The Jesus Lizard. So what specific settings do you guys use to simulate his tone? I assume the toggle switch should probably be set to hi, right? For reference check out "Then Comes Dudley" from the album Goat, or just that album in general. Thanks in advance.
 
#5
I have a Gibson Ripper that I run through a Gallien Krueger 800RB and Ampeg SVT-115EN. I usually run the all the eq settings flat (noon) when using a preamp such as the Rusty Box or the Tech 21 VT and I keep the boost on the amp cranked. As far as the push button on the 800rb are concerned, I don't usually engage them. I also have a Vintage Rat and newly acquired B3K that I'm still testing. I'm open to any suggestions for getting that David Sims tone with this gear, which shouldn't be too hard since he used most of this gear in some form or another.
 
#6
It might take a little tweeking since he used a Jazz bass all the time. That single coil definition with the Rusty is the closest I came to the Goat tone. I would start with the Rusty's eq's all at noon. Bring the treble up to about 1 - 3 o'clock. Mids 3 oclock. Gain about 1 - 2ish. That will get you roughly in the area. Depending on your head that im assuming is flat, maybe you could boost a little hi-mids there as well. I'd keep the low/hi toggle on hi. He did use 15's so your good there. Then just play like you friggin mean it. Thats important too.
 
#7
Use the Rusty as a preamp into a cranked 800RB power amp into 15s with a Jazz bass- EQ to taste! I think the Jazz (probably with all controls on full) is a big part of his tone, combined with a pretty heavy pick attack as you can watch live footage of him through an SVT/fridge in later years stack that still sounds like him. I don't know if he still had the original pickups in his Memphis Jazz bass, though from experience I can tell you that the pickups are the worst part of those Japanese Lawsuit-era copies (and they generally weren't even hum-cancelling with both pickups dimed like a Fender Jazz)!

Pretty sure that Goat was recorded with the Traynor amp that the Rusty is cloned from, as it was Steve Albini that introduced him to it in the studio. Here is a picture that I believe was taken from those sessions where he is using the Traynor: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/what-amp-316066/

As far as exact settings, it would be dependent on the rest of the gear and playing style. The Rusty always has its own strong tone no matter how the controls are set in my experience, so it would be a matter of getting the bass/technique part down more than anything!
 
#10
Thanks guys for the all the help! I've been messing around with the Rusty all day and it has been a lot of fun. I guess I won't be able to get his tone 100% cause he is using a Jazz Bass copy and I'm using a Ripper but that is fine. I just wanna get in a similar ballpark. This is may be a little bit off topic but still on topic with the Rusty, do any of you guys know if Greg Edwards from Failure used a Traynor TS-50B on the album Comfort? Steve Albini produced this album and I know collectively Failure was a fan of The Jesus Lizard and other bands Albini had produced. So I was just curious if anybody knew with certainty whether or not Greg Edwards used the Traynor TS-50B on that album because I don't think I've ever seen it mentioned. I know for other albums such as Magnified a big part of his sound was a Wal Bass through a SVT Classic and a Turbo Rat with a Boss EQ, but I'm just specifically wondering about his tone on the album Comfort since Albini produced it.

For reference check this out:
 
#12
I don't know for sure, but I think Sims also would use a Turbo Rat into the front of the 800RB to duplicate that tone live (probably where the "HI Boost" part of the 800RB would be useful), though I am pretty sure I've seen footage where he actually has the Traynor and 800RB on stage together (could be crazy though).
 
#16
I actually just got a B3K myself to mess around with and see what all the hype is about. I also find it is the best run after the Rusty and really does complement the Rusty nicely by rounding/chunking it up a bit. It can be a very bright combination, but not unuseably so for me! I don't think either pedal is going anywhere for now.
 
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#17
sunbeast said:
I actually just got a B3K myself to mess around with and see what all the hype is about. I also find it is the best run after the Rusty and really does complement the Rusty nicely by rounding/chunking it up a bit. It can be a very bright combination, but not unuseably so for me! I don't think either pedal is going anywhere for now.
Click to expand...


I wish I didn't read this. I am interested in replacing my PBDDI with a Rusty Box to run with my B3K. I just ordered a SS/BS Team Awesome Fuzzmachine, so I might have to pace myself a bit. I like what I have heard of the Rusty Box so far.
 
#18
Road Bull said:
I wish I didn't read this. I am interested in replacing my PBDDI with a Rusty Box to run with my B3K. I just ordered a SS/BS Team Awesome Fuzzmachine, so I might have to pace myself a bit. I like what I have heard of the Rusty Box so far.
Click to expand...

The TAFM is my other current dirt box- all three together is a REALLY good combination! Oddly I find the B3K sounds best to me after the TAFM as well, as I am used to putting overdrive before fuzz generally.
 
#19
My advice too is to try to wring as much clarity from your eq as you can before you distort it. The Traynor TS-50B has a really nice, clear clean sound. I think much of the top end character of Sims' sound came from the clarity of his EV loaded Dietz cabs coupled with the amps he used to record and live. It gives cutting highs without needing to dial ice pick levels of treble.

I'm sure with a Rusty Box and an 800RB you'll have no problem finding a tone in the ballpark of Sims you're happy with.

Does your cab have a tweeter?
 
#20
Nah there isn't a tweeter in my cab. It is an Ampeg SVT-115EN that I got used a few years ago and it is the only "good" cab I've ever owned. I really like the portability of having one relatively small cab, but lately I've been wondering if adding another matching cab would be a good idea...just to achieve a bigger sound.
 

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