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Smashing Pumpkins
- Thread starter DiFroscia86
- Start date
For the most part, the recorded bass tone was a P-bass with the mids heavily scooped out (300-800hz nearly gone). A P-bass and a pick will get you mostly there - add an Ampeg 810 and possibly the SVT 4 PRO and you should get a decent approximation of her live bass tone.
Honestly though, many different kinds of bass tones can work within the context of Pumpkins songs. I would not stress on getting that tone perfectly.
Honestly though, many different kinds of bass tones can work within the context of Pumpkins songs. I would not stress on getting that tone perfectly.
i dont want to sound like her. i am enquiring. i have my own idea of what she does. but just wondering on more info.
Benjamin Strange
Commercial User
- Dec 25, 2002
- 9,737
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- Owner / Tech: Strange Guitarworks
Live, I believe it was Mesa 400+ and 2x15s. Or at least that's what it was when I saw them at Lollapalooza in... damn, was it 1994?
She mostly used Jazz basses with a pick, sometimes she used a black Precision with rat stickers on it. She recorded most of the pumpkins songs while she was in the band except for Siamese Dream. I don't know much about what amps she used but it was a Trace elliot rig for the early days and an SVT rig before she quit, in between that time she often used a rack setup with nameless looking cabs and it's hard to figure out what this gear was. There are also some youtube videos of her recording songs from Mellon Collie. I totally love her tone on Mellon Collie, (one of the reasons I play a jazz with a pick) well actually I love all the tones on that album, Billy has an amazing guitar tone as well. I saw them live on the Siamese Dream tour and on the Mellon Collie tour, they were very good.
Benjamin Strange
Commercial User
- Dec 25, 2002
- 9,737
- 310
- 49
- Disclosures
- Owner / Tech: Strange Guitarworks
All P Basses have single coils. They were just straight single coil pickups until 1957 I believe and then they changed them to a new split coil pickup with staggered polepieces, connected in a humbucking mode.
Always sounded like a 70's Jazz through an SVT to me, with fresh roundwounds and a pick. Lots of triplet feels and octave and 5th accents that add texture. Such a great band. A sansamp BDDI will get you pretty close if you don't want to spring for a big heavy amp.
I think in my opinion and what ive seen. she used p bass mostly but towards the end of her career in the band she used a jazz bass custom pickups. but her amp was def a svt i believe.
Yep. Go to some concerts. Chances are within 10 years most of the bands you saw will be broke up, on hiatus, missing well known members, etc etc.
