Some Tone Help, Please: Don't Flame Me, Bro!

[Rusty Chainsaw]

Bombtrack is a Stingray - you won't get that tone out of a J-type bass. At the time, he also used SWR amps for a very hi-fi tone. Totally changed his setup after that.

He used his modified Jazzes from "Evil Empire" onwards, along with modified Ampeg SVTs (up to three of them) and various effects pedals. He won't tell people what effects he uses or what modifications he's made to the amps and bass though, so experimentation is the order of the day. A good approximation would be overwound J pickups (SD Quarter Pounders, for example), some amp distortion (easy with an Ampeg or other valve amp, harder with others) and higher action.

 

[taygunov]

You won't be able to get Timmy C's tone. His rig is huge and he goes out of his way to make sure nobody duplicates his tone.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

To jump in here on a semi-related topic, I was talking to Michael Manring the other day and he said that he thinks the tone isn't in ALL people's hands as much as other people seem to say and think. He didn't want to quantify a percentage, though, and I can see why.

of course a player at his level would say something like that

he's already developed his own style over time...i bet if u gave him a Squier VM fretless against his Zon and asked him to play one of his original tunes just like on the record, he'd most likely be able to get the tone dialed in enough to represent himself appropriately...at least I hope he would :scowl:

 

[OneMoreRobot]

What I've learned:

I understand that almost all the players I mentioned use an Ampeg rig, and that it's not attainable with a GK.

I also understand now that if I want to sound closer to that I need to play harder.

I also know now that my truss rod needs to be adjusted. (Which should have happened when I spent 120 on a setup

I also know that the capacitor on my bass is too strong. It cuts WAY too much treble. Getting that fixed this weekend.

I also know now that my bass has some sick dub tone, just need to get the capacitor fixed so I have more volume when I roll the tone off.

My pickup height is good, but it wouldn't hurt to raise it

I think I've got my problems sorted out now, thanks everyone for their input.

 

[slyderhodge]

After raising your action have you tried different techniques. e.g. moving your right (assuming your right handed) closer to the bridge, instead of plucking with the meat of your fingers try using the more of the tips of your fingers in more of a downward (toward the pickups) try fretting with tips of your fingers instead of the fat part of your fingers Also try keeping less or you fretting hand on the bass, don't choke it, anchor your thumb and spread your fingers some.

Just a few thought from my few years of playing