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Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out
- Thread starter Korladis
- Start date
I use these. They’re cheap, sound great and maintain tension really well. https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...stainless-steel-extra-heavy-drop-bass-strings
Hehehe, my board technically has 3 fuzzes on it: an Antichthon, the Ron shaging Swanson Super-Fuzz, and "The German", a hybrid OD/Fuzz made by SAE effects. The German gets turned on fairly often, any time the Super Bassman's overdrive isn't quite getting me there. That pedal is usually set for more of an overdrive than anything, and the EQ gives it a bit more thump. The RFSSF is turned on for 2-3 songs when the bass is the heavy part of the arrangement, and the Antichthon really only gets turned on for its sound effects aspects on a couple of songs.
I used to just use the Super Bassman's overdrive and a NYC reissue Big Muff with the knobs dimed. But, I inherited the singer's homemade board when he upgraded, and I had 8 power spots, so why not have a few choices available? I'm probably going to swap out something for the TK-421 EQ pedal I did a vid for recently, but I'm not going to swap out a fuzz/distortion for it.
'Course, my guitarists both comment that I normally use more gain than they do. So, I may be on the distorted side of things.
ETA: hehee, the obscenity filter prefers "shagging"
ETA2: And I likes me some cheap fuzzes. I have a soft spot for my Berhinger SF300 fuzz. If I wasn't scared of breaking it when I stepped on it, it'd be on the board. I've used it live before, but I was worried about stepping hard.
I used to just use the Super Bassman's overdrive and a NYC reissue Big Muff with the knobs dimed. But, I inherited the singer's homemade board when he upgraded, and I had 8 power spots, so why not have a few choices available? I'm probably going to swap out something for the TK-421 EQ pedal I did a vid for recently, but I'm not going to swap out a fuzz/distortion for it.
'Course, my guitarists both comment that I normally use more gain than they do. So, I may be on the distorted side of things.
ETA: hehee, the obscenity filter prefers "shagging"
ETA2: And I likes me some cheap fuzzes. I have a soft spot for my Berhinger SF300 fuzz. If I wasn't scared of breaking it when I stepped on it, it'd be on the board. I've used it live before, but I was worried about stepping hard.
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I'm sure I'll keep the (diy) Superfuzz on the board. But hell, I might be running a pretty light board.
I dig simplicity, despite my 2 amp setup. I'd like 1 amp to rule the roost. The GK is too tinny on the top end. The peavey lacks lower register tightness and volume. I also seem to prefer old heavy SS to tube, though I might not have played the right tube amp yet.
SVTs sound good to my ears, but I have a strange aversion to them because they are The Bass Tube Head. Then again, some of my fave tones come from those beasties.
I've been looking at the Sound City mark iv Bass 150. Reasonably priced, and they have to punch above their weight. Nominally 150 watts, it has 4 KT88s, so it's likely peaking at 200 or more. But it might be too bright for my tastes, I dunno. No way to know since I can't play test one. I dig darker amps.
There's also the Mills Custom Atlas 400 which seems interesting. Tho I'm not sure what the tone stack is based on, fender I'm assuming.
The Orange ad200b as well, but I haven't played one. I am still an orange fanboy ever since I played guitar aeons ago.
Theres also cheaper SS options like a traynor monoblock, road 440, peavey 400 series and/or mark iv, etc.
I would like to get an Atlas 4x15 for this mystery awesome perfect-for-me amp to perch atop. Then clear out all the clutter of other stuff.
The struggle is real. Haha
I dig simplicity, despite my 2 amp setup. I'd like 1 amp to rule the roost. The GK is too tinny on the top end. The peavey lacks lower register tightness and volume. I also seem to prefer old heavy SS to tube, though I might not have played the right tube amp yet.
SVTs sound good to my ears, but I have a strange aversion to them because they are The Bass Tube Head. Then again, some of my fave tones come from those beasties.
I've been looking at the Sound City mark iv Bass 150. Reasonably priced, and they have to punch above their weight. Nominally 150 watts, it has 4 KT88s, so it's likely peaking at 200 or more. But it might be too bright for my tastes, I dunno. No way to know since I can't play test one. I dig darker amps.
There's also the Mills Custom Atlas 400 which seems interesting. Tho I'm not sure what the tone stack is based on, fender I'm assuming.
The Orange ad200b as well, but I haven't played one. I am still an orange fanboy ever since I played guitar aeons ago.
Theres also cheaper SS options like a traynor monoblock, road 440, peavey 400 series and/or mark iv, etc.
I would like to get an Atlas 4x15 for this mystery awesome perfect-for-me amp to perch atop. Then clear out all the clutter of other stuff.
The struggle is real. Haha
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What GK have you tried? I love my 700RB-II, and also dislike lots of top-end. My solution has been to use flats, though that was implemented after my GK was purchased as a result of every single drive pedal being too fizzy for my liking. Flats ended that, and I really like the “oomph” they give me. I’ve since tried rounds again, and I just can’t do them anymore. They’re just not my thing. Flats all the way.
800rb. I used flats before. I like my rotos. I would like to try chromes again, maybe in a thicker gauge. I'll have to look into thst.
Maybe I'm approaching this from the wrong direction? I could get the Atlas 4x15, as a stereo cab, run the GK to the bottom 2 speakers and the peavey to the top 2. . . Or hell, ain't Ampeg 810e's stereo too?
I'm rambling again. Never mind me, real life has got me stressed out. When that happens, I start obsessing about amps and gear. Way more fun than worrying about life
Good call, the chromes 5 string set has a .132 low C(or B) string. Loved chromes when I played them before. Will test drive some soon methinks.
Group Question:
Over the last year I've really started to noticed more touring metal bands shrinking down their rigs to DIs and digital sim boards like the Line 6, Kemper, etc. Specially in the newer tech death, various "core" sub genres, and post djenty stuff. Since learning about DIY recording I've come to see how common amp sims and IRs are, and in many ways how much easier they are to work with.
Do you think stoner\doom genres would ever go this route in the studio or live?
As it is, old and inconvenient rigs are still the norm, even for bass players who now have a rich field of technological wonders to pick from. Just the idea of using a 212 "super cab" and class D amp put me way outside what most bass players were using when I was playing this style.
Thoughts?
Over the last year I've really started to noticed more touring metal bands shrinking down their rigs to DIs and digital sim boards like the Line 6, Kemper, etc. Specially in the newer tech death, various "core" sub genres, and post djenty stuff. Since learning about DIY recording I've come to see how common amp sims and IRs are, and in many ways how much easier they are to work with.
Do you think stoner\doom genres would ever go this route in the studio or live?
As it is, old and inconvenient rigs are still the norm, even for bass players who now have a rich field of technological wonders to pick from. Just the idea of using a 212 "super cab" and class D amp put me way outside what most bass players were using when I was playing this style.
Thoughts?
I think the stoner culture is too ingrained with the analog and "organic" types of sounds to go that route any time soon.
(ingrained usually have a bad connotation, but i'm not implying it's a bad thing)
I don't know if stoner/doom tones are achievable with digital super modern stuff. Maybe doomers don't even want to try it, because most famous bands who use them are aiming for completely different things
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I have a helix effects and have used DIs for recording quite a bit. My 212 is fine but it’s not nearly as awesome as my svt and 810. I’m sure more and more bands will go for lighter setups but lots of the guys I know really like their amps. A kemper is cool but for that kind of money you could get a couple pretty awesome heads.
From what I've seen, most of the amps are there. For guitar there is a full range of Orange amps as well as some Soldano. I haven't seen any Matamp or Sunn sims. For bass Orange and Ampeg are all over the place.
I think where things might fall short is that the selection of pedal sims leaves a little to be desired. It seems like Stoner\doom bands are all about rare or boutique pedals that you will never see a sim of.
Probably not anytime soon. This genre is practically defined by copying Black Sabbath, and there was nothing digital on those old Sabbath records.
I think the genre is overdue for a shakeup, because there's just so much out there that sounds the same. Starting with gear wouldn't necessarily be a bad way to spark that.
As always, though, I have to make the caveat that I'm speaking from the perspective of a listener first and foremost. I've never been in a stoner/doom band.
I agree... Especially if we speak of tech death, "core" subgenres and djenty stuff, we speak in general of more polished sounds that emphatize complex rhythmic articulation to have those fast passages not sound as an indistinguishible mess
I can't see stoner/doom bands go that route either, for the same reasons you already mentioned.
It's interesting how much even this aspect of stoner/doom varies. I think of some bands where they use some extremely common, inexpensive pedals for their sound - think Cisneros with the DOD 250 & Boss DS-1. Then there are dudes like Aaron from YOB, who I recently saw with some DAM pedal, a Noble Pre, Cali 76 comp, etc. And there are lots of guys who land in the middle.
Likely no way. Big amps are fun. Sure I can get a 1000w class D amp the size of a business card and use it thru a 1x8 ultralight cab. But why? Give me some beatup heavy ass thing thru as many speakers I can afford and fit in a room. Lol. Standing in front of a stack makes me feel powerful, it's a total caveman retro vibe. Practical? Hell no, but that never stopped me before. Give me 4-6 knobs on an amp, a passive bass, and volume!
Like what everyone else is saying i feel like tone is so fetishized in this genre that its unlikely that bands will go that way. Its also such a small genre playing in run down bars and lots of other low class venues that until you are like sleep and yob big theres a good chance the PA wont be good enough to run these direct to front rigs and still sound decent. Atleast thats been my experience. Most of the PAs we play with are better off just doing vocals and kick drum
That is one aspect of this that has occurred to me. The PA support in many small venues is pretty bad. Being able to use a DI system or in-ears monitoring are just not going to happen.
The other side of that is that for small bands with a limited travel budget, a digital processor and a few lock cases takes up less space in the tour van than giant stacks. You can also have them in your room with you and not worry about your van getting stolen or broken into.
it depends, if some of the touring stoner bands shift i could see the hobby bands follow. but a lot of the touring bands have roadies and the weight is not as much of a concern for them. the hobby bands probably play less that 10 shows a year so having to move gear that infrequenly is not that much of a motivator to switch. i mean a lot of the 70s bands have gone ampless or class D, but that hasn't made anyone in the genre switch. then again most people only like the early records that these bands released, which were definitely not class D.
