Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[scabpicker]

I'd like to own one of those basses, too. I don't know if it'd replace the P-basses in the current live stable, but I wants one. Keep us in the loop if you start making them.


We had a good show tonight with the only real screwups being in a song that we debuted after practing a total of about 5 times, it still wasn't a trainwreck, and was an approximation of what we wanted it to be. Everything else seemed pretty solid, even my backup vocals. Large-ish (250+) crowd, we were the opener on a weird bill as a result of a double booking that ended up with a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band headlining over the other bands booked (I don't know how, I didn't ask). Several strangers complimented me on the show afterward. An audience member approached me and said we reminded him of Corrosion of Conformity. I replied that I hadn't thought of them as a direct influence, but thanks, I take it as a definite compliment. I joke with the other band members that if I ran the show, we'd be a metal band, but I think of us as a rock band. A pretty loud, distorted psychedelic rock band that listened to wayyyy too much AC/DC and 70's punk, but still pretty much a rock band.

Then I went home and listened to some CoC to refresh my memory a little. Wow, especially on our slower songs, the guy was right! I would have never heard or thought of it if he hadn't said it. Now I gotta figure out how to exploit that in the best possible way without making it obvious in future songs.

 

[Novarocker]

I'd like to own one of those basses, too. I don't know if it'd replace the P-basses in the current live stable, but I wants one. Keep us in the loop if you start making them.


We had a good show tonight with the only real screwups being in a song that we debuted after practing a total of about 5 times, it still wasn't a trainwreck, and was an approximation of what we wanted it to be. Everything else seemed pretty solid, even my backup vocals. Large-ish (250+) crowd, we were the opener on a weird bill as a result of a double booking that ended up with a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band headlining over the other bands booked (I don't know how, I didn't ask). Several strangers complimented me on the show afterward. An audience member approached me and said we reminded him of Corrosion of Conformity. I replied that I hadn't thought of them as a direct influence, but thanks, I take it as a definite compliment. I joke with the other band members that if I ran the show, we'd be a metal band, but I think of us as a rock band. A pretty loud, distorted psychedelic rock band that listened to wayyyy too much AC/DC and 70's punk, but still pretty much a rock band.

Then I went home and listened to some CoC to refresh my memory a little. Wow, especially on our slower songs, the guy was right! I would have never heard or thought of it if he hadn't said it. Now I gotta figure out how to exploit that in the best possible way without making it obvious in future songs.

Thanks and yeah it'll for sure be done, just how soon I'll start will be the biggest question. I plan on doing some crowd inquiries for options and whatnot in the not so distant future. I'll keep everyone in the loop.

Sounds like a good time! I miss doing shows and getting those compliments that really surprise you. We were the same way, not sure if you'd call it metal but definitely heavy psych rock. A old guy once told us we reminded him of king crimson. I was blown away by that, but listening to em I'd tend to agree. Them, hawkwind, all them witches, RATM, Hendrix, Zep, and punk were all heavy influences/similarities to our sound.

Man I miss playing shows...

 

[oZZma]

Tonight I recorded our reharsal with a Tascam DP 008EX I bought a couple of months ago to play and record without an amp at my disposal...
Fact is, I am listening the recordings and I sound A LOT more "mellow" than I hear myself
I hear myself a lot harsher than that. And even our previous recordings sound different (even though they were crappy phone recordings... They sounded more or less like how I feel the sound when I play)
I am confused Is that normal??
I don't want to sound that way... Now I don't know if I should trust my ears, or this damn recorder!

 

[cornfarmer]

@Novarocker good job on that bass. What pickups did you use?
https://www.talkbass.com/members/novarocker.284647/
I had a rando jam with 2 rando craigslist dudes - a creepy guitar player and an actual pretty good drummer. The guitarist pulls out this Fractal FX thing with a big arse pedal board controller and I'm like 'here we go' and he proceeds to fart around with his crap while me and the drummer just start playing, and we pretty much lock in instantly. Guitarist finally catches up, and he's pretty okay-ish, but what he said he wanted to do and what he actually was playing were pretty different. No thanks, but luckily I met a good drummer....me and him are now in touch and I'm going to have him revive the band that's on life-support.

Another guitar player I've been sort of waiting on to get his shiite together has found a drummer too, so things are lookin' up finally.

I was bored and plasti-dipped my pickups

 

[oZZma]

I was bored and plasti-dipped my pickups

Is that a Peavey T-40? I'm feeling so melancholic these days that I'm almost on the verge of buying one of these, with an EGC neck, just to ease the pain.

 

[Novarocker]

@Novarocker good job on that bass. What pickups did you use?
I had a rando jam with 2 rando craigslist dudes - a creepy guitar player and an actual pretty good drummer. The guitarist pulls out this Fractal FX thing with a big arse pedal board controller and I'm like 'here we go' and he proceeds to fart around with his crap while me and the drummer just start playing, and we pretty much lock in instantly. Guitarist finally catches up, and he's pretty okay-ish, but what he said he wanted to do and what he actually was playing were pretty different. No thanks, but luckily I met a good drummer....me and him are now in touch and I'm going to have him revive the band that's on life-support.

Another guitar player I've been sort of waiting on to get his shiite together has found a drummer too, so things are lookin' up finally.

I was bored and plasti-dipped my pickups

Thanks, they're from EY music, some Chinese company, but if you find tbird pups for ~$35-50e or $75-90 a pair on eBay/reverb odds are it's theirs. They sound great, some are slightly microphonic like my neck one. Someone on here mentioned that they sound real close to the original tbirds.

The bridge is actually a mustang pup hot glued to the cover. I have the tbird bridge too and I'm torn on which to keep in it.

Is that a Peavey T-40? I'm feeling so melancholic these days that I'm almost on the verge of buying one of these, with an EGC neck, just to ease the pain.

I would love to try an EGC. I wouldn't get to hung up on the recording if that's what's sending you down that rut. Single mic recordings can be deceiving, what are you listening to it back through?

 

[lucas303]

Tonight I recorded our reharsal with a Tascam DP 008EX I bought a couple of months ago to play and record without an amp at my disposal...
Fact is, I am listening the recordings and I sound A LOT more "mellow" than I hear myself
I hear myself a lot harsher than that. And even our previous recordings sound different (even though they were crappy phone recordings... They sounded more or less like how I feel the sound when I play)
I am confused Is that normal??
I don't want to sound that way... Now I don't know if I should trust my ears, or this damn recorder!

Were you running direct into the 8 track or did you have your cab mic'ed?

 

[Mordamir]

I was supposed to sell a couple of guitars today but my friend was apparently overly enthusiastic in his drunken state last night and decided against it now that he has sobered up. I was planning on buying a broken pbass to hack up but that apparently got sold while I was waiting on him to pay me.

I don't know, I just had the idea to route a cavity for a soapbar pickup I have right near the bridge and set it up for BEAD/A#. Now that's going to drive me crazy until I do it.

 

[br1qbat]

Tonight I recorded our reharsal with a Tascam DP 008EX I bought a couple of months ago to play and record without an amp at my disposal...
Fact is, I am listening the recordings and I sound A LOT more "mellow" than I hear myself
I hear myself a lot harsher than that. And even our previous recordings sound different (even though they were crappy phone recordings... They sounded more or less like how I feel the sound when I play)
I am confused Is that normal??
I don't want to sound that way... Now I don't know if I should trust my ears, or this damn recorder!

Are you using the built in mics?

 

[cornfarmer]

The bolt on necks EGC make are really great. The one I have on the Aluminumbird basically has MIJ Fender p-bass specs. I assume the T-40 ones they make are based on the Peavey neck? It's a logical combination, as a T-40 was used on Big Black's records. I wonder how much an EGC T-40 weighs.

 

[scabpicker]

Are you using the built in mics?

Yeah, that's my first question. I use a Tascam DR-05 to capture sketches when my band's working on something new. It's built in mics are quite good up to a certain volume level, but that really kind of stops at a point well below drum set SPLs. It has to be pretty far from the set, and the levels still have to be set really low to get away with it. Throw the rest of the band in there, and that's a lot for two tiny mics housed in plastic to deal with. I end up being pretty happy with it for a live recording, but it's not even as good as the monitor mix at a decent club. Two SM57s placed well would be a lot better than the built in mics.

I usually end up EQing the stereo mix I get out of that a bit to get it to sound somewhere near decent before foisting it on the rest of the band. There's been a few where I'm happy enough with the result that I'd put it out as a single, but that's the exception really, and more based on the performance that was captured than anything. It's miles above recording on a boom box, but I wouldn't turn a knob on my amp because of the sound I got from the built in mics.

 

[oZZma]

Yes I'm using the built-in mics, I have nothing else at the moment... And we play LOUD I'll try placing it somewhere else the next time but I dunno... The bass seemed really different from how I usually perceive it

 

[oZZma]

The bolt on necks EGC make are really great. The one I have on the Aluminumbird basically has MIJ Fender p-bass specs. I assume the T-40 ones they make are based on the Peavey neck? It's a logical combination, as a T-40 was used on Big Black's records. I wonder how much an EGC T-40 weighs.

I assume it weighs a ton
But I don't care much about that, "heavy basses for heavy riffs"
Anyways it's not even sure I can grab it, the guy had other offers..

 

[Jolagh]

Speaking of t40s my brother just ordered a 79 t40. Its supposed to be getting delivered today. Im excited to give it a try as ive never gotten to play a t40

 

[gfen]

Speaking of new basses, I've decided I'll never own an Ashbory so I'm gonna buy one of those stupid ukelele basses. Do they doom?

 

[oZZma]

Wow guys I'm super excited!! Seems like I'm getting that bass in the end

 

[br1qbat]

Yes I'm using the built-in mics, I have nothing else at the moment... And we play LOUD I'll try placing it somewhere else the next time but I dunno... The bass seemed really different from how I usually perceive it

Our tascam handles everything except the bass well. I find most of the upper frequencies on bass (especially fuzz) get washed out. I wouldn't sweat it if you like how you sound in the room. Plus I majorly farted out the mics with the low end thunder. I'm certainly looking to add a pair of 57s

 

[Kriegs]

Wow guys I'm super excited!! Seems like I'm getting that bass in the end View attachment 3448228

Nice!

 

[oZZma]

Our tascam handles everything except the bass well. I find most of the upper frequencies on bass (especially fuzz) get washed out. I wouldn't sweat it if you like how you sound in the room. Plus I majorly farted out the mics with the low end thunder. I'm certainly looking to add a pair of 57s

Good to know, thanks a lot! Yeah I like a lot the sound in the room, in fact I was totally baffled by these recordings

 

[lucas303]

Yes I'm using the built-in mics, I have nothing else at the moment... And we play LOUD I'll try placing it somewhere else the next time but I dunno... The bass seemed really different from how I usually perceive it

Yeah you're pretty much fighting a losing battle trying to use built-in mics on most stuff. I definitely wouldn't use any built-in mics as a reference...trust your ears.