Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[scabpicker]

Dang, I'm not really one to follow the crowd, but I've heard these neat things about Chromes. Folks say they aren't addictive. Think I could string one of my short scales with them and I won't get hooked?

Edited add: The only flats I've played are D'Addarios. I bought a P-bass that came strung with them and loved it. Since then, when I break a string, the deader than dead rounds (I used to rub new sets of rounds with Chap-Stik) get replaced with them. If I get converted, I get converted hard.

 

[lucas303]

I've never tried chromes. What is it about them that has won over the best thread on talkbass?

 

[JimboP]

I've never tried chromes. What is it about them that has won over the best thread on talkbass?

They are the brightest of the flatwounds, not as bright as rounds, with that big fundamental flatwound thump. My only gripe with them is that they are quite high tension. Not an issue for slow riffing, but makes quicker finger style riffing more challenging. I recently swapped my 7yo chromes for Dunlop DBFS45105 flats out of curiosity. While the Dunlops are a bit lower tension and thus a bit easier to play, they just don't have the same thump.

 

[bassboysam]

pretty sure the cobalt flats are quite a bit brighter than chromes. chromes will eventually mellow out and like most flats the heavier gauges will have faster decay and more thump. the cobalts are closer to rounds and don't get as dead and thumpy.

 

[kleinenenten]

They are the brightest of the flatwounds, not as bright as rounds, with that big fundamental flatwound thump. My only gripe with them is that they are quite high tension. Not an issue for slow riffing, but makes quicker finger style riffing more challenging. I recently swapped my 7yo chromes for Dunlop DBFS45105 flats out of curiosity. While the Dunlops are a bit lower tension and thus a bit easier to play, they just don't have the same thump.

Personally, the high tension makes it easier for me to do speedy riffs. I know where the string will be instead of flopping around loosely. And definitely not the brightest flats these days, though not wanting either.

 

[lizardking837]

pretty sure the cobalt flats are quite a bit brighter than chromes. chromes will eventually mellow out and like most flats the heavier gauges will have faster decay and more thump. the cobalts are closer to rounds and don't get as dead and thumpy.

Cool, I'll have to give those a try on my P.

 

[JohnArnson]

A new recording of my bass setup, since I changed some settings since last I posted, recorded via the line out of my amp and then into my sound interface, using the various effects I use most, in this order:


00:00 - 03:05 > Clean tone.

03:05 - 06:35 > Flanger on the bass signal, phaser on the octave up signal.

06:34 - 09:15 > Distortion, which is my Behringer GDI21 (Tech 21 GT2 clone) on the bass signal in the California setting, using the Clean mode and with the mic position set to Center, blended with some cleans via my Boss LS-2, and then combined with a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone on the octave up signal.


Link to the audio file on DropBox (if you are not logged into DropBox a box might pop up encouraging you to sign up to DropBox, blocking for the audio player, in that case just left click with your mouse somewhere in the window outside of that box and the audio player will become visible.):

Dropbox - Ibanez Mikro 5 Samples.mp3 - Simplify your life

The bass used is my 5 string Ibanez GSRM25 Mikro bass, with it's 2 J pickups wired in series directly to the output jack socket, tuned in F# standard, as in F#1 to D3, 2 half steps above standard E tuning, and I split my signal in 2 always active parallel signal paths, one carrying my bass signal, and one going through a Sub'n'Up Mini octaver set to pitch my bass signal 1 octave up, giving an effect similar to playing an octave bass, as in a bass with pairs of bass and octave strings, only I this way am able to manipulate the two signals separately.

After couple of times listening through the recording I wasn't really satisfied with how it sounded, so I readjusted the settings of my setup almost completely from the ground, really thoroughly, by adjusting the tone of respectively the bass signal and the octave up signal separately with the different effects, preamps and EQs, and after that the 2 signals combined, and then recorded a new sound test of my readjusted setup, and I think this sounds much better, actually really satisfied with how it sounds now.

Link to the audio file and player on DropBox (if you are not logged into DropBox a box might pop up encouraging you to sign up to DropBox, blocking for the audio player, in that case just left click with your mouse somewhere in the window outside of that box and the box will disappear making the audio player accessible).:

Invalid Link Removed


And the order of the effects used on the recording is:

00:00 - 03:06 > My clean tone, though with a subtle touch of hair and grid, which is the bass signal going through my EHX Black Finger (tube driven optical compressor), which adds some tube coloration and warmth, as well as a very subtle compression with a slow attack time, mostly effecting the low end of my signal and really only starting to kick in softly when I dig in, then a bit of mild overdrive is blended in with the clean bass signal via my Boss LS-2, using a Joyo Orange Juice pedal (analog Orange style amp emulator, simplified clone of Tech 21 Oxford), that adds a bit more snap and bite to the tone as well, finally going into an 8 band graphic equalizer for further fine tuning of the tone on the bass side of my split signal path.
And on the octave up signal side the pitched up signal after my Sub'n'Up Mini is going into a Zoom G1Xon digital multi effect, using a patch I programmed specifically for this purpose that adds some subtle tremolo and a bit of plate reverb, and from there then finally going into a Joyo American Sound preamp (analog Fender style amp emulator, Tech 21 Blonde clone).

03:09 - 06:37 > My phychedlic tone, with sort of a mystical oriental vibe to it, which is a fairly moderate flanger effect on the bass signal and a quite prominent phaser effect on the octave up signal.

06:40 - 09:53 > My high gain distortion tone, which is my Behringer GDI21 (Tech 21 GT2 clone) on the bass signal, used in the California setting (Mesa Boogie-esque dirt), in Clean mode (still distorts a lot with the gain turned up), and with the mic position set to Center, blended with some clean bass signal via my Boss LS-2, and then combined with a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone on the octave up signal.

 

[Kriegs]

After couple of times listening through the recording I wasn't really satisfied with how it sounded, so I readjusted the settings of my setup almost completely from the ground, really thoroughly, by adjusting the tone of respectively the bass signal and the octave up signal separately with the different effects, preamps and EQs, and after that the 2 signals combined, and then recorded a new sound test of my readjusted setup, and I think this sounds much better, actually really satisfied with how it sounds now.

Link to the audio file and player on DropBox (if you are not logged into DropBox a box might pop up encouraging you to sign up to DropBox, blocking for the audio player, in that case just left click with your mouse somewhere in the window outside of that box and the box will disappear making the audio player accessible).:

Invalid Link Removed


And the order of the effects used on the recording is:

00:00 - 03:06 > My clean tone, though with a subtle touch of hair and grid, which is the bass signal going through my EHX Black Finger (tube driven optical compressor), which adds some tube coloration and warmth, as well as a very subtle compression with a slow attack time, mostly effecting the low end of my signal and really only starting to kick in softly when I dig in, then a bit of mild overdrive is blended in with the clean bass signal via my Boss LS-2, using a Joyo Orange Juice pedal (analog Orange style amp emulator, simplified clone of Tech 21 Oxford), that adds a bit more snap and bite to the tone as well, finally going into an 8 band graphic equalizer for further fine tuning of the bass signal tone.
And on the octave up signal side of my split signal path the pitched up signal after my Sub'n'Up Mini is going into a Zoom G1Xon digital multi effect, using a patch I programmed specifically for this purpose that adds some subtle tremolo and a bit of plate reverb, and from there then finally going into a Joyo American Sound preamp (analog Fender style amp emulator, Tech 21 Blonde clone).

03:09 - 06:37 > My phychedlic tone, with sort of a mystical oriental vibe to it, which is a fairly moderate flanger effect on the bass signal and a quite prominent phaser effect on the octave up signal.

06:40 - 09:53 > My high gain distortion tone, which is my Behringer GDI21 (Tech 21 GT2 clone) on the bass signal, used in the California setting (Mesa Boogie-esque dirt), in Clean mode (still distorts a lot with the gain turned up), and with the mic position set to Center, blended with some clean bass signal via my Boss LS-2, and then combined with a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone on the octave up signal.

I prefer the sound of the last section on the original recording (starting at 6:34) vs. the newer one (starting at 6:40). To my ears, it sounds more 'natural', less processed, if that makes any sense.

 

[JBOWLES]

Been out of here for a week or so, but thank y’all for the suggestions on the Darkglass tone capsule!

I use Chromes on a jazz in standard. I like them quite a bit, but I’ve never tried any other flat aside from a set of Fender flats years ago.

 

[eyeballkid]

i didnt dig chromes at all. Cobalts I really liked, but nylon flats are a goddamn win! Theyve got low tension, feel like lively rubber bands, have a nice thwacky attack with a crispy edge but are just full bodied rooma-zoom-zoom!

 

[JohnArnson]

I prefer the sound of the last section on the original recording (starting at 6:34) vs. the newer one (starting at 6:40). To my ears, it sounds more 'natural', less processed, if that makes any sense.

I think the distortion on the original recording sounds a bit too dark and slightly muffled, which I certainly manage to correct on the new version, but listening to it again I can certainly hear what you mean, and I guess I will need to adjust my distortion tone again, to get it to sound a bit more like the first recording, only just with not quite as much low end and a bit more open sounding, like on the new recording.

The new version has a bit more gain on the distortion on both the bass and octave up side of the signal, the bass signal has a bit less clean bass signal blended in, the octave up signal on the new recording also is balanced a bit higher in the mix compared to the first recording, and I think the slightly boosted mids on the Metal Zone I use for the distortion of the octave up signal is set to a bit higher frequency on the new recording as well.

I think blending in slightly more cleans on the bass side of the signal, turning down the octave up signal slightly, and lower the slightly boosted mids on the Metal Zone, used for the distortion on the octave up signal, slightly as well might get me there, and if not then turning down the gain of the distortion on both sides of the signal a bit too.

But as for the clean tone and the flanger/phaser tone I think the new settings, used for the new recording, is a clear and big improvement over the previous settings, used on the first recording, and I am really satisfied with those aspects of my bass tone, but guess I went a bit too far with changing the distortion tone, though I still think it improved in some aspects, even if not exactly overall ending up being better than the previous settings used on the first recording.

Thanks for pointing that out, I agree to some extend and appreciate your input.

It will help me improve my tone.

 

[oZZma]

I must be the only one who never tried flats. They don't appeal me at all

 

[Jolagh]

I must be the only one who never tried flats. They don't appeal me at all

The only flats ive ever tried were on a p bass at a guitar shop. So im right there with you. I like a bright zingy bass

 

[Kriegs]

I must be the only one who never tried flats. They don't appeal me at all

I tried flats for the first time this past summer (after 35 years of playing ) and have to admit that they sound much better than I thought that they would. I have 2 sets of them, one for my P-bass and one for my SS Thunderbird. That said, my P-bass and Tbird both have roundwounds on them right now but I keep the flats off to the side for specific tones for specific songs/ projects. Like anything else, I consider them another tool in my sonic toolbox to help serve the song better.

 

[xJasonSmithx]

I picked this up on FB Marketplace on a whim. It actually sounds really good. From what I have read it is a Tube Screamer with a clean blend and a Muff tone stack. It is a really grindy overdrive with lots of mids. I don't know if I will end up keeping it but it is definitely worth picking up if you see one cheap.

 

[JimboP]

pretty sure the cobalt flats are quite a bit brighter than chromes. chromes will eventually mellow out and like most flats the heavier gauges will have faster decay and more thump. the cobalts are closer to rounds and don't get as dead and thumpy.

Of course you're right... I forgot about Cobalts. I tried them a while ago but found them too bright and again, lacking that fundamental thump. Admittedly I wasn't patient enough to wear them in. Maybe I forgot about them on purpose

 

[br1qbat]

I just dig chromes, lively but not too zingy, stiff but not telephone wire, smooth flats feel without the deader than dead tone. Plus they aren't that hard to find, nor do they cost an arm and a leg.

 

[Novarocker]

Cobalts are the only flats I've had on a bass I own. I've used others a couple times but I wouldn't count that really. I like em a lot, basically what Sam said, though to me they have more thump than rounds for sure. I dig the bright and harmonic sound and this gets me there without any finger noise and minimal compromise.

I do wanna try Chromes, I also wanna try their brights just for kicks.

I picked this up on FB Marketplace on a whim. It actually sounds really good. From what I have read it is a Tube Screamer with a clean blend and a Muff tone stack. It is a really grindy overdrive with lots of mids. I don't know if I will end up keeping it but it is definitely worth picking up if you see one cheap. View attachment 3587187

Sounds like a great combo. What do you see em go for?

 

[kleinenenten]

I picked this up on FB Marketplace on a whim. It actually sounds really good. From what I have read it is a Tube Screamer with a clean blend and a Muff tone stack. It is a really grindy overdrive with lots of mids. I don't know if I will end up keeping it but it is definitely worth picking up if you see one cheap. View attachment 3587187

Dang it. Why’d you have to say that!? I’m a huge DOD fan, and have tried NOT to buy that one since I don’t really NEED it... Just tell me it’s terrible, okay? (Then sell it to me... I need help!)

 

[JBuckley]

Personally, the high tension makes it easier for me to do speedy riffs. I know where the string will be instead of flopping around loosely.

I'm with you on that. And playing as close to the bridge as I can helps with that too. I picked that up from reading about Steve Harris' technique and it may not work for everyone, but it definitely works well for me. Those three finger gallops sound like mud if my tension isn't high enough.