• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

#63,621
Kaa said:
Well, somebody dumped a bunch of money into renovating out, and it turned out great. The sound system was right on, the place was packed, and I saw no urban violence anywhere.
Click to expand...
So gentrified and boring! ;) We got a new venue a few years ago, and I was happy about it. A bit closer to me, has gotten some decent heavy bands that I don't recall ever coming this way before. Rather nice place, plenty of space, no carpet to speak of, just a concrete floor. But well maintained and with a great sound system. Hoping more bands keep coming.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kaa and Novarocker
#63,622
RedVinter said:
Haven’t really delved down into the phasor/flange waters. Suggestions where to start?
Click to expand...
To start, the MXR phase 100 or phase 45 for bass. For advanced, find a used Blackout Effectors Whetstone. For different, but startlingly effective: a Peavey Musician Mark III head (with the built-in phaser). You can blend the channels, one of which has the phaser (keep this one treble and mid heavy), and the other you can dial in your lower and mid frequencies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: br1qbat, Novarocker and RedVinter
#63,623
Kawai2g4b said:
To start, the MXR phase 100 or phase 45 for bass. For advanced, find a used Blackout Effectors Whetstone. For different, but startlingly effective: a Peavey Musician Mark III head (with the built-in phaser). You can blend the channels, one of which has the phaser (keep this one treble and mid heavy), and the other you can dial in your lower and mid frequencies.
Click to expand...
Thx! Will keep an eye out for a deal on an MXR locally.
 
  • Like
Reactions: br1qbat
#63,624
Kawai2g4b said:
To start, the MXR phase 100 or phase 45 for bass. For advanced, find a used Blackout Effectors Whetstone. For different, but startlingly effective: a Peavey Musician Mark III head (with the built-in phaser). You can blend the channels, one of which has the phaser (keep this one treble and mid heavy), and the other you can dial in your lower and mid frequencies.
Click to expand...
I own an early Boss BF-2 and a PH-3 both are pretty great. MXR stuff is of course great, I'd also consider if money isn't an issue the Earthquaker Pyramids. I also do own an Old Blood Noise Endeavors The Visitor which is a dual modulation pedal and one of the channels has phaser. That sounds incredible on bass and guitar however it isn't exactly a subtle effect so depending on what you're going for definitely an interesting choice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kawai2g4b, Novarocker, br1qbat and 1 other person
#63,628
jollygiantchris said:
I own an early Boss BF-2 and a PH-3 both are pretty great. MXR stuff is of course great, I'd also consider if money isn't an issue the Earthquaker Pyramids. I also do own an Old Blood Noise Endeavors The Visitor which is a dual modulation pedal and one of the channels has phaser. That sounds incredible on bass and guitar however it isn't exactly a subtle effect so depending on what you're going for definitely an interesting choice.
Click to expand...
I'm partial to the Script 90 circuit on bass, as well as the older versions of the Small Stone (did not dig the modern ones, but I have a 90s Small Stone that is really great)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kawai2g4b and jollygiantchris
#63,630
kleinenenten said:
I'd forgotten about the Way Huge Doom Hammer. May need to grab one for my guitar board. Anybody have experience? I'm also debating (another) Russian Pickle. Though I've had a few of those, and always go back to my beloved Swollen Pickles.
Click to expand...
Nearly a week later, and it happened. The Doom Hammer lives up to its name. I bought it for my guitar board, and was very much surprised by it. Generally, I'm not a fan of "all the gain" type stuff (HM-2 notwithstanding), but this one seemed different. It's much more usable than I expected, and kinda bridges the gap between HM-2 and Muff. I have absolutely no experience with other op amp Muffs, so I can't comment on how accurate it is to that era, but I'm really digging it.

It's got more bass and fewer piercing highs than an HM-2 (which I like!), but is also slightly looser and with fewer highs overall like a Muff. I'm really digging it for an HM-2 alternative, which is NOT what I expected, though I had heard some reviews mention its "saw" qualities. Of those, I seem to get into "saw" territory earlier on the tone knob than others (I get it around 1:00, others have mentioned 2:00-3:00 or so). Perhaps I'm hitting it with hotter pickups - Black Winters and Nazgul/Sentient combo - or maybe it's my solid 30 year old state Peavey rig reacting differently than the tube amps and fancy stuff that the demos used. Whatever it was, I'm not complaining. I've got it about 10:30 on the gain, anywhere from 10:00 to 2:00 on tone depending on what tone I need, and volume as needed (which is much higher than expected at 2:00ish, but still has plenty of travel left). The tone knob seems to be the most important knob, as anything past (+ or -) what I previously mentioned gets into unusable territory pretty quickly for me. Currently at about 11:00 on the tone knob, it sounds like a much gainier version of my Priestess - which I'm definitely enjoying. At 1:00 or so, it becomes a bassier At The Gates/Amon Amarth tone. Jamming to those songs sounded awesome - if you like those tones but want a bit more bass or slightly looser, this is a great fit.

On bass, I'm also rather surprised. It doesn't quite have the versatility on bass as it does on guitar (not that it's incredibly versatile on guitar, just LOTS of gain!), but it's very much usable. I use the same settings as mentioned before, with the tone usually around 10:00, and probably never above noon. With that tone setting, I don't notice any bass loss. I think the added gain just heaps on so much distortion, mid, and high end content that many people might think there's bass loss. But really, there's just a big spike in the other frequencies. For all of the extra gain and compression, I find it way more dynamic than I would have expected and far less noisy as well. I feel like my B3K (which isn't exactly quiet) is noisier. Anyway, I'd say it's very much usable for S/D type stuff on bass, and I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did on bass. I had assumed it'd be one of the fastest "nopes" on bass I'd ever had, as gobs of gain are NOT my thing on the low end. But instead I found myself happily jamming along to Sabbath and Metallica, and while it clearly wasn't the original tone, it was a workable one!

Anyway, I'm happy to have added this to the arsenal. Now, I may need to find an(other) affordable Russian Pickle. I think I may finally have started to enjoy more gain on my pedals the last few months. (What took me so long, hanging out in this thread all these years?)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Novarocker, Kaa and voosies
#63,631
To complement my rambling post above, what ever took me 25 years of bass to learn the absolute classic that is Black Sabbath? I decided to learn a new song yesterday, and was absolutely determined to do so, regardless of whatever else I needed to do. So as the day wore on, and the other tasks started to chip away at bass time, I figured it would need to be something relatively simple. Lo and behold, what popped up on my playlist as I did my chores but Black Sabbath. That was it! Nice, simple, thundering bass. Plenty of room for improv (not that I'm doing that, but a loose enough feel that I don't have to memorize the exact timing of his single-note fills throughout the song), heavy as heck, and just plain fun to play. Honestly, the hardest part is that it requires such volume dynamics, and my dirt pedals make that a bit more difficult without turning them on/off throughout. Certainly the Doom Hammer is lacking in the loud/quiet dynamics! Much of my dirt is in a similar situation. But that's doable as well by switching between clean/dirty tones.

As per my previous statements about the "saw" capabilities, I think I may have nailed it regarding hot pickups. With my "Designed by EMG" pickups in my C-tuned Ibanez, it wasn't quite as aggressive or "saw-like" - definitely more on the stoner/doom end of the spectrum. Can still get to "saw" territory by upping the tone to appropriate levels. Really digging this pedal. The Swollen Pickle is most certainly the better fuzz overall with its endless options, but if this is the tone you want/need, the Doom Hammer delivers.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Novarocker, RedVinter, voosies and 3 others
#63,632
looking into jazz humbucker jazz basses recently, like an Atelier Z or Fender Japan Hino
my boss at the shop made one, but he said that the humbucker totally dominated the j pickups
maybe it's an either or situation like the earlier Atelier Z jhj basses

school year is almost over and it looks likely that i'm not going to be teaching anymore, 20 years was enough
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kaa
#63,634
mpdd said:
looking into jazz humbucker jazz basses recently, like an Atelier Z or Fender Japan Hino
my boss at the shop made one, but he said that the humbucker totally dominated the j pickups
maybe it's an either or situation like the earlier Atelier Z jhj basses

school year is almost over and it looks likely that i'm not going to be teaching anymore, 20 years was enough
Click to expand...
I have no clue what you mean by most of the first half of your post.

Consequently, I have far too much knowledge regarding the second half of your post.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Kaa and MistaaFeast
#63,635
Atelier Z Beta 4 Plus Custom

For sale Atelier Z Beta 4 Plus Custom

DESCRIPTION: Up for sale is this magnificent Atelier Z Beta 4 Plus Custom. This is truly a bass for today's player who wants modern specs and appointments but combined with a more classic J-bass aesthetic that we all can recognize. The burned ash grain really pops under the gloss transparent...
$1,400.00
6 watching

kind of like a lakland, but with a jazz pickup in front of and behind the musicman style humbucker
 
  • Like
Reactions: Novarocker, Kaa and kleinenenten
#63,636
mpdd said:
looking into jazz humbucker jazz basses recently, like an Atelier Z or Fender Japan Hino
my boss at the shop made one, but he said that the humbucker totally dominated the j pickups
maybe it's an either or situation like the earlier Atelier Z jhj basses

school year is almost over and it looks likely that i'm not going to be teaching anymore, 20 years was enough
Click to expand...

mpdd said:
Atelier Z Beta 4 Plus Custom

For sale Atelier Z Beta 4 Plus Custom

DESCRIPTION: Up for sale is this magnificent Atelier Z Beta 4 Plus Custom. This is truly a bass for today's player who wants modern specs and appointments but combined with a more classic J-bass aesthetic that we all can recognize. The burned ash grain really pops under the gloss transparent...
$1,400.00
6 watching

kind of like a lakland, but with a jazz pickup in front of and behind the musicman style humbucker
Click to expand...

I've got a Dunable R2 with a split coil. I also have a matched set of Baphomet pickups I previously swapped out for some Katanas. I am very, very tempted to put one on each side of the split -- one in the mudbucker position and the other probably a bit back from the MM sweet spot, more like the Fender Deluxe P/HB setup they had back in the day. The only thing keeping me from doing it is how many switching options I would want. At the very least, it would have to be each pickup on a three way, but I would want a way to do neck + middle, middle + bridge, so a five way strat switch? I don't know about that. I guess I could do a rotary knob. In a perfect world, I would have a six way mini toggle for pup switching and a separate series/parallel switch, The practical solution is probably three volume knobs with a master tone.
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: Kaa, scabpicker, mpdd and 1 other person
#63,638
Scored some more old Sunn gear since the last time I've been on Talkbass
 

Attachments

  • 20251022_174811.jpg
    20251022_174811.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 10
  • Like
Reactions: Novarocker, Kaa, RedVinter and 3 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back