Agreed on the Alex Webster tone. It's nice and articulate, good bottom, and yet aggressive. He uses no distortion, and actually a very simple setup - nearly just a bass into an amp head + CAB and DI into the house. Check out his work with Blotted Science as well. I think he just used a Line6 Bass pod and nothing else, according to Bass Player Mag.
Check out Steffan Zimmer's tone as well. He's the bass player for Necrophagist. He tends to get buried in the mix, but there are parts when he solos. Amazing tone. Clean as hell, and right in your face. It's almost as if that's what his bass just sounds like on its own, but much louder. One of my favorites. I don't understand how this guy is not a legend yet. Amazing player.
Now then . . .
I always did like a scooped out tone myself. But when I come up against two guitarists with Marchall stacks, a vocalist screaming his face off, and a drummer playing 300 bpm, I better add some mids to cut through it. Sounds like crap on its own sometimes, but if I want to be heard . . .
Also, you might want to check out the Tech21 Bass VT pedal. Gives a nice tube-like overdiven boost if you want it. I love that thing.
