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The basic flaw in the p-bass

#682
It seems that this thread is not complete before every TB user has voiced his opinion on the subject. To my understanding, the tone knob works as a filter, increasing resistance when turned down. I must admit that on every passive bass i ever owned i never used that knob. I always had it all the way up (thus bypassed more or less) to get all the frequencies the bass has to offer into the amp, where the EQ will shape the tone to my needs. IMO my P would be fine if it came completely without knobs, just a mute switch and i'd be good.
 
#683
winterburn69 said:
I can't tell the difference between the two tones on the album. I love how it's been over 30 years and people still argue which is the Rick and which is the Jazz. People also debate the same thing about Beatles songs.

Maybe Geddy double tracked the bass on Moving Pictures and every song is the Jazz and Rick?!??
Click to expand...

I can tell the difference between the Jazz and the Rick. The difference is pretty clear to my ears.
 
#684
el murdoque said:
It seems that this thread is not complete before every TB user has voiced his opinion on the subject. To my understanding, the tone knob works as a filter, increasing resistance when turned down. I must admit that on every passive bass i ever owned i never used that knob. I always had it all the way up (thus bypassed more or less) to get all the frequencies the bass has to offer into the amp, where the EQ will shape the tone to my needs. IMO my P would be fine if it came completely without knobs, just a mute switch and i'd be good.
Click to expand...

Funny you say that. I have a P bass I made that has the pickup wired straight to the jack. That bass sounds amazing!
 
#687
el murdoque said:
To my understanding, the tone knob works as a filter, increasing resistance when turned down. I must admit that on every passive bass i ever owned i never used that knob. I always had it all the way up (thus bypassed more or less) to get all the frequencies the bass has to offer into the amp, where the EQ will shape the tone to my needs. IMO my P would be fine if it came completely without knobs, just a mute switch and i'd be good.
Click to expand...

No, the tone control works by decreasing resistance between the signal and a capacitor that leads to ground. Fully clockwise the resistance is maximal but not infinite so it's even working to roll off highs at the brightest setting. It's never "bypassed" unless you use a special kind of pot.

If a P Bass came without knobs, it might be fine for you functionally, but it would also sound a good deal different than they do when the tone and volume knobs are installed. Again, without a special kind of pot, the controls are never bypassed and are always imposing some limits on the signal volume and high frequencies. Without any controls installed (i.e. pickup wired straight to jack) the signal is a lot brighter, almost unpleasantly so in many cases.

The way a tone control works is kind of modal in a way. When the pot's variable resistor is still between the signal and the cap, the circuit retains its original resonant peak. As you roll off the highs you lose this resonant peak as well as highs. But at the bottom end with the signal going right to the cap a new (lower) resonant peak emerges effectively creating a mid-range "boost" which has led to the mistaken belief that tone knobs somehow add lows. In fact they just re-tune the circuit and the sum of the changes includes a net increase to some mid frequencies versus the other extreme.
 
#693
Floyd Eye said:
Yes I do. Even though you missed a few things. It damn sure isn't basic. An amp and a cab is basic.;)
Click to expand...

Not basic? It's an analog amp sim into an analog cab sim into an analog di!

Is exactly the same as any other basic live rig except without the power output stages or physical speaker. It's the most basic amp less di system that still gives you amp and cab style tone and control that you can get.

And adding a monitor isn't adding anything to his effects chain so is irrelevant to this point.

Wait... Why do I care?

LoL
 
#695
DanBass81 said:
What's the best capacitor for metal?
Click to expand...

That would have to be a Tantalum Capacitor.

From, (where else?) the internet:

Tantalum is a greyish silver, heavy, and very hard metal. When pure, it is ductile and can be drawn into fine wire, which can be used as a filament for evaporating metals such as aluminium. Tantalum is almost completely immune to chemical attack at temperatures below 150°C, and is attacked only by hydrofluoric acid, acidic solutions containing the fluoride ion, and free sulphur trioxide. The element has a melting point exceeded only by tungsten and rhenium.

And: Tantalum is a rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal
 
#697
P Town said:
That would have to be a Tantalum Capacitor.

From, (where else?) the internet:

Tantalum is a greyish silver, heavy, and very hard metal. When pure, it is ductile and can be drawn into fine wire, which can be used as a filament for evaporating metals such as aluminium. Tantalum is almost completely immune to chemical attack at temperatures below 150°C, and is attacked only by hydrofluoric acid, acidic solutions containing the fluoride ion, and free sulphur trioxide. The element has a melting point exceeded only by tungsten and rhenium.

And: Tantalum is a rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal
Click to expand...

Now that sounds like just the ticket :D
 

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