The P Bass Growl

[FunkHead]

I don't know if you'd call it all out Growl but I love the Bass tone in Drift Away by Dobie Gray. I play it a bit Growlier but I use the 4003.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr_eVcCAUXo

 

[seang15]

Jazz = growl
Precision = thump

 

[Skygoneblue]

Jazz Bass:

 

[Frank Orlando]

Hmmm... just checking out this old thread. I think that some people are mistaking things like overdriven tone, the onset of distortion and roundwound string overtones for "growl". When I think of growl The Barney Miller theme song comes to mind.

 

[gregmon79]

To me what makes my P growl is the amp I put it into. Of course the way you play it has a lot to do with it too. I just dont think youd get a very growly P through a 25 watt crate combo. But through my Ampeg B50R, my GK 1001rb or my Electric all tube head, yeah, talk about some growl. I have a set of active EMG PAX's in my P and if I roll the tone off about 15% and dig in with fingers or even better a pick, IM GROWLIN! Big time.

 

[skwee]

P-bass does not growl. It's the Jazz (or on my Jag, its the jazz setting).

 

[gregmon79]

P-bass does not growl. It's the Jazz (or on my Jag, its the jazz setting).

Not sure where you been, but yes, P basses do growl. Mine does. And I've heard plenty of others' growl as well. It's pretty common for a P bass actually.

 

[Christian Joseph Allbee]

I always thought of the P bass growl as more of a "bark".

Of course, the classic 3 can cover each other's ground a little, but I always felt:

P basses "bark"
J basses "growl"
Rics "grindy rattle"?

I dunno

How would you describe a Stingray's tone?

 

[extreme]

I always think of Phil Chen's playing with Jeff Beck as a good example of P-bass growl...check out "Air Blower" for instance:

 

[Frank Orlando]

P-bass does not growl. It's the Jazz (or on my Jag, its the jazz setting).

Sorry to hear your P-Bass doesn't growl. Mine certainly do. My Jazz basses do as well.

To me what makes my P growl is the amp I put it into. Of course the way you play it has a lot to do with it too. I just dont think youd get a very growly P through a 25 watt crate combo. But through my Ampeg B50R, my GK 1001rb or my Electric all tube head, yeah, talk about some growl. I have a set of active EMG PAX's in my P and if I roll the tone off about 15% and dig in with fingers or even better a pick, IM GROWLIN! Big time.

Mine growls even through my little Fender Bassman 25 combo same as it does through my Ampeg SVT 4Pro with 2x12 and 2x10 stack.
Sort of confirms it's the bass and not the amp. Or maybe I'm just lucky

 

[davy4575]

whatever you call it, this is the perfect P bass tone



and this

 

[Frank Orlando]

No argument there.

 

[FaithNoMan]

How would you describe a Stingray's tone?

Keep in mind when I say Rics have a grindy rattle, that is with high mids and highs boosted(and bright rounds).

Same with a Stingray, except the "grindy rattle" is much more modern and has more true highs and less of the Rics' high-mids going on(the metallic sound Rics are known for). It took me forever to realize the sweet spot to boost on a bass guitar is in the 2-3K region for the grindy tones I like. I bet a Stingray would be similarly aggressive, but more modern in this area(like in Chevelle's "The Clincher")

Stingray aggressive:


Ric aggressive:


You can head the Ric is clankier and the Stingray is crunchy, but more modern.

 

[dkelley]

Keep in mind when I say Rics have a grindy rattle, that is with high mids and highs boosted(and bright rounds).

Same with a Stingray, except the "grindy rattle" is much more modern and has more true highs and less of the Rics' high-mids going on(the metallic sound Rics are known for). It took me forever to realize the sweet spot to boost on a bass guitar is in the 2-3K region for the grindy tones I like. I bet a Stingray would be similarly aggressive, but more modern in this area(like in Chevelle's "The Clincher")

Stingray aggressive:


Ric aggressive:


You can head the Ric is clankier and the Stingray is crunchy, but more modern.

this is why I add varimid semi parametric or filter based high q circuits to my favorite basses (unless they have them already. ... alembic. .. Carvin Icon. .... older ibanez btb and some sgear)..... I love the 2k bark

 

[BassHappy]

C'mon, "growl" is such an incredibly strange and subjective buzz word. i have heard a number of dogs growl in my life - sorry - doesn't sound anything like the basses i have played. Not even remotely close.

Now, I have had the amazing experience of hearing a bass "bark".

Makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

I suppose one person's growl is another person's bark...

BassHappy

 

[Phalex]

Round wounds and a tube amp.

 

[skwee]

C'mon, "growl" is such an incredibly strange and subjective buzz word.
BassHappy

Yeah, must be the subjectivity, because the sounds demonstrated above (the Jane's Addiction in particular) are not what I'd describe as "growl". There's an open throatiness that I hear from the jazz bass, that contrasts the usual fullness of the p.