I’m moving toward pedal preamps into a power amp instead of using vintage tube amps
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The Ultimate Tone Shaping Tool!
- Thread starter kirkplunkett
- Start date
For tone shaping, it’s technique first, and using loading capacitors (+ maybe resonance/depth control) for seasoning.
For this to work, I like a solid but bright starting point. I prefer passive basses with one relatively hi-fi noise canceling pickup in the middle position. Preferably split coil, in parallel (or low-ish Z/inductance). Long scale. Currently enthusiastic about stainless steel roundwounds. I started preferring lower action too, seems to result in more control. Low capacitance cable. straight to amp, relatively flat EQ (adjust for room).
For this to work, I like a solid but bright starting point. I prefer passive basses with one relatively hi-fi noise canceling pickup in the middle position. Preferably split coil, in parallel (or low-ish Z/inductance). Long scale. Currently enthusiastic about stainless steel roundwounds. I started preferring lower action too, seems to result in more control. Low capacitance cable. straight to amp, relatively flat EQ (adjust for room).
As far as equipment, I'm a huge fan of the John East onboard preamps. There's a J-retro deluxe preamp in my jazz bass. I've installed the Uni pre in a few other basses I've owned. Depending on how you set it up, it can essentially be a high and low pass filter (shelving frequency is adjustable for both bands) while there is also a sweepable mid and passive tone knob that works wether or not the preamp is engaged. It's like having a high quality channel strip in the instrument.
I wouldn't call it the "ultimate tone shaping tool", but I do keep a BOSS BC-1x always on as that final piece of the puzzle.
I get the “fingers” thing, and yeah one can vary the tone with fingers, but ya still have to pic or create it with your equipment that works for a given venue.
I also play a wide variety of covers that often require much change in tone, and finger technique can help there, but tone/pickup-selector controls do a better job imo.
I'm playing a room Saturday in which my bass is unusually boomy. I have to pick a very bright amp setting, and some songs I'm playing straight bridge pickup and the tone knob up half-way, and nickel rounds.
As for my weapon of choice, I'm using a somewhat-unpopular head, Line-6 Lowdown (400 and 750) which I like for many reasons,
they produce gobs of SS A/B power, they're dirt cheap on the used market, and include features that are really cool, including amp models, from which I might use:
Clean - Eden Traveler
R&B - '68 B-15 Flip Top
Rock – '74 Ampet SVT
Brit - ’68 Marshall Super Bass
I'm not the least bit concerned how close each sounds to what it's based on, they each have a great and different tone that can be modified to taste (I don't bother), and stored.
I have a floor board that links up and I can press to change them including wah-wah/volume pedal and tuner, but I never bring it, as I don't like anything on the floor.
I also play a wide variety of covers that often require much change in tone, and finger technique can help there, but tone/pickup-selector controls do a better job imo.
I'm playing a room Saturday in which my bass is unusually boomy. I have to pick a very bright amp setting, and some songs I'm playing straight bridge pickup and the tone knob up half-way, and nickel rounds.
As for my weapon of choice, I'm using a somewhat-unpopular head, Line-6 Lowdown (400 and 750) which I like for many reasons,
they produce gobs of SS A/B power, they're dirt cheap on the used market, and include features that are really cool, including amp models, from which I might use:
Clean - Eden Traveler
R&B - '68 B-15 Flip Top
Rock – '74 Ampet SVT
Brit - ’68 Marshall Super Bass
I'm not the least bit concerned how close each sounds to what it's based on, they each have a great and different tone that can be modified to taste (I don't bother), and stored.
I have a floor board that links up and I can press to change them including wah-wah/volume pedal and tuner, but I never bring it, as I don't like anything on the floor.
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