Tone Control: Bass or Amp?

[zon6c-f]

Do you twiddle with the tone controls on your bass or on your amp or both?

For me, all the bass tone and volume settings controls are generally fixed fixed and I adjust the particular amp I am playing through to adjust for the amp/room. I do some minor tweaking on the bass tone and volume settings during a performance, but it is mostly the amp that I adjust and set to get my sound.

Tonight, I played a jam where the amp had the treble wide open and the bass at zero and was asked not to adjust it, and adjust my nass tone controls. Got a meh sound.

I used to be a tone adjuster; seeking best tone for each tune but live there is no time so find a decent tone Asap ; set it and forget it

As fir the perfect tone ? Find it on your own time ; no one is likely to appreciate your efforts more than you anyhow !

 

[ThisBass]

Do you twiddle with the tone controls on your bass or on your amp or both?

Both can give you a different roll off shape you can't get with one.
Its like the mixing of different cabs when you can't get the desired sound from only "one".

 

[Billybassbeater]

I set the amp pretty close to flat and dial in/out on the bass what I need for the song.

 

[JW56789]

My only concern is for the ham-fisted who Q up all the 100hz in the bass' preamp, then max out the bass -/+ on the amp, then complain on TB that their rig sounds boomy in the room and their amp is farting out . . . . . . between modern 3-band bases and the bunches of EQ available on a lot of heads, there's got to be some seriously strange EQ shapes out there.

If I could go straight into a power amp I'd be happy. Of course if the power amp had a 737 Avalon or an LA610/2 in the way, I'd be ecstatic . . . . . .

 

[Al Kraft]

Tonight, I played a jam where the amp had the treble wide open and the bass at zero and was asked not to adjust it, and adjust my nass tone controls. Got a meh sound.

I use whatever works to get the job done, but my advice here is that this be the last time you attend that event or play that venue. I'm not aware of any situation, ever, anywhere, with any bass amp where minimum bass EQ and max treble EQ would be desirable or even reasonable.

 

[IamGroot]

My main bass has no knobsView attachment 3263637

Your no-knobs bass has a wire coming out of it like mine does.. Mine goes to a Fishman Pro EQ "Platinum" equalizer and then to an amp and or DI. Lots of knobs.

 

[okcrum]

Do you twiddle with the tone controls on your bass or on your amp or both?

For me, all the bass tone and volume settings controls are generally fixed fixed and I adjust the particular amp I am playing through to adjust for the amp/room. I do some minor tweaking on the bass tone and volume settings during a performance, but it is mostly the amp that I adjust and set to get my sound.

Tonight, I played a jam where the amp had the treble wide open and the bass at zero and was asked not to adjust it, and adjust my nass tone controls. Got a meh sound.

Sounds like the house band bassist is a bit worried someone might sound better than they do.

 

[Wasnex]

My amp, Set it and forget it. Any tone tweaks or subtle effects go out a DI. I avoid anything too drastic and let the soundman do his job with my tone out front. He has a good idea what I like so life is good for me.

As for on stage, I just need something that will cut through and can be heard by the drummer. If someone wants something in the monitor mix... that's their choice.

IMHO the tones controls on some amps are a lot better for dialing in a sound than dealing with acoustic problems. I think the CTM300 is an awesome amp that can get a pretty wide variety of sounds, but the tone controls are extremely quirky. I would definitely put this amp in the set it and forget category.

 

[IamGroot]

Thanks for all your input.

My interest was finding out how other TBers mix and match tone controls and I got some good pointers. I have spent the time to learn how to tweak my own gear.

The problem is I plug into other folks gear at music school and some gigs and quite a few jam sessions right now in between semesters. I plug into everything from Orange to Crate to Mark Bass, Fenders, etc with a minimum time to optimize the settings.

I mentioned the unfortunate jam session just to illustrate that if the amp settings are wacko, you may be able to get a passable tone (if you have active PUs.), but it will never be as good as optmizing the mix. I don't get my panties in a knot on jam sessions anymore. Jam sessions are just practice time under live fire for me that is mostly fun. Better to learn stuff there than on gigs. But jam sessions are another thread.

 

[IamGroot]

I tend to set the amp for the room, and the bass for the tune.

Intersting. Would you mind elaborating on this?

 

[JimChjones]

I wonder what the back story behind such extreme settings is?

 

[5StringBlues]

I wonder what the back story behind such extreme settings is?

My thoughts exactly!


Hollowbody with flats? Mudbucker?

 

[IamGroot]

My thoughts exactly!


Hollowbody with flats? Mudbucker?

Don't know, don't care. Speculate he was worried about amp damage from AARP riff raff like me. You know the type, plugs into the biggest bad ass amp in GC and cranks it up. Meanwhile, his own gear is this.

Come to think of it. I have played through Crate on a jam session. Pretty smart move on that guys part, considering the clientele. You familiar with the location?

 

[5StringBlues]

Don't know, don't care. Speculate he was worried about amp damage from AARP riff raff like me. You know the type, plugs into the biggest bad ass amp in GC and cranks it up. Meanwhile, his own gear is this.View attachment 3263750

Come to think of it. I have played through Crate on a jam session. Pretty smart move on that guys part, considering the clientele. You familiar with the location?

The dude with the Crate Power Block and Markbass cab?



That guy is a n'er do well!

 

[zontar]

Both--they work a bit differently
Of course if one is set way off changing the other doesn't usually help a whole lot.
So both it is--at least at first.

Once I am playing it is mostly on the bass.

 

[IamGroot]

The dude with the Crate Power Block and Markbass cab?



That guy is a n'er do well!

Yeah!! THAT Guy.

BTW, Crates have an upgrade option.

 

[JRA]

I set my amp for the room and adjust my bass for song to song needs.

I tend to set the amp for the room, and the bass for the tune.

 

[bucephylus]

Intersting. Would you mind elaborating on this?

Unlike the situation you were faced with, my amps (Demeter) start off close to flat; and I only adjust them when the room has some kind of issue.

My main working basses are active, and have a wide variety of classic bass tones available onboard, which I can select between tunes as needed while at the mic.

 

[bucephylus]

View attachment 3263833

LOL. Guess that first was TL;DR for me.

 

[TheReceder]

IMHO the tones controls on some amps are a lot better for dialing in a sound than dealing with acoustic problems. I think the CTM300 is an awesome amp that can get a pretty wide variety of sounds, but the tone controls are extremely quirky. I would definitely put this amp in the set it and forget category.

I do agree, I just know that what I get on stage and what I get off stage are typically two different animals. The odd thing is I'm more particular about what I sound like at home practicing than I am on stage. I just have to trust that my soundman will do his best. I've actually started using the amp DI to give a fairly flat sound to the board.