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Trouble cutting through (pf 500)

#44
I battle this problem when the Marshall stacks are cranked and the guitarist is chugging. They put out killer bass frequencies. Meaning, they kill the bass players tones. I have played with a guitarist where on some songs I have stopped playing in the middle of a song and nobody could tell because the low end was still booming all over the venue. My 810 at > 1000 watts was no match for his 412s.

Frequency manipulation/control is key to success. For bass, guitarist and the whole band.

Hmmmm. "Frequency Manipulation ". Could be a band name, or at least an album title. Or a bad night at a local bar gig.
 
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#45
southpaw723 said:
................. It just sounds kinda boomy and dare I say muddy........
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I have used one of these at a rehearsal studio for the first time last year and like you I found the tone to be quite muddy. The cabs were Gallien Krueger 1x15 and 2x10.
I mentioned this to the band who owned the studio and was informed, the head belongs to their bass player and plays reggae and bought it because of that muddy tone. I'm be interested to read the solutions offered by more knowledgeable members here.
 
#46
The amp and cabs aren't the problem I think.
Working with a jazz bass in (overdriven) guitar heavy mixes is always a problem, unless you dial your balance 75% or more towards either the neck or bridge pickup. At 50/50 jazz basses will simply not cut through.

Cutting through mixes is done at midrange frequencies btw so a scooped EQ setting might sound awesome solo but it won't help you sit well in the mix.
 
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#50
southpaw723 said:
My current set up is an Ampeg pf 500 through two 2x10 he's. I use a jazz bass most of the time. I've been jamming with one guitarist and drummer, both pretty loud. I just can't seem to get a growly tone to cut through in the mix. It just sounds kinda boomy and dare I say muddy. I like my set up at lower volumes but when it gets loud I don't dig my tone. I have been looking at the GK mb500 and a gk 4x10. I don't know if they are a step in the right direction of my tonal desires, can anyone help?
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Get a gk 1001rbii along w a gk neo 412 and melt the faces off those monkeys and sound fantastic doing it!!
 
#55
1) who are some players with the same kind of tone that you're looking for? What kind of basses do they use?

2) have you tried your bass either direct into a recording or through another rig and liked the sound?

Some people just do not mesh well with a jazz (or P for that matter). The sound that I have in my head is 180 degrees from a jazz bass for whatever reason. I love the sounds that I can get on a P, PJ, or stingray. But every time I try a jazz, there's a huge disconnect. You can do a lot with EQ, but if the types of pickups and the placement don't work for you, there's not much you can do.
 
#58
A preamp (like a VT) to drive and clarify mids and maintain bass, and more speakers. 8 or 6 10s or 2 good 15s, 4 12s? for keeping up with some heavy loud rock band volumes. If the ampeg 2 10s are the budget ones, they can't take it. That amp isn't good for a cutting sound but the power is fine and the compressor is good at mild limiting, that's why I'd push it with a preamp.
 
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