Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What bass tone do I like?
- Thread starter Ambrose barton
- Start date
Dry, crisp, with good fruit in the nose and a long finish on the palate. Goes great with Thai food.
Early Tim Commerford is an Ampeg SVT and a Stingray, later Timmy C is an SVT and a Fender Jazz. Two easily attainable tones!
Right ... I don't disagree those exist. I'm simply saying that the tone you here there is not JUST the bass tone or likely the original bass tone.
I would love to hear just the original bass track but I've never seen it posted. Do you know if it exists?
You like the tone of a '60's Silvertone/Dano played through Electroharmonix Bass Micro Synth with the square wave at max and a new Hartke 410 with holes punched into the cones because you heard the legend about The Kinks. You lower the action on the Silvertone to "almost rubbing on the frets" becasue you think the metallic buzzing pairs well with the square wave. You use an Ebow with a copper pick to round out your signature sound.
FWIW, overdrive can enhance perceived high end, particularly harmonics, which adds apparent brightness and presence without getting too "trebly" and cutting your head off.
Timmy C is well known for splitting his signal into 'wet' and 'dry' rigs. A drive with a clean blend can do this, but ideally a drive with/or a crossover may be better for you. You can dial in a clean low end and dirty mids and high end.
Timmy C is well known for splitting his signal into 'wet' and 'dry' rigs. A drive with a clean blend can do this, but ideally a drive with/or a crossover may be better for you. You can dial in a clean low end and dirty mids and high end.
I'm not quite sure of the point you are making. There are many YouTube vids of Jason's isolated tracks from AJFA. You state that the isolated bass tracks exist then ask if they exist. The isolated tracks are just the bass tone and the original tone. Not the same as being in the studio but they are the original isolated tracks. Not trying to be a jerk, just confused.
Pretty sure he uses a G&L SB1 and P Bass’s on that tour through an SVT2 and 810 cab. Freak Show stuff was a Spector NS2 if I’m not mistaken.
My point is that there is a difference between isolated bass tracks from the recording that people do for fun and the actual bass track as recorded and that difference will not be indicative of the ACTUAL tone of the bass as recorded.
It's commonly known that the bass is buried in the AJFA mixes ... so it's funny when someone wants to sound like the Newstead tone on the AJFA recordings because it's almost impossible to hear it. I guess it's possible they want to sound like one of these isolated tracks ... that's why I suggested he post the video of what he wanted to sound like.
OP, the tone you want is a high-mid grind.
There are many ways to get this. Basically the only requirement is a set of growly roundwound strings. Rotosounds, D'Addarios, GHS Progressives, and many others will work just fine.
A P bass, stingray, G&L L2000, Peavey T40 or Cirrus, Wal, and many others will all get you there.
Specific amps aren't critically important either.
Basically, you want to cut out 200-500 hz, a.k.a. all the "low mid" frequencies. Drop those by a few db. Boost from 800-1.5k hz (high-mid frequencies). Leave the treble alone. You want a decent amount there, but you'll get it by default from the roundwounds. You're not going for slap-tastic sparkle, so you don't really need to boost it. Depending on your bass/amp combo, you might need to cut some low end out, or leave it be. Don't boost it though.
An overdrive pedal is optional. If you like the sound of a particular one, go ahead and use it, it can add some nice high-mid overtones.
There are many ways to get this. Basically the only requirement is a set of growly roundwound strings. Rotosounds, D'Addarios, GHS Progressives, and many others will work just fine.
A P bass, stingray, G&L L2000, Peavey T40 or Cirrus, Wal, and many others will all get you there.
Specific amps aren't critically important either.
Basically, you want to cut out 200-500 hz, a.k.a. all the "low mid" frequencies. Drop those by a few db. Boost from 800-1.5k hz (high-mid frequencies). Leave the treble alone. You want a decent amount there, but you'll get it by default from the roundwounds. You're not going for slap-tastic sparkle, so you don't really need to boost it. Depending on your bass/amp combo, you might need to cut some low end out, or leave it be. Don't boost it though.
An overdrive pedal is optional. If you like the sound of a particular one, go ahead and use it, it can add some nice high-mid overtones.
G&L L-2000 + SVT + 810.
When I hear Chris Joannou's tone on that album the word 'grind' comes to mind.
Man, I love a trombone player that can wail! My live Bass tone is very similar. Standard Fender tone.
I’m digging this too. Good cut!
The isolated bass tracks from AJFA on YouTube are the actual bass tracks on the record. I believe taken from the video game Rock Band.
if you are referring to the difference of tone between an isolated bass track from a record and the same track’s final mix then I wholeheartedly agree with you.
Punchy is more midtone, a tone that pops, it doesn't growl at the low end and it doesn't bite at the high end.
Bright to me is a hifi sound, like an Alembic series bass with all hifi settings wide open. It has some lows, it has some mids, but the hifi glitter is overly present.
