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Who else just really loves a clean tone?
- Thread starter angrychair
- Start date
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- Tags
- clean
- Jun 13, 2002
- 611
- 301
- Disclosures
- Branden Campbell
Though I use a fairly dirty tone for my day job, I found a recent favorite clean tone. REDDI > into Return of Aguilar TH500 > two SL112 cabs. Was using a hollowbody with black nylon tape wound strings (super clean tone with those strings). I used an xrl to 1/4" cable out of the REDDI into the th500. I like doing a similar thing with my Avalon U5, but into a DB751 and 810 cab. The paint comes off the walls 
But super clean with tons of headroom.
But super clean with tons of headroom.
Have never used effects in 30+ years. Grew up in the punk world where the only "effect" was a blown speaker...
For me it has always been:
1972 P bass* - passive - original pups - volume all the way up, tone all the way up ---> Sans Amp RBI Preamp :Bass about 60%; Mids about 40%; treble about 60%; Drive at about 40% ----> 90's era QSC Power Amp ----> Avatar neoB410 and Homemade 2x15 cabs (yes, I am the loser who mixes cab size...have NEVER had a complaint about my sound....)
I would describe it as the clank and drive of Steve Harris with the phatness of Billy Gould
* the bass is sometimes my 1992 AVRI 62 Jazz bass with 80's era EMG Pups - Active - V/V/T all the way up
* or my 1986 Charvel 3B with 80's era EMG's - Active - V/V/T all the way up
I think once in the 80's a friend let me borrow one of those brown Boss Octaver pedals, and I used it for about a week...
I don't mind other peoples effects, but it is just not for me
For me it has always been:
1972 P bass* - passive - original pups - volume all the way up, tone all the way up ---> Sans Amp RBI Preamp :Bass about 60%; Mids about 40%; treble about 60%; Drive at about 40% ----> 90's era QSC Power Amp ----> Avatar neoB410 and Homemade 2x15 cabs (yes, I am the loser who mixes cab size...have NEVER had a complaint about my sound....)
I would describe it as the clank and drive of Steve Harris with the phatness of Billy Gould
* the bass is sometimes my 1992 AVRI 62 Jazz bass with 80's era EMG Pups - Active - V/V/T all the way up
* or my 1986 Charvel 3B with 80's era EMG's - Active - V/V/T all the way up
I think once in the 80's a friend let me borrow one of those brown Boss Octaver pedals, and I used it for about a week...
I don't mind other peoples effects, but it is just not for me
For myself I just love the clean, crisp, hi-fi sound of my alembic straight into my rig. Nothing but the lead between and I've never found my sound lacking or the need for anything else. The only time I'd envisage effects is if I was doing something by Parliament Funkadelic.
As a punter I've heard many bass players using effects some I like and others not so keen on. But I guess in the end if it works for the music then thats what matters.
As a punter I've heard many bass players using effects some I like and others not so keen on. But I guess in the end if it works for the music then thats what matters.
Everything for me starts with the clean tone. That has to be good, it's the foundation on which I add all my other sounds. When I suddenly strip away all my fx I want a bold, handsome bass tone. Something that makes dew drops form on the ceiling.
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Just about the same here. I usually run a Markbass rig that's squeaky clean to begin with, preamp at about 1/2. Uncolored sound with great punch, no frills, and it's even better now on the suggestion of another TBer who wrote a thread about GHS Pressurewound strings. Rich tone, beautiful mids, and they really bring something special out of this amp-bass combo (MIA passive Jazz).
There is one local guy I sometimes play with and we do a three-piece thing - acoustic/vocals, drums, bass - and for that outfit I admittedly prefer a preamp I can get a little bit of smooth overdrive from. For whatever reason, it works great in that room with that instrumentation. And it just so happens that an Acoustic B200mkII gets it done in fine style.
I go back and forth thinking I might like to mess with some effects on an exploratory basis, but as of now I'm pedal-free.
Even in the blackest, heaviest bands I join, I'm all about the cleans. Bass -> Amp, bridge pup only, bump in the mids = tone heaven. I have bought and resold pedal after pedal... reverbs, fuzzes, distortions, delays, just never do anything for me.
Not hating on effects; if that works for a given player, more power to them.
Not hating on effects; if that works for a given player, more power to them.
Mostly clean for me - very modest tube gain (think B15, not a drive/distortion pedal) and some EQ to fit the room.
I love a clean tone, but I play mostly rock, alt pop, & country. The need for effects isn't really there for me. I let the bass, amp EQ control, & sound guy do all the work.
If you use effects, you better be damn good at them! I know too many players that have a pedal board full of crap & they only know how to effectively use 1 or 2 of the 10+ pedals.
Too many players trying to sound like Christopher Wolstenholme from Muse, when they should be trying to sound like Paul McCartney.
If you use effects, you better be damn good at them! I know too many players that have a pedal board full of crap & they only know how to effectively use 1 or 2 of the 10+ pedals.
Too many players trying to sound like Christopher Wolstenholme from Muse, when they should be trying to sound like Paul McCartney.
Right there.
I like clean and ballsy but I will do whatever the song needs or the clients demand.
I love having my effects for when they are required on a song, and although I spent years being in love with that 'not-quite-an-SVT' sound from my early 90s SABDDI, I've got more and more into having a relatively clean sound as my base - then adding to taste.
I still have the SABDDI on my pedal board, but I use it as an effect rather than as my main sound. I also have a SAPBDDI on the board (strangely it can't do that sound my old SABDDI does) that I have one channel set relatively flat. I really think it's a better way to go.
In all honesty, the sound of a passive bass direct into the mixing board worked on so many classic recordings, there must be something to it.
I still have the SABDDI on my pedal board, but I use it as an effect rather than as my main sound. I also have a SAPBDDI on the board (strangely it can't do that sound my old SABDDI does) that I have one channel set relatively flat. I really think it's a better way to go.
In all honesty, the sound of a passive bass direct into the mixing board worked on so many classic recordings, there must be something to it.
Clean for me.
I've tried lots of pedals over the years but they never last long.
I do hear distortion and overdrive sounds that work well for other players and songs, but when I try it I go back to clean because it sounds better to me.
I've tried lots of pedals over the years but they never last long.
I do hear distortion and overdrive sounds that work well for other players and songs, but when I try it I go back to clean because it sounds better to me.
I like it all. Except chorus. I tried to like it again, got myself a great new chorus (MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe for those scoring at home), but I just don't like it. It reminds me of the 80's. If I ever get in an 80's band, I'll consider busting it out again
I like it all too. I play clean with some compression about 50% of the time and then some form of effected tone about 50% of the time... about half of that with some boost or light OD, and the rest with some form of filter, fuzz, octave, or modulation.
Clean 99.9% of the time. Passive J bass with rounds, passive P bass with rounds, passive P bass with flats and active 5 string with rounds with just a little bit of boost on both bass and mid and the treble set to flat.
Clean is okay in the appropriate tune. But... I like flat wounds on a p bass tone almost off into VT bass pedal with bass boosted a little, mids flat and treble down a little into markbass flat except a little bass boost. Dig in and play like a man. Oops sorry ladies.
