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Who runs Bass -> Cable -> Amp ... no effects?

#44
+1 on the Bass -> Cable -> Amp

I have a tuner (of course), but it's rackmounted with my DB750 and is not in the signal chain. I totally agree with the other posts about being able to hear something messing with your tone, even if it is true bypass. I've got a brand spanking new ChoralFlange sitting in the closet for that very reason. I think I'll sell it to my guitarded friend. :)

As far as cables go, I'm all about the Mogami Platinum. I never really thought there was a big difference until I bought one on a whim and plugged in. WOW. I remember having to play a gig without it (I left it at a club I played at the night before) and had to use one of my backups (one of those Monster Cables with the black and blue plug on it). I was distressed the entire show because my tone just wasn't there.. I couldn't get dialed in, and this was a room I was very familiar with. Even my drummer (who is never one to sugar coat anything) noticed turned to me and said "Hey! Why do you sound like SH!T tonight?"

I have two Mogami Platinums now. Just in case.
 
#46
G&L L-5000 -> $5 music store cable -> Silver Face Fender Bassman 10.

OK, last weekend was :
G&L L-5000 -> $5 music store cable -> Trace Elliot BLX-80

Sometimes I use a Roland Cube 100, but it always ends up back on the bassMan setting, flat EQ, and no effects.

I tried effects, starting with the Zoom 506, then a Phat Boy, and other single effect units, finally ending with a BP-8 (BP-8 SE if I recall correctly). Still have most of them, but I don't use them except as headphone amps.

I guess I get what I need out of the simple setup.

- Paul
 
#50
I go direct into an Ampeg B100R combo with my Jack Casady sig (w/ TI flats) -- the combination sounds perfect to me. When I use my old Ampeg B2 combo (sometimes w/ 2x10 extension speaker) for something bigger, though, I usually go through a Sansamp to "tube-ify" the tone a little (which isn't necessary on B100R). But I just "set it and forget it," treating the Sansamp more like a preamp than a pedal.
 
#51
Funny that you asked. I own one pedal. It gets used about twice a year. Why? My tone sounds so good (to my ears) that there seems to be no need to add (or subtract :hmm:). Even my tuner is out of the signal chain. Less can be more. It certainly is for me. I also take odd pleasure in showing up to gigs with my super thin Bill Lawrence instrument cable. Other bassists (and guitarists) can't believe that it could sound good. They change their minds during the first set. :p;):)

Edit: I'm not saying that the Bill Lawrence cable sounds better than other cables. :eyebrow::) I'm saying that because of it's underwhelming visual impression, some folks assume certain things. Of course, for me that's half of the fun. :D

M. M.
 
#52
I run whichever bass I take to the gig --> cable --> whatever amp is supplied by the venue/other bands (unless I'm taking my own amp).

Unless I'm recording, in which case, I may add compression/distortion/choruses/whatever I like the sound of
 
#54
I never understood bassists with huge racks of gear when that first became the hip cool thing to do, and I still don't understand it. I mean, all that stuff for bass? One of the advantages of being a bass player, as I see it, is not having to deal with a jillion expensive little boxes just to sound decent---much less a rack full of signal processing crap.

P-bass/Rick 4001/Ripper --> Acoustic 370 --> Acoustic 406 or Eden D410T. For rock anyway, what else would you need?
 
#55
I've been running pure for quite a while, but I'm now adding some effects due to a 'pop'ish' original project I'm involved with now that has some opportunity to do some interest bass sounds in.

My modded Schecter basses > Bayou Cable > Neo Pak > 2 4ohm Avatar b210 cabs stacked vertically. But now there's a growing peddle-board being pieced together that will go in-between the bass and Neo Pak. So long simplicity.
 
#56
There has been a while I was obsessed with pedals (good thing I didn't have a lot of money), but every single one I owned and tried to incorporate in my bands music, didn't get used... Why? Because I forgot to turn them on in time (sometimes I forgot to turn them off). So I stopped thinking about them. I do use a planet waves pedal tuner.

I do respect players who use 'm tastefully!
 
#57
Chuck King said:
I never understood bassists with huge racks of gear when that first became the hip cool thing to do, and I still don't understand it. I mean, all that stuff for bass? One of the advantages of being a bass player, as I see it, is not having to deal with a jillion expensive little boxes just to sound decent---much less a rack full of signal processing crap.
Click to expand...

Besides, how can we, in good conscience, yell at the guitard to turn down his volume and get rid of all the reverb, distortion and other crap if we're committing the very same sins!?

Bluesy Soul :cool:
 
#58
funny this is coming up,

i've mostly been bass/cable/amp since i first started a few years back on bass, but the more i audition and play around the city, the more i'm realizing i'm waaaaaaaaaaay behind the curve these days.

you dont have to be Justin Mendal Johnson or Juan Alderete, but more and more these days, i'm asked to this or that to my bass sound. heck, little while back, i was auditioning for a "justice/mstrkrft" like duo, where i was asked to do alot more synth like flavors on my bass, and i was totally completely unprepared, which meant NO GIG FOR YOU!

of course, while many situations dont call for any effects, i'm realizing it definitely doesnt hurt your *relevance* to the current downtown music scene, especially after kanye made it cool to work with electronic guys like daft punk in this post lcd soundsystem / hot chip indie dance rock / hiphop landscape that is nyc.

being able to show people that you can pull out both a quality low end line that supports the band and that sounds interesting adds a huge cachete to you as a musician. of course, you needs chops to make those sounds viable, and finding that fine line of tasteful and just flippin' too much is a fine one indeed. but when you can show you've got more sounds than whatevers just coming out of your bass/cord, you're in a whole other catagory.
 
#60
jokerjkny said:
funny this is coming up,

i've mostly been bass/cable/amp since i first started a few years back on bass, but the more i audition and play around the city, the more i'm realizing i'm waaaaaaaaaaay behind the curve these days.

you dont have to be Justin Mendal Johnson or Juan Alderete, but more and more these days, i'm asked to this or that to my bass sound. heck, little while back, i was auditioning for a "justice/mstrkrft" like duo, where i was asked to do alot more synth like flavors on my bass, and i was totally completely unprepared, which meant NO GIG FOR YOU!

of course, while many situations dont call for any effects, i'm realizing it definitely doesnt hurt your *relevance* to the current downtown music scene, especially after kanye made it cool to work with electronic guys like daft punk in this post lcd soundsystem / hot chip indie dance rock / hiphop landscape that is nyc.

being able to show people that you can pull out both a quality low end line that supports the band and that sounds interesting adds a huge cachete to you as a musician. of course, you needs chops to make those sounds viable, and finding that fine line of tasteful and just flippin' too much is a fine one indeed. but when you can show you've got more sounds than whatevers just coming out of your bass/cord, you're in a whole other catagory.
Click to expand...

Your post makes me think of two things. One...you make a very good point. Two...thank goodness I don't depend on music to pay my mortgage. :o;)

M. M.
 

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