Your P Bass Tone Knob

[Jeff K]

Depends on the bass for me. I'm "down" to 3 P's right now, and all 3 are set differently. My '75 P is dimed. My E-Series MIJ P is about 50%, and my Classic '50s is about 75%. At one time I had an AV '57 Reissue that was so bright I usually kept the tone knob around 20%. I didn't keep that one very long.

One thing I thought was interesting. Earlier in this thread, one of you guys (Mojo Man?) said that if he's playing finger-style, he keeps it at no more than 20% on. With a pick, he plays with the knob no more than 50%. I rarely play with a pick, but when I do, I'm just the opposite. I set the tone knob much lower when playing with a pick.

 

[Dave Siff]

I set the tone wide open if I want some clank. Otherwise, I roll it off between 50% and 75%.

 

[Pilgrim]

Mine is set full up with 40 year old flats.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

Wide open for finger style. If I'm using a pick I roll off about 1/4.

Pretty much all of my tone control is from my fingers.

 

[P. Aaron]

I set the tone wide open if I want some clank. Otherwise, I roll it off between 50% and 75%.

me too.

 

[spaz21387]

100% on if im going clean. 25% with fuzz pedals You lose alittle low end with fuzz.

 

[onosson]

Depends largely on the song. For blues/jazz walking, rolled all the way off, or nearly so. For rock steady eighths, I usually "pick" with my index and thumb fingernails, and have the tone wide open to get the attack. For general fingerstyle, somewhere slightly below 50%, though I'll open it up either more or less, depending on the room sound.

 

[johnk_10]

i run mine at about 50-70% on depending on the song.

 

[jabsys]

Wide open with fingers or pick.

 

[scottbass]

So many different responses! And that just goes to show that many of us have different concepts of "that perfect P bass tone".

Ain't diversity a great thing?

Me - I used to have it set at 50% or less when I played roundwounds in order to reduce the signature P bass "clank". But now that my set of TI Jazz Flats is starting to get broken in nicely after four years of about 10 hours per week, I find myself playing with the knob at 75% or more. And, like others have noted, that's just the baseline. Every song, and even different passages within the same song, have different tones controlled by my fingers.

 

[TomB]

Wide open w/passive instruments. I do usually roll off some volume to leave headroom & that has some effect on tone as well. In the studio, wide open.

 

[ghiadub]

I roll mine 100% off most of the time. I will occasionally open it up about .5 (out of ten) if I need some sparkle, but mostly it is off.

 

[badboyb]

All the way off.
Played with flats.
Thick, full tone.

 

[MasterBass!]

Full treble on the bass, full treble on the amp, tweeters on full and on overload!!

Gotta have clack for funk!!

 

[jazz3625tonic]

100% off.

 

[Rockmusician]

I use mine about 2/3 of the way up.

 

[GregC]

Typically, wide open fingerstyle and rolled back 1/4 or so when using a pick. Most of the other tonal adjustments I make through playing style, but occasionally I'll roll it well back (halfway) for a song.

 

[DownUnder_Funk]

Mine has a set of (well dead) ernie ball super slinky rounds, and I have the tone up full. I love the sizzle and it's nicely countered by the deadness of the strings. Only, it buzzes like crazy so I'm going to shield it this week

 

[Turock]

I back mine off pretty far.

 

[Pilgrim]

Most of my basses have flats and I run the tone full up or close...but that's usually after they've been on for a few months. Until then I may turn it down as much as 60%.