Iheartreverb

I had this exact same problem and a compressor was the oerfext answer. Buying a DI for this is like getting one and using it for 10% of what it can do. I use Bass- compressor (for definition and boost)- clean boost (to overdrive)- DI (for final tone shaping and clean sound)- amp

Your tone will change massively in the move from rounds to flats as will the tension. More so that a move up or down a gauge on either side of the fence. If your gonna move to flats, get it set up again afterwards. Flats aren't for everyone, I like the description of them but in reality didn't work for me.

Digitech bass driver is pretty good, blend keeps low end while level and morph changes the gain. I don't need mine anymore if you fancy it for a steal?

[quote name='jezzaboy' timestamp='1386967729' post='2307078'] I find Lofi a terrible place. The sound in their small rooms is shocking, especially the ones where the drummer sits in an inshot. Berkeley is by far and above the best rehearsal place in the town. Decent gear, you don`t need to wipe your feet on the way out and Steve and the girls and guys are nice people when they get to know you. [/quote] I wish I could go to Berkeley every practice but it's an extra taxi ride from town and we practice twice a week. We always get a good sized room in lofi, I agree the smaller ones are a bit ropey bit we are a five price and prefer to have one of the bigger room for the pianos in there too. I just think it's better of the city centre based places like Dixon.

Berkeley is by far the best rehearsal space but isn't that convenient to get to. We rehearse at lofi which for me is a second. Anyone any thoughts?

[quote name='waldflote8' timestamp='1386887797' post='2306170'] close enough to the city, the guys at the music centre in Paisley are friendly but in general I find the shops are not so individual as they used to be, probably due to the market being dominated by certain brands and distributors ?? I think that merchant City was closed last time I was out that way. [/quote] Merchant city has moved but is still around, look them up online. It's true that most stores are full of the same stuff but for me the service will decide where I go. CCmusic just stock what they can get, pay no attention to trends in music or in instruments or newer lines coming out.

Good to hear from you mate. I live near CCmusic but make an effort to not shop there as the customer service is awful as is the stock holding. If I was looking to buy anything it would be Merchant City music as the guys are sound and everything gets a set up before it hits the shelves. I'm only just moving into the gigging world but I know what you mean, there's so many nights on! If I'm going to a gig I prefer smallest venues such as stereo, broadcast or the art school.

Really into this as a community and everyone is spot on. Anyone in Glasgow? Where do you shop? Where do you gig? Where do you rehearse? What do you play? Look forward from hearing from you lot

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1386509042' post='2300809'] The problem with extreme EQ is [/quote] But is it THAT extreme? It's a standard function on some brands and only notch up on one slider of an EQ? I really appreciate your input, this is exactly why I posted it here. I'm struggling to get my heard around firstly why it is seemed to be that extreme when so many players have a EQ pedal and secondly why everything minis this function seems harsh and horrible.

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1386509544' post='2300816'] Deep switches OR too much bass is a tone killer... IMO. I think you need to practice with the sound you use live. [/quote] Thanks for advice. I really don't have a "live" sound. I have a bedroom sound and then a practice room sound I don't like because it doesn't sound like the bedroom. I'm only just moving into a proper practicing and gigging situation

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1386494157' post='2300566'] The beauty of the Ashdown switches (IME) is that you can engage them for home practice at low volume and have a lovely rich tone. When you get in to a full band setting you can turn the switches off, turn the volume up, and have a similar tone that sits nicely in a full band mix. [/quote] Sort of my problem is that I can't mirror that tone without that switch and I'm currently looking at pedals such as a Boss Bass EQ and EHX mole to do a similar thing. I play in an instrumental rock band so there's lots of times where my bass is more at the front playing over ambience and stuff so I have to think about more that just how to sit in a mix with everyone else

Just a big muff and a POG as far as I know. Recently moved to an all Fender rig. In the studio has two Precisions and a Ric so who knows what your hearing

After years of playing with the deep switch I'm finding it near on impossible to like anything else. Which is silly considering this is my crappy practice amp in my spare room. Now the deep switch adds 8db at 50hz which other people are telling me is crazy! Surely it's not that crazy if it is achieved easily by an EQ slider and is fitted as standard to loads of Ashdown Gear? Any thoughts/advice people?

Buy an affinity P/ J for £190 sell off the bits you don't need and do what you want to it?

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1385642398' post='2290538'] Not sure your description is terribly helpful... Do you play with a particularly light touch? That will lower your volume for any given setting. BTW, when people suggest that you change your tone a bit (add more mids, run predominantly on one pickup rather than both on full) it is not because they are criticising your tone choices, but trying to give you the benefit of what has worked for them (and others) in similar situations. That said, you do seem to have a LOT of problems in your current situation! Two loud guitarists, borrowed gear (which may not be maintained very well, or at all!), a particular tone on your head that may only really work at home, solo, at low volume... [/quote] Yeah I know. I genuinely can't be more thankful for the advice. My description is cack, I know. I just meant I have more gain in my tone than a clean sound. I do play fairly lightly but more importantly I play fairly high up the body (just slightly off the neck pickup) rather than at the bridge. I've developed a hatred for all these modern gain-y trebly bridge tones.

People seem to be losing track of my question a little bit. I genuinely really appreciate this much advice though, so please don't think I do. This is a great community. Anyway, The issue is, I can't get the tone I want at a decent volume. What are my options? I could get folk to turn down a bit (strangely the guys at the rooms say we are one of the quietest bands they have) I could DI straight into a mixing desk/pa as all our practice rooms have these. Just find the tone and then turn it up? I just like a slightly under gained cleaner tone that these amps don't seem to want to do

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1385567634' post='2289741'] In which case I recommend you join a Level 42 tribute band, where your contribution will be appreciated. [/quote] the funk makes me uncomfortable

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1385562817' post='2289669'] Unless you're saying that your output is so weak that you can't get the amps close to maximum output even with the master volume on full, [/quote] I'm saying I dont want the max output (and gain it brings) but cant hear myself or be heard any other way. Thanks for your advice, I'm pretty new to playing in this kind of situation.

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1385558552' post='2289598'] Bridge mount? not sure I follow ya there. I got a set for my Rockinbetter, fitted the bridge pickup onto the Rockinbetter base - it's just particleboard or some such - but it came supplied with one too so I have a spare. It took about 10 minutes to fit. They sound awesome. I went for the classic sounding one. Depending on what brand of copy you have you may have to modify the pickguard / mount anyway. For a Rockinbetter the hole for the neck p/u was a bit small so i enlarged it. I also put the capacitor mod on mine, and yes it does make a difference to the 'mid-scoop' but i prefer the neck pickup alone anyway. [/quote] I mean one of these [url="http://www.rosetti.co.uk/Product/Rickenbacker-4000-Series-Treble-Pickup-Surround-Ch"]http://www.rosetti.co.uk/Product/Rickenbacker-4000-Series-Treble-Pickup-Surround-Ch[/url] the one on mine (very similar to rockinbetter) is a slightly smaller completely flat surround. I would want to get this and the cover too.

[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1385556552' post='2289553'] Using unfamiliar gear is always likely to cause sound problems. Is there a good reason why the guitarists can't bring their own? [/quote] Just logistics.People getting on trains to the practice room in city centre would be a lot more difficult with a twin.

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1385552364' post='2289520'] You could try [url="http://geminipickups.co.uk/"]Gemini pickups[/url], t [/quote] sh*t, How big are those poles! once you factor in cost on top for correct bridge mount and cover they're only about £15 cheaper than actual Ric's. But honestly, thanks for showing me these and your advice. If these sound better I'd go for them anyway.

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1385547608' post='2289446'] Have you tried another bass ? The copy may have poor pick ups, they are built to emulate looks rather than working basses. The real Ricks do have a very odd quirk almost unique to them in that the bass does not roll off when you turn the tone pots up, it stays on unlike most basses and this can overwhelm amps. I find precisions cut much sharper as they have a fuller sound, almost the perfect output signal in that it is not scooped Like the Rick and the bass roll off with the tone up makes them cut through far better. [/quote] this is my old bass at the minute. I see your point though, when i had a precision and plugged it in my amp on the settings I had my Ric copy on I could barely keep the walls on my flat. soooo much more output and low end! With regards to the pickups I just loose volume and low end in the middle pos. Looking at Ric pickups to put in it at £220 a set!!!!

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1385505268' post='2289196'] ...also is there anyway of taking your amp each time? then you have a constant bass sound as ebs to ampeg although both awesome wnt sound the same ....[/quote] My amp is a small Ashdown 30 watt.Fine in my spare room but no hope in a band situation. Thats why I use the amps in the rooms. Its worth mentioning that the silly loud Marshall's aren't ours either. One guitarist uses a Fender twin, the other a Selmer head. [quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1385514295' post='2289294'] It really does sound like a mix issue with the guitars sitting in your space in which case it's not you, it's them - but possibly also a preference for quite a mid-scooped sound from the Ric if the middle position corresponds to two pickups blended (I'm not familiar with Ric settings)? ........Regarding the compression, do you have much control over attack/release settings, and can you change where it sits in the signal chain? [/quote] My compressor is a Boss CS3 so I can change it all I want. I usually have it Lev 1 o'clock, tone 1 o'clock, attach 3 o'clock, sustain 11 o'clock. Yes the middle position is both pickups together although I dont blend them and just have all pots on full. It's true that it sounds very guitar like at this point but this tone through a clean mid heavy amp is exactly how I want it to sound....just louder. [quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1385538165' post='2289343'] It sounds to me people are exercising double standards. Yes the guitars need to EQ, but a very valid point is that what sounds good alone may not be right for the mix. This is probably exactly what is happening here. You like sound A at home etc, but at rehearsals you can't hear it. So go for sound B, which you don't like. Sound B seems to be the sound right for the band.[/quote] Surely the only way for me to be heard isn't to play with the exact opposite to the sound I want? You wouldn't say this to a jazz or soul band..."yeah just grind the hell out of the amp". Plenty of bands I like achieve this balance and live this shouldn't be a issue as everything will go through a sound desk and pa so the mix will be there. Its just getting a practice tone right. Is there anything else that could help such as a clean boost in my chain that will increase my input before power amp? [quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1385541554' post='2289374'] Hiho,I find a Rick cuts through like no other bass,the 4003 has plenty output from the pick ups. Marshalls that are to big I,m afraid.A Vox ac30 is blistering loud but a Marshall 100watt with a 4x12 is jet plane loud. Going to be hard to get them to turn down. Guitarists in the know use 50 watt or less versions so they can get the sound without destroying buildings even so they are loud as well. Ever played with a guitarist who has a Vox ac15 ?,great sound but very loud and it,s only 15 watt.I know wattage is subjective but you get the drift. If it was possible -turn up with 3 8x10 cabs and 3 Orange terror bass 1000 watt heads that,ll sort that out-oh don,t forget the ear plugs and tenna lights,you don,t want an oops moment. Volume wars are the bane of many a band.[/quote] Its only a copy and the pickups are loud enough on their own but I get a noticeable difference in output in the middle pos. Its worth mentioning that the silly loud Marshall's aren't ours either. One guitarist uses a Fender twin, the other a Selmer head.

[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1385504357' post='2289175'] 412s can get very loud, but it's not just a volume thing. The Marshall sound is dense and can cover everything from around 100Hz right up to 4kHz, ie all over the bass guitar. You need to find the tonal gaps in there (if there are any) and boost those, or (better) get them to cut a hole somewhere for your bass. Often guitarists boost the bass/low-mids too much to get that thick chunky sound, great on its own but wipes out the bass in the mix, and it sounds better overall if they get a tone that's a little thin on it's own. When I do sound, Marshall-type driven guitar tone gives me the biggest difficulties with the mix 9 times out of 10. Especially if there are two of them, and especially especially if the guitarist comes with ego attached, which with Marshalls they usually seem to :/ Also, those Marshall overdrives give a very compressed tone. You may want to compress the bass to match, or you'll find the note decays too fast in comparison. [/quote] I'm already using a compressor quite high, this focuses my otherwise very low output. With that you said about finding a place (tone/frequency) to be heard, that's what I've done. Neck pickup, gain. But this isn't the overall tone I want, as described

Hi all, I can probably be accused of under powering my amp. I play at home with the gain less than half of the volume and love a super clean rounded tone. Usually mid 3 o'clock treble 12 o'clock, bass around 1 o'clock. I play a Ric copy with is fairly low output in the middle position, so I don't think that helps. Anyway, when I practice I use the amps at the practice rooms which is 300/350/450/600 watt heads of varying brands always either Ashdown, Ampeg or EBS and always into ampeg 810's. When trying to dail in my tone I just can't hear myself over two guitarists playing into Marshall 900's. I find myself needing to drive the amp and use my neck pickup just to cut through and hear myself (and be heard). I am aware of how to power you amp and the advice to run upto the peak point but for me this is too distorted. In simpep terms my one is less of a bumm and more of a burrrr Any advice on how to help my tone? I'm well aware of the problem could be me (my bass) and not the amp. I'm open to changing pots, pickups, using boost, pre amp as well as the issues of the Amp. Thanks is advance