krispn

I think it’s the same with the Spark. It’s voiced in a way which aids the bass but by not being a bass specific EQ boost (which is usually way down at about 40Hz) its likely more naturally voiced for guitar and set in and about 80-100Hz which is much more forgiving but has enough make up bass in the EQ to keep the lows in a place which still works. I did a little basic snooping via my DAW and that’s what I was finding.

Most gear purchases after the essentials are vanity, curiosity or a combination of both. I’ve owned some high end gear and it’s always been used at gigs so while it might have prestige status it’s also been bought for its attributes. I’m under no illusion that the crowd have little idea what a bass is let along the signal chain I’m using. I’ve had more than one “Why am I playing an ££££ bass/amp when a squier would do in this sh*t hole” type moment. That’s not to say folk can’t enjoy their nice high end stuff at home and many of us have gigging gear and Sunday best gear (err I don’t but I’ve read the accounts). I’ve just been in a position where I’ve been able to buy some nice kit but it was the only kit I then owned as I had to shift everthing else to afford it 😀 but it’s usually been gig specific. I’ve done some local circuit original gigs where I’ve used cheapie basses and on one cringeworthy occasion a new to me squier cut out at sound check and the other bands bassist offered me his bass… it was a Wal! I was petrified of damaging it and literally didn’t move for the whole set! Times like that I wished everyone took crap on the road! I also thought the perception of me would have been one of I didn’t care about kit or gear not in a lack of knowledge but as a general he couldn’t give a f*** which is certainly not the case and that I didn’t have the basic common sense to make sure it worked pre gig. A comment above said “I’ve no interest in your gear so don’t be so interested in mine” (paraphrasing) yet the whole basis of the thread is to show what gear we got, if it was a hit or a miss and importantly why to inform others and, I presume, how/where we use it and if it’s fit for purpose. For me the real test is on a gig. Can I get it to do what I want or was the marketing just that. I hope my explanations above are helpful. I meant to say I nabbed a bass too, a BB424x. It’s a good bass for the money, needs a touch of eq to even it out a bit for my tastes but it’s maybe I’m more used to my P bass which doesn’t need a lot of additional eq whereas the BB has a lot of lows. While not a traditional sounding P it does have its own sound and it’s been nabbed as much for the 80’s look as the sound but I have eq option across the signal chain if needed. I’ve been enjoying playing it live at volume and I’ve had no issues ‘taming it’ or coaxing what I need out of ir. I do prefer a PJ and while my cheapie jazz was great the PJ feels more at home with what I’m going for plus if it was good enough for Tony in No Doubt (I know it’s not the same model but…)! As others have said I tend to buy gear for a particular gig and once that stops being a thing I know I’ll keep my trusty P bass ahead of anything else. I have another pedal or two incoming that might replace the stomp but I really need to try them out side by side before deciding. These days I need a very simple but tweak-able signal chain and if I can get it all in one box that’s perfect. The stomp does that of course and works but I fancy trying something else. hijack over as you were.

Ueah I have been messing with some of the UAD stuff and the iPad app. I’d I were to gig with an acrual synth my keyboard player assures me he has heaps of stuff he could bring along for me. He’s really rather dead on but for home practice I think the plug in would be great for nailing those classic sounds. Logic ain’t bad and I’ve a couple of workable sounds for now too.

‘Yeah that’s the thing the keys player is basically I’ll not do any left hand parts so it’s all up to you what you wanna play. I have been using logic and a keyboard and working on all the songs where I might be able to play synth - as for actual bass synth I’m not against the idea and think it would be cool but I’m enjoying the phat bass sound I have just now. It’d be cool to have a SubPhatty or some Moog type sounds set up to switch on the fly but I’ll see how I get on with the mac. I have used Moog plug ins which sound great via my Apollo but then it’s more gear to schelp - a synth into my Basswitch when I can just A/B makes much more sense on a practical level but not a financial one - if we make any money and it become a decent gigging venture I’d invest but the set list would also need to justify it 🙂

Well it’s only a best of/worst of thread but it’s sometimes good to get context. I’ve had a main pub band gig for ages but I like to have a second project on the go too. Did a C&W band for a bit which was great fun but now it’s an 80’s thing and I get to try out a different sound. It’s half the fun!

Swift payment and good chat. Top bloke!

Such an easy transaction. Cheers fella!

I tend to change my rig every 4 years or so as my gigging needs change and post lock down it’s been nice to make some adjustments to my gear and get a chance to hear them in rehearsal and gigs… Fender Rumble 210 combo - bought this after doing a ‘back line provided’ gig which had one supplied and I was really impressed with the sound, not just how well it took my pedals but more importantly with the variety of sounds I could coax from the amp itself. It really is a cracking and very capable unit. If it came with a foot switch it’d be just about the perfect no nonsense gigging combo (I got mine used locally and it came with a cover so was pretty chuffed about that). Most of my gigs are iem these days but it’s still really nice to have some bass on stage as I know I enjoy it and the drummer always prefers it too so the Rumble is a great sounding way to get that on stage presence in a portable package without compromising on sound quality. Why more folks aren’t using this combo I’ll never know. I’d honestly consider getting the matching 210 ext cab but I’m unlikely to need it! Darkglass B3K - I’m not a DG fan boi but the updates to this pedal have made it way more useful IMO for my needs and I was specifically after something which would play nicely with synths. The addition of a mid button and the tone control and how it’s voiced make this quite a practical unit. I’ve joined an 80’s band and thankfully we all agree that powerful, supportive bass tone is better than me trying to sound like a synth. We already have keys in the band and this prompted me to try the B3K. From what I can tell after some early testing in the rehearsal room is that it’s a great choice for bolstering the low end, adding enough supportive mid range so as not to get lost when I switch it on but also controlled enough in the high end to be heard but not brash or harsh in any way. Rehearsal earlier this week was great as the guitarist wasn’t there so I was playing with a bit more gain than I normally do (to be fair it wasn’t really that ‘aggressive’ per se considering usual DG standards) and it was a great fit. Doing tracks like Material Girl which was probably a synth or bass/synth doubled the B3K got a nice approximation which just seemed to lock in and sit really well with the kick drum - this was all going via the rumble combo which having 210’s might just be a bit more of a punchy sound than I’m used to with my regular 212 cab. Looking forward to having the guitar back and hearing how we can make things work to fill out that mids range and both have our place along with the keys. Spark booster (4 knob version) - total low gain dream pedal for me and one of the best voiced 2 band eq’s for bass too IMO and in conjunction with the MID setting it really pushes the low gain/low mids thing. For me this is a damn fine always on type pedal to allow the bass to sit right where you want it in the mix. I have A/B’d with the Rumble built in drive and both do the low gain always on sound really well. Had the Spark at the pub band gig and would switch between it and the built in drive on the Rumble - both worked a treat and did a similar thing but it their own way with either being a brilliant solution to getting that sound.

GB call it an eq and it’s their pedal/design so I’ll stick with their definition. I have a preamp/eq pedal which can drive a power amp and I think of that as a preamp.

Jesus lads it’s an eq pedal! 😂

So he must have a really good job 😀

Just buy a used CV Squier and never look at the internet again as both the P and J are all the bass you need for 99% of most gigs.

Not to repeat everything that has just been posted by Lozz... but The way the Spark is voiced in the bass (80Hz from my rudimentary testing) and the voicing of the MID (and the FAT to a lesser extent) settings make it just about the perfect low gain bass drive. It's voiced right where need it to be in terms of the EQ points and adds enough to the overall signal in terms of gain/drive to just about perfectly nail that edge of break up or more valve like furry tone which lets us sit in the mix with enough drive to blend in but not lose the essence of a good bass tone. For about £35 used I'd rate this as one of the best drive/2 band EQ's for bass because it a gives nice alternative to where most bass amp EQ points are set so it can really compliment them and it just makes the bass sound 'better'. The clean boost mode is great too as a basic 2 band EQ but the way the MID is voiced and pushing those 300-400Hz MIDS with the gain up is very pleasing. @Witch Hazel the new Darkglass BK3 V2 has a mid boost button which works across a broad band from 300Hz-1kHz and the tone knob is actually a high roll off (8kHz-3kHz)so it can dial the top end right down and fill out the mids nicely. I am not a typical DG fanboi and don't play any modern/djent stuff but it's a really useful low to mid gain pedal (and more drive as needed). The Vintage Microtubes is a darker sounding pedal compared to the Version 2 B3K. Amos Heller has a good video comparing the 4 DG 'small 4 knob pedals' which is worth a look. I also have a Fender Trapper which is a great low-med gain pedal. I've added a demo below which is a good representation of what it does. Think decent amp drive and the Dist2 channel really lets you dial in the low end. I've just started rehearsing and gigging again and I've been enjoying using the Trapper, the B3K v2 and the Spark in various ways. I also nabbed a new to me Fender Rumble 210 combo so I've had a lot of gain options!! For Low gain I can emulate the Rumble's built in drive (which is really quite decent) with all three pedals but I prefer to use the Spark as an always on sound just pushing as eloquently described by Lozz and then I can switch to either the B3K or trapper for more drive - each providing their own colour and tones. The Trapper is great at the more vintage and amp like while the B3K take it up a notch if needed. I have a new unit arriving soon so I'll be up for shifting some of these pedals soon as I'm consolidating my pedal board

That is a great pedal board! I'm off to amazon!

Don’t get that one it’s the guitar version🤭

Me too…well 20something me!