leftyhook Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Looking at [b]Wizard Trad[/b] pick up. Not being brought up on Fenders, can someone recommend a track where I can clearly hear what is meant my [i]that[/i] sound, so that I might get an idea what one of these pick ups might add to a Squier? youtube links, whatever thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) Duck Dunn and his P Bass. 'Soul Man'. Never used a Wizard tbh, but reckon an SD SPB-1 would give you a vintage sound. If that's what you're after? Though the standard Squier pup should give you a thump anyway. Are you using flats? [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX7jRyko6dY[/media] Edited February 27, 2012 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Listen to anything on Stax and Motown: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBe3yjJLfj8&feature=related[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 The "trad" Precision sound as heard on early records features players using flatwound strings and foam under the strings. In my opinion both work in the studio but not live. Lindy Fralin and Nordstrand pickups are supposed to be close or even better than the best of the early Fender pickups. I don't know Wizards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 The bassist in The New Mastersounds has a great Precision sound. He's also a damn good player.........as I'm sure you'll agree. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACTDquZ7PD4&feature=relmfu"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACTDquZ7PD4&feature=relmfu[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU5A9C6ypZ0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU5A9C6ypZ0[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 New mastersounds bassist....!!!!!! wow. Thanks so much for the examples. I'm beginning to wonder if it's a traditional P bass sound I want. Isn't it rather dull? Don't tell me this is what all the fuss is about! I can get that sound out of a Westfield bass that I have. I am thinking that what I would get is more volume? I can't see that sound cutting through my band at full tilt. I have to cover songs from Lady Ga Ga to Kings of Leon, to Disco, to Bon Jovi. Am I asking too much of one bass? Please, P bass owners, don't be offended by my comments on the sound. I WANT to play a P bass, but it has to have presence to work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Though you obviously like the idea of a P-Bass, I don't think a P-Bass is actually what you're looking for... Perhaps you need something more sophisticated... what about a nice Status Kingbass Artist? Or, look at it this way... Steve Harris has no problems cutting through with Iron Maiden, wouldn't you agree? If there is one bass in the world that will properly sit in the mix of [i]any [/i]genre, it's a decent P-Bass. If you need more volume, get a bigger rig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 The good side of the problem you have is that the good old P-Bass has been used for fifty years, and has, mostly with the standard pickups, been used to generate tones from Jamerson to Burnel to Lynnott to Harris to Dunn to....well, you get the drift. The playing styles, strings, amps and production do the rest. The 'Trad' sounds people have suggested are indeed 'dull' in one sense, but they're that way intentionally - flats and foam will do that for a string... If I had to pick one bass to gig with, it'd be a P/J (purely because I like the extra the J gives), and I'd do (in fact I actually do some of them) any of your above list with mine. Your string, EQ, amp/cabs and playing style choice will dictate far more than your pickup choice (important though it is) will. As for cutting through, it's been said before, but mids are your friend - I wouldn't get hung up about the sound of the bass on its own with the mids pushed (I'm not keen myself), but in a band context, it sounds very different. I've come back from a gig where I was EQing on the fly, been happy with the sound at the gig, and when I've plugged back into the amp solo the next day, the tone I was using has made me go "Ewwwww.". Oh, and "How loud?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) You know, i find the "traditional" P tone to be pretty dull, and a lot of P owners love putting flats on them to make them even duller, but there are many examples of P tone working in Punk (Clash, Stranglers etc) that sound completely the opposite. Plenty of modern bands also use a P bass. Maybe im missing something but when old Motown recordnigs are referenced for certain tones i've always thought that we are hearing a lot more than just a bass tone. Low fi recordings with a lot of compression etc, probably old (guitar?) cabs, all add up to that Motown sound but i doubt that gives an accurate representation of how the Bass actually sounded in the studio EDIT: How could i forget Bruce Foxton, doh. Edited February 27, 2012 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1330342133' post='1555839'] ....Maybe im missing something but when old Motown recordnigs are referenced for certain tones i've always thought that we are hearing a lot more than just a bass tone.... [/quote] [size=4][font=Arial]In the Motown Jamerson mixes on YouTube, I think you can hear how frequently the bass sounded less than great but how the engineers got the "Jamerson" sound for him.[/font][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick's Fine '52 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1330340908' post='1555811'] I can get [i]that [/i]sound out of a Westfield bass that I have.[/quote] Are you sure it's not new ears you need?? I joke by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 I have ample head room on stage. Thing is, no mixer out front (on stage), so once it's mixed, that's it for the night. As for the reference to some P bassists, the ones mentioned seemed to be plectrum players _JJB, Bruce Foxton (There was a Wal in the Wal Factory waiting for Foxton to collect when I was there in 84) Phil Lynott etc. I love that sound, but I am primarily a finger style, and I can get close to that with the Warwick. Great presence, despite what you traditionalists might think of them! Discreet may be right. It probably isn't a P bass that I need. Anyway I have just heard that my P/J Squier just sold (had it up for, but was having second thoughts) One day, I wil own one, even if it's for a Motown tribute session cheers all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='Rick's Fine '52' timestamp='1330343873' post='1555861'] Are you sure it's not new ears you need?? I joke by the way! [/quote] er, the Jamerson sound.... not hard to replicate that! Someone said that perhaps the recording technology of way back then perhaps didn't do the P bass justice. We all know that JJ was a stubborn man when it came to changing strings. In the end his old strings lost him work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1330310389' post='1555578'] The bassist in The New Mastersounds has a great Precision sound. He's also a damn good player.........as I'm sure you'll agree. [/quote] Hell of a rhythm section all round! Although I'm not sure how much of the "P tone" comes through in this clip as all of his playing is so staccato and he clearly has the tone control rolled right off... Very nice though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1330361062' post='1556217'] er, the Jamerson sound... not hard to replicate that! [/quote] Hard to replicate his revolutionary techniques and creativity though. Oh, and radically change the course of modern music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330363701' post='1556274'] Hard to replicate his revolutionary techniques and creativity though. Oh, and radically change the course of modern music. [/quote] as I said, the sound, not the genius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Tipping Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Out of every bass I've played with / borrowed / gigged IMO you just can't beat a P's simplicity .. I find you get out of it exactly what you put into it. I play in a covers band and do and have done probably all the tunes you will do .. it always cuts through the mix no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The last minute or so or the 3Leaf Audio PWNZOR video on YouTube should do it... albeit 'muted'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawrenceH Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Very hard IMO to separate the 60s P bass sound from the use of flats... Try this one for a more 'upfront' roundwound P sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3WwQkBTuwA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) Some more up to date, better recorded live P bass tone in the Standing in the Shadows of Motown film. Classic film IMO. This wont play here, it will open a YT link. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO4bqyTWHdA&feature=related[/media] Edited February 28, 2012 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1330428012' post='1557173'] Some more up to date, better recorded live P bass tone... [/quote] Christ, that recording has got a shedful of bottom end on it! It's rattling the cutlery drawer downstairs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 There is also some nice P bass, courtesy of Duck Dunn in the Blues Brothers film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE41YPdPuis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1330428449' post='1557189'] Christ, that recording has got a shedful of bottom end on it! It's rattling the cutlery drawer downstairs! [/quote] LOL, its even better in DD5.1 :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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