not happy with my sound! Help!

[highwayone]

Currently not getting the sound I'm looking for out of my equipment so would welcome suggestions. I play in a classic rock covers band and would like a really low rumbling bass sound but at the moment it's quite a bright sound I'm getting. I'm currently using a fender precision which has active EMG's fitted, a Trace AH350 head and have tried alternating my cabs to no avail(one 4x10 and a 1x15 bot Trace Eliott). I normally use a digitech compressor and have recently tried an Aphex big bottom which helped 'beef' it up a bit but it still sound a bit 'weedy'! Any suggestions effects wise or on the actual amp settings(eq on/off etc) Thanks in advance.

[Roland Rock]

My first suggestions would be:
- Back off the treble on the eq and boost the low mids
- play closer to the neck
- try flats

[BigRedX]

Lose the EMGs.

[chris_b]

Go passive.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1353925370' post='1879679']
Lose the EMGs.
[/quote]
+1

[Lozz196]

As above, lose the EMGs.

If not possible without messing up the bass, as per Roland Rock, set the eq flat on the EMGs, back off the treble and boost the low mids on the amp, plus try flats.

[highwayone]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1353925370' post='1879679']
Lose the EMGs.
[/quote]
[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1353926050' post='1879686']
Go passive.
[/quote]
[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1353926121' post='1879687']
+1
[/quote]
[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1353927605' post='1879704']
As above, lose the EMGs.

If not possible without messing up the bass, as per Roland Rock, set the eq flat on the EMGs, back off the treble and boost the low mids on the amp, plus try flats.
[/quote]

Sounds like the EMG's could be the issue. I bought the bass with them already fitted. Anyone got any standard precision pick ups for sale and know anyone who can do the work involved? Thanks

[thisnameistaken]

A passive bass would probably suit your music better but there's no reason why you can't get the sound you want with the gear you have. Have you really tried everything with the EQ on both the bass and the amp? I've never come across an amp that couldn't roll off enough treble.

[Highfox]

+1 on the Passive and Flats.

[chris_b]

[quote name='highwayone' timestamp='1353927867' post='1879710']
....Anyone got any standard precision pick ups for sale....
[/quote]

If you're going to change the pickups I think you can do better than "standard precision pickups"!

Seymour Duncan, Bartolini, Fralin, Aero, Delano and Wizard would be on my list ahead of Fender.

[highwayone]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1353928448' post='1879721']
A passive bass would probably suit your music better but there's no reason why you can't get the sound you want with the gear you have. Have you really tried everything with the EQ on both the bass and the amp? I've never come across an amp that couldn't roll off enough treble.
[/quote]

being a newbie to bass i have no idea how to set the eq on the bass?? it's a standard CIJ fender precision that someone has added active pups to, the guitar has no controls for the pick ups just tone and volume. Any tips????

[Lozz196]

Ah, no adjustable eq on bass. So in that case, if your amp is the one with the graphic, start off with everything in the middle, and, ignoring the two at the far end of the left hand side of the graphic, raise the next three a bit. I`d also lower the one at the far right hand side a bit as well.

Also, if there are any pre-sets - think there are but I can`t see them on the photo I`ve found - set them to the off position when doing this. you`ll probably find that the bass sounds a bit scratchy and nasally on its own, but in the mix is where this usually translates into a really full thick sound.

And, once you have a sound you like in the mix, then try switching the pre-set on - see if it adds anything.

Edited November 26, 2012 by Lozz196

[chris_b]

[quote name='highwayone' timestamp='1353929778' post='1879755']
....i have no idea how to set the eq on the bass?? it's a standard CIJ fender precision that someone has added active pups to, the guitar has no controls for the pick ups just tone and volume....
[/quote]

The pickups are controlled by the volume and tone controls and the EQ is the tone control!

If you don't know what the controls you've already got can do, sit there and play with them until you do know.

You [i]don't[/i] have a gear problem at the moment, so don't alter, change or mod anything until you've figured out how your current gear works.

[The Dark Lord]

This is a good place to start:

[url="http://goo.gl/msZBC"]http://goo.gl/msZBC[/url]

[highwayone]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1353932705' post='1879807']
Ah, no adjustable eq on bass. So in that case, if your amp is the one with the graphic, start off with everything in the middle, and, ignoring the two at the far end of the left hand side of the graphic, raise the next three a bit. I`d also lower the one at the far right hand side a bit as well.

Also, if there are any pre-sets - think there are but I can`t see them on the photo I`ve found - set them to the off position when doing this. you`ll probably find that the bass sounds a bit scratchy and nasally on its own, but in the mix is where this usually translates into a really full thick sound.

And, once you have a sound you like in the mix, then try switching the pre-set on - see if it adds anything.
[/quote]

Cheers Loz,

Sounds like a good bit of advice. I did have an active bass before and it did have it's own EQ control but this doesn't.

[highwayone]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1353934443' post='1879841']
The pickups are controlled by the volume and tone controls and the EQ is the tone control!

If you don't know what the controls you've already got can do, sit there and play with them until you do know.

You [i]don't[/i] have a gear problem at the moment, so don't alter, change or mod anything until you've figured out how your current gear works.
[/quote]

Had a play with the tone but doesn't really alter much. Think I may need to have more of a play with the EQ on my amp. I had a passive bass before and had no problems so thought it may be to do the non standard EMG's being added. Cheers for the advice.

[jackers]

the active EMGs are probably adding extra top-end which you will need to EQ back out using your amp. Spend a good amount of time finding out exactly how your amp's EQ works. Something I find useful to do with a graphic EQ is to sit down, set it all flat and boost/cut each slider in turn, to see how each one affects my sound. You can then learn which areas you like and which you don't and boost/cut appropriately.
If it's just a simple bass/mids/treble EQ, then the same thing applies, but you won't have as much control over the frequencies.

For classic rock I always find a fairly safe bet is a slight bass boost (and mids to taste) along with a slight treble cut.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Get a Telebass! Job done ,) I did have a large trace Elliot combo, looked nice-but after fiddling about this way and that, I sold it.
I now use Aguilardb112 no tweeter. One serious cab.(plus the amp to go with it)

[MarkG3]

I would say if you are using a Trace head then I found the pre-shape button changed my old sound loads. I always had it pressed in thinking yea more bass, but it wasn't until years down the line I thought I wonder what it'll sound like with it out. The result was so much better!

Edited November 26, 2012 by S9_S12_Bass

[KevB]

Been using a Trace combo with ext cabs (either Trace or SWR) for years. There are so many tone shaping options with the onboard graphic, preshape and compression devices available I can virtually get anything from 'mud' to 'glass'. My personal preference is to have a decent bit of top end on which doesn't seem to be your thing though. Take off some of the high end of the graphic and don't have the preshape 1 on as that also boosts top (and low) ends of the EQ. I would think the Aphex would help too but have no experience of them. I regularly use a Hartke Bass Attack pedal which helps give even more flexibility to the tone, thoroughly recommend these. As others have suggested it may be the pickups that are the root problem. If they are giving a thin weedy output it is a real job then trying to make something from what isn't there in the first place just on EQ at the amp end of things. I did have a bass with EMG's once and it always sounded a bit 'flat' and cold hi-fi sounding to me and I sold it on.

[chris_b]

If the tone control on the bass isn't doing much and the bass has been converted to active, then it sounds like a bad DIY installation.

The pickups and wiring might be wrongly installed. I'd get a health check on the bass before I changed anything.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1353939273' post='1879939']
If the tone control on the bass isn't doing much and the bass has been converted to active, then it sounds like a bad DIY installation.

The pickups and wiring might be wrongly installed. I'd get a health check on the bass before I changed anything.
[/quote]

Not necessarily - One of the options for installing EMGs is for active pickups and standard passive volume and tone controls. Have a look at [url=http://www.emgpickups.com/content/wiringdiagrams/Tone_Instructions_0230-0162B.pdf]this[/url] for more details.

[51m0n]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1353939588' post='1879945']
Not necessarily - One of the options for installing EMGs is for active pickups and standard passive volume and tone controls. Have a look at [url="http://www.emgpickups.com/content/wiringdiagrams/Tone_Instructions_0230-0162B.pdf"]this[/url] for more details.
[/quote]

Yup spot on!

I have a set of EMGs retro fitted into an old bass with passive tone controlsm, and they sound absolutely killer, yet all you can do on the bass is dial out some treble with the tone control or change pickup volumes/balance. Works a treat...

[bertbass]

Different tack here. Try one of these, http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/BDI21.aspx, I think it will get you where you want to go. Nothing wrong with EMGs either in my opinion. They're great pickups.

[thumperbob 2002]

There's loads of clever pedals you could buy but you don't need them. Cut your bass eqs ( those on the left of graphic ) and cut the high frequencies. ( those on the right ). Add volume and you'll be there. Sounds to me as though your eq is a little scooped. It'll sound ok just the bass but in a band mix you'll disappear.