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Classic combinations: Bass and amp


JamesBass
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Got thinking earlier after a conversation with a few guitar playing mates, the topic was on dream rigs and set ups. One of my mates was saying how all he wants amp wise is a Mesa Boogie head and cab to go with his PRS as it is a classic combination. Another mate chimes in with how he wants to pair his Les Paul with a JCM800 head and cab. We all know these are great sounding combinations and many classic riffs and songs have been played on such combinations.

BUT what classic combinations are there for bass? I couldn't and can't think of any?


Apologies if this has been done before

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I think it depends who's "classic" tone you're after & who you want to sound like.

E.G. Stingray & GK rig could get you that classic Flea sound.

My classic rig is an Ibanez SR through a Markbass LMII (with some fx for flexing the tones). :)

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In my experience, these are nice warm but clear sounding combinations:
Musicman Stingray - Mesa Boogie Bass 400+, Burman Pro4000, Warwick CL/CCL combo
Brittle sounding bass (hard fingerboard and super rigid through body neck, or bolt on graphite neck and ash body) - SWR SM400
Smith BSR/Fender Jazz - any Class D amp

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Electric guitarists WANT colouration from their amp, bassists often don't (particularly today it's all about 'uncoloured sound'). As such there's not such iconic combinations for bass as there are in the guitar world.

However, I'd probably say P through an Ampeg would cover a lot of classic tones, or a J through SWR for some classic established sounds.

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I would agree with that to a point but SWR, Warwick and Eden have all produced amps that were designed to make the most popular bass (a jazz bass) sound good. I know that because they make the one bass that was even more mid scooped than a jazz, a Ken Smith BSR, sound so scooped that I couldn't tell what note I was playing on stage.

The RnB players out there pairing Smiths with Edens...I really don't understand how they monitor accurately.

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