Crappy bass tone

[megallica]

I know it's all personal taste but listening to this song which I really like and the dead bass tone really sticks out. I've heard all the James Jamerson stories and can appreciate that some players don't like anythiing but low end thump but for me dead strings sound awful on a recording.

Any other nominations for what you might deem a crap bass sound?

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHHFKpxjKs"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHHFKpxjKs[/url]

[xgsjx]

One of my fave bassists (whom I took a lot of influence from in my teens) has a tone that I don't like...

Billy Sheehan

[Lozz196]

Jaco

Thin, tinny, yuck!

(Runs for cover)

Edited April 11, 2013 by Lozz196

[xilddx]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1365670333' post='2042512']
Jaco

Thin, tinny, yuck!

(Runs for cover)
[/quote]

Awful tone, Jacos. But suitable to his needs.

Rush are my favourite band but I can't stand Geddy's tone on most of the albums.

[EBS_freak]

Fieldy from Korn... Not my type of music but bleugh anyway.

[Coilte]

Tone, like the strings that are partly responsible for it, among other things, is strictly a personal taste, like you say. Some people swear by flat strings, others hate them.

This is life. Don't worry about other people's tone. Once you have found yours, and are happy with it, that's all that matters.


Regarding the tone in the clip.......I love it.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Coilte

[spongebob]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365670628' post='2042514']
Awful tone, Jacos. But suitable to his needs.

Rush are my favourite band but I can't stand Geddy's tone on most of the albums.
[/quote]

Ditto Lemmy - I love Motorhead, but I'm not a big fan of his bass tone since the early '90s!

[xilddx]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1365671791' post='2042545']
Tone, like the strings that are partly responsible for it, among other things, is strictly a personal taste, like you say. Some people swear by flat strings, others hate them.

This is life. [b]Don't worry about other people's tone. Once you have found yours, and are happy with it, that's all that matters.[/b]


Regarding the tone in the clip.......I love it.
[/quote]

Timbre of instruments can really affect my enjoyment of a piece of music. Jaco playing Exodus with that horrible tone of his would totally f*** me up.

Edited April 11, 2013 by xilddx

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1365673114' post='2042565']
Ditto Lemmy - I love Motorhead, but I'm not a big fan of his bass tone since the early '90s!
[/quote]

Some idiot on YouTube argued with me one day about bass tone. He basically said distortion was a good thing, because it cuts all the low end, but then said you [i]need [/i]to use 18inch speakers, and not some "4x10 gallien krueger POS".

This was on a Lemmy video. I just decided the guy was clearly too stupid to even understand what he was saying.

[Wil]

Vic Wooten, Marcus Miller, Mark King... sparkly sterile scooped slap sounds suck. IMO. Their fingerstyle tones are a bit better, but generally too polite sounding for my taste.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Interesting thread this. I think Billy's tone is 'unique' . It certainly stands out:)

Love geddys tone.
Steve Harris on the other hand .. Not too lean tbh.
I have a lot of primus stuff, but I'm very much up and down on his tone .

Regarding fieldy( not just him) the reason I got a 5 string was because loads of metal bands were playing low b in the 90s. Not really a fan of new metal, but a good low b sounds good.

In the 80s the bass was way more prominent on the mix rock wise. some of the bass sounded like slap bass because of the twangy tone .( probably my ears;).

Bandwise for me; had a trace Elliot ( not much definition-poor)
Went to Eden nemesis(bright and awesome)
Had to go to Aguilar cos of portability ..
great boomy sound( no tweeter )

[MiltyG565]

What really gets me though, is guitarists. They attribute all their tone to the amp, or the pickup, which does make a difference to their tone, but the biggest change they could make is strings. First set of guitar strings I got from my local was a set of prosteels, and the guy was really shocked that i had bought them, and says even now, over 6 months down the line, nobody has bought any more prosteels for guitar. He said guitarists just buy the standard strings, and don't even think about the difference a different set of strings would make to their tone. That's the moment he knew I was a bassist, when I bought prosteels for a guitar

[Coilte]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365675799' post='2042625']
Timbre of instruments can really affect my enjoyment of a piece of music. Jaco playing Exodus with that horrible tone of his would totally f*** me up.
[/quote]

Fair enough, and I agree. However there is nothing we can do about it, if we dont like someone's tone.

[tonyquipment]

Just EQ it on the recording.

Like Peter hook once said.. You can't polish a turd.

[xilddx]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1365677752' post='2042663']
What really gets me though, is guitarists. They attribute all their tone to the amp, or the pickup, which does make a difference to their tone, but the biggest change they could make is strings. First set of guitar strings I got from my local was a set of prosteels, and the guy was really shocked that i had bought them, and says even now, over 6 months down the line, nobody has bought any more prosteels for guitar. He said guitarists just buy the standard strings, and don't even think about the difference a different set of strings would make to their tone. That's the moment he knew I was a bassist, when I bought prosteels for a guitar
[/quote]

What's the difference in timbre with your ProSteels compared to a cheaper alternative? And what gauge?

I use D'Addario 9-42 on my Strat, it sounds great.

I have also read from an expert on Gibsons that many players go for higher gauges on their Gibbos to get better tone, but if you have a great guitar in the first place it will sound great with even 8-40s, only poor guitars need heavier gauges.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1365677837' post='2042665']
Fair enough, and I agree. However there is nothing we can do about it, if we dont like someone's tone.
[/quote]

Of course there isn't, but what is your point?

[Wil]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365678038' post='2042674']
What's the difference in timbre with your ProSteels compared to a cheaper alternative? And what gauge?

I use D'Addario 9-42 on my Strat, it sounds great.

I have also read from an expert on Gibsons that many players go for higher gauges on their Gibbos to get better tone, but if you have a great guitar in the first place it will sound great with even 8-40s, only poor guitars need heavier gauges.
[/quote]

I use 11-52 on my Strat. I can tolerate 10-46s but they feel a bit too loose to me and anything lower than that and I'm convinced you lose some body in the sound, although I'm sure nothing some EQ couldnt sort. I've tried D'Addarios, Elixers and Ernie Ball strings but use nothing but Optima golds now, I highly recommend them. Not only do they not set off my nickel allergy, but they last longer than any other non coated strings I've tried. I've been complimented on my tone many times but I like to think it's all in the fingers

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365678038' post='2042674']
What's the difference in timbre with your ProSteels compared to a cheaper alternative? And what gauge?

I use D'Addario 9-42 on my Strat, it sounds great.

I have also read from an expert on Gibsons that many players go for higher gauges on their Gibbos to get better tone, but if you have a great guitar in the first place it will sound great with even 8-40s, only poor guitars need heavier gauges.
[/quote]

I found with a set of 11's on my acoustic, i could downtune the low E by an octave no problem. I wasn't downtuning, but i restrung and had tuned it in the wrong octave. I say the only reason for heavier strings is for the extra bass in them. I was advised against lighter strings for my acoustic because the tone wouldn't be as nice. On my electric, I had a set of 12's prosteels I believe. They were really good, but my issue was that as a complete novice, they weren't as easy to play on as nickel plated 9's, so that's what I have now. I'll go back to prosteels someday though, because I like a good clean tone. They'll be really good for funk and reggae.

[Coilte]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365678090' post='2042675']
Of course there isn't, but what is your point?
[/quote]

My point is that it is a futile discussion. Someone has a certain tone, you either like it or you dont.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Wil' timestamp='1365678413' post='2042679']
I use 11-52 on my Strat. I can tolerate 10-46s but they feel a bit too loose to me and anything lower than that and I'm convinced you lose some body in the sound, although I'm sure nothing some EQ couldnt sort. I've tried D'Addarios, Elixers and Ernie Ball strings but use nothing but Optima golds now, I highly recommend them. Not only do they not set off my nickel allergy, but they last longer than any other non coated strings I've tried. I've been complimented on my tone many times but I like to think it's all in the fingers
[/quote]

I might try them mate, can you elicidate on the tonal qualities of the Optimas?

[gjones]

If you listen to Paul McCartney's sound in Let It Be, when he's just noodling on his own, it's revolting. Just a big wet farting noise from that horrible little Hofner. But when it's integrated within the tracks somehow it sounds great.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1365678690' post='2042686']
My point is that it is a futile discussion. Someone has a certain tone, you either like it or you dont.
[/quote]

But surely the object is to learn from this. Rarely are discussions futile. For example I am now interested to try Optima Gold strings on my Strat.

[Coilte]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365678951' post='2042692']
But surely the object is to learn from this. Rarely are discussions futile. For example I am now interested to try Optima Gold strings on my Strat.
[/quote]

OK, I accept your point. What I am getting at is, people dissing ( not yourself, I am talking generally) other people's tone, just for the sake of it.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1365678771' post='2042688']
If you listen to Paul McCartney's sound in Let It Be, when he's just noodling on his own, it's revolting. Just a big wet farting noise from that horrible little Hofner. But when it's integrated within the tracks somehow it sounds great.
[/quote]

Listening to nearly any bass mixed to be in a full band track sounds horrible when taken out of that mix.

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1365679136' post='2042697']
OK, I accept your point. What I am getting at is, people dissing ( not yourself, I am talking generally) other people's tone, just for the sake of it.
[/quote]

Nobody has dissed anything dude, it's just a general exchange of ideas, and I would rather not see another thread descend in to yet another argument.