badboy1984 Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 What i mean by clanky punch tone is the flea bass tone. I'm trying to get that tone on my jazz by boosting mids and treble and striking the bass with force but still no clank or that punch i'm looking for. I got to admit my bass is not low action. Will low action and abit of fret buzz will give me that funky punch tone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 I've messed about with the action to try and get the clanky tone of JJ Burnel, never had much luck, I've still have a lowish action which rattles a bit when I hit the strings hard with my pick, but any clankyness gets totally lost in the band situation mix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 The thing is i can't reproduce any clank at all with my action atm, is not too high but not too low either. I've tried dig it as hard as i could on some lick i'm playing but still no luck. Thats include experiment on boosting mid/treble and cutting some bass etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziphoblat Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Yes, in my experience low action is a big part of that tone. Low action, the correct technique, fresh roundwound strings, and a maple (or lacquered) fretboard helps too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus bell Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 straight neck, low action graphite necks are great for this too! hence why i want one for my mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 maybe is time to re-setup my jazz bass again. I kind of don't like the too much bass thump kind of tone these days for whatever reason. I use to love it but really don't like it now ......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 [quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1366902663' post='2058809'] What i mean by clanky punch tone is the flea bass tone. I'm trying to get that tone on my jazz by boosting mids and treble and striking the bass with force but still no clank or that punch i'm looking for. I got to admit my bass is not low action. Will low action and abit of fret buzz will give me that funky punch tone? [/quote] Active pickups are good for the flea tone. Status basses are also a must ( graphite necks as already mentioned); what amp are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 I use TC BH500 and BC212 matching cabs x2. I use a fender jazz with dimarzio dp123 and j-retro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 [quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1366910384' post='2058989'] I use TC BH500 and BC212 matching cabs x2. I use a fender jazz with dimarzio dp123 and j-retro. [/quote] Okay, I've heard of TC amps but not actually heard them to my knowledge . Are your pickups active on the Fender? Regarding amps ; from personal experience I found Trace Elliot to be boomy , muddy , but not very clear. Eden nemesis combo fantastic and much brighter than the Trace. Maybe you may need a sans amp or similar. Also, regarding the action of the Fender, I would not adjust the action for sound. It's how comfortable you play. That's all I know, now back to the other Basschatters to help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 [quote name='Ziphoblat' timestamp='1366903419' post='2058829'] Yes, in my experience low action is a big part of that tone. Low action, [u]the correct technique[/u], fresh roundwound strings, and a maple (or lacquered) fretboard helps too. [/quote] As above, with the main part being underlined. I can get this sound with my bass, just by altering technique, but my natural way of playing means deep & bassy, not much treble. Play around with different pick gauges and find the one that gives the best attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Raising the pole pieces in the pick up is an old trick, down for jazz, up for punk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Does Flea not have more of a scooped sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 [quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1366921416' post='2059149'] Does Flea not have more of a scooped sound? [/quote] Slightly scooped I'd say. I certainly wouldn't be boosting any mids to get it that's for sure. Plenty of treble there, but of course not too much ! Back to the OP's question, yes having a sufficiently low action to get some clank and buzz, but not to choke off the note is needed. And when you hit a string hard it is easy to choke the note if the action is too low. Also, experiement with striking the strings nearer the bridge or the neck. Experiment. Also, are we not talking about a fingerstyle tone here ? I suspect that Flea uses his fingers to get it, although I'm not hugely familiar with him or his technique. It's just that some people are talking about picks and pick gauges. You'll get a load more clank and punch with a hard fingerstyle technique, which also involves plucking the string at an angle 45 degrees in towards the body of the bass, not at right angles to it. With your Jazz bass I'd be using both pickups combined. Good luck ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Mid-scoop, roundwounds, a one-piece maple neck and a pick used near the bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 If we're talking about the same "clank", the action and your right hand technique are a big part of it, but a big EQ boost around 2KHz really brings it out too. The classic (Fender, Alembic et.al) mid-scoop EQ has the scoop centred about 500Hz, so if used judiciously, it can indeed help you to hear the upper mid clanky region more clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Lower tension strings can help, so can the right pedal/pre/amp - the strings on my basses are all pretty old but put when through a VT Bass or new version SFT, it brings the clank. Also technique - strike the strings downward so they clank the frets, almost semi-slap bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted April 25, 2013 Author Share Posted April 25, 2013 yeah we talking about finger style (not pick), flea uses finger style and he pick hard. Look like i'm doing it wrong starting from EQ, i'm boosting mid instead of scoop and boost treble =.= then my right hand technique is also wrong, i need to give this a try tomorrow. Planning to lower the action but not too low as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziphoblat Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1366923332' post='2059185'] If we're talking about the same "clank", the action and your right hand technique are a big part of it, but a big EQ boost around 2KHz really brings it out too. The classic (Fender, Alembic et.al) mid-scoop EQ has the scoop centred about 500Hz, so if used judiciously, it can indeed help you to hear the upper mid clanky region more clearly. [/quote] Definitely agreed with this. 2k is a great frequency for the clanky tone. You don't want a full blown mid scoop, more of a low/mid mid scoop, but those high mids are quite an important part. I always boost around about 2k on my Ashdown Hyperdrive when going for this sort of tone (which is quite often). Although ultimately, if the clank isn't there to begin within, you aren't going to make it magically appear with correct EQ, this is simply an EQ that will complement the sound coming out of your bass. No amount of digging in and hitting the strings in the correct way can [i]really [/i]get a bass clanking if you can drive a bus under the strings though. I'd make sure that the sound is there when you're playing the bass unplugged before you mess with anything else, the rest is the icing on the cake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 The clank IS my sound You need a low action, and roundwound strings. Stainless steel ones bring it out more as well, as does using a slight mid scoop and some overdrive like a Sansamp. Fret buzz is kind of a side effect, and not an integral part of the sound. You may or may not like a bit of buzz to go with it (if you notice it at all that is!) You'll also find that the lower your action, the less force you will need to use to get that sound. That was really a big deal for me, as playing softer allows me to be a bit more accurate. If you find one of my bass cover threads in the Recording forum you'll be able to hear my technique using all of the above...with a bit more overdrive than is necessary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 t depends on whether you want the clank all the time or just when you need it. I set up my basses so that when playing normally there is no fret rattle but when you dig in, that's when you get the clank - comes from years in wedding/function bands where clank isn't going to sound too good if you're playing Moon River or other stuff where you need a smooth tone. I use roto flats as on all my basses which shows that you don't need rounds on it and I don't recall Flea using Status basses to any great degree, if at all. In fact if you can still find it, there's an earlyYoutube video of Flea using a Black Precision bass live and still getting his sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted April 26, 2013 Author Share Posted April 26, 2013 low action is definite i need to setup first. I mean when i hit the string hard i getting no clank at all ........ my jazz bass can definite get that sort of tone but i need to set the bass up right first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Get a Stingray. Boom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 maybe worth posting a vid of the sound you mean...one mans 'clank' is another mans Rick' tone? ...'clanky' for me is when I pluck near the neck with a low action, the strings seem to bang and clatter around on the upper fretboard, some would call this poor technique Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 [quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1366963784' post='2059436'] Get a Stingray. Boom. [/quote] I don't understand why this wasn't post number two? Seriously I can't help but clank on any stingray, can be annoying for some recording duties but I have a jazz for those rare occasions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted April 26, 2013 Author Share Posted April 26, 2013 I use to have a stingray but don't get on with me. Got a ACG 5 string in return. I mention I wanted that flea clanky tone. I'm definite sure a jazz can get that tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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