My P bass has gone all middy. Strings?

[solo4652]

I have a Fender 62 reissue fotoflame strung with Status halfwounds playing through a GKMB500/Compact rig, no effects at all. It sounds rich and full to the extent that I'm normally trying to dial out some of the classic P-bass thump, especially in a live gig setting. However, over the past week, this setup has started to sound much more middy and clanky. At band rehearsal last week, for the first time ever, i was turning on the amp's bass boost and turning the mids down, and it still sounded barky and clanky - much more akin to my G&L L2000, in fact.

What's going on? I'm wondering whether the strings need changing - they're about 18 months old. I was expecting old strings to become thuddy and dull, but the opposite has happened to the bass' tone.

Any thoughts, folks?

[Chiliwailer]

Sound like the strings, as they go dead so does tone as the string won't resonate as much.

Try boiling them in water for 20 minutes with some washing up liquid - but be careful as that has a baking powder effect so keep the heat very low.

Boiling will get the dirt out and hopefully sort your tone out!

Edited May 25, 2013 by Chiliwailer

[JTUK]

Strings go off within weeks...so 18 months is way overdue to getting to the thump stage.
The easiest option to look at strings but I'd be thinking it is an EQ/wiring issue on the bass or amp..??

[wateroftyne]

Action too low, maybe?

How does it sound acoustically?

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1369490868' post='2089763']
However, over the past week, this setup has started to sound much more middy and clanky.

[/quote]
[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1369561867' post='2090379']
Action too low, maybe?

[/quote]

To me, [i][b]middy [/b][/i]and [i][b]clanky [/b][/i]are two different things ... especially when discussing P-basses.

If you have recently adjusted either the action or the truss-rod, or maybe if there has been a big change in humidity and the neck has moved, then I would understand [i][b]clanky [/b][/i]and know how to get rid of it.

IME getting a P to sound too [i][b]middy [/b][/i]is bloody difficult, and I'd be looking at the amp. Presumably you've tried playing it through other rigs?

[wateroftyne]

I went through a phase a while ago of chipping away at the action on one of my Ps, making it lower and lower over a period of time. At one gig, I realised it sounded terrible - not clanky as such. just loads of barky mids, and no authority. The notes weren't very big acoustically either.

I raised the action back so something sensible, and it sounded fab again...

IME, of course..

[solo4652]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1369562915' post='2090401']
To me, [i][b]middy [/b][/i]and [i][b]clanky [/b][/i]are two different things ... especially when discussing P-basses.

If you have recently adjusted either the action or the truss-rod, or maybe if there has been a big change in humidity and the neck has moved, then I would understand [i][b]clanky [/b][/i]and know how to get rid of it.

IME getting a P to sound too [i][b]middy [/b][/i]is bloody difficult, and I'd be looking at the amp. Presumably you've tried playing it through other rigs?
[/quote]

The only other rig I have is my Eden E10 practice amp and it's the same story there - the P bass has gone from rich "n" full tone to barky/middy with a distict lack of bottom end. I did lower the saddles a little last week, but I haven't touched the neck relief because that's too much of a faff (you have to remove the pickguard to get to the truss-rod adjuster).

[solo4652]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1369564663' post='2090430']
I went through a phase a while ago of chipping away at the action on one of my Ps, making it lower and lower over a period of time. At one gig, I realised it sounded terrible - not clanky as such. just loads of barky mids, and no authority. The notes weren't very big acoustically either.

I raised the action back so something sensible, and it sounded fab again...

IME, of course..
[/quote]

Hmmm - I wonder whether this may be the problem. I generally have my action set fairly high and over the past few weeks I've been gradually lowering the saddles bit by bit without touching the truss rod. One of my many bad habits is that I tend to strike downwards with my plucking hand (never use a pick) which means I have to set the action quite high to stop me bouncing the strings off the frets.

I've put a new set of strings on. I've got the expected zingyness which slightly confuses the issue, but the good news is that the barky mids have been reduced noticeably. Still missing the rich, full bottom-end P-sound however.

Edited May 26, 2013 by solo4652

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1369600089' post='2090789']
Hmmm - I wonder whether this may be the problem. I generally have my action set fairly high and over the past few weeks I've been gradually lowering the saddles bit by bit without touching the truss rod. One of my many bad habits is that I tend to strike downwards with my plucking hand (never use a pick) which means I have to set the action quite high to stop me bouncing the strings off the frets.

I've put a new set of strings on. I've got the expected zingyness which slightly confuses the issue, but the good news is that the barky mids have been reduced noticeably. Still missing the rich, full bottom-end P-sound however.
[/quote]

Good stuff :-)

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1369600089' post='2090789']
Hmmm - I wonder whether this may be the problem. I generally have my action set fairly high and over the past few weeks I've been gradually lowering the saddles bit by bit without touching the truss rod. One of my many bad habits is that I tend to strike downwards with my plucking hand (never use a pick) which means I have to set the action quite high to stop me bouncing the strings off the frets.
[/quote]

I play the same way, and I deliberately lower the action to make it easier to get that clank! So if you want to avoid it, Id recommend either raising the action, or trying to adjust your technique. Raising the action will definitely be the easier option! Then if you like you can gradually alter your technique over time, and start lowering the action again.

[LukeFRC]

try a new cable too

[solo4652]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1369606995' post='2090899']
try a new cable too
[/quote]

Really? OK - That's easily done.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1369643720' post='2091056']
Really? OK - That's easily done.
[/quote] yeah, as they get damaged (stood on etc) the bottom end is the first to go..

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1369645147' post='2091079']
yeah, as they get damaged (stood on etc) the bottom end is the first to go..
[/quote]

Sorry Luke, when I first read your 'new cable' suggestion I thought you were joking!

Good call - I tend to take cables a bit for granted, though IME it's guitarists who seem perfectly happy to stand/walk on cables. I can't bear standing on mine.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1369646162' post='2091091']
Sorry Luke, when I first read your 'new cable' suggestion I thought you were joking!

Good call - I tend to take cables a bit for granted, though IME it's guitarists who seem perfectly happy to stand/walk on cables. I can't bear standing on mine.
[/quote] oh I'm pretty sure in the OP's case it's about the action and curve in the neck - but cables can have an odd effect on tone - esp (obviously) on passive basses.

[solo4652]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1369646459' post='2091098']
oh I'm pretty sure in the OP's case it's about the action and curve in the neck - but cables can have an odd effect on tone - esp (obviously) on passive basses.
[/quote]

Could you explain your comment about the action and neck-curve, please?

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1369648834' post='2091128']
Could you explain your comment about the action and neck-curve, please?
[/quote] so this isn't some expert here, just a loon who's messed around with basses a bit.... I've found my P basses sound a bit more full with the action up a bit and a bit more curve in the neck - that might just be down to how it's played.... but truss rod tightness (and how tight the neck is bolted on if the truss rod access means you take the neck off...) I think does affect the tone.

[solo4652]

I'd forgotten that not only do you have to take off the pickguard, you have to take the neck off to adjust the relief. Flaming pain. Anyway, I've eased the truss rod by 1/4 turn, dropped the pickup a smidgeon and bolted it all back together. With the new strings, this has made a definite improvement, and the tone is noticeably fuller and deeper than it was at 9 o'clock this morning. So, with everybody's help, I think we're getting there. Thanks, folks.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1369656501' post='2091241']
I'd forgotten that not only do you have to take off the pickguard, you have to take the neck off to adjust the relief. Flaming pain.
[/quote]

On several non-vintage P-basses, I've done this mod:

[URL=http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Alleva%20Coppolo%20KBP5%202009%20CURRENT/DSCF3846.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Basses%20CURRENT/Alleva%20Coppolo%20KBP5%202009%20CURRENT/DSCF3846.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Will it impact on eventual resale value? Maybe, though it hasn't done so yet.

Does it make the bass far more useable? Oh yes!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1369561629' post='2090376']
Strings go off within weeks...so 18 months is way overdue to getting to the thump stage.
The easiest option to look at strings but I'd be thinking it is an EQ/wiring issue on the bass or amp..??
[/quote]
I find strings go off within years. Actually, that's not true, it's longer than that.

[D.I. Joe]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1369599641' post='2090783']
The only other rig I have is my Eden E10 practice amp and it's the same story there - the P bass has gone from rich "n" full tone to barky/middy with a distict lack of bottom end. I did lower the saddles a little last week, but I haven't touched the neck relief because that's too much of a faff (you have to remove the pickguard to get to the truss-rod adjuster).
[/quote]

I just whip the neck off to get to mine