Found a tone I want!

[landwomble]

Hi All,
I was listening to a few old records over the weekend and one track jumped out at me.
PJ Harvey's excellent early 90s album "Dry" has a track called "Sheela-na-gig" which has the grindiest bass tone that made me go "I want that!".

I dug out some old Reading Festival videos and looks like the bassist uses a fretless Stingray with what sounds like a heavy scooped tone, but the bit I REALLY like is the grinding drive to it.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkS_R7RDuMc"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkS_R7RDuMc[/url]

Is that just a touch of overdrive? It's not a fuzz and the tube drive on my amp doesn't quite get there.
Any shortcuts to finding this tone much appreciated.

I have a Jazz with a John East and a Precision and this track is not helping me avoid GAS and buying a Sterling SUB...!

Cheers

[Marc S]

Was this track also on Whistle Test? I've seen PJ Harvey doing this somewhere else too.... sure it was OGWT? Worth a search, I think...
I like PJ Harvey, I must say. Not sure whether the guy on fretless appears on much of her material. Yes, I quite like the sound he gets on this track too. Perhaps it's also worth checking out other live stuff from around that same time.

I tried a couple of Sterling SUB basses, and must say, I liked them
Good luck in your search / quest

[landwomble]

I've seen Peej a few times back in the day (I think I was in the audience for this Reading festival, memory is a little hazy) and I think she worked with a couple of bassists.

Would be good to get an idea of this is a "stingray" tone with a bit of drive or something else...

[stuckinthepod]

FYI there is Music Man Sub up for sale on Northwest Guitar/Am/ Gear exchange on Facebook for £200. A young lady is selling one up in Preston. Will PM you

[BigRedX]

[quote name='landwomble' timestamp='1477303227' post='3161167']
Hi All,
I was listening to a few old records over the weekend and one track jumped out at me.
PJ Harvey's excellent early 90s album "Dry" has a track called "Sheela-na-gig" which has the grindiest bass tone that made me go "I want that!".

I dug out some old Reading Festival videos and looks like the bassist uses a fretless Stingray with what sounds like a heavy scooped tone, but the bit I REALLY like is the grinding drive to it.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkS_R7RDuMc"]https://www.youtube....h?v=xkS_R7RDuMc[/url]

Is that just a touch of overdrive? It's not a fuzz and the tube drive on my amp doesn't quite get there.
Any shortcuts to finding this tone much appreciated.

I have a Jazz with a John East and a Precision and this track is not helping me avoid GAS and buying a Sterling SUB...!

Cheers
[/quote]

Will it work with the sound of your band?

[Grangur]

Isn't a lot of the "dirt" on the tone, the mwaahh from the fretless bass? Other than that isnt' is a fairly clean bass/mids tone?

http://youtu.be/xkS_R7RDuMc?t=74

Edited October 24, 2016 by Grangur

[landwomble]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1477319441' post='3161372']
Will it work with the sound of your band?
[/quote]
Probably. One way to find out. I sometimes find that a new sound from one band member generates a new sound from all, to be honest, a bit of innovation is never a bad thing. Got the classic P and J angles covered (as in Precision and Jazz, not PJ Harvey!) so something different probably wouldn't hurt!

[landwomble]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1477320247' post='3161384']
Isn't a lot of the "dirt" on the tone, the mwaahh from the fretless bass? Other than that isnt' is a fairly clean bass/mids tone?
[/quote]

I don't think it's just that, been listening to the studio version on headphones and there's definitely a bit of grit in the tone that I like, which I don't *think* is just the fretless effect.