Almost Flat Tone

[cytania]

The other night I was practising and the Spear bass played wonderfully. I was getting a real growling, zingy tone without even trying. Kept having to raise the amp level and it's seemed more noisy (think single coil). Then it went dead.

I realised of course that the bateries were exhausted. Replacing them brought back a strong defined tone.

But why had I enjoyed weak signal tone so much. Is this what you get with passive basses?

[Telebass]

Batteries = point of unreliability.
I only ever use simple basses, but into a bang-up-to-date amp, and a radio, so no cable loss.
Active = redundant.
JMHO...

Edited November 18, 2008 by Telebass

[tauzero]

[quote name='Telebass' post='331789' date='Nov 18 2008, 08:50 PM']Batteries = point of unreliability.
I only ever use simple basses, but into a bang-up-to-date amp, and a radio, so no cable loss.[/quote]
So the radio is one of those wind-up ones then?

[cytania]

Interestingly I discovered that with no batteries my Spear bass works on it's 'passive' switch (could be great on stage as I flip the bass Hendrix style and start attacking it's insides ripping batteries out!), no such possibility with my Ibanez though. Could give me GAS for a real simple backup bass... a project maybe.

[Beedster]

[quote name='tauzero' post='332188' date='Nov 19 2008, 12:08 PM']So the radio is one of those wind-up ones then?[/quote]

LOL

[Telebass]

[quote name='tauzero' post='332188' date='Nov 19 2008, 12:08 PM']So the radio is one of those wind-up ones then?[/quote]

Natch!

Seriously, the radio removes the cable loss, which was the original purpose of active anyway...

[SteveO]

[quote name='Telebass' post='332657' date='Nov 19 2008, 10:41 PM']Natch!

Seriously, the radio removes the cable loss, which was the original purpose of active anyway...[/quote]

Was it? I always thought it was just to give us better control over the tone. You learn something new every day, as my dad used to say.

[Guest]

some actives start distorting as the batteries die perhaps you need to investigate overdrive, distortion or fuzz pedals? I had a bass (can't remember which one ) which give a really nice fuzz bass sound just before the batteries gave out.

[skankdelvar]

Informed opininininininon also has it that fuzz boxes sound good with dying batteries.

Cue marketplace for semi-discharged 'vintage' batteries and arguments over whether Tesco's or Duracell have more 'Mojo'.

Edited November 20, 2008 by skankdelvar

[The Funk]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='333065' date='Nov 20 2008, 12:52 PM']Cue marketplace for semi-discharged 'vintage' batteries and arguments over whether Tesco's or Duracell have more 'Mojo'.[/quote]

Oh, that's brilliant!

[Telebass]

[quote name='SteveO' post='332848' date='Nov 20 2008, 07:17 AM']Was it? I always thought it was just to give us better control over the tone. You learn something new every day, as my dad used to say.[/quote]

The first active bass was British (Burns TR2), and that was done for tone control, so far as I can tell. Alembic was next, and the worst killer for tone then was poor, overlong guitar leads. Using an active circuit, whether for tone also or not, drives the cable, overcoming a large part of the inherent losses due to capacitance. As cables have improved, the emphasis is quite rightly on tone control now.
The true reason I use a radio is because I'm a dab-hand expert at destroying expensive cables...


The other reason I like to keep it simple is that, radio aside, there's nowt between my nice sounding Precisions and my nice Markbass amp. Simple is what matters when gigging a lot. The simpler it is, the less there is to go wrong...

Edited November 20, 2008 by Telebass

[casapete]

Think it was Eric Johnson who reckoned he could tell the difference between various brands of battery in his pedals (!)
Also remember him saying how he liked them after a certain level of use for optimum tone etc.

[YouMa]

You could try turning up or down the gain on your preamp in the bass that might give you more of the dead sound you want,just a suggestion.I would assume turning it up will make it slightly more growly/fuzzy.

Edited November 20, 2008 by YouMa

[Telebass]

[quote name='casapete' post='333180' date='Nov 20 2008, 03:19 PM']Think it was Eric Johnson who reckoned he could tell the difference between various brands of battery in his pedals (!)
Also remember him saying how he liked them after a certain level of use for optimum tone etc.[/quote]

I love his playing, but sometimes, he's a 'tonehound' too far!

[Mr. Foxen]

Had a housemate who was a SRV obsessive, apparently he used lasp gasp batteries in his tubescreamer, less power decreases the headroom or something, so more distortion. Pretty sure if you like that sound, then a fuzz pedal is the way to go, from the the possiblities are endless.

[Tracer]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='333065' date='Nov 20 2008, 12:52 PM']Informed opininininininon also has it that fuzz boxes sound good with dying batteries.[/quote]
Depends on your definition of "good" but I've been GASing for a Dwarfcraft Devices distortion box for some time since they have a "battery starve" feature that just destroys the sound. Can't really justify the cost though, as I'd struggle to find something to do with it beyond making silly noises and giggling.

[skankdelvar]

[quote]Dwarfcraft Devices distortion box[/quote]

Imported from Middle-Earth?

[cytania]

Had a play around fuzz box wise, I have a nasty 80s cheapo pedal (Arion?) that when I had an electric guitar I categorised as 'nosebleed' (I was given it free which gives you an idea of it's undesirability). With the bass I immediately got a horrid machinery grind type effect. No way to wind this down to a nice level though, tweaking the drive pot just killed it or brought it on full.

Then I found www.bassfuzz.com. Talk about a niche website but a very usueful resource. I've taken a fancy to the Devi Ever 'Year Of The Rat' pedal, it's subtle and the fuzz is on the treble not mangling the whole spectrum. May take a while to get hold of as Devi Ever is her own cottage industry but I'm intrigued.

[cheddatom]

You can get PSUs which supply an emulated dying battery for pedals.

[Happy Jack]

When the petrol tank is nearly empty, on both the Buell and the KTM I get an interesting range of pops and backfires on the over-run.

Maybe what I need is a special device that simulates a nearly-empty petrol tank.

Just thought I'd share that with you.

[The Burpster]

Dont you already make enough noise with a Buell and KTM anyway? :ph34r:

[tauzero]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='333980' date='Nov 21 2008, 05:04 PM']When the petrol tank is nearly empty, on both the Buell and the KTM I get an interesting range of pops and backfires on the over-run.

Maybe what I need is a special device that simulates a nearly-empty petrol tank.[/quote]
Clothes peg on the fuel line.

[Guest]

[quote name='tauzero' post='334216' date='Nov 22 2008, 01:35 AM']Clothes peg on the fuel line.[/quote]


I miss good old fashioned carbs, you could hit the kill switch with the throttle wide open and re ignite it, the resulting bang and four foot flame was great for scaring old ladies and sleeping children. Highly amusing until it leaves half a carbon can in flames on the road behind you