BassAdder60 Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 Seems to me many of us are always experimenting and seeking tone improvements where perhaps none were needed ! What have you done that has changed for the better your tone and you have stopped looking ! Maybe an amp or cab or strings or effects or simply technique changes from pick to fingers or fingers to pick Naturally it’s fun changing and trying gear which makes it part of the hobby but I suspect we have all gone round in circles many times and realise we had the ideal sound after all ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 Active circuitry, EQ, amps, strings, basses, cabs; they all make huge differences, for me anyway. Have I found the perfect tone - yes, and gone round again because that's the fun. Just as I have already owned the ideal gear and flogged it again, sometimes to buy the same thing again, because for me that's the fun. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 (edited) I often find we get caught up looking for it, without realising we have it. For me, my ideal tone is always changing and fluid, anywho. This is why we should all own at least 10 different basses! Edited April 11, 2022 by 40hz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 "Always tone seeking or happy"... they are not mutually exclusive, some people are happy when tone chasing. Not me though.... find something workable and stick with it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 I`ve found that whilst I`ll never be 100% happy, due to the room/stage etc, put a steel round-wound strung Precision connected to an amp that can drop low-mids in my hands and I`m going to get a sound that works for me. But that`s taken many years to establish, though as said it`s been great fun finding it out. Jazz basses, Stingrays, Compressors, HPFs, all were a good experience but I`ve just found out that they`re not really "me". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAdder60 Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 And we then plug straight into a good amp, fresh strings on the trusty bass and the room acoustics are favourable and the Marshall stacks are tamed and you then feel like your bass tone is perfect ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 As a long term bedroom player and new to gigging I am astonished at how hard it is to get the right tone in the field. ALL the gently and carefully honed bedroom settings go out the window in a pub gig with other instruments. And as noted elsewhere a rusty Behringer or cheap Ampeg head with trashed venue Peavey cab may give a tone miles better than my poncey high end brand head and cab purchase. Case in point, I'm currently running a MB LM3 into a BF 210 and would swap it for the crap rig in my rehearsal studio in a heartbeat, if only I could carry it! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 Strings are my weakness. Always swapping them. I bet I've spent more on strings than on pedals. Probably one of the reasons I really hate bridges where the string has to be threaded though it rather than a top loader! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassAdder60 Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 2 minutes ago, lownote said: As a long term bedroom player and new to gigging I am astonished at how hard it is to get the right tone in the field. ALL the gently and carefully honed bedroom settings go out the window in a pub gig with other instruments. And as noted elsewhere a rusty Behringer or cheap Ampeg head with trashed venue Peavey cab may give a tone miles better than my poncey high end brand head and cab purchase. Case in point, I'm currently running a MB LM3 into a BF 210 and would swap it for the crap rig in my rehearsal studio in a heartbeat, if only I could carry it! Absolutely spot on … Ive spent ages adjusting my amp setup at home and taken it to band practice and it doesn’t sound right. Example I love pick playing for the rock stuff we cover but as soon as the band plays my bass tone gets swallowed up by the drums and guitar. Play with fingers and full sound with depth returns filling the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 (edited) 9 minutes ago, fretmeister said: Strings are my weakness. Always swapping them. I bet I've spent more on strings than on pedals. Probably one of the reasons I really hate bridges where the string has to be threaded though it rather than a top loader! Strings are absolutely everything. The cheapest 'mod' you can do, that changes your tone, quite drastically in some cases. I recently found DR Pure Blues and they transformed my playing. Sound wise, they're warm, but with the right level of bite. Not only that, but the string tension and feel is absolutely right for *me*, which in turn, changes the feel of the bass as a whole and the way I play it. All of that from £25-30. Edited April 11, 2022 by 40hz 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 37 minutes ago, 40hz said: Strings are absolutely everything. The cheapest 'mod' you can do, that changes your tone, quite drastically in some cases. I recently found DR Pure Blues and they transformed my playing. Sound wise, they're warm, but with the right level of bite. Not only that, but the string tension and feel is absolutely right for *me*, which in turn, changes the feel of the bass as a whole and the way I play it. All of that from £25-30. Tried them. Liked them. Then got annoyed that they didn't sound like something else. And then I got annoyed that the next set didn't sound like... etc etc etc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 When I was in a band it was easy, make it cut through and fit between guitars and drums. Make it sound clanky and horrible in isolation and it worked well. Now I'm just playing at home it's even easier because it just doesn't matter. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 10 minutes ago, SteveXFR said: When I was in a band it was easy, make it cut through and fit between guitars and drums. Make it sound clanky and horrible in isolation and it worked well. Now I'm just playing at home it's even easier because it just doesn't matter. That’s a great way to put it Steve, something I found out by accident but which is so spot on. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_m Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 3 hours ago, BassAdder27 said: Absolutely spot on … Ive spent ages adjusting my amp setup at home and taken it to band practice and it doesn’t sound right. Example I love pick playing for the rock stuff we cover but as soon as the band plays my bass tone gets swallowed up by the drums and guitar. Play with fingers and full sound with depth returns filling the room. Similar here. I seem to have found a tone which sits nicely with our two guitarists and the drums, but our frontman also swaps between two different electro-acoustics (a 12-string and a 6-string) and a mandolin - everything's fine with the 12-string and the mandolin, but as soon as he picks up the 6-string, it all goes to pot. 🤦♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 2 hours ago, Lozz196 said: That’s a great way to put it Steve, something I found out by accident but which is so spot on. I was shown how to set my tone by a drummer/ex-bassist. He showed me that if you get the EQ right, you don't need a lot of volume because you're not fighting for the same frequencies as the rest of the band. He also taught me that my isolated tone counted for nothing in a band. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 4 hours ago, 40hz said: I recently found DR Pure Blues Love these strings, try the Fat Beams too fantastic string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 I've recently changed to DR strings and loving them. DR DDT on my Thunderbird for tuning to C and Fat Beams on my Stingray in standard tuning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seashell2 Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 Halfwound strings and everything set at 12 o'clock and I'm happy. 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StickyDBRmf Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 I have gnomes that come in whilst sleeping and dodger my settings and set-ups. I swear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 (edited) Since learning to control my plucking in multiple ways some years back I have progressed to no longer thinking about it directly, and just do it. Edited April 11, 2022 by Downunderwonder Syntax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 (edited) I nearly always find that my sound at soundcheck in an empty room is not altogether what I'd like to hear, but later on when the audience is in it's usually more or less how I want it. Glad it's not the other way round...... Edited April 12, 2022 by casapete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 17 hours ago, BassAdder27 said: Seems to me many of us are always experimenting and seeking tone improvements where perhaps none were needed ! What have you done that has changed for the better your tone and you have stopped looking ! Maybe an amp or cab or strings or effects or simply technique changes from pick to fingers or fingers to pick Naturally it’s fun changing and trying gear which makes it part of the hobby but I suspect we have all gone round in circles many times and realise we had the ideal sound after all ! The last ten years? Not much. A Jazz bass, worn in rounds and Mark Bass amps are my sound. I have tried a few light gain OD pedals but always think my tone is better without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 I'm happy - passive bass, nickel rounds, neck (or single central) pickup, volume 100%, tone 100%, get going My one active bass is set and forget for all its 3 band sweepable EQism. I occasionally put the mids up full and use the sweep to make a quacking sound for my own personal amusement. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddster Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 13 hours ago, StickyDBRmf said: I have gnomes that come in whilst sleeping and dodger my settings and set-ups. I swear. I think they must visit my bass after yours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony_m Posted April 12, 2022 Share Posted April 12, 2022 14 hours ago, StickyDBRmf said: I have gnomes that come in whilst sleeping and dodger my settings and set-ups. I swear. 51 minutes ago, Buddster said: I think they must visit my bass after yours! And they definitely find their way into our rehearsal shed and fiddle with the settings on the desk, as they never seem to be how we left them... 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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