How Clean/Overdriven Is Your Basic "Clean" Tone?

[Baloney Balderdash]

So I was wondering how clean or overdriven peoples basic "clean" tone actually is.

 

 

Mine is lightly overdriven, I'd say upper end of low gain overdrive, and got a subtle reverb on it too..

 

My basic always on "clean" signal chain looking like this:

 

Tube Preamp with gain dialed in to just on the verge of breakup -> (other effects like modulation and distortion) -> Preamp/drive dialed in to an upper end of low gain overdrive and mixed with about 50% "clean" signal via Boss LS-2 -> Subtle reverb -> Preamp with drive dialed in to just on the verge of break up and mixed with 50% "clean" signal -> Tube preamp/DI with gain dialed in to just on the verge of breakup

 

 

Update!:

Quote

 

5 string 28.6" scale Ibanez GSRM25 Mikro Bass (equipped with an EMG Geezer Butler P pickup, and strung with Elixir Nanoweb coated nickel-plated roundwound hex steel core guitar strings, gauge .080 - .062 - .046 - .036 - .026, tuned in tenor bass, G standard, tuning, that is as 3 half steps above the 5 upper strings of a 6 string bass in regular B standard tuning) ->

 

->> XVive Undulator (tremolo pedal, but never actually engaged and used exclusively for its great buffer) ->> EHX Black Finger (tube driven optical compressor, with 2 preamp tubes operating at proper high 300V plate voltage, mainly used as a tube preamp stage, driven to just at the edge of the tubes's breakup point, but with some very subtle compression dialed in as well) ->> Boss LS-2 [A+B Mix <-> Bypass] (parallel effect loops mixer/switch) ={ [Loop A Send] ->> Joyo Oxford Sound (clone of the Tech 21 Oxford, which is an all analog emulation of an Orange Amp type preamp, dialed in to deliver a low gain overdrive, always used blended with "clean" signal from parallel effects [Loop B]) ->> [Loop A Return] ->|+|<- [Loop B Send] ->> ([Loops B] empty, used to blend in "clean" signal) ->> [Loop B Return] ([Loop A] + [Loop B] mixed at an approximate 50/50 ratio) => [LS-2 Output] }=>->> Zoom MS-70CDR (used for an always on {very subtle Plate Reverb -> subtle Spring Reverb} reverb patch that is part of my basic "clean" tone) ->> NUX (NBP-5) Melvin Lee Davis Bass Preamp + DI  (loaded with a digitally emulated Aguilar Tone Hammer amp, and an Ampeg SVT-212AV IR cab simulation, with a subtle low gain overdrive blended in at a 50/50 clean/drive ratio) ->

 

->> ART Tube MP Project Series (tube preamp and DI, with build in HPF, fixed @40Hz -12dB/Oct, engaged, tube driven to just on the verge of breakup point) ->

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging  // ->> Home practice // ->> Home recordings //  : 

 

// ->> Band rehearsal/jamming/gigging ->> Effects Return (poweramp input) of a Peavey Solo Special 112 (160W combo amp, with the build in speaker disconnect and instead hooked up to a passive PA speaker) ->> The Box PA 502 (passive full range flat frequency response PA speaker with 1x 15"  woofer/mids driver + 1.7" high frequency tweeter horn (crossover 2.3kHz)) // ->> Home practice  ->> The T.Mix Mix 502 (mixer) ->> Sennheiser HD 380 Pro (studio grade, that is FRFR, headphones) // ->> Home recordings ->> M-Audio Fast Track (audio interface) ->> Reaper (DAW) //

 

 

 

Edited April 15 by Baloney Balderdash
Update!

[Dad3353]

Bass plugged directly into a Hiwatt 200w PA head, controls set to 12 o'clock, with a choice of Ampeg 4x10 or Fender 2x12 cabs. Clean, always, whatever the song (pop/rock covers, SOAD, REM, Floyd, Radiohead, Bowie, Noir Désir, Bashung and more...). Just simple plug'n'play.

 

[MichaelDean]

In my current band, bass into GX-100 with an always on overdrive, then into my ABM-600 with the valve drive on at about 2 o'clock. I don't like clean blend distortions either, which I think is probably an unpopular opinion. But if you can get a fat and full sounding distortion on it's own, why ruin it with clean signal!?! 😂

[PaulWarning]

I think mine must be in the mild overdriven category, I use a Zoom B1on and I've left it in tuner mode and not noticed for a few songs 😕

[Lozz196]

In my gigging band as we’ve got 2 guitars I just set the gain on whatever amp is being used to around 7, seems to be the right spot for my JMJ Mustang, no noticeable drive but thick enough to sound decent.

[BassAdder60]

I’ve never played a pure clean tone preferring the tone from an all valve amp.

Just added the Darkglass Alpha Omicron pedal for light overdrive and it sounds better with the band and our rock set 

In isolation I like a cleaner sounding bass but in context with the band I prefer a slightly overdriven tone ( very slight bit of grind ) 

This tends to sit better in a distorted guitar based band sound

[Cosmo Valdemar]

I answered "distorted" but it's a bit of a cheat, I use an EBS Billy with an EQ pedal in the distortion loop to cut lows and boost highs for more of a guitar amp sound. 

The result is a basic bi-amp simulation but works very well for me.

[msb]

I use a tube preamp in my gig rig , it’s got a natural warmth , but I don’t look for distortion. And I use a modelling amp for practice. I tend to try and get warm , and deep , but not distorted.

[snorkie635]

Yep. Clean for me 99% of the time, with heavy bass boost and low-mid slightly forward to give punch and depth.

[chris_b]

I prefer clean, warm, full, punchy and well defined. I dislike distortion, hair, breakup, dirt, grit etc etc.

 

My signal chain has always been bass, amp and cab.

 

IMO simple quality ingredients make the best meal.

[SteveXFR]

My clean sound had the valve drive on my Ashdown ABM600 at near max plus the clean/dirty channels blended on my le bass preamp pedal but with the gain pretty high on both channels. 

My dirty sound added a Darkglass B3K or Vintage Microtubes on to of that. 

[Bolo]

Uhhh I run a clean line into the Aguilar db750 preamp and a gritty upper mids line from from the verellen preamp into the fx return. There's both clean and texture running to the 412.

 

[Cato]

Kind of depends what I'm doing.

 

One of the things I discovered when I started home recording is that sometimes a bass that sounds overdriven when on it's own will come through as clean in the mix, especially with distorted guitars, but somehow the additional drive makes the bass more prominent 

 

Since then I've noticed with isolated bass tracks from a lot of very well known songs where I would peviously have said the bass was 'clean' there's actually a fair bit of drive on there.

 

So sometimes I add drive to boost my 'clean' tone in the mix, if that makes any sense?

Edited February 16 by Cato

[casapete]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

I prefer clean, warm, full, punchy and well defined. I dislike distortion, hair, breakup, dirt, grit etc etc.

 

My signal chain has always been bass, amp and cab.

 

IMO simple quality ingredients make the best meal.

That’s what I strive for too - clean but not sparkly TE clean if you know what I mean.

In a perfect world I’d have stuck with my old 80’s SVT rig, but have used GK stuff for

years and it’s been a fine compromise. Have always fancied an Aguilar amp but

it’s never happened. 

[WinterMute]

No option for "absolutely f*ck*ng filthy" then?

 

What is this "clean tone" to which you refer?

[Killerfridge]

I used to strive for that super clean sound, but discovered the best clean sound in the mix (for me) was slightly furry(?), or hairy. Slightly overdriven, but the distortion gets lost in the mix, so instead it just sounds warm and rounds off the edge of "sparkly clean".

[SteveXFR]

There's always someone who says clean is best and bass doesn't need or shouldn't have any distortion. They seem to forget music isn't right or wrong. What works for one person may not work for another. For every bassist who loves a crystal clear clean sound, there's another in a metal band who needs a heavily overdriven sound to work with the filthy guitars. 

In a band you have to abandon your ideal isolated tone in favour of what works best with your band. Lemmy is a perfect example of this, his bass sounds awful in isolation but in the mix it's spot on.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

12 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

There's always someone who says clean is best and bass doesn't need or shouldn't have any distortion. They seem to forget music isn't right or wrong. What works for one person may not work for another. For every bassist who loves a crystal clear clean sound, there's another in a metal band who needs a heavily overdriven sound to work with the filthy guitars. 

In a band you have to abandon your ideal isolated tone in favour of what works best with your band. Lemmy is a perfect example of this, his bass sounds awful in isolation but in the mix it's spot on.

I think Lemmy sounds glorious in isolation! Well, his early stuff anyway. His signature Rick sounded like a chewed-up wasp to me.

[SteveXFR]

Just now, Cosmo Valdemar said:

I think Lemmy sounds glorious in isolation! Well, his early stuff anyway. His signature Rick sounded like a chewed-up wasp to me.

 

I love his isolated sound as well but most normal humans hate it!

 

[SteveXFR]

It's similar to the bass strap height discussions. What works for a finger style tech wizard or slapper isn't going to be right for a super fast down picking punk using a plectrum

[Burns-bass]

I’ve not really given it much thought. Pretty close to Dad’s set up really (except I use an EBS 360). Sometimes use a TE Elf. Always sounds good (to me). 

[uk_lefty]

I love a clean tone, big, round and punchy, that I can add to with different flavours of drive or fuzz. 

[SH73]

I use two amps , one is set to get vintage ,nasally sound no pedals. The other has more treble and  a bit of gain, compressor, eq and a touch of presence. I play these together to get the sound I'm after. This is noticeable when both are miced and play through headphones or listen back in DAW.

Edited February 17 by SH73
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[Steve Browning]

My amps have valve pre-amps and the gain is at about 1 o'clock. Just enough to add some character to the sound. 

[Nothingman]

Cleanliness is godliness? 
 

Then I’m the devilish.