Orange Bass Terror, How to get more bass?

[Bassman Rich]

Hi All
I have an Orange Bass Terror, and its pretty good, but a bit lacking in bass when compared to my Ash***n ABM 500. Is there any way of re valving, or changing components in the pre amp (valve) circuitry to make it more bassy, and perhaps less dirty/gainy.

I have the gain on 10 o clock with the button preset to active, even though using a passive Precision (usa 1981) or Gibson Ripper, and thats about as distorted as I need

Over to you

[Ancient Mariner]

Slap an EQ pedal in front (or in the loop if it has one?).

You could try changing the pre and power valves - talk to a decent valve supplier about what they have that will darken the tone. You could try Watford valves if you're wealthy, Hotrox or someone like Eurotubes in the US.

There's always components that can be changed in the amp to alter the tone, but it rather defeats the objective of buying an Orange if you want to do that. Much better to just sell it and buy something with a tone you like better.

[Delberthot]

Sorry if I appear rude but you cannot be serious?

There's bass coming out the wazoo on this amp, in fact I have to turn the bass control most of the way down. The problem I have with this amp is that there is too much bass.

What cab are you using?

[Waterboarder]

Agree with that, mine has bass by the shedload - I have to back it off a fair bit.
Try switching it to passive if you havent already. I read somewhere that, as active basses have a higher output the active setting reduces it a bit, not the other way round like people assume.

[Bassman Rich]

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' post='806331' date='Apr 14 2010, 06:01 PM']Slap an EQ pedal in front (or in the loop if it has one?).

You could try changing the pre and power valves - talk to a decent valve supplier about what they have that will darken the tone. You could try Watford valves if you're wealthy, Hotrox or someone like Eurotubes in the US.

There's always components that can be changed in the amp to alter the tone, but it rather defeats the objective of buying an Orange if you want to do that. Much better to just sell it and buy something with a tone you like better.[/quote]


Wow, quick responses, just got back to the PC after my tea!!

Thanks for all comments.

'Ancient Mariner' , The tone is pretty much there, like 8 or 9 out of 10, just after a little bit more bass. (I have the settings on Treble 0 (ie neither cut nor boost), middle, 9 o clock (about 3/5 cut) bass 5 o clock (5/5 boost).
As an electronic enginner, I'd prefer to change a resistor or two, and using a different valve, rather than add extra eq to my chain, the whole reason for using the little orange is for ease of transport , not carrying loads of leads, pedals etc.


Delberthot.
Yes i'm serious!!! I usually use an Ashdown 1 x 15 cab, (early series 1, not the deep version, speaker replaced with Eminence 3015 400 watt), which is deep, smooth and punchy with my Ashdown ABM 500 head. I'm also pairing it with a Marshall 4 x 10 400 watt jubilee cab in parallel to get a 4 ohm load, and again, sounds great with the ashdown. Its nearly there, just prefer to have say bass set on 5.5 out of 6, rather than all the way up.
Just as an aside, years ago (early 80s), I used a 50 w valve marshall artiste head, sort of clean deep tone with a bit of reverb!!! (Roger waters ish), paired with two HH 2 x 15s gave a big big sound, but a nightmare to lug around, could only get one at once in a sierra estate!!
As you can see above, when we started playing in our 3 piece band, I cut a bit of my middle out, and our guitarist cut some bass out of his sound to avoid overlapping, and although individually each bass or guitar sounds perhaps not as full as you would like, together the 'sonic pallate' (I know it sounds w***y, but couldn't think of another word) really blends well. As you can all guess, i'm most definately an 'old school' bassman

Waterboarder.
Thanks for that, I tended to have the passive/active button pressed in to 'active' as even at 9 o clock gain settings, was getting a bit too dirty for me when needing a cleaner sound

All.
Link to our band myspace, recorded direct and miked up 1 x 15 cab blended bass signal, so you can hear what a racket we make.

[url="http://www.myspace.com/idlemaestro"]http://www.myspace.com/idlemaestro[/url]

[Delberthot]

You should be getting plenty of bass out of those cabs - perhaps you need to buy my 4x12"?

You won't need to worry about bass with that. monster tone comes from this monster amp and cab combo

[Ancient Mariner]

If you really want a 'quick fix' for a little more bottom end then I'd simply double up the cathode caps on the output valves, unless they're already large (1000uf+).

[obbm]

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' post='806642' date='Apr 14 2010, 10:35 PM']If you really want a 'quick fix' for a little more bottom end then I'd simply double up the cathode caps on the output valves, unless they're already large (1000uf+).[/quote]

That might be a tad difficult seeing as the Bass Terror has a solid state power stage.

[geoffbyrne]

You could try a 5751 in V1, but you'd lose a little volume....

G.

[Ancient Mariner]

[quote name='obbm' post='806665' date='Apr 14 2010, 10:52 PM']That might be a tad difficult seeing as the Bass Terror has a solid state power stage.[/quote]

Thanks - I'd thought it was a valve amp.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' post='806713' date='Apr 14 2010, 11:32 PM']Thanks - I'd thought it was a valve amp.[/quote]

valve pre.

Your problem seems a strange one. Maybe thereis something faulty with the head, I can't imagine it having that little bass, even flat through 1x15.

[Low End Bee]

I'm baffled. Mine's got more bass than a dancehall soundsystem. Even through a 2x10.

Maybe it's faulty?

[Florida_RRoe7_A]

Ashdown & Marshall seems to be just as popular as Ampeg is here is the states. Orange amps I have seen at local guitar shoppe where I take guitar lessons. Bass is bass and maybe just a 215 cab would do the trick . Just telling you to buy this or that might not do it. Orange bass amps are in the same class as some of the Ampeg tube amps, right? I not saying get an 810E monster cab but maybe if you could get it cheap a Ampeg 410HLF if available would give more bottom which is why you play bass in the first place.

[Bassman Rich]

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='806819' date='Apr 15 2010, 08:57 AM']I'm baffled. Mine's got more bass than a dancehall soundsystem. Even through a 2x10.

Maybe it's faulty?[/quote]

Well, I tried two in the shop, both were pretty much identical. And its not that it hasn't any bass, just on a control that boosts from 0-5, I want 5.5 to 6!!

Maybe its just me

[Bassman Rich]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='806709' date='Apr 14 2010, 11:29 PM']You could try a 5751 in V1, but you'd lose a little volume....

G.[/quote]


Thats a good call, theres certainly no lack of gain or volume, I might give that a go when I get the time. Ps I tried it through Retromans Ampeg 6 x 10, and the bass response was pretty much the same as through my own cabs, he turned it down for him, I turned it up for me

[Born 2B Mild]

Rich,
Seeing I live on the road coming off your road (Alderson Rd) how about you bringing the Terror round? I've got several cabs and basses you can try it out with.

Phil

[Bassman Rich]

Job Done

I fitted 2 new electro harmonics 5751 gold valves, and things are now much better, deeper bass, slightly less distorted (still grinds and drives like a gravelly bastard if required).

And putting the 1 x 15 cab on the floor increased the bass response too

So thanks for all replies

Rich