How do you like your sound?

[thisnameistaken]

I don't like trebly sounds on bass, it sounds annoying really quickly. I tend to roll off all of the top, have a bit of a mid hump to add a bit of purry presence and a broad bottom to fill the sound out.

I love the classic flatwound sound too, I always keep one bass strung with flats now. I don't use it for everything but it's nice to have, and it makes effects track better too.

[Cat Burrito]

I think like some of the posters here I can appreciate different sounds / players from Motown vibe to Peter Hook. I am definitely a P-bass with flats through an Ampeg player though, not much treble around my tone

[BigRedX]

Depends on the style of the song, what I'm going to play, what the other instruments are and what they are going to play and what sounds they are going to use. There is no one bass sound that fits all.

[xgsjx]

I used to have a zingy tone but my search for my sound has made me put flats on my ibby & neck p/u on full with the bridge p/u on slightly & then thru the moog pedals for extra bass (even in bypass) & a very slight ammount of od.
EQ on the MB is set flat with the VLE set to @ 10 o'clock.

I could discribe my sound as a fuzzy sine wave with some resonance.

[Alfie]

I really don't like treble at all. I like P Bass, flats, tone rolled off and I avoid using g strings as much as possible.

Although I do like the combo of flats, full tone and spring reverb- it makes a nice murky yet punchy combo.

[faceman]

I love the tone I get with my Little Mark II and Ampeg 15" cab. It's got a deep thick low end but it's not mushy at all and cuts through well. With my Rickenbacker, I play with a little mid boost and a touch bass and leave the rest flat and it's a fantastic rock tone with both pickups on. Cutting to the bridge gives a Jazz-esque growl and the neck gives a smooth double-bass-ish tone.

Yet to play the StingRay for a gig but I suspect a little mid-boost as I like to get that presence. My amplification seems to make anything sound good!

[JTUK]

I'll use a clean and clear sound so that anything I do will come across. Every little string click or whatever needs to be heard so decent strings are a must. I am not so anal about new strings anymore, but they need to speak well and I'll change them when they have gone off. Atm, my strings on both basses have been on for at least 6 weeks.
I'll use two Jazz5's and they have a different sound character but the core amp sound will deliver full lows to underpine the band with articulate highs.
I'll run the amp with enough headroom so as not to have to dig in too hard unless that is the sound I want at that time...probably a solo part...

I find the horn on my Ag cabs quite sweet and not harsh as per SWR, for example, so I can run these quite open...

Once the sound on the bass is set I don't fiddle much on the gig. I get the sound and I'm off. I may have to tweak a hi mid for the room but I haven't had to chase sounds throughout the gig and neither would I want to.

All good here and I am pretty pleased

I don't want to stand too close to the cabs as I like to hear how they are projecting if playing small gigs with no PA support.
I'll stand away so it helps me with the band mix. If I am having trouble within a few mtrs. then it will not be any better from my POV in the house mix

Edited May 31, 2010 by JTUK

[Mykesbass]

OK, hope this isn't construed as hijacking the thread, but how do you guys hear your tone and work out what is best for the room and mix (working on not having a reliable sound engineer or wireless set up and walking out into the audience halfway through the first song)? I know what I like up close and when there's nothing else going on - smooth and mellow, but am always worried I don't have enough punch out front.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='852435' date='May 31 2010, 11:00 AM']OK, hope this isn't construed as hijacking the thread, but how do you guys hear your tone and work out what is best for the room and mix (working on not having a reliable sound engineer or wireless set up and walking out into the audience halfway through the first song)? I know what I like up close and when there's nothing else going on - smooth and mellow, but am always worried I don't have enough punch out front.[/quote]

That's an interesting idea, Mykesbass. I've got a pre/post eq control on my DI out, so I usually leave it to the engineers. I have a sound that I like on the stage & the other musicians like, so the rest is up to the engineer to sort out, as I send the desk a flat signal.

Edited May 31, 2010 by OutToPlayJazz

[Clarky]

Another flatwound man here, treble rolled off slightly, through a warm tube preamp (in my Mesa Walkabout). To me, the all-time great bass sounds are Jamerson, Martyn Casey (Bad Seeds), Paul Simenon (all 3 play a P-bass through valve Ampeg heads) and - for a bit of a rougher edge - Lemmy in Hawkwind.

Really don't like hi-fi sounding bass or very trebly bass (don't even talk to me about slap!). The only basses I own with rounds on are my T'bird (sounds too dark with flats) and my Alembic Spoiler (somehow it sounds/plays just right with rounds). All my Fenders (and my Nash) wear either Pyramid Gold flats or TI Flats.

Edited May 31, 2010 by Clarky

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='852453' date='May 31 2010, 11:18 AM']That's an interesting idea, Mykesbass. I've got a pre/post eq control on my DI out, so I usually leave it to the engineers. I have a sound that I like on the stage & the other musicians like, so the rest is up to the engineer to sort out, as I send the desk a flat signal. [/quote]

Ah, luxury! But you're playing fairly top end gigs - I'm thinking more about being stuck under the dartboard in a local pub or WMC

[Telebass]

As you can see to the left, I've recently had a bit of an epiphany with these particular flatwounds...
(Austrian strings: when I put the bass in its case, a little voice says, "I'll be back").

I've put them on my split-coil Precision, which has a slightly weak neck. I find my tone to be not yet hugely different to the fairly dead nickel rounds I was using, so best of all worlds at the moment. The flats will lose that, eventually. But I'm hooked!

If I really need to bite, then the single coil Precision still has nickel rounds on.

Amp is set flat-ish; as it's essentially a 2x12 setup, it's not lacking in top end anyway, so, on that bass, the flats will stay!

I grew up with RS66s, starting in 1970/71, so flats are way off my 'normal' area for strings. But these TI JF 344 strings are just the business. A piece of me wants to change the single coil over too. However, I think I'll not do this to the humbucking Telebass! Quite thumpy enough already...

Edited May 31, 2010 by Telebass

[JTUK]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='852463' date='May 31 2010, 11:30 AM']Ah, luxury! But you're playing fairly top end gigs - I'm thinking more about being stuck under the dartboard in a local pub or WMC [/quote]

Must admit..we are quite picky with gigs and rooms and we go for the venue vibe rather than dates for the hell of it.
Of course, we might give most places a go but quickly drop a few if they don't work out for us.

I don't use a wireless so I get my sound a few mtrs from my cabs and expect it to work throughout small rooms.
I can hear that my system is generally ok through the rough recordings mixes we have...but sure, sometimes you just have to
accept the compromise of how sound travels.
If we are talking pubs for a few hundred quid...how much are you going to beat yourself up about it...?

If the band is sensible and has good core sounds then you should be able to work something out in most rooms.

What helps is the drum tune...the gtr rolling off the bass on his amp..and the keys losing the BIG left hand most of the time.
That is the minimum effort required to getting a clean band sound, IMV...but it depends if the players know or adhere to this.

With sound, I work on the maxim that you can add most things, but getting rid of something that is there is the hard way round.

Edited May 31, 2010 by JTUK

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='JTUK' post='852492' date='May 31 2010, 11:55 AM']What helps is the drum tune...the gtr rolling off the bass on his amp..and the keys losing the BIG left hand most of the time.
That is the minimum effort required to getting a clean band sound, IMV...but it depends if the players know or adhere to this.[/quote]

Useful info JTUK, thanks. I've had the misfortune previously of playing with two guitarists, where to hear yourself up close you know you're too loud at the back of the hall. Hoping the new, stripped down outfit of vox, keys, bass and drums, with everyone into the idea of not going home from rehearsals/gigs with ears bleeing I can settle on a tone I'm happy with

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='852499' date='May 31 2010, 12:04 PM']Useful info JTUK, thanks. I've had the misfortune previously of playing with two guitarists, where to hear yourself up close you know you're too loud at the back of the hall. Hoping the new, stripped down outfit of vox, keys, bass and drums, with everyone into the idea of not going home from rehearsals/gigs with ears bleeing I can settle on a tone I'm happy with [/quote]

Sounds like you're coming home I always hated playing in bands with two guitards. I can't think of anything more horrific than that wall of noise to break through.

That reminds me, I'm playing with my old trio in a month or so. Must buy some new earplugs!

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='852502' date='May 31 2010, 12:09 PM']Sounds like you're coming home I always hated playing in bands with two guitards. I can't think of anything more horrific than that wall of noise to break through.

That reminds me, I'm playing with my old trio in a month or so. Must buy some new earplugs! [/quote]

So happy Playing a blend of swampy, New Orleans style bluesey, jazzy, gospel and country (hey, sounds like one for the genre thread) No more getting het up as to how accurate a version of Summer of 69 we can do!

[JTUK]

I can sometimes handle two gtrs..if they are the right players..who know when to drop out and listen to the other guy.
They both turn up with mini combos or kettle amps.. and you get to know which players can do this.

Stacks or 4x12's and egos don't work ..

Also, introduce a horn and play their keys...

No, but seriously, you just need guys who are receptive and thoughtful about getting sounds to work together. A wall of sound is very hard to mix, IMO so giving each instrument a freq range or keeping out of other instruments way helps a lot.

[Adrenochrome]

[quote name='Mykesbass' post='852463' date='May 31 2010, 11:30 AM']Ah, luxury! But you're playing fairly top end gigs - I'm thinking more about being stuck under the dartboard in a local pub or WMC [/quote]

To be honest, we even won't play a pub witout a decent PA with everytinhg miked up/DI'd. Myself and the lead guitarist are both wireless, and the drummer checks he's okay with the FOH sound by having one of the guitarists play his kit whilst he listens out front.

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='JTUK' post='852513' date='May 31 2010, 12:20 PM']Also, introduce a horn and play their keys...[/quote]

So true We're only two weeks in and we've got a song in Eb and one in Bb. I was in one band where they referred to a modulation as going up to A#. Nothing wrong with that I know, but having played with horn players or years (as a rhythm guitarist in a big band btw) it totally threw me!

[Pete Academy]

On the Roscoe 5 I boost the mid to about 80%, bass and treble to about 70%, and favour slightly more back pickup on the pan.

The Jazz I have both pickups full for slap and back off the front slightly for fingerstyle. Tone set on about 50%.

Then the fingers do the work.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='852564' date='May 31 2010, 01:12 PM']On the Roscoe 5 I boost the mid to about 80%, bass and treble to about 70%, and favour slightly more back pickup on the pan.

The Jazz I have both pickups full for slap and back off the front slightly for fingerstyle. Tone set on about 50%.

Then the fingers do the work. [/quote]

That's interesting, Pete - It does seem that on the higher quality preamps (such as Roscoe & Status) that the frequencies are very well chosen, so lots of boost doesn't seem too boomy or too harsh.

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='852568' date='May 31 2010, 01:19 PM']That's interesting, Pete - It does seem that on the higher quality preamps (such as Roscoe & Status) that the frequencies are very well chosen, so lots of boost doesn't seem too boomy or too harsh.[/quote]

Mine lacks a little in top end zing, so hence the treble boost. There are two mid-frequency boost options with pull-pot. Mid cuts through, especially when there's a piano in the band.

[Raslee]

Thick reggae sound for me generally, mostly bass @ 3 quarters all the way, mids just a little on and treble virtually off. On my bass I role my tone back 3 quarters too and if using a Jazz bass configuration then i pretty much exclusively use the neck pick up only and play close to the neck join.....although i do occasionally switch to just the bridge pick up if i am doing a some fast modern ska -Simplez. My rig does most of my onstage work anyhow, thick , phat and belly pumping sound system stylie

[JTUK]

Both my jazzes have very good slap sounds IMV... the more cultured sounds great in a sparse mix..but the other plays powerful fingerstyle and when I slap the same notes, the cut through and sheer presense of the sound is unblievable in a full sound band.

Unbelievable as in how the sound jumps out in that style but sounds perfectly sedate in the mix otherwise.

Both have East retro dlx pre's but the pups are different
Unfortunatlety, there is only so much these sounds can rescue of my playing

The reason I have settled on these basses is becasue the sounds are varibale enough and versatile enough...AND very easy to get.
Pretty much plug in and go after a few mins.

That is so different to my last workhorse bass which was a real struggle by comparison.

Big thumbs up for John East pre amps in that regard and I agee that the freqs are chosen well.

I've had pre's where the sweep is variable and all this does is get you chasing your tail through too much twiddling.

[risingson]

With my Jazz I usually like a lot of low end, with a little boost in mid/high mids. I don't like a lot of top end at all,it sounds wrong to my ears, and I never slap much anyway. Recently acquired a P-Bass as well so I put flatwounds on it and it sounds huge with my Eden rig, but it only works on certain R&B stuff, not so much on others. I'd basically play it for every gig we ever did otherwise.