neptunehealer Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Basically i hate my tone which is not unsuprising really considering i play a cheap nasty bass which is really heavy and a bitch to play. I currently have 600 watt peavey sessionbass head and a laney speaker. I have twiddled and played around with my head and still can't find the tone i am after. To describe the tone would be a muddy bland bass sound. I am wondering if i keep my rig the same and purchase a Fender Jazz bass will this alone give me the tone i am after or will i need to seek a new head/speaker aswell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Get a player you like locally to play his bass and your bass through your gear - you can then get a sense whether its you, your amps or the bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 you fail to define what your cheap nasty bass is... your cheap nasty bass may be another's fine and dandy bass... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Sounds like you need to change the bass anyway. Get something you really like and start checking for your tone again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E_MaN Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 (edited) what bass do you use? Edited February 6, 2008 by E_MaN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 You have practically answered your own question really. Firstly try your bass on another amp set-up, something that will sound good normally. If your happy with the sound the, Hey Presto!" If not try a quality bass on your amp set-up. If it is your set-up then try changing the head then the cab. There is a chance you may have to change that whole lot to get the sound and feel that you like - welcome to the world of GAS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunehealer Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Haha the welcome to the world of GAS comment made me chuckle as that is too true and i thought i was one of them players that would'nt get it. Well my bass is a 4 string 22 fret Vintage. Thats all it says on the headstock is Vintage i don't know if this helps at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I just bought a Fender Jazz 24 and i have a small 90 watt Beringer amp as well as a Peavey 115( so not amazing amps) and im amazed of the tones i can get. Everything from THAT jazz bass sound to a dub sound and everything in between! Great Seymore Duncan electronics, and sturdy Hipshot hardwear...And it looks stunning aswell. A decent bass is your missing link not the amp, IMHO... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Cooke Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='neptunehealer' post='134912' date='Feb 6 2008, 11:39 AM']Haha the welcome to the world of GAS comment made me chuckle as that is too true and i thought i was one of them players that would'nt get it. Well my bass is a 4 string 22 fret Vintage. Thats all it says on the headstock is Vintage i don't know if this helps at all.[/quote] can you identify it from this list of suspects??? [url="http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html"]http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html[/url] oh, by the way, Vintage are not cheap nasty basses... I have the V950B and it's very nice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 I agree Paul, i have the same bass, The electronics let it down a little,(mine is pre Wilkinson by the way) but a very well built bass all the same.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 (edited) [quote name='neptunehealer' post='134891' date='Feb 6 2008, 11:13 AM']Basically i hate my tone which is not unsuprising really considering i play a cheap nasty bass which is really heavy and a bitch to play. I currently have 600 watt peavey sessionbass head and a laney speaker. I have twiddled and played around with my head and still can't find the tone i am after. To describe the tone would be a muddy bland bass sound. I am wondering if i keep my rig the same and purchase a Fender Jazz bass will this alone give me the tone i am after or will i need to seek a new head/speaker aswell?[/quote] Can't do anything about its weight, and I am definitely a fan of light basses, but it being a bitch to play might just be down to the action. As for getting rid of the muddy bland sound, maybe you need a new set of Rotosound roundwounds? What's in the speaker? If it's a 15 you might like to add a 10 for a bit more bite Edited February 6, 2008 by bremen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Why not try a Behringer BDI21 (sansamp clone)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunehealer Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='Paul Cooke' post='134918' date='Feb 6 2008, 11:51 AM']can you identify it from this list of suspects??? [url="http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html"]http://www.jhs.co.uk/vintagebass.html[/url] oh, by the way, Vintage are not cheap nasty basses... I have the V950B and it's very nice...[/quote] Well it seems like the V4 series looks the most similar. Mine is in sunburst with a white scratchplate, one tone one volume control. Also mine has white pick-ups instead of black and has 22 frets instead of 20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebasshead Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 +1 about Vintage not being cheap crap, my VF940 fretless has a rather nice sound and decent build quality. Only the neck pocket routing lets it down. I'd advice you get it a decent set up and new strings, flatwound for mellow thump, roundwounds for zing or half rounds for an inbetween sound depending on what you're aiming for. Then set the EQ on your amp and bass "flat" and tweak from there. Don't be afraid to turn bass, middle or treble controls down, not just up. Good advice above to get someone else to play their bass through your amp while you listen too (use both your current EQ settings and then a flat setting as a startpoint.) But also play your mates bass through your rig in case it's your technique. Watch whereabouts on the strings your mate plucks (i.e. near the bridge, over the pickups or on top of the neck) and also whether he/she plays fingerstyle or with a pick - when it's your turn to play their bass use the same style and position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Cheapest option is to cahgne your strings, IMO dead strings don;t give nearly the same tonal variance that a newer set will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Sounds like you probably don't have a current Vintage model - I think the quality has been more variable in the past. One simple test is what it sounds and feels like unplugged. If it sounds and feels dead I'd look for something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunehealer Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='gilmour' post='135129' date='Feb 6 2008, 04:24 PM']Cheapest option is to cahgne your strings, IMO dead strings don;t give nearly the same tonal variance that a newer set will[/quote] Done that to be fair, the strings sound bright for a few days but as i gig nearly every weekend the brightness soon goes. That in my opinion is an expensive way to have a bright sound for one gig only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunehealer Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='spinynorman' post='135142' date='Feb 6 2008, 04:37 PM']Sounds like you probably don't have a current Vintage model - I think the quality has been more variable in the past. One simple test is what it sounds and feels like unplugged. If it sounds and feels dead I'd look for something else.[/quote] Yes i don't mean to critise the Vintage brand as a whole as i know some people have them on here who like them, but i did purchase my Vintage approximately 10 years ago now for £120, so maybe the quality was worse then. Oh and it sounds even worse not plugged in, it rattles at the headstock when i play it unplugged also strings break reasonably often which make me question the quality of the bridge saddles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='neptunehealer' post='135155' date='Feb 6 2008, 05:00 PM']Yes i don't mean to critise the Vintage brand as a whole as i know some people have them on here who like them, but i did purchase my Vintage approximately 10 years ago now for £120, so maybe the quality was worse then. Oh and it sounds even worse not plugged in, it rattles at the headstock when i play it unplugged also strings break reasonably often which make me question the quality of the bridge saddles.[/quote] It sounds well f***ed. I haven't broken a string for years, and I hit them pretty hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilmour Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 (edited) [quote name='neptunehealer' post='135154' date='Feb 6 2008, 04:57 PM']Done that to be fair, the strings sound bright for a few days but as i gig nearly every weekend the brightness soon goes. That in my opinion is an expensive way to have a bright sound for one gig only.[/quote] Yes I know what you mean, If you are giggin a lot you do need to change your strings a lot. I tend to change my strings once a fortnight (which will be 3 or 4 gigs), there's not really a way around it. Luckily my Bass has quite an effective preamp onboard so I can boost the treble for a few gigs, but it's not the same. If your strings are dead it will always sound dead, although sometimes that is desirable it doesn't sound like what you are after. If you are gigging that often you deserve a new bass! Edited February 6, 2008 by gilmour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='gilmour' post='135163' date='Feb 6 2008, 05:09 PM']If you are gigging that often you deserve a new bass![/quote] What he said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunehealer Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='gilmour' post='135163' date='Feb 6 2008, 05:09 PM']Yes I know what you mean, If you are giggin a lot you do need to change your strings a lot. I tend to change my strings once a fortnight (which will be 3 or 4 gigs), there's not really a way around it. Luckily my Bass has quite an effective preamp onboard so I can boost the treble for a few gigs, but it's not the same. If your strings are dead it will always sound dead, although sometimes that is desirable it doesn't sound like what you are after. If you are gigging that often you deserve a new bass![/quote] Best news i have had all day that. But in fairness i hope all that you say isn't accurate as i would like to think a new bass guitar could give me a great tone with new and old strings as i don't really see any point in buying a new one if this is the case, as tone is god. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neptunehealer Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='bremen' post='135161' date='Feb 6 2008, 05:08 PM']It sounds well f***ed. I haven't broken a string for years, and I hit them pretty hard.[/quote] I swear as i just read your comment my bass glared at me across my room and nodded. In a nutshell i would say it is toast because as someone said earlier in this thread that a good way to test it is if it sound like crap unplugged then it will sound crap plugged which is the case. Also i feel the tones higher are up the neck don't cut through the mix which will be due to the crap pups. Thing is i used to play in a band at college who did original stuff for a couple of years then we broke up and i lost inspiration. But now i find myself in a cover band who now play once/twice a week and i am getting hooked on the money but am still with the same old crappy bass. I think it is time to empty that hungry piggy bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davetbass Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote name='neptunehealer' post='135265' date='Feb 6 2008, 07:27 PM']I swear as i just read your comment my bass glared at me across my room and nodded. In a nutshell i would say it is toast because as someone said earlier in this thread that a good way to test it is if it sound like crap unplugged then it will sound crap plugged which is the case. Also i feel the tones higher are up the neck don't cut through the mix which will be due to the crap pups. Thing is i used to play in a band at college who did original stuff for a couple of years then we broke up and i lost inspiration. But now i find myself in a cover band who now play once/twice a week and i am getting hooked on the money but am still with the same old crappy bass. I think it is time to empty that hungry piggy bank.[/quote] You dont have to skin yourself either! There was a thread about the Squire Vintage Modified Jazz. £220 and it`s got everything you could want or need. Active pups, nice upgraded bridge and natural finish that looks cool! Anyone got any pic`s of their own models? I`m seriously thinking about getting one myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Do the right thing neptunehealer......SELL YOUR SOUL TO GAS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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