HELP NEEDED!!!!

[BassFaceRudd]

Hi all, I started playing bass about a year ago (used to play guitar for 6 years before that :/) so I dnt know a lot about the bass gear side of things e.g amps, pedals ect...
At the min I'm using some sort of ashdown cab and head 150watt (don't know wat model it is cus Avnt had a chance to look due for it being at the practice shed). I cannot be heard wat so ever because of a very loud drummer and guitarist!
I really need some advice on wat amp to get, I like my sound punchy but with a nice warm low end to it. I have a fender precision select bass.

[mep]

Never had any problems being heard with a 150 watt amp. Are the other 2 that loud? Or is the amp lower powered. If you want to change then get something 2nd hand. A combo of at least a guaranteed 150 or 200 watts should do.

[BassFaceRudd]

We practise in like a small garage and I have to literally put everything on full. I've played in bands in the past but the band I'm in ATM has just started and we've done one gig so far...my amp was loud enough or tht but I didn't know if it was because the others were quieter or what :/

I'm not sure if its low powered bud. Thanks for the help dude

Edited March 16, 2013 by BassFaceRudd

[hamfist]

It's possible that your amp is faulty and thence a bit quiet. It's also possible that your bandmates are truly loud and that a 150W amp is not up to the job .... quite possible. First step is to boost your mids, not the bass frequencies so much. Mids let you be heard and also are perceived as louder. Low frequencies take a lot more energy. Therefore low power amps struglle to get loud and low.

If you want advice on potential new amps/cabs then you'll need to give an idea of what your budget is, and whether size/weight is an issue or not. Also, what type of music would also help

[JamesBass]

Might sound stupid but, how big is the shed you practice in? How do you guys set up and position yourselves and do you wear ear plugs when playing?

[Lozz196]

Yes, as sound projects is a very odd way - there are techie reasons, none of which I understand - it may be that in a bigger room you would easily hear yourself. Or, as is more likely, the guitarist is both too loud, and has too much bass on their settings (possibly too much gain & reverb as well).

So try upping your mids a bit as already mentioned, and ask the guitarist to just reduce the bass on their amp by 1.

[BassFaceRudd]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1363456279' post='2012995']
It's possible that your amp is faulty and thence a bit quiet. It's also possible that your bandmates are truly loud and that a 150W amp is not up to the job .... quite possible. First step is to boost your mids, not the bass frequencies so much. Mids let you be heard and also are perceived as louder. Low frequencies take a lot more energy. Therefore low power amps struglle to get loud and low.

If you want advice on potential new amps/cabs then you'll need to give an idea of what your budget is, and whether size/weight is an issue or not. Also, what type of music would also help
[/quote]



Cheers mate tht will help a lot! I Avnt got a budget really dude but around a £1000 would be great!, size and weight I don't really mind about, the type of music we play is stuff like biffy clyro, red hot chili peppers, stuff like that really and some classic rock in there too

Edited March 16, 2013 by BassFaceRudd

[BassFaceRudd]

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1363457101' post='2013013']
Might sound stupid but, how big is the shed you practice in? How do you guys set up and position yourselves and do you wear ear plugs when playing?
[/quote]

I don't know why I said shed :L it's a garage bud and it could only probably just fit a car in it, we all face the drummer and the amps are on a shelf behind him. I don't wear earplugs mate

[xgsjx]

Get your cab in a corner. What size & how many drivers are in your cab?

For £1k there's plenty of choice for loud rigs & going 2nd hand will get you a lot more bang for your buck.

If you're not deaf already, get yourself (& your bandmates) some lugplugs. Lots of close range cymbal bashing in a small place will soon kill your hearing.
I'd suggest to your drummer to rehearse using hotrods too. My last drummer did & it made a huge difference to how loud the rest of the band was at rehearsal.

[JamesBass]

That's fair enough, the problem with Bass frequencies is that they take a space of around 60ft to be at their peak energy, before that and in a space such as the garage you are in with both amps and a drummer they will phase, which is what I think it sounds like, potentially, but do have a twiddle with you settings, make sure you note the settings you try out on a piece of paper for remembering, get the others to turn down and alter their frequencies as well why you practice.

From what you said about being live and hearing yourself for me that shows the amp is ok for the most part? But do experiment and see what you come up with, you might find a boosted mid section will be the sound for you! Personally I love the punch, clarity and cutting tone that mids give, if the pick ups are good you'll get plenty of bass, but again experiment, hope that helps mate

[BassFaceRudd]

Cheers mate thanks a lot for the help!! I also have and input gain and I don't know really wat it does? I have an American precision so I think the pickups should be okay dude

[dincz]

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1363465713' post='2013160']
the problem with Bass frequencies is that they take a space of around 60ft to be at their peak energy[/quote]

[xgsjx]

An amp is split into 2 stages. Pre & power.

The input gain is how much signal from your bass is going into the pre amp. Increase this until it starts to clip (sound bad) & then turn it back a bit.
The output volume (or whatever it's called on your amp) is how much is going into the power amp section.
Put your input gain right down & turn your output (volume) to @ 1/4 on (so it's not too loud). Turn everything on your bass full & then turn your input gain up whilst playing until it starts to clip, then turn it back a touch (just until it no longer clips). now you don't have to touch this ever again unless you change your bass. Use the output to control how loud you want the amp to be (keep an ear on the cab for any farting, etc.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1363465713' post='2013160']
That's fair enough, the problem with Bass frequencies is that they take a space of around 60ft to be at their peak energy, before that and in a space such as the garage you are in with both amps and a drummer they will phase
[/quote]

[Massive facepalm]

[BassFaceRudd]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1363466736' post='2013175']
An amp is split into 2 stages. Pre & power.

The input gain is how much signal from your bass is going into the pre amp. Increase this until it starts to clip (sound bad) & then turn it back a bit.
The output volume (or whatever it's called on your amp) is how much is going into the power amp section.
Put your input gain right down & turn your output (volume) to @ 1/4 on (so it's not too loud). Turn everything on your bass full & then turn your input gain up whilst playing until it starts to clip, then turn it back a touch (just until it no longer clips). now you don't have to touch this ever again unless you change your bass. Use the output to control how loud you want the amp to be (keep an ear on the cab for any farting, etc.
[/quote]


Cheers dude!! Makes sense now

[xgsjx]

Spend a little time with your rig on your own. Set all the tone controls (Bass, Mid, Treble, etc) to 12 o'clock (or flat). Set the volume & then play about with everything & get to know what everything does.
One thing to bear in mind. When you get an awesome sound without the band, it'll probably sound crap when the band is playing.
Quite often it's a case of setting all flat & then adjusting things to fit the overall sound of the band (& make sure the guitarist rolls off the low end or you'll be as well playing up the dusty end).

[BassFaceRudd]

Thanks dude! Ill bring my rig home after next practise so I can av a play, another thing aswell dude...my low E seems really quiet :/ I've heightend my pick up on tht side but Avnt had a chance to try it yet

[xgsjx]

Are all the strings the same brand? I replaced a string a while back & it was massively quieter than the rest, so I replaced the lot.
Like you've done, pickup height would be the 1st thing to adjust. Have a wee look at the string height too & make sure they're even.

[hamfist]

[quote name='BassFaceRudd' timestamp='1363463898' post='2013137']
Cheers mate tht will help a lot! I Avnt got a budget really dude but around a £1000 would be great!, size and weight I don't really mind about, the type of music we play is stuff like biffy clyro, red hot chili peppers, stuff like that really and some classic rock in there too
[/quote]

Start off with trying a lot of the good advice already given in this thread. If you are serious about the band and gigging then I'd say you will be wanting to upgrade your amp sooner or later. You have a lovely bass, so why play it through some duff old amp and cab.
Anyway, for the genres you mention, take a look at Gallien Krueger (GK) amps, maybe an MB500 or MB Fusion. As for cabs ... yours may be OK, what is it ? A couple of GK 112 neo cabs would be light and very loud with a 500W amp.
THere are so many great amps and cabs out there though, but for someone new to the scene, into the type of music you are, GK is a good place to start.

[JTUK]

Gold

[BassFaceRudd]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1363506467' post='2013373']


Start off with trying a lot of the good advice already given in this thread. If you are serious about the band and gigging then I'd say you will be wanting to upgrade your amp sooner or later. You have a lovely bass, so why play it through some duff old amp and cab.
Anyway, for the genres you mention, take a look at Gallien Krueger (GK) amps, maybe an MB500 or MB Fusion. As for cabs ... yours may be OK, what is it ? A couple of GK 112 neo cabs would be light and very loud with a 500W amp.
THere are so many great amps and cabs out there though, but for someone new to the scene, into the type of music you are, GK is a good place to start.
[/quote]

Sweet man! Cheers, I was looking at the mb500, the cab is pretty sh*t so I'd probably have to get new one too

[Lozz196]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1363506467' post='2013373']
Start off with trying a lot of the good advice already given in this thread. If you are serious about the band and gigging then I'd say you will be wanting to upgrade your amp sooner or later. You have a lovely bass, so why play it through some duff old amp and cab.
Anyway, for the genres you mention, take a look at Gallien Krueger (GK) amps, maybe an MB500 or MB Fusion. As for cabs ... yours may be OK, what is it ? A couple of GK 112 neo cabs would be light and very loud with a 500W amp.
THere are so many great amps and cabs out there though, but for someone new to the scene, into the type of music you are, GK is a good place to start.
[/quote]

Good advice for the type of music quoted. Both the MB 500 and MB Fusion are great amps, the Fusion being a thicker sounding amp due to the valves, but still that typical GK sound. With a couple of 12s, or a 212, maybe a 410, you`d have a very powerful, lightweight rig. Having had both those amps, I can`t imagine any band needing more power. I could only ever get mine on 3 on volume, in a punk band, when hooked up to a 410.