Modern Rig for 70's Rock?

[stewblack]

If it was possible or would serve any purpose to keep all the amps I've had and subsequently sold, I would have my Orange Terror back in a heartbeat. 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I played 70s rock in the 70s, and 60s rock in the 60s for that matter. I have no interest in trying to get the same tone I had then. We bass players were constantly changing amps and speakers as new tech became available, and there was no such thing as gear nostalgia. I finally settled in with my current rig twelve years ago. It does everything I want it to, so I'm done with the hunt for tone nirvana. Even though my tone now bears little resemblance to what it was in 1965 or 1975 it's not the least bit out of place when I play songs from those days. It's better.

[Defo]

19 hours ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

I played 70s rock in the 70s, and 60s rock in the 60s for that matter. I have no interest in trying to get the same tone I had then. We bass players were constantly changing amps and speakers as new tech became available, and there was no such thing as gear nostalgia. I finally settled in with my current rig twelve years ago. It does everything I want it to, so I'm done with the hunt for tone nirvana. Even though my tone now bears little resemblance to what it was in 1965 or 1975 it's not the least bit out of place when I play songs from those days. It's better.

Great post, it's no surprise bass players are supplied with such incredible tone options these days, we've been crying out for it for decades and every decade gets better. 

[Norris]

I play mostly 70s rock. As the post above says, modern amps are so much better than they used to be. A few posts have recommended the Fender Rumble 500 v3 combo, and what's not to like? It can go anywhere between clean and filthy, has a lovely valvey tone with acres of bottom end, is plenty loud enough for any gig you're likely to do without PA support (and has built in DI if you need it) and is a one-hand lift (unlike pretty much any 70s amp, let alone the cab!). It also won't upset your bank manager. I have a grin on my face every time I fire mine up and get busy

[dannybuoy]

On 21/09/2019 at 15:53, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

I played 70s rock in the 70s, and 60s rock in the 60s for that matter. I have no interest in trying to get the same tone I had then. We bass players were constantly changing amps and speakers as new tech became available, and there was no such thing as gear nostalgia. I finally settled in with my current rig twelve years ago. It does everything I want it to, so I'm done with the hunt for tone nirvana. Even though my tone now bears little resemblance to what it was in 1965 or 1975 it's not the least bit out of place when I play songs from those days. It's better.

If you settled with your rig 12 years ago, what did you land upon?

Modern amps and cabs certainly have advantages over weight, power handling, volume, clarity, etc. But a lot of them sound too clean and clinical for my liking. I like to take the hybrid route - modern lightweight and power, but with some of that 70s vibe by adding a touch of drive and using vintage voiced cabs.

[Muzz]

Walkabout into one (or two) BF cabs (Super Twin and Compact) - warm, valvey, gritty if required, and loud enough to hurt if needs be...

[4000]

I also prefer the VT500 to a Walkabout, but I guess it depends what you’re after.

[Pirellithecat]

Good points, 

OK I play 70's Rock, and some 80's/90's and even later stuff too.

I first played the 70's stuff in ...... the 70's, and the 80's stuff ...... in the 80's ......

And I don't sound like Ronnie Wood, or John Paul Jones, Leo Lyons, or Lemmy or .....

However, I prefer the sound they make/made (except Lemmy) over some of the more modern bands where the sound has a more pronounced "brittle" upper frequency to it. - is that "HiFi"?

So I used "70's Rock" as a shortcut to try to describe the sort of sound I'm after.   It's not Dub, it's not Mark King it's in the middle.

I don't like "clangy" sounds, I don't like harsh upper frequencies, I don't like fret Buzz, I don't really like "driven" sounds (i.e. distortion). 

And at the moment, the rig would do Dub, it would do Mark King ~(although I couldn't) It would do lots of stuff, but I'm not really getting that deep, punchy, "defined", warm high frequency thing.

Had a modern Eden Terra Nova, nice when quiet but ran out of puff, have an Ashdown ABM IV which can be loud and more punchy, but I probably haven't mastered the tone controls yet (as I'm a simple bass player, and can't work out 9 tone controls AND "shape" and and and...) 

But many of the suggestions are very interesting ...... particularly Stewblack's comments about Markbass v Barefaced, which is probably where I'm at.

I must also have another go with the Fender Rumble which I had a brief go on previously but for some reason dismissed it.

So thanks for all the comments - food for thought.

 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

6 hours ago, dannybuoy said:

If you settled with your rig 12 years ago, what did you land upon?

I made my speakers and my bass. My amp is an Ashdown Superfly, which I probably wouldn't recommend to others, as it's very underpowered, but the high sensitivity of my speakers compensates for that.

[jazzmanb]

On 16/09/2019 at 12:24, la bam said:

If by lightweight you mean class d or under 10kg, for me, it's a quilter bb800 and add a helix stomp (or something like a vt pedal) if required.

Literally any sound you want. With heft and only about 5kg.

I ditched heavy peavey stuff for the Quilter with two ampeg portaflex cabs 

we do classic rock stuff .Very pleased 

[jazzmanb]

18 hours ago, Pirellithecat said:

Good points, 

OK I play 70's Rock, and some 80's/90's and even later stuff too.

I first played the 70's stuff in ...... the 70's, and the 80's stuff ...... in the 80's ......

And I don't sound like Ronnie Wood, or John Paul Jones, Leo Lyons, or Lemmy or .....

However, I prefer the sound they make/made (except Lemmy) over some of the more modern bands where the sound has a more pronounced "brittle" upper frequency to it. - is that "HiFi"?

So I used "70's Rock" as a shortcut to try to describe the sort of sound I'm after.   It's not Dub, it's not Mark King it's in the middle.

I don't like "clangy" sounds, I don't like harsh upper frequencies, I don't like fret Buzz, I don't really like "driven" sounds (i.e. distortion). 

And at the moment, the rig would do Dub, it would do Mark King ~(although I couldn't) It would do lots of stuff, but I'm not really getting that deep, punchy, "defined", warm high frequency thing.

Had a modern Eden Terra Nova, nice when quiet but ran out of puff, have an Ashdown ABM IV which can be loud and more punchy, but I probably haven't mastered the tone controls yet (as I'm a simple bass player, and can't work out 9 tone controls AND "shape" and and and...) 

But many of the suggestions are very interesting ...... particularly Stewblack's comments about Markbass v Barefaced, which is probably where I'm at.

I must also have another go with the Fender Rumble which I had a brief go on previously but for some reason dismissed it.

So thanks for all the comments - food for thought.

 

Sounds like me ,its a 3 piece band with a singer so I cant be doing the popular clean mid type sound ,I need bottom end with a bit cut .I see some people's backline only set up and think that would be no good for me