Lightweight gear

[28mistertee]

I’ve gone the full circle, started off with a Trace rig and gone through the posh lightweight cabs and amps. Earlier this year I bought another old 90s Trace rig and boom, instant tone I’ve been looking for (or have been missing all these years). She’s a heavy beast but I’ve got a trolley 😉

[lownote]

Several points here.  One:  after 20 years with one rig you will need lots of time with anything new for it not to seem alien;  two:  MB does seem to be a little bit of a Marmite brand, you either think its dull or gorgeously warm, three, it will work differently with different basses. I'd hazard a guess that a mid-oriented bass, especially active, won't be MB's choice of bed partner; 4, you've got a MB 15 with a 2x10.  I didn't buy the only MB 15 I ever tried for dullness, but loved the 10 and 12 drivers I've tried or owned; six, sometimes the EQ setting you want isn't intuitive.  I was really struggling for a sound I liked on my LM2.  Then I accidentally brushed against the knobs one day and voila!  the perfect sound for me: bass 12 o'clock, mids 10 o'clock, treble 9 o'clock, with the VLE & VPF at 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock.   

I've gone from several years with Markbass to a Phil Jones Cab 47 and a Trace Elf and having the reverse of your problem

   

Edited April 14, 2020 by lownote12

[ezbass]

Replacing a humongous 1x15 + 4x10 rig with something smaller is always going to present tonal variances/problems. The amount of air being moved by that trace rig and the height at which it is moved compared to the MB will always be a skewed contest, even before you get into amp and speaker voicing. As has been mentioned, sorting the VLE & VPF settings and adding some other form of EQ manipulation may help (as the TE has a graphic, I’d add a graphic EQ pedal) but it may transpire that MB speaker voicing isn’t for you.
 

As to what you could try as an alternative brand, I’m afraid I can’t help you there as I’ve only played three rigs live: Ashdown ABM 2x10 combo + 2x10 cab (nice, bit scooped, heavy and cumbersome despite neodymium drivers); MB LM2 + Schroeder 2x12 (great ‘in the mix’ rig, very mid centric, somewhat aggressive); Phil Jones Flightcase + PJB powered cab (10x5 total) - clean, accurate, super light. The nicest stuff I’ve heard in a shop has been Aguilar,  but that’s not a proper test IMO.

 

EDIT: I’ve played Rhythm Stick for years and it took a lot of practice to get up to speed accurately. The other day I thought I’d play it with a pick, just for laughs. Damn! I should’ve tried it years ago and saved my, at the time, aching hand. 😂

Edited April 14, 2020 by ezbass

[chris_b]

55 minutes ago, Graham Milton said:

 . . . . . . . . . I'm wrestling with the bass line to "Hit me with your rhythm stick". I can manage an approximation of it, but maintaining the fluidity at the speed Norman Watt-Roy plays it, is quite a challenge. Any tips, or is it just solid practice?

I read that NWR didn't record it at that speed. The tape was speeded up in the studio and even he had a struggle to play it that fast in the beginning.

Just solid practice I'm afraid, but this might help. Go to YouTube and hit the settings button. Hit the Playback Speed and put that on 0.75. That slows the song down to 3/4 speed. Makes the song easier to work out and start playing. When you're good at that speed try the normal setting. Good luck.

[Lozz196]

I can just about get Rhythm Stick, but it really is an approximation - in the mix it would sound fine, solo it would be evident i was skipping a good few notes.

[jrixn1]

On 13/04/2020 at 09:52, Graham Milton said:

I don't seem to be able get anything like a decent tone out of the Mark Bass rig at all. I've tried every conceivable setting, including a compressor and it still sounds as dull as ditch water. 

 

On 13/04/2020 at 10:08, gafbass02 said:

Eventually I bought an old trace head on a whim, just to keep at home, and boom. My tone improved! 

Was that with lightweight cabs?

@Graham Milton, in terms of exploring all combinations: do you have long speaker cables to hand, and if so are you able to try your Markbass head with your Trace cabs, and vice versa?  I know the combo housing means your current Trace head can't practically be used as a head but perhaps it will suggest if a solution like gafbass02's could work for you.

[gafbass02]

It was with bergantino AE210’s

[lownote]

BTW thanks.  Thinking about your issue has helped me solve my problem.  I just duplicated precisely my MB EQ settings on my Elf and I've got my sound back.  With a fretless P bass: Bass 11 o'clock, Mids 7-8, Treble 11.  

Edited April 14, 2020 by lownote12

[TrevorR]

2 hours ago, phil.c60 said:

And if you expand the photo the VLE is in the off position, and the VPF  is at 12 o'clock.......assuming the photo is taken how the OP usually has it set.

Ah, couldn’t work it out when I enlarged it. So that’s a pretty strong mid cut and bass boost then.

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

...Go to YouTube and hit the settings button. Hit the Playback Speed and put that on 0.75. That slows the song down to 3/4 speed. Makes the song easier to work out and start playing. When you're good at that speed try the normal setting. Good luck.

Hah! I didn't even know that was possible on YT (something I've hitherto done using Song Surgeon software).

And it slows down tempo without changing pitch, which is key (excuse the pun). 

That's the most helpful tip I've had on BC in 2020, alongside @dave_bass5 recommending me getting a VT Bass DI, but this one's completely free! Thanks Chris!