How to EQ a P Bass

[Dan Dare]

11 hours ago, bassbiscuits said:

Might sound a bit clunky and basic by itself but comes into its own in a band situation.

 

This is the beauty of the P bass (imho, obviously). It works in the so-called "real world". Often, the sound one likes when standing next to the rig just doesn't work out in the room. It can be a bit of an eye/ear opener to use a long lead or wireless and go for a walk whilst the band is playing and hear how the bass sounds out front and whether it works in the mix. That tone you've spent hours (not to mention the money) achieving can be a bit underwhelming in context. I often find the bass needs to be a bit middly, even honky for my taste when I'm stood next to the rig in order to sound right in the room. Which is just what a P does so well.

[Baloney Balderdash]

Swap the stock pickup for an EMG Geezer Butler P, wire it directly to the output jack socket of the bass, apply a 40Hz -12dB/Oct HPF, done!

[SteveXFR]

11 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Swap the stock pickup for an EMG Geezer Butler P, wire it directly to the output jack socket of the bass, apply a 40Hz -12dB/Oct HPF, done!

 

I've got the Geezer pickups in one of my mex P basses. Those pickups combined with a Darkglass vintage microtubes overdrive is perfection for me 

[StickyDBRmf]

What Dan Dare sez. (both posts) I had a J then added a fretless P to my arsenal. I wound up using the P more and more, even for the slapping/popping, that I sold the J (BIG MISTAKE in life under the "general" category). Straight-up tone (or full-out, same thing), roundwounds, fingers. Solid state amp and 12" speakers. I did put a Dimarrzio pu in, but that was 'cause I had changed EVERY PIECE (I wore out the neck) on it except the body, and I figured, "Why not?" and it was cream-colored, so it looked cooler. But the original pu did my best John Wetton, and Stanley Clarke impersonations...

Edited May 24, 2023 by StickyDBRmf

[Baloney Balderdash]

8 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I've got the Geezer pickups in one of my mex P basses. Those pickups combined with a Darkglass vintage microtubes overdrive is perfection for me 

Not a big fan of the Darkglass drives, but the EMG Geezer Butler P pickup is indeed something very special, vintage voiced, but with a slightly higher output, a bit of an upper mids snap/bite, an open and very dynamic response, but while still having a really tight low end response, and with a rich high end, without that in any way making them sound thin, overall resulting in a very well balanced tone, with an extraordinary clarity and an outstanding definition and articulation, which makes them respond very well to effects and further tone shaping, while though sounding genuinely great all on their own as well.

 

And then they are dead silent, even in basses that hasn't otherwise been shielded properly, because they are shielded internally, and all the solderless wiring it comes with, which by the way makes them super easy to install, has the ground running like a braided shield all along the insulated lead. 

 

In many ways a modern improved take of the ultimate vintage voiced pickup.

 

And yeah, I know, this ended up sounding like some crazed hyperbole marketing mumbo jumbo, but truth is they really are that great!

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[SteveXFR]

37 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Not a big fan of the Darkglass drives,

 

 

The Vintage Microtubes pedal is very different to other Darkglass products, it doesn't have their distinctive sound. It actually does give vintage drive tones. I'd recommend trying one if you get a chance. 

I also have the Darkglass B3K which is the typical Darkglass sound and very different 

[Baloney Balderdash]

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

 

The Vintage Microtubes pedal is very different to other Darkglass products, it doesn't have their distinctive sound. It actually does give vintage drive tones. I'd recommend trying one if you get a chance. 

I also have the Darkglass B3K which is the typical Darkglass sound and very different 

Well, I use 2 tube preamps, one at the very beginning and one at the very end of the signal chain of my "amp-less" setup, that I drive the tubes in to just on the verge of breakup, so that is primarily where I get my basic "clean" mildly overdriven tone from.

 

And I got my high gain overdrive, high gain distortion and fuzz tones covered too, which I am extremely satisfied with, and which neither really seems to be in the Vintage Microtubes's tonal territory, as you describe it.

 

I trust you when you say that the Vintage Microtube is great and different from the typical Darkglass sound, but as said I got pretty much all my drive tones sorted, and even if that doesn't stop GAS for more drive pedals that I won't use honestly the Vintage Microtube is not going to be in the near proximity of my top priority GAS drives, which as far as goes drives that could get into the same kind of territory alone consists of, in no particular order: EHX Hot Wax, EHX Operation Overlord Nano, One Control Hooker's Green Bass Machine, Boss OD-1X and Source Audio After Shock (although the latter will do much more than just that), that all would have priority over the Vintage Microtube, before I would even start to maybe consider to acquire that, and that's not even concidering all the higher gain distortion and fuzz pedals that takes up my GAS drives list as well.  

 

I do appreciate your correction and suggestion though, and sure if I should get a chance to try one I will definitely, which then might very well be able to change my mind.

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[BassAdder60]

Since playing mostly a PBass at every gig ( excluding my younger days using a full fat Stingay through an SVT CL ) I’ve learnt the good and not so good of using a PBass for certain songs.

 

I think the PBass needs a different EQ setting to say a Jazz or Stingray even.

 

Depending on the genre and other band instruments reducing 40-50hz works wonders ( unless it’s for reggae / dub etc ) 

Boosting high mids too 800-1.2K brings clarity 

Then of course you can disregard all that and use a pick and back off the bass tone for yet again a different sound but loads of attack. 
I went back and forth with Fingers / Pick but what it needed was better EQ control that many amps can’t handle in my opinion in comparison to a multi band EQ pedal. Some amps work better depending on their EQ points 
The Jazz bass I’ve discovered is less challenging to EQ I think but it doesn’t quite sound like a PBass but has a more polite tone of its own to work with. 
Also as mentioned depending on genre but fresh roundwounds in a PBass works wonders unless you’re after that flatwound thud kind of tone ( not for me ) 

Edited May 26, 2023 by BassAdder60