Have you ever changed your tone overnight?

[Marvin]

I've always sought a deep warm mellow tone, may be slightly dub.

Over Christmas this has changed radically.

I've started playing near the bridge and developing a sharp attacking and with more treble tone. (a result of getting an fx box).

So virtually overnight my whole sound has changed a lot. And I like it.
It's probably the tone I've been looking for for ages and not realised that I was looking in the wrong place.

[eddies left thumb]

yes i change mine every week. I'm in two bands one a 4 piece so i use a lot more mid with the bridge p/u and really digging in on my stingray

the other is a 6 piece where i have to fit in with 2 guitars and keys so a different tone is needed with a lower tight sound and use my sandbergs both p/u like a Jazz

i never get bored of my sound.

Just change it around now and again it keeps you fresh

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='Marvin' post='709071' date='Jan 11 2010, 05:15 PM']I've always sought a deep warm mellow tone, may be slightly dub.

Over Christmas this has changed radically.

I've started playing near the bridge and developing a sharp attacking and with more treble tone. (a result of getting an fx box).

So virtually overnight my whole sound has changed a lot. And I like it.
It's probably the tone I've been looking for for ages and not realised that I was looking in the wrong place.[/quote]
I went the other direction. Used to use my J-retro equipped Jazz with a very modern cutting sound, then went to a passive mustang.

[SimBass]

I did exactly the same about 3 years ago...always used to play my Warwick fretless in passive and edging towards the neck with flatwounds for (what I thought was) a more Double sound. My then bass teacher showed me his fretless which was set up the opposite...round wounds - 80% bridge pickup and all active turned on and playing near the bridge...I quickly changed my entire tone over night and learnt to change my finger style (and placement on the strings) to get a mellow sound when needed.

[quote name='Marvin' post='709071' date='Jan 11 2010, 05:15 PM']I've always sought a deep warm mellow tone, may be slightly dub.

Over Christmas this has changed radically.

I've started playing near the bridge and developing a sharp attacking and with more treble tone. (a result of getting an fx box).

So virtually overnight my whole sound has changed a lot. And I like it.
It's probably the tone I've been looking for for ages and not realised that I was looking in the wrong place.[/quote]

[cetera]

I always went for the classic clean 'smile EQ' with loads of bass and treble and a mid cut.
Loved the tone when practicing.... but in a band environment I couldn't hear myself.

Discovered 'mids', almost reversed the graphic, added more gain and voila! Bold growling bass tone and easily heard in the band environment!

[Adrenochrome]

[quote name='cetera' post='713537' date='Jan 15 2010, 11:20 AM']I always went for the classic clean 'smile EQ' with loads of bass and treble and a mid cut.
Loved the tone when practicing.... but in a band environment I couldn't hear myself.

Discovered 'mids', almost reversed the graphic, added more gain and voila! Bold growling bass tone and easily heard in the band environment! [/quote]

+1

Like many people I did the smiley or V-shaped EQ and changed it overnight and never changed back. More clarity at less volume!

[mrcrow]

changing tone for me is changing plucking hand position along with dynamic and rhythm change
near the neck for quieter slow pieces, softer attack and sustained notes
near the bridge for noiser faster licks, more attack and stacatto notes

[Mog]

I've always used a scooped eq. Nothing major, just a little boost in bass and high mids. Never really desired/felt the need to change my tone.

[Doddy]

[quote name='Adrenochrome' post='713543' date='Jan 15 2010, 11:25 AM']+1

Like many people I did the smiley or V-shaped EQ and changed it overnight and never changed back. More clarity at less volume![/quote]

I've always disliked the smiley EQ-I've always done the opposite and had a slight mid boost.
I regularly change my tone depending on the situation, but not extremely-I've get the sound I want from a particular instrument,
and then make slight tweaks. I't's mostly,for me,down to what technique I use.

[Cat Burrito]

The biggest change I ever had was swapping a plectrum played P-bass for fingerstyle on a Jazz back in the 90s. Without touching the dials on the amp it made one hell of a difference. I also moved my hand further up the strings so I got much more bass. I've since changed again a few times over but that was the most extreme

[Marvin]

I've also gone from plectrum to fingers. Fingers are a lot more versatile in varying tone.

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='mrcrow' post='714000' date='Jan 15 2010, 04:45 PM']changing tone for me is changing plucking hand position along with dynamic and rhythm change
near the neck for quieter slow pieces, softer attack and sustained notes
near the bridge for noiser faster licks, more attack and stacatto notes[/quote]

+1 very much to this.

Become a habit after years of having poor unresponsive equipement / bass and found moving that hand along was the most effective mod I could do at a moment's notice.

T

[iamapirate]

I used to play on the bridge pickup (on my jazz and PJ). But Now I've slipped into the habbit of playing on the front pickup. Much deeper, much warmer, and much louder (it helps!!). And much easier on my precious fingers.

Also I got a hartke preamp and that's just changed my tone beyond recognition - it's amaaazing!!

[krispn]

Once I started to play in my second band my sound changed overnight as it had to fill a different sonic space and the bass playing provided a different 'role' in the band if that makes sense??

I play in two bands - one is a 3 piece punk/rock affair (but in a good way) I have a much more present in your face sound bright switch on and treble up but not that horrible 'american punk' bass tone - the Aggie bright adds sparkle not ear bleed, bass booted a little and a healthy dose of mids. Its one classy sound.... naturally and I mostly play with a pick for the added edge it gives.

In the 6 piece its a similar thing to what someone else said earlier in the thread. I need to sit in the mix with 2 or 3 guitars, a keys player etc so my sound and role in this band is different to the 3 piece. Pus I play with my fingers in this band and vary the dynamics, hand position etc to fit in with the layers of guitar and keys. I have the rig set up differently and have my sound focused to support the guitars/band.

so there