PantZ Bassplayer Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 G'day Ladies and Gentlemen. Can someone please help an old rocker with a sound problem! I'm currently playing a Mexican Fender deluxe P bass special edition through a Line 6 Lowdon LD175. I'm looking for that piano clang sound along with the typical Fender growl and I can find neither even after playing with the eq on the bass and the bass/amp settings for hours!! Don't get me wrong, There are some tremendous sounds on offer, just not what I want!! Should I replace the bass (a pity as it plays brilliantly, and is one of the best basses I've owned since my Geddy Lee jazz was stolen (and that REALLY growled!)), the amp (a pity because I use the in built effects quite a lot) or both!! Would upgrading the pick-ups to actual American pick-ups help (or replacement with non fender pick-ups?) Any help would be appreciated as this has me tearing what's left of my hair out. Thanks in advance An old codger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosebass Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 What strings are you using and how high is the action ? Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The GroovyPlucker Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 [quote name='PantZ Bassplayer' post='907620' date='Jul 27 2010, 09:41 PM']G'day Ladies and Gentlemen. Can someone please help an old rocker with a sound problem! I'm currently playing a Mexican Fender deluxe P bass special edition through a Line 6 Lowdon LD175. I'm looking for that piano clang sound along with the typical Fender growl and I can find neither even after playing with the eq on the bass and the bass/amp settings for hours!! Don't get me wrong, There are some tremendous sounds on offer, just not what I want!! Should I replace the bass (a pity as it plays brilliantly, and is one of the best basses I've owned since my Geddy Lee jazz was stolen (and that REALLY growled!)), the amp (a pity because I use the in built effects quite a lot) or both!! Would upgrading the pick-ups to actual American pick-ups help (or replacement with non fender pick-ups?) Any help would be appreciated as this has me tearing what's left of my hair out. Thanks in advance An old codger.[/quote] Not sure you can get that piano clang with a Fender, it's certainly more Growl than anything else, reason I always go back to 'em, closest I've come to both is a Spector Euro, big sound, very tight and growly believe it or not, but an impossibly small body, and that stupid contoured back didn't help, am too used to the Fender shape. Not sure if that helps! The GroovyPlucker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantZ Bassplayer Posted July 27, 2010 Author Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) [quote name='Prosebass' post='907632' date='Jul 27 2010, 09:56 PM']What strings are you using and how high is the action ? Paul[/quote] DR Fatbeams Stainless Steel Roundwound (Marcus Miller series), action is pretty low, as low as I can get it without any fretbuzz! Edited July 27, 2010 by PantZ Bassplayer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantZ Bassplayer Posted July 27, 2010 Author Share Posted July 27, 2010 [quote name='The GroovyPlucker' post='907634' date='Jul 27 2010, 10:04 PM']Not sure you can get that piano clang with a Fender, it's certainly more Growl than anything else, reason I always go back to 'em, closest I've come to both is a Spector Euro, big sound, very tight and growly believe it or not, but an impossibly small body, and that stupid contoured back didn't help, am too used to the Fender shape. Not sure if that helps! The GroovyPlucker[/quote] I'd be happy with just some growl!! Cheers, I'll have a look online . Dave M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 [quote name='The GroovyPlucker' post='907634' date='Jul 27 2010, 10:04 PM']Not sure you can get that piano clang with a Fender....[/quote] I agree. Have you thought of trying a piano? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) Seriously though I normally get that sound with my back Jazz pickup (I have a P/J). Plus a touch of 2kHz lift on your amp maybe. I believe your bass has a rear Jazz pickup. So you have no doubt tried getting your sound using just the back pickup. Hmmm. Edited July 27, 2010 by stevie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Hmmmm I know what you mean about the Geddy. Maple necks help : I have 2 other Jazzes and the Geddy has the most piano like sound the others have rosewood necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantZ Bassplayer Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 [quote name='stevie' post='907694' date='Jul 27 2010, 11:04 PM']Seriously though I normally get that sound with my back Jazz pickup (I have a P/J). Plus a touch of 2kHz lift on your amp maybe. I believe your bass has a rear Jazz pickup. So you have no doubt tried getting your sound using just the back pickup. Hmmm.[/quote] I shall give it a bash and let you know how I get on. How about the EQ, just leave it flat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantZ Bassplayer Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 [quote name='PantZ Bassplayer' post='907653' date='Jul 27 2010, 10:26 PM']I'd be happy with just some growl!! Cheers, I'll have a look online . Dave M[/quote] Checked out the spector, that is one beautiful sounding bass....pity the guy in Nickelback plays one!! still, can't have everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 [quote name='PantZ Bassplayer' post='908392' date='Jul 28 2010, 04:38 PM']I shall give it a bash and let you know how I get on. How about the EQ, just leave it flat?[/quote] Big smiley-face EQ curve, brand new roundwounds, tone full up on the bass, if that doesn't do it then think about buying more gear, something like an American "super jazz" with active electronics would be naturally clangy, or a Status. If you've tried one of those and you're still not getting clangy noises then it's your amp or you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 If you like the instrument itself, have you considered just working on the signal path ? Perhaps an in line something or other, like an Aguilar tonehammer or EBS microbass for example. They may not be the best items to give you the sound you're after, but at least this way, it's minor changes rather than major ones. Do you have examples of the sound you're after ? which arrangement of instruments and rig typically produce the sound you want ? have you heard examples of other people using a similar setup to yours acheiving the sound you want ? Just thinking around the problem really cheers T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I really like those amps (I used to have the 300W version and regret selling it). However, there's no way to get a clean signal without going through the digital processing. I liked the sound but you may not. Other than that, get something with big soapbars, active eq and a set of rotosounds and you'll be fine (or not)!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mateybass Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 One word.... valves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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