Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Robert, I guess the drums could do with brightening up as well as more Alex. The mix sounds a little like it suffers from 'mixing fatigue', although I have to say when I saw them at Ingliston just as ESL came out, that's pretty much how they sounded. I think there is a lot of energy there, but with some tweaking it would be more obvious. However I still think it's the best of the live albums (ecept maybe the Hammersmith bit of Different Stages) - well it is the culmination of my favourite period of Rush. I bought mine in the UK too...

Incidentally, one thing I discovered when mixing our Rush tribute, is that Rush tend to have hi-hats & cymbals lower in the mix than most bands. I'd never noticed until our drummer complained that they were too prominent in the rough mixes I gave him.

Wow, a drummer that wants to turn himself down in a mix.

He he...Only the cymbals/hi-hats. He wanted the snare (which was already huge) and bass drum louder.

I LOVE the production on Different Stages, and, yeah, Disc 3 really is the best live sound from them I've heard. All three discs make regular rounds in my CD player . . . R30 sounds almost as good, but it's missing the Ric. However, every time I listen to it, I feel that R30 really has a perfect mix for everything.

The reason Rush can afford to have the cymbals below everything, I feel, is because the cymbals are very clear and crisp . . . they're not really echo-y, they're not ultra-bright, they're not as, well, violent as other bands tend to have them. I think simply because of their sound, they can be turned down in the mix without losing much. I'm also glad that Neil doesn't have his bass drum at the forefront. I really hate it when a band mixes their album or plays live such that all you can hear is the kick going super-fast . . . it really kills the sound of everything else . . .

The Different Stages album is one of my favs. It may not have the 4001, but to me, Geddy's J is the best sounding and best looking to me. The growl is amazing and the blocks on the maple neck make it beautiful. The songs he used the 4001 on though sound lacking. They lack, for a better word, balls.

Disc 3 of DS is another story. The playing is superb, but Geddy sounds like sh*t! His cold ruined it. I love the "Make it fun-ky" part of "Cinderella Man" but Geddy's cold ruined his high notes and his timing was god awful. Why release such a ****** show?

I know Geddy used Rotos, but are there any other rounds that have low tension, but that ultra crisp sound? I don't want to destroy my neck anymore.

Neil is an amazing drummer. I love everything he does on the record. The cymbals may not be that high in the mix, but that helps the effect. I now own one of Neil's promark sticks that he used on the RTB tour (My mom went to that show and gave it to me for christmas) and the stick has a couple pieces missing from it. He really plays those things hard.

Has Geddy's J had any refrets done to it? It's most likely had rotos on it the entire time and he used it back in the day.

Looks like they're playing YYZ to me.

Hey nate , try ernie ball extra slinkys . They are low tension and still have the killer roto style growl .

I used Ernie balls last summer, great sound but didnt last long.

May just be my body chemistry though, we played alot of outdoor gigs, with high humidity.

I get good Piano tones from my Boomers which are nickel plated.

Gotta be Rotosound Swing Bass 40, 60, 80, 100.
I used to use Rotosound 45-105. Too heavy for me. Only found out when I switched guages on my Monty Brown '04. Tried before with lighter guage with no luck.
Now lovely ringing tone.

I'm still awaiting my DR Steel Lo-Riders in the mail. I'll tell you how those are. If you want good low tension steel rounds, grab DR Hi-Beams. They're not as aggressive as Rotosound RS66's, but they last FOREVER, and don't eat frets. They really sound amazing.

My vote goes to Sunbeams!

...I just tried both of the Lo-Riders,(nickel and stainless) and they both had a nasal midrange to my ears(or focused)..and their highs weren't what I'd call grindy...more like a toneless "clack"

The Hi-Beams had a scooped-out midrange...and more of those "clacking" highs..

Sunbeams had a warm, rich midrange right out of the box, and a really sweet sounding, harmonically enhanced treble that's lasted me for over 8 months..all the warmth with all the sting!

I tried both of the Lo-Riders recently in search of more tension for some dropped D tunings that I use occasionally so I wouldn't have the action as high, but it's all negated by the tone, and the fact that they are harder to press down and fret..

I can pretty much peg the sounds from Tool's "Undertow" album with the Sunbeams, among many others - really brilliant strings that I've not found a match to..and everyone that knows me knows how many strings that I've tried!

"Post Number: 666
Registered: 07-2004
Posted From: 132.162.211.140"

POST 666!!! I think maybe Geddy made a deal with the devil to get his bass tone . . .

I just put Rotosound 45 - 105 on my 4001. Best sound ever! I played along to the ESL versions of "La Villa" and "Free Will". The sound from the record and the sound coming from my amp was almost the same. I was amazed. I also did a couple adjustments.. I turned my amp down a bit and raised the bridge pickup some. But THE sound was almost there. I got that out of a little tube combo amp and in the mono jack. I've had some old warwick steel rounds on that bass since September. I missed that fresh, bright and snappy sound I get from new strings.

After I was done I yelled "Now that's what a bass should sound like!". I'm glad I was the only one at home.

Roto strings are the best, they're incredibly bright and "twangy", but unfortunately this state lasts a very few hours...

Geddy also got almost the same exact sound using a jazz bass on moving pictures ...