Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hiya. In doing more recording this weekend for an EP and for one of the songs I want a really clear but growling tone on the bass any tips on how to get it?

The other track is played using bass chords and slides akin to stuff by Sigur Ros or Explosions in the Sky and I'm going for a different sound on that and I'll probably use effects (either studio ones or my pedals)

Allow me to suggest compression... tube if possible. Keep your tone controls maxed, and if that's not enough a little tube OD, not too heavy just enough to get it breaking up a little.

Oh, and mids, mids, mids.

Might wanna ask in the new Recording Forum hosted by Tony Carey as well.

Ronan, as Bob said - compression, tube OD, mids - I sometimes record using 2 amps with different settings and mix them (can be 1 tube and the other solid state). May I suggest using DR strings - that can give you a clear sound too.

Man, you guys pretty much nailed my setup!

Rick w/horseshoe (solo'ed), tone knob maxed. DR Hi-Beams. '73 Ampeg SVT / 8x10 - volume, bass & treble @ 12:00, mids at 2:00.

Grrrrrrrr!

Clear but growling? Go direct. Don't mic the cabinet; just run an XLR from your amp directly into the board. If you don't care about missing some of the boominess of playing a bass through a speaker, you'll be good to go. This is what I do, and I love how it sounds.

I also record direct, but usually right from the bass. First I run into an Alesis compressor, set for a slight boost, and then into the board. I have the bass and treble set more or less flat, and the mids boosted. I turn the mic gain (pad) up until the overload light just flashes when I hit a note hard... this thickens up the sound nicely! You don't actually hear any distortion, but you do have added harmonics.

Record direct for a clean bottom end, and record through the amp at the same time with a little overdrive to get the growl, and mix the two sounds together at the mixdown process.

I usually take a direct feed and mic the amp and mix and match. I got some pretty nice sounds that way.

Use a '60s 4005 with Super Soft XLs into a Furman PQ-3 (twiddle knobs to taste) and then to your choice of compression. I did just that back in the '80s and got a great tone.

I would skip the amp section of my combo, but I've had very bad experience with compression. No matter what I try, it ALWAYS makes my bass sound ****** . . . it ruins the "Ric-ness" of it; basically, however I try it, it turns the 4003 into a Fender J-bass, but without any of the character that makes a J-bass awesome.

My GenzBenz combo has an XLR jack and a speaker disconnect switch that basically allows me to plug through the pre/power-amp section into a board. It growls very nicely, and, considering there's a gain knob there as well, I can make it do pretty much whatever I want. And it always sounds better to me than a compressor. Maybe I just haven't found the right compressor.

Wow, I hadn't considered the option of using an XLR out jack from my amp directly into the board. That's an intriguing idea. I've only tried going direct using a SansAmp, and recently, a BassPOD. I am gearing up for a recording session Jan 20-22. I have an Ampeg V-4b 100watt head that I love to use live, and it has an XLR out. Do you think it might work? I might have to try it out this weekend. Do I have to have the speakers connected and working, or is it safe to power up the amp and just run the XLR out to the board (ie. silently in the room where the head is)?

Oh, the V-4b is a reissue; that's how it has the XLR out.

And... there's a Recording Forum now? Cool! I will have to check it out. I have been away and busy lately, but I'm looking forward to getting back into the Rickenbacker Forum.

I never found a compressor to alter the sound that much.. just smooth out the dynamics. Unless it's some kind of tube compressor.. they color the sound.

Recording from the XLR is a great idea. I've done this in the past with my GK-800RB, and really liked the sound.

I've been thinking of trying this with my TE combo, but I hate to have to carry it up two flights of stairs!

I'm not crazy about amp simulators, because they seems to make the sound mushy and filter too much in the way of imitating a speaker cab.

Cheers guys!

If only I had a 4005 JPS!!! Wanna lend me one

I'm gonna try some of the stuff out, mix and match and see what I get. As for strings only ones I really get on with are Elites nickels. So I'll be putting a new set on tomorrow!

In the chorus though I use distortion (through the Hartke VXL Pedal) and I go for that dirty Larry Graham setting you can get with the pedal.