# Help getting a good bass tone



## EdgeCrusher (May 19, 2009)

The bassist in my band has been struggling to get a good clean bass tone for a while now so I thought I would turn to you guys for some advice.

He's running an Ibanez Ergodyne 5 string into a GK 400RB bass head into an 8 ohm Avatar 4x10 cab with the neo speakers. He also has a Fender Bassman 4x10 which he daisy chains, but one of the speakers blew, so he's not using it at the moment. The problem is he's getting a alot of distortion, from the speakers and the amp it seems, and the tone just sounds like shit. We just can't seem to get a good clean bass tone for some reason. 

I suggested he lower his pickups since I figured he might be sending to much signal and could be overloading the input, and it helped a bit, but it's still not where it should be. Any ideas as to what the problem might be? We've messed with the settings, and he has to keep the boost knob almost all the way off as it just muds up the tone when he turns it up at all. Is 280 watts just not enough?


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## SargeantVomit (May 19, 2009)

He's doing something REALLY wrong. A 400rb into a avatar neo 4x10 should be pumping out a super clanky tone. It shouldn't have ANY distortion. AT ALL. It sounds like one of a few possible problems... I'm willing to bet that the problem is simply answer D and you guys will be rocking before you know it. 

A)He's running the amp to the point of clipping (distortion) which is bad.

B)He ran the amp to the point of clipping and it fried the speakers, which is bad.

C)Both.

D)His battery is dead in his bass.

First of all, swap the battery in the bass, and not with a dollar store brand. Get something worth a couple dollars. Set the EQ flat, on the onboard EQ as well as the amp. Set the master gain about 11oclock and the master volume at around 12oclock. Check all his connections in case he's got a terrible cable connected to his cab or something. Does that work? If not....

Next step is to try the cab with a different amp that you _know_ works in the same fashion, if THAT doesn't work, the cab is done.


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## EliNoPants (May 19, 2009)

if he picks really hard, and has cheap pickups, that could cause clipping before the signal ever leaves the bass...i do it all the time and actually EQ'd around getting that grindy sound

otherwise try turning down the bass on the EQ, and bumping low mids to compensate, and then lower the high mids and treble until they're not causing any "chirping" sounds, that should give you a decent clean sound, obviously you'll have to twiddle around more to get it just right for what you're doing, but in general that works for me when i need things to be mellower


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## polydeathsphere (May 20, 2009)

If its been going on for a while it probably wouldn't be the battery, but since you're in the position to fix stuff change it out anyway


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## LordCashew (May 22, 2009)

EdgeCrusher said:


> Is 280 watts just not enough?



I'd say it probably isn't. I recently used a GK700RB in a 2x10 tiltback combo solely as a stage monitor, and _that_ wasn't enough. At lower volumes the tone was excellent, but when I cranked up the GK to a nice, healthy level it started to sound all choked and muddy. I'm not sure if it was power amp clipping or some kind of protection function, but I had to turn the amp down and back off the bass EQ to below flat to get it to sound clean. Granted it was only a 2x10, but the stage volume wasn't even that loud. I have a Carvin redline 600 in the same configuration, and although it doesn't have the greatest tone it has been consistently louder and cleaner in this type of application. I've also had similar issues with GK's "backline" gear in the past.

I'd say get a 1001RB if you guys are stuck on the GK tone. Or a Carvin B1500 if you aren't - cheap and LOUD.


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## Ruins (May 23, 2009)

no 280 is really not enough. if you play metal and you have drummer and 2 guitar players 600w is the way to go at least.
when i used to have less than that all i could achieve is some full of mid type of sound that got swollen by the guitars any way.
i am not big fan sub basses or fender jazz type of sounds so i cut out everything beneath 80hz. now that i have 600w i am able to get full reach and punchy sound that can even cut through in live situation.


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## LordCashew (May 23, 2009)

Ruins said:


> i am not big fan sub basses or fender jazz type of sounds so i cut out everything beneath 80hz.



You remove all frequencies below the range of a 6-string guitar?


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## Ruins (May 24, 2009)

LordIronSpatula said:


> You remove all frequencies below the range of a 6-string guitar?



what do you mean i am not sure i understand you? 

i cut on my preamp EQ the 40,60 and even reduce little bit the 80hz frequencies. i boost the 250- 800hz to get more punchy and cutting through sound.
since i am a finger player and i play fast stuff in order to have fat full sound and yet to be able to hear what i am doing i have to go this way.


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## LordCashew (May 24, 2009)

Ruins said:


> what do you mean i am not sure i understand you?
> 
> i cut on my preamp EQ the 40,60 and even reduce little bit the 80hz frequencies. i boost the 250- 800hz to get more punchy and cutting through sound.
> since i am a finger player and i play fast stuff in order to have fat full sound and yet to be able to hear what i am doing i have to go this way.



I was mostly teasing. Your post kind of made it sound like you _completely_ remove all frequencies below 80hz. My point was, why would you want to remove the frequencies that separate your instrument from the guitars?

I realize your approach makes sense.  Strong low mids cut through a mix better than lows, and there's often a lot more overtone than fundamental in the sound of an electric bass. And the tonal character will always be different from guitars.

In fact on the last CD I played on I ran into the same problems you're trying to overcome. The artist and engineer mixed me with such a low-end emphasis that I could barely hear what notes I played. It did give the mix a lot of energy when played back on a good stereo system, though.


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## Ruins (May 24, 2009)

no no i don't remove nor recommend to remove them just reduce them. this frequencies are indeed sweet when it comes to fatness and energy but they simply make fast playing muddy or unclear. 
i had the same problem as you too many times. my compromise was to reduce them to remain tight and low as possible yet to be able to hear clearly what i am doing (like playing 16th syncopated notes on 150 bpm and higher).


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