# Getting a good fretless bass tone with VSTs!?



## Dionysian (Nov 7, 2012)

Okay, so I've been able to get some pretty mean and aggressive metal bass tones with VSTs on my fretted bass using Ampeg SVX and a guitar amp off Amplitube 3, but I just can't get a tone that sits well on it's own for my fretless bass. Everything just sounds dull and wooly or thin. I know mids are key on fretless to emphasize the 'mwah', but I don't seem to be able to find the right balance or frequencies!

How do you fretless enthusiasts go about getting a good tone thats fun to practice at home with? A bit of drive/grit really gets the Death tone going, but I seriously can't make the VSTs I've tried sound like an amped up fretless.

Since leaving my old band I haven't really played the fretless in any other setting than on my own, and to tell the truth, fretless is very boring to play without a band. Especially because it really emphasizes how bad my playing is! 

Also, just because you're all here for porn (who isn't?), here's a picture of my bass - a German-built 2006 Warwick Corvette.


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## iron blast (Nov 7, 2012)

I love fretless Warwick's. My main player is a German fretless 6-string Corvette. I dont use Vst's for bass recordings so I cant help much there. I use a Ampeg Svt4 pro with a EHX Black finger tube compressor and a Amt BC1 Bass crunch pre for distortion. One thing I do know is the Stock Mec pups are very Anemic and I plan on swapping mine for some Barts soon the sound quality is good stock just not very good output or response in comparison to using upgraded pups and preamp's. I use the same strings Daddario Chromes FTW \m/


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## Dionysian (Nov 8, 2012)

iron blast said:


> I love fretless Warwick's. My main player is a German fretless 6-string Corvette. I dont use Vst's for bass recordings so I cant help much there. I use a Ampeg Svt4 pro with a EHX Black finger tube compressor and a Amt BC1 Bass crunch pre for distortion. One thing I do know is the Stock Mec pups are very Anemic and I plan on swapping mine for some Barts soon the sound quality is good stock just not very good output or response in comparison to using upgraded pups and preamp's. I use the same strings Daddario Chromes FTW \m/



I'm considering swapping for a set of Barts or something as well - I'm just not sure it will solve this problem I have. And currently I have no amp, so I might as well just sell the fretless if I never get around to playing it.


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## punisher911 (Nov 8, 2012)

All I will say is of all the guitars/basses I've sold or traded away... It's the Warwick fretless I wish I would have kept the most. I play Stingrays now, but I still miss the Wick.. and I played it with a pick in a rock setting too. lol


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## pushpull7 (Nov 15, 2012)

Well, back to vst's.......maybe consider this since it's not exceedingly expensive. 

http://www.overloud.com/products/mark_studio2.php

Rather than give a glowing review of why I think it's terrific, just try it. Even with the annoying demo restrictions (hiss and cut out after a couple of minutes) you'll hear it. It's huge, it's flexible and I think it's light years from SVX. (though there is nothing wrong with svx)


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