JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:46 am
Haven't really posted up many basstones, ever really. Anyway, this is probably the best one I've managed so far and it seems to play nice with my guitars too in that it cuts through the mix and beefs up the bottom end without things becoming a mushy mess. When I've finished (which will happen after I start) the vocal on this I'll post up the full mix.
That sounds pretty cool. Nice depth to it without too much mush. It's still a little bit clacky, so that must be something going on in your signal chain or how you play, but it's definitely not as clacky as your other bass as far as I can remember. The clack might not matter at all once you pile other shit in the mix.
JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:46 am
Haven't really posted up many basstones, ever really. Anyway, this is probably the best one I've managed so far and it seems to play nice with my guitars too in that it cuts through the mix and beefs up the bottom end without things becoming a mushy mess. When I've finished (which will happen after I start) the vocal on this I'll post up the full mix.
That sounds pretty cool. Nice depth to it without too much mush. It's still a little bit clacky, so that must be something going on in your signal chain or how you play, but it's definitely not as clacky as your other bass as far as I can remember. The clack might not matter at all once you pile other shit in the mix.
The clack is still just about there in a mix, not much though and it doesn't bother me much. I suppose I could try and dial a little bit more presence out of it. Its probably mainly down to me playing quite aggressively and using a 3mm pick though! You'll like this tune, the riff is a bit of a BR tribute and then I throw in a few Phrygians later.
Cheers though - I re-tracked a few tunes with this bass tone after I dialed it in. It didn't just improve the way the bass sounded in the mix, but made the whole mix sound better on a few of them. Particularly the faster ones where the notes were just blending together before.
Greg,
I agree that it's an improvement. Definitely more workable and leaves scope.
the slow & cautious process was because it was, as mentioned, my 1st time pulling plugs not from a television. the exploded tube - well, I assume responsibility for that. Not a scratch so I came out of it OK if down a $15 tube. I now have a spare close to the same spec.
I've been investigating the preamp tubes for the Marshall - not a lot out there though I've read a few times that it needs a cap replaced as well as re-biasing in addition to the swap. That struck me as odd because re-biasing seemd to have been a power tube thing in most stuff in general amp land. Still no hurry and lots of time to research before biting a bullet.
rayc wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:33 am
Greg,
I agree that it's an improvement. Definitely more workable and leaves scope.
the slow & cautious process was because it was, as mentioned, my 1st time pulling plugs not from a television. the exploded tube - well, I assume responsibility for that. Not a scratch so I came out of it OK if down a $15 tube. I now have a spare close to the same spec.
I've been investigating the preamp tubes for the Marshall - not a lot out there though I've read a few times that it needs a cap replaced as well as re-biasing in addition to the swap. That struck me as odd because re-biasing seemd to have been a power tube thing in most stuff in general amp land. Still no hurry and lots of time to research before biting a bullet.
Your Superbass should have three standard old 12AX7 preamp tubes. The third 12AX7, nearest the power tubes, will be your phase inverter, and it can be a little finicky when it comes to what type of plates and filaments are inside the tube, but it will still be a 12AX7. But you need only concern yourself with the very first preamp tube, and maybe the second. That first tube is where most of the magic happens. That's going to be your first gain stage. And on a Superbass, I believe the first tube is a shared cathode and like guitar Plexis each half of the tube is for each channel. They do not mingle and mix. So any good working 12AX7 is what should be in there. You don't have to do any biasing or procedures to swap preamp tubes. If you convert it to a Superlead, that will involve some caps and resistor changes...which will change the bias voltage of the preamp tubes. But you aint doing that. For just checking and swapping tubes...just yank one out and put one in. Nothing else required.
JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:25 am
using a 3mm pick though!
Good lord.
Cheers though - I re-tracked a few tunes with this bass tone after I dialed it in. It didn't just improve the way the bass sounded in the mix, but made the whole mix sound better on a few of them. Particularly the faster ones where the notes were just blending together before.
I think you might be surprised at how not-bassy my bass tones are. I basically treat bass like another guitar. I'm not doing slow Motown jams. I don't need or want huge fat bottom bass notes in the mix. And it's a fucking bass, so it's naturally gonna have it's own low end without me having to do anything else to it. Without a bunch of yucky bass guitar mud in a mix, the whole mix just breathes better.
Greg_L wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:43 am
For just checking and swapping tubes...just yank one out and put one in. Nothing else required.
Greg,
yeah, that makes sense I did read about the 3 pre & 4 power with the 1st pre one being the most important for tone or something.
The difficulty I'm experiencing is finding a higher gain version of that tube. I'm pretty ignorant obviously but the standard preamp tubes for the superbass are rated 100% on the gain scale so I've been searching for something that's even higher...so far it's JJ ecc803 (not ecc83), Sovtek LPS but the places I've been reading get very cork sniffy.
Hell, I'm in no great hurry, I have a new guitar to get used to, a new tube in my little amp to get used to and my resonator to fix up.
I do have a new progression I want to get done but I can do that with scratch tracks for the time being.
Thanks for the detailed assistance.
Step one - changing a tube and getting a better clean tone & head room is achieved.
rayc wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:15 am
Greg,
yeah, that makes sense I did read about the 3 pre & 4 power with the 1st pre one being the most important for tone or something.
The difficulty I'm experiencing is finding a higher gain version of that tube. I'm pretty ignorant obviously but the standard preamp tubes for the superbass are rated 100% on the gain scale so I've been searching for something that's even higher...so far it's JJ ecc803 (not ecc83), Sovtek LPS but the places I've been reading get very cork sniffy.
Hell, I'm in no great hurry, I have a new guitar to get used to, a new tube in my little amp to get used to and my resonator to fix up.
I do have a new progression I want to get done but I can do that with scratch tracks for the time being.
Thanks for the detailed assistance.
Step one - changing a tube and getting a better clean tone & head room is achieved.
You're not gonna find a higher gain preamp tube than the 12AX7. It's the top dog. It's the tube all others are judged against. There are 12AX7s that have more gain or less gain, but they're still 12AX7s and the differences are minute at best.
I think what you need to do with the Superbass is just verify that it does indeed have 12AX7s in it. That's what it should have. From there, it'll need to be modded to Superlead specs if you want it to act that way.
JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:46 am
Haven't really posted up many basstones, ever really. Anyway, this is probably the best one I've managed so far and it seems to play nice with my guitars too in that it cuts through the mix and beefs up the bottom end without things becoming a mushy mess. When I've finished (which will happen after I start) the vocal on this I'll post up the full mix.
Yeah, that's cool and would sit well with guitars I'm certain.
A bass that sounds brilliant solo'd often doesn't sit well in a mix - except for Greg's I suspect.
you did well James, you did well.
JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:25 am
using a 3mm pick though!
Good lord.
Cheers though - I re-tracked a few tunes with this bass tone after I dialed it in. It didn't just improve the way the bass sounded in the mix, but made the whole mix sound better on a few of them. Particularly the faster ones where the notes were just blending together before.
I think you might be surprised at how not-bassy my bass tones are. I basically treat bass like another guitar. I'm not doing slow Motown jams. I don't need or want huge fat bottom bass notes in the mix. And it's a fucking bass, so it's naturally gonna have it's own low end without me having to do anything else to it. Without a bunch of yucky bass guitar mud in a mix, the whole mix just breathes better.
LOL, I use a 2mm pick playing guitar.
I'm really seeing the benefits of finally getting a new bass though, this bassline was such a cramp inducing cunt to play on the old bass, I can't remember how many stitched together takes it was. It was actually enjoyable to play on this one!
JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 6:46 am
Haven't really posted up many basstones, ever really. Anyway, this is probably the best one I've managed so far and it seems to play nice with my guitars too in that it cuts through the mix and beefs up the bottom end without things becoming a mushy mess. When I've finished (which will happen after I start) the vocal on this I'll post up the full mix.
Yeah, that's cool and would sit well with guitars I'm certain.
A bass that sounds brilliant solo'd often doesn't sit well in a mix - except for Greg's I suspect.
you did well James, you did well.
Cheers, Ray. Hopefully I'll post the mix up by the end of the weekend.
Its just my new bass plugged into that DI box you recommended for me, but I took a fair bit of time tweaking it while listening on both monitors and reference cans before I tracked it.
JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:51 am
LOL, I use a 2mm pick playing guitar.
Lol. I use like a .73 or something.
So did I, probably for about 15 years! Until about 2 years ago, I started trying thicker picks and really found some benefit to them, I keep a 1.5mm pick for acoustic now and I never though that would be a good idea until I'd already got used to 2-3mm picks on electric.
Give'em a go, it will really help with your phrygians.
JD01 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:16 am
So did I, probably for about 15 years! Until about 2 years ago, I started trying thicker picks and really found some benefit to them, I keep a 1.5mm pick for acoustic now and I never though that would be a good idea until I'd already got used to 2-3mm picks on electric.
Give'em a go, it will really help with your phrygians.
Heeeeeellllll no. I hate heavy pics and phrygians.
Same here...I've settled on the yellow Tortex III pics...which is .73mm.
I like to switch off between pick and fingertip when playing leads, and at times I may be picking the string with both, or turning the pick on edge....so a real thick pick just didn't feel right. I kept working my way up in gauge...and went up higher, and then came back to the .73 which seemed like the perfect blend of thick yet also pliable and a good combination when picking also with the fingertip.
Lately though I've been using just my fingertip a lot more often when playing leads...and I really like playing that way for a lot of stuff. It's different tone altogether, and also it changes the way I approach certain lines, which is cool, because it creates more variety.
For strumming chords...I tend to stick with a pick most times, and I'll even go to a lighter gauge when I want more subtle strumming and less of the pick attack.
I'm not sure if I should have posted this in the "Random Youtube stuff" thread or here. I'll move it if you guys think I should.
I thought this was awesome. "Highway Star" isolated guitar track. This is a Strat into a Marshall. That's all I know about Blackmore's set up. I'm sure we can find out more if we dug a little more.
