Tone Help

[DannySVT]

Hello,

This is my first ever post. I have a Ernie Ball Stingray with an Ampeg 8x10 Cabnit, being played through a SVT Classic. I just bought my StingRay.

I like a really bassy tone and im not really intro treble a whole lot. My band plays in Drop D
tuning, so when ever I get a good bassy tone on my d and g strings ( High d) and then I play a low d, its so freakn loud and huge, but then when I turn down the gain I lose the tone I like on my high strings. So im never satisfied.

Can anyone help me with this?

[tkarter]

Lower the pup on the E string side and don't dime the gain on the bass.

tk

[timmy5strings]

First off, welcome and congrats on the new StingRay. The most important thing is not to dime your volume on the Ray, or any of the eq knobs like TK said. Moving the pickup down abit should also work. Start out flat or centered knobs on the bass.. I have an SVT head and it likes StingRays very much. I prefer to run the knobs on the head at 12 oclock and eq only from the bass. I cut alot of treble out, , bring up the mids abit along with some bass and it just sings. Sometimes I punch the bass boost too. Good luck .

[Frantic Slayer]

I prefer to run the knobs on the head at 12 oclock and eq only from the bass.

yea i do this too...prolly because its easer than walking over to head every time i want to change something

[tkarter]

Thanks Tim that was a much better reply than mine.

Welcome to the forum here DannySVT.

Have some fun here and be patient while learning your new Stingray.

You have a widely played combo going there. Should be able to get it sounding like you want quickly with some patience.

We all have that sound in our heads so it is kind of hard to tell you exactly what to do.

Try what Tim suggested and if that don't work post here again and someone even more knowledgeable will reply I am sure.

It took some of the new wearing off my SR5 before I figured out how to use it. I was used to passive basses and tried it that way first. Active is not the same and Music Man active is sure not like setting up the old P bass.

This is the right place to ask questions. BP might even help you out.

tk

[CaptainFingers]

Hello,

This is my first ever post. I have a Ernie Ball Stingray with an Ampeg 8x10 Cabnit, being played through a SVT Classic. I just bought my StingRay.

I like a really bassy tone and im not really intro treble a whole lot. My band plays in Drop D
tuning, so when ever I get a good bassy tone on my d and g strings ( High d) and then I play a low d, its so freakn loud and huge, but then when I turn down the gain I lose the tone I like on my high strings. So im never satisfied.

Can anyone help me with this?

You must also remember that every string has a given tension at scale length (34") when tuned E A D G. For example: an E string would be in the 35lb to 40lb range (approx), when in tune. But if you drop it down to "D", that tension also lowers, meaning the string will vibrate more strongly at any given note over your pickups. The pickups will perceive this as a louder pluck, especially on the larger strings which tend to be in tune at lower tensions.

Some of the great guitarists( John Petrucci, for example), uses slightly larger string gauges on his axes that are tuned lower. This compensates for the tension and feel that his normal setups have.

So maybe try a little heavier guage than normal on your bass if it is going to ALWAYS be tuned to "D". But be careful, the heavier gauge will most likely required a new setup at the bridge AND in the truss rod. Ask your bass tech or a qualified luthier.

[Rano Bass]

It sounds like an eq problem. start with everything flat on amp and bass, and then boost or cut from there.
Remember the Stingray is active and it's better to start with the knobs on the center detent until you get a good idea about what each knob does.
IMO of course and welcome to the forum.