All the way or tweeked

[jar546]

I ran across a few guys who turn the knobs on their bass all the way up and use the amp to make adjustment. Then there are guys like me who for the most part keep them flat (in the middle) and make minor adjustments.

What type of settings do you folks use? Flat, all the way, or adjust for each occasion?

 

[martin shane]

I prefer flat on the bass, although sometimes i will make cuts or boosts deepending on the song .

 

[bovinehost]

This idea of walking back to the amp to make adjustments stupifies me. In the middle of a song, I can fairly easily reach down and grab a knob on the bass, but on the amp? I'm just not that dexterous, I guess.

I've certainly heard people go the other way, but I leave the controls on my bass flat (well....except the treble, which I turn all the way off, usually), turn the amp to flat, adjust to get an initial good, working sound, then make all adjustments (generally) from the bass.

And I always try to subtract something before I try to add something - I'm a latent sound engineer, I suppose.

 

[DTG]

good advice form jack,thats more or less what i do.
"rooms change your amp does not" is the way i was taught,get a good sound and then make minor adjustments with your bass.

 

[Sonnyonbass]

I usually start off with everything flat. (bass and amp) Then make minor adjustments on my bass.
People always forget that you can make a lot of different sounds with only your hands as well... playing harder/softer, over different pickups, closer to neck/ bridge, different fingers, the way you "strike" the strings etc. etc. etc.

I think that most people start fiddling with the controls to soon. Just check out the dynamics and tonal possibilties of your bass first WITHOUT touching the controls. Then you get to know your bass much better and you really know what the bass/treble etc. controls are doing with your sound when you DO change them.

But hey. This is just my opinion.

 

[jar546]

That is one thing I love about the SR5HH my playing position (i use fingers, no pick) makes a dramatic difference with sound. For the most part I am near the bridge pickup and rarely come up towards the geezer butler area of the neck. Once in awhile I drift down too close to the bridge but I know this because my volume starts to decrease.

Between the playing position differences and the pickup select switch this has to be the most versatile bass out there.

Treble all the way off huh bovinehost?

 

[AnthonyD]

I ran across a few guys who turn the knobs on their bass all the way up and use the amp to make adjustment. Then there are guys like me who for the most part keep them flat (in the middle) and make minor adjustments.

What type of settings do you folks use? Flat, all the way, or adjust for each occasion?

This is old school / passive instrument logic...

If you're running active electronics (all of us, save for a few passive S.U.B.s, right?) you should be flat (middle on control) and them "tweak" from there for what you need.

 

[bovinehost]

Treble all the way off huh bovinehost?

Yes, and people ask me all the time, "Jack, what's the secret to that big, rich, fat tone you get?"

Okay, no one has ever asked me that, but if they did, my answer would be, "Turn the damned treble down!"

 

[jar546]

You are funny there Bovine

 

[AtomicPunk]

This might be opposite thinking but these are the settings I am currently using.

Stingray 5....and I like a lot of Low end, it's where i fit in the mix.
Volume 10, treble 0, pickup selector in the first (toward the front) position, mid and bass on 10. Not subtle at all, but it's the sound I like coming out of my amp (which has everything at 12 o'clock) Always interested in hearing others settings too.

 

[oli@bass]

Volume 10, treble 0, pickup selector in the first (toward the front) position, mid and bass on 10.

Just pray that BP doesn't see you play that way ;-)

 

[oli@bass]

BTW, forgot to add:

I generally start flat on the bass, flat on the amp. Then adjust sounds on effects. Then adjust amp to room. Then, if necessary make tiny tweaks on the bass to adjust for differences in songs, mostly more or less treble than middle, and occasionally a bit of a volume boost.

 

[SharonG]

Flat on the bass, volume at about 7 1/2 (gives me some headroom to go up if things get louder). Rare tweaks for sepcific songs. Amp - Mid low about 4 - 5, Mid high about 2 - 3, High at about 7, and Low depends on the room. We play smaller rooms, and we've gotten into some trouble w/ bass traps. That being said, Tommy puts me direct theough the PA as well, and adds a lot of bottom end, otherwise, low would probably be up much higher. I rarely change settings - mostly I change my attack - comes from learning on pieces of junk that had very limited control options!!!! The Bongo shocked me when I first played it - it was like it read my mind - the slightest change in attack had a noticeable effect - it is without a doubt the finest instrument this hacker has ever played, IMHO!

 

[Alvabass]

Click here to read about my experience. One of the best decisions I've made.

 

[Hellboy]

Yes, and people ask me all the time, "Jack, what's the secret to that big, rich, fat tone you get?"

Okay, no one has ever asked me that, but if they did, my answer would be, "Turn the damned treble down!"

I have several 4- and 5-string SR´s. I get the same result by keeping the treble knob FLAT and boost bass and middle full. I kind of like the rougher sound you get from the electronics on a SR when boosting. And the bottom is MASSIVE but still very defined. Love the eq. Well done by the EB folks indeed. On fretless, I often keep bass and treble flat and boost middle.

//Jan

 

[Hellboy]

Click here to read about my experience. One of the best decisions I've made.

I get no distortion when boosting the EQ on my SR basses. Don´t have that problem. I personally prefer the tone I get with full bass + middle controls. Not as squeeky clean as with flat controls and I like that.

//Jan

 

[pepperman]

Well, with a passive instrument, I dime the bass and adjust the treble to taste. (Usually around 6 - 7) Depends on the song. Finger position and dynamics are crucial as well.

 

[jar546]

Click here to read about my experience. One of the best decisions I've made.

That is an outstanding thread, very informative. Thanks

 

[Kirby]

I am generally flat with a quarter boost on the mid, just a hint past flat on the bass and a bit backed off on the treble on the three band. On the two bands, I boost the bass just a bit and keep the treble low and rely on my pre-amp. Of course this changes depending on the style of playing: pick, fingers, slap, etc.. and the style of music. The above is generally where I start.

 

[jaylegroove]

I have two basic settings.

1/ for general purposes

Lows : flat
Mids : flat
Highs : all rolled off
Volume : about 75 p.cent

2/ for a bit of more modern sound (a la Paul Turner - Jamiroquai)

Lows : tiny boost
Mids : flat
Highs : tiny boost
Volume : still about 75 p.cent

Both work well for me, and all settings on my Markbass LMII are flat (except gain and volume haha).