Am I the only idiot that keeps the bass and treble pots maxed?

[Jim C]

Perhaps it's from years of using passive basses, or maybe I'm just old and stupid.
Just pulled an 83 Stingray from moth balls; understand that the treble and bass are boost / cut and yet seem to find that I have them maxed after 15 minutes of playing.

You would think a former, professional recording engineer would get the "more is not always better" idea yet somehow or another the knobs get dimed.

Also ironic is that I have a pile of high end amps and cabinets that really don't need much EQ to sound great.

Is it just me or is there some mojo about boosting on the bass and not the amp?
(hint: looking for company on this one!)

 

[Moondog]

I've been boosting 100% too Jim but I'm not sure you're in "good" company . . . I'm a complete moron.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Why does that make you an idiot? It's your own free choice and you probably enjoy it as it is, who am I to judge you? It's a free country, aint' it?

 

[Bloodfist]

I typically keep all my EQ's boosted and use the amp to set the tone. I find that there's very little need to adjust the EQ's during my bands set since it usually only last 45 minutes to an hour. I personally also like the way my stingray sounds with the EQ's maxed.

 

[phatduckk]

i used to keep em at 10 - but then set em flat and adjusted the amp to get me the same same i had with the eq maxed out.

buys a bunch of versatility.

 

[oli@bass]

2 band maxxed out = "Smiley" EQ
3 band maxxed out = more or less just louder than middle position

So, with a two band it actually makes sense... and yes, there's something so "rayish" about that setting

 

[strummer]

Cliff Williams from AC/DC does it too...

 

[oli@bass]

Does CW's 'Ray even have a treble pot?!!??!

 

[ErlendDL]

On most of my gigs with most of my basses (both EBMM and others) I tend to keep both the pre and the amp EQ flat.

In fact, last gig I had the amp EQ disabled... I like the sound of it like that.

But if I feel the need to adjust anything, I usually use the preamp on the bass, unless we're talking huge adjustments. It's more convenient. I have a 2x10 EBS combo, and this way I don't have to walk over and bend down to mess with knobs on a dark stage mid-song.

So, center detent for me. Sorry mate...

 

[Psycho Ward]

I maxed out my EBMM EQ once, now I can no longer have children...

 

[Musicman Nut]

Perhaps it's from years of using passive basses, or maybe I'm just old and stupid.
Just pulled an 83 Stingray from moth balls; understand that the treble and bass are boost / cut and yet seem to find that I have them maxed after 15 minutes of playing.

You would think a former, professional recording engineer would get the "more is not always better" idea yet somehow or another the knobs get dimed.

Also ironic is that I have a pile of high end amps and cabinets that really don't need much EQ to sound great.

Is it just me or is there some mojo about boosting on the bass and not the amp?
(hint: looking for company on this one!)

As Long as I've ever Played a 2 Band having them full causes too much Gain, back them off 40% and I think you like what you get.

 

[danny-79]

I used to do the same but with a three band E.Q, now i favor setting the high an mid to flat with the bass boosted to max, working the high an mid from the amp.
Its a very distinctive sound with everything maxed to 11!!! so if you like it then go with it !!

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

My 2EQ's: Bass is max and treble varies from 3/4 to max

 

[Powman]

Never...

Well not really. It might depend on the amp and cab as well. Last night we rented rehearsal space instead of rehearsing at Powman Studios (aka my basement). Instead of my Markbass, they had some old stuff there to plug into and I needed to boost my treble quite a bit to get my tone.

I am sure these all interact.

 

[Caca de Kick]

For me it's 70%-ish tops. full tilt on the treble shatters glass.

 

[maaaaaaaaaaat]

i do except mids i roll them right off ...

(ducks for cover)

Mat

 

[Big Poppa]

I never ever max the eq

 

[bovinehost]

I never ever max the eq

Nor do I.

I think it's one thing to do it at home, low volume, not fighting for sonic space with the drummer or keyboard player. I've certainly done THAT.

But live? Nah. I prefer to give myself some wiggle room. If everything on the bass is maxed, regardless of whether it sounds good or not (and whether or not you're in danger of completely overloading the preamp in your head), it leaves you no room to adjust for room/stage acoustic weirdness.

 

[ZiggyDude]

It matters on the bass. On my Bongo (4 way EQ) the Hi is up pretty much near max, less on the upper mid, a slight cut on the low mid, half way up on the low. Pan is usually just a twit to the neck pup from center.

OK - here is a trick to try. Put all your EQs (on bass) to 'zero'. Start there as what you have now are the frequencies you DON"T have control of. Then start to build the sound up from there. Do it gradual and (in case of my HH Bongo with pan set almost middle) tweak the pan a bit fore and aft a bit. Sometimes you get to where you were anyway - sometimes you find a new thing. I try that on all my basses but some it matters more than others.

With a wireless I tend to set the EQ while in the room. Things sound really different out there. Especially if using a pick as a lot of the high end blows past you when on stage. Most time I am on fingers though.

 

[adouglas]

Well, my mantra has always been "do what sounds best."

So if that works for you, great.

But I should note that when I max out everything on my Bongo, there's way too much muchness going on.

More is not necessarily better. More is more. And a massive surplus of more often leaves me feeling as if there's a corresponding excess of less.