Black Sabbath Bass Tone

[CFA]

So in a week we're having Black Sabbth/Led Zeppelin Tribute Night at my school. I'm using my Stingray for NIB and Paranoid, and my Bongo for After Forever. Does anyone have any idea how to get a Geezer Butler tone on either of these 2 basses? EQ settings, pedals, etc...

Thanks in advance

 

[ngutenson]

Honestly, I wouldn't use a Stingray at all for Black Sabbath, if you had the Bongo to choose from. It's definitely (IMO) a neck pickup sound. Lots of lows and mids, maybe back off on the treble. Play near the neck.

As far as effects/pedals... a little old-school fuzz or tube grit should be all you need.

 

[CFA]

Thanks, I'm using two basses for Sabbath because the songs we got were in 2 different tunings, so I figured that that would be the easiest way to play them, rather then tune a step and a half down from standard halfway through.

Thanks for the help, I'll try it at the first practice we have.

 

[73jbass]

Geezer has used so many different basses over the years,it would be hard to get one or two basses to cover them all. He's played P-basses,Rics,BC Rich, Vigier,Dan Armstrong,and nowdays playing Lakelands. Just use something a bit on the aggressive side,a bit of overdrive,and that will pretty much do it. I'd just use a 5 string tuned to standard,and play it wherever it lies on the fretboard.

 

[Basspro]

Geezer think SVT/p-bass sound,JPJ Acoustic/J-bass, boost the bass and mids and if you have access to something like a overdrive/sansamp,use it.Play along with the songs to try to dial in the best tone for each.
Have fun!

 

[Caca de Kick]

Sansamp....

 

[HornetAMX]

A cheap alternative to getting a fuzz type tone would be the Danelectro pedal called the Fab Tone. Larry Graham uses them. I got mine for under $20.

 

[oli@bass]

Sansamp....

+1

and push that drive setting...

 

[CFA]

Thanks guys, I have a Big Muff around somewhere I'll try out. I don't think I'd be able to get a Sansamp in time, unfortunately. And I was thinking of using a 5 string on the songs, but I really want to use my basses, and I don't currently own a 5 or 6 string that's any good, so I'll be trying to use 2 basses I think. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[lowliferumble]

Sansamp....

+1 That will bring out the Geezer in whatever bass/amp/cab combo you are using. Oh don't forget to think really darkly for all of your tone coloring. Geezer is not an easy guy to play exactly like, but if you go for the feel part of his playing , the Butler/Sabbath sound will really come through.

 

[RaginRog]

Honestly, I wouldn't use a Stingray at all for Black Sabbath, if you had the Bongo to choose from. It's definitely (IMO) a neck pickup sound. Lots of lows and mids, maybe back off on the treble. Play near the neck.

As far as effects/pedals... a little old-school fuzz or tube grit should be all you need.

+1 Just use a nice old Fuzz pedal.