Ok I could use some help here. This is what I have worked up to. I am using my Sting Ray 4 with 50-105 flat wound strings. I run this into an Ampeg SVT 3 Pro. Out of the Ampeg I run a SVT-15E and a SVT-410HE giving me 450 watts at 4 ohms. I really like the tone I’m getting, but have some questions. First of all I don’t understand this thing about clipping. I have been lead to believe that I should set my gain to be were the light flickers as I strike a string fairly hard then adjust the volume to taste. What is actually happening when you’re clipping? I understand clipping is really bad for the speakers. I have never had this concern when running a guitar and guitar amp. Next question. I don’t care too much for effects because they tend to clutter things, but I want to get a little more growl or fart tone out of the bass at times. Is this accomplished by over driving the amp, but you are limited by this clipping thing, or do you use an affect? Another question. You guy’s talk about a compressor. This is supposed to keep your tone or dynamics even. Do I understand this right? It seems to me that you need varying dynamics in order to be expressive. Any help would be appreciated because; I would like to get my tone down to be were I know what I’m doing. We are going start gigging by the middle of next month, thanks.
- Thread starter lowstrung
- Start date
spectorbassguy
Well-known member
I had an SVT 3 Pro before I got my Mesa 400+ so I'll try to address some of your questions.
"What is actually happening when you’re clipping?"
You will notice that some of the notes you hit will distort if you have the gain set too high. Set it so the light only comes on when you hit your VERY hardest/loudest note and you should be fine. Re: speaker safety, I think that there is plenty of headroom built into that amp so even when the light flickers your speakers should be fine, unless you are at un-Godly volume levels.
Re: the Growl; IMO more tubes = more growl. The SVT 3 Pro has (5) AX-7 tubes in the preamp and a solid state power amp. Depending on the year of your 3 Pro, try setting the "Plate Voltage" or the "Tube Gain" further to the left for more growl/fatter sound.
Here is the link for the amp. The manual has a lot of good suggestions.
http://www.ampeg.com/products.htm?product=5&catid=31
Regarding compressors & effects: I prefer none. Compressors, IMO, make your sound different than what you are playing and can actually decrease your dynamics. Kinda like having a governor on a sports car.
Just MHO - Hope this helps!
"What is actually happening when you’re clipping?"
You will notice that some of the notes you hit will distort if you have the gain set too high. Set it so the light only comes on when you hit your VERY hardest/loudest note and you should be fine. Re: speaker safety, I think that there is plenty of headroom built into that amp so even when the light flickers your speakers should be fine, unless you are at un-Godly volume levels.
Re: the Growl; IMO more tubes = more growl. The SVT 3 Pro has (5) AX-7 tubes in the preamp and a solid state power amp. Depending on the year of your 3 Pro, try setting the "Plate Voltage" or the "Tube Gain" further to the left for more growl/fatter sound.
Here is the link for the amp. The manual has a lot of good suggestions.
http://www.ampeg.com/products.htm?product=5&catid=31
Regarding compressors & effects: I prefer none. Compressors, IMO, make your sound different than what you are playing and can actually decrease your dynamics. Kinda like having a governor on a sports car.
Just MHO - Hope this helps!
spectorbassguy
Well-known member
\lowstrung said:
Dynamics even - Sounds like an oxymoron!
