Trying to fix my tone

[Mill road barn]

Hi everybody, I'm having trouble getting the right tone from my new Stingray Special HH. It just sounds kind of harsh, like scraping metal. Is it just because the strings are new? I don't know if it's my amp or maybe I don't know what I'm doing. I'm a beginner and still learning so I appreciate any help.

 

[N4860]

Do you have all of the knobs fully boosted? Try starting with all of the eq in the center detent position and then boost the bass a little bit and turn down the treble a bit. That's usually how I run my stingrays.

 

[bovinehost]

New strings, too?

In addition to the above advice, you may be like me, looking for thump+punch, not zingy and treble-y.
If that's the case, I suggest some EB Flats or Cobalt Fllats.
Strings can make all the difference in the universe.

Jack

 

[Mill road barn]

Ok thank you. I keep all the knobs flat and use the amp to try and change the tone. I guess it’s better to do it the other way around? I will definitely check out flatwound strings.

 

[Mu5icM@n]

I would try giving the bass knob some boost. Leave the others flat or reduce treble and adjust volume to accommodate. See how you like it. Remember the eq can boost AND cut.

 

[kevins]

What kinda amp is it? I’ve found that active basses generally are not happy on low wattage amps. not that you gotta shell out for a 300 watt or anything, but about 50 watts or so is gonna give you more headroom so you don’t clip as easily. If you’re direct inputting into a digital interface you’re gonna run into the same problem but worse! 78 stingray manual recommended not turning the volume on the bass past 2/3! Amps have changed since then but it’s good to keep in mind that you’re gonna have a louder signal than a passive bass!

 

[Mill road barn]

What kinda amp is it? I’ve found that active basses generally are not happy on low wattage amps. not that you gotta shell out for a 300 watt or anything, but about 50 watts or so is gonna give you more headroom so you don’t clip as easily. If you’re direct inputting into a digital interface you’re gonna run into the same problem but worse! 78 stingray manual recommended not turning the volume on the bass past 2/3! Amps have changed since then but it’s good to keep in mind that you’re gonna have a louder signal than a passive bass!

I have a fender rumble 40. I will def try it on a different amp now.

 

[kevins]

I have a fender rumble 40. I will def try it on a different amp now.

Ah yes! So the rumble series only has a standard input jack. Meaning you’re going to want to decrease the gain or decrease the volume on the bass, I’d actually do the latter. Maybe set the gain to half master to half and set the volume knob on the bass to 1/3 or 1/4 up. The volume can sometimes act as a “detail level” to the tone, and you can get a lot of string noise with it up all the way, where as if the volume is low the signal is compressed and smoothed out

 

[Mill road barn]

Ah yes! So the rumble series only has a standard input jack. Meaning you’re going to want to decrease the gain or decrease the volume on the bass, I’d actually do the latter. Maybe set the gain to half master to half and set the volume knob on the bass to 1/3 or 1/4 up. The volume can sometimes act as a “detail level” to the tone, and you can get a lot of string noise with it up all the way, where as if the volume is low the signal is compressed and smoothed out

I tried it and it worked! I don't hear the sounds I was getting before.

 

[kevins]

I tried it and it worked! I don't hear the sounds I was getting before.

Yes! The “active input” you see on some amplifiers is actually there for people who want a ton of “detail” on their sound but don’t want to drive the amp, it’s basically for people who want to have the preamp with the volume all the way up. Basically with the active input on the amplifier, when the signal from the bass is at full detail and volume and gets sent to the amplifier, the amplifier lowers the over all volume in the input preventing it from causing distortion. When you do this with the bass’ preamp volume knob you lose detail because the signal is compressed at the beginning of the chain instead of at the end! Most studios will run a bass with a compressor, but with an active bass you don’t really need one, compression always sounds better at the beginning of the chain.

 

[mynan]

Ok, so this brings up a couple questions for me.

1. Isn't the active input on an amp just an input with -10db gain in most cases?

2. With the EQ set flat (detent) on an active MM bass and the volume at 100%, is the output hotter than a passive bass?

 

[kevins]

Ok, so this brings up a couple questions for me.

1. Isn't the active input on an amp just an input with -10db gain in most cases?

2. With the EQ set flat (detent) on an active MM bass and the volume at 100%, is the output hotter than a passive bass?

1. thats right! usually its -10 or -15db though. they started putting these in so people who wanted 100% volume on active basses wouldnt overdrive the amps.
2. the output on an active bass is usually much hotter than a passive bass with the volume pot at the same position. the relationship of the volume pot to the circuit on an active bass is different from the relationship on a passive bass. on an active the hot white lead wire runs into the preamp, and the preamp runs a wire to the pot, where as on a passive the hot white lead runs directly into the pot

 

[mynan]

1. thats right! usually its -10 or -15db though. they started putting these in so people who wanted 100% volume on active basses wouldnt overdrive the amps.
2. the output on an active bass is usually much hotter than a passive bass with the volume pot at the same position. the relationship of the volume pot to the circuit on an active bass is different from the relationship on a passive bass. on an active the hot white lead wire runs into the preamp, and the preamp runs a wire to the pot, where as on a passive the hot white lead runs directly into the pot

Good to know. Thanks.