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(3095) Buddy Guy Hoochi Coochie Man Jan 12 2023 Legends Chicago nunupics - YouTube
Here is something for reference. I think that tone is too grindy, distorted. It could work in a trio setting ala Cream. But even Jack Bruce progressed to more modern basses.
Here is something for reference. I think that tone is too grindy, distorted. It could work in a trio setting ala Cream. But even Jack Bruce progressed to more modern basses.
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Smooth_bass88
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you don't necessarily need an actual tube amp to get those tones. Tech21 makes incredible sounding stuff that gets that type of tone very easily.
Gee, could it maybe be the superior cell phone audio instead? Also, as far as Jack was concerned, wouldn’t the amp be what does the grind/distortion?
What about gretsch? Ive heard the filter trons are pretty hifi and the blade ones are supposed to be high output. Plus the built in mute is appealing for the albinish sound.
A Gibson EB3 played through a Fender Dual Showman amp. But that's not very practical.
That sound is basically a lot of low midrange from the cabinet and a reasonable amount of distortion from a tube amp. Most modern cabinets try to be more low end focused, but I find the Fender Rumbles to have that overhyped low midrange. They even have a fuzz box flavored "drive" feature built in to give you some distortion.
Vintage Gibson mudbuckers have almost no high end. I've heard that modern ones are wound for a cleaner sound (not played one myself, though, only vintage ones). You can mimic that sound easily enough with some drastic EQ, roll off almost all of the treble EQ and boost the bass EQ and low mids (250-500Hz) if the EQ can do that.
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I saw Jack a few times with the Aria SB-1000, Spector NS2 and Warwick Thumb (all known as "modern sounding"). He used Trace Elliot and later Hartke amps. With both amps he had a reverse smiley face EQ set on the amp's graphic EQ, boosting the midrange quite a bit. The rest of his sound comes from a heavy right hand attack on the strings.
Fuzzy pic from the Cream reunion:
I was merely clarifying the differences between the EB-0 and the EB-3. If you read my post you will see that I was recommending a P bass.
I liked his tone on the Gibson.
When Buddy Guy and his contemporaries started playing they used what was known and available, and now that has become codified. I’m kind of anti-codification and think the short scale Gibson would sound great but that’s just me. I like to hear some grain in the pbass when that’s used too. What doesn’t for me is ultra-clean modern active basses.
So far what ive gathered is that any vintage sounding bass with a humbucker (preferably a mudbucker) and a high power tube amp (though most likely a head with american power tubes) will work best for this sound. Im seeing a couple of good deals on the bassman and studio bass if i can grab on one i probably will. What im still wondering is can i get this sound with a fretless and if not will a metal nut or zero fret help? Thanks for all your responses.
sure. i do. Jack Bruce did. Bill Wyman did. Nut material won't matter unless you're playing only open strings. Fingerboard material and strings will matter hugely more; it's easy to change strings...
You can get fairly close with most 1 pickup basses that favor the neck (like a p bass, 51 p, solo'ed neck on a jazz, or mudbuckers), and add flats like LaBella. You can chase tone all day with amps/cabs, etc. and will end up spending quite a bit. I have noticed that different basses hit these amps a bit different.
It's also worth mentioning that a lot of players are moving to DI with IEM, so the on stage amps are starting to be less important. That being said... a good preamp pedal can go a long way. A little tweaking with any of the above mentioned basses (with flats) on a 4 or 5 band preamp can get you pretty much any tone you are looking for. Demo videos of accurate preamp/DI pedals like Trickfish Minnow/Trilobite are awesome. There are also amp sim pedals I've read about. Videos of Two-Notes C.A.B. pedal are very impressive. If I were to bet, I'd bet that something similar to "amp sim pedals" will be the standard in the future. Not needing to lug around heavy equipment will be nice.
.... I'd expect @Sushi Box FX would have some killer input regarding using pedals to get to where you want to go. Had to give a mention to one of TB's own.
These events took place in the 60's thats pretty vintage to me. If its the blues and jazz part youre refering to these guys were all playing heavily improv based music using blues theory as its basis. There may have been heavier elements like distortion and the like but its still very much in the spirit of blues and even jazz at least thats what i think
Ive always been the type who likes instruments more than gear, if i could find a cheap digital pedal that will continue to be supported for the forseable future and can approxiamate the tone im looking for i wouldnt be opposed.