My tone.

[tbz]

Sounds like it's the amp.

If you were stateside I'd recommend several types you could pick up on Craigslist for under $400-500 locally. But unfortunately I'm not clear which brands are readily available there used, if any.

A used GK RB would probably work though. Great overdrive. They're cheap as dirt here since they're so heavy.

Trace would as well. If that's more cost effective.

 

[Plutonium244]

A shortcut solution would be, if you love the tone of a 1200W Trace Elliot amp in your rehearsal space, and it nails the tone you are going for perfectly, get the same amp for yourself. Offer to buy the one in the rehearsal space for a decent amount, maybe they can get by with something not so hefty for rehearsal space. Find it on reverb.com or ebay or craigslist. You already know what amp gives you your tone, so you're almost there. And getting the tone you hear in your head is even worth a premium if you have a hard time tracking down that amp.

 

[Korladis]

Okay, apologies if this is in the wrong section, but I didn't know where else to ask it. I've been un satisfied with my tone for a very long time now. The basics are, I use an epiphone TB 90% of the time into an ashdown solid state 300w combo and a marshall 4x10 cab with a compression tweeter. No FX. I am never able to get the tone I want, the low end is never tight enough, the high end isn't clear enough and the mids don't growl or honk enough. I've tried re EQing it 100's of times to no avail. The sound is never dynamic enough. It has no bite, no edge. I've tried pushing the compression in my amp, tried adjusting pick up heights. Nothing works. It only ever sounds remotely good when I push the amp to go stupid loud, which makes things in my room vibrate and drives me insane. I'm at the end of the line now as I've had this rig for about 2 years now but I don't know whether it's the amp, speakers, pickups. I know it's not me because the gear I use (rental) at my rehearsal room (trace 1200w) always nails the tone I want effortlessly. Any advice. Thanks.

Get a better cab.

 

[Aidenn7]

mate your speaker doesn't work with your head.. and your room is not acoustic friendly..I love solidstate for clean.. but there's two types.. hifi and tube simulation.. the best solid state amps.. are Amp 420 based or like gallien Krueger.. style.. but for you A head phone amp would be better.. maybe a try a country man and some in-ears man.. going to better than what you are playing now.. and beats lugging a big amp around..

 

[Aidenn7]

my point is you got to work with you environment.. do have a lot of money to make your room a studio? you already got an amp right at the practice place? you could just get some headphones.. and see if you like the tone of the ashdown you got as well

 

[Gaolee]

I'm another person who likes solid state, especially with Thunderbirds of all kinds. My personal favorites are old Acoustic Control amps, but old solid state Peavey amps are cheap and sound very good through a good cabinet, too. If you are on a budget and don't mind weight, that's the way to go, in my opinion. It won't be like an Ashdown through a Mesa cabinet if you find an old heavyweight solid state amp. There are others besides Acoustic Control and Peavey, but I'm not as familiar with them.

 

[Tomasz s]

Dumb question - is the Marshall a BASS cab (as in not a guitar cab)? I was not aware they made bass cabs. If it's a guitar cab that could be the problem.

Yeah it's a bass cab, it has a tweeter and doesn't have the usual basket weave grill cloth, instead a metal grill. As another post mentioned they're quite poor but I got it for next to nothing.

 

[Tomasz s]

I'm another person who likes solid state, especially with Thunderbirds of all kinds. My personal favorites are old Acoustic Control amps, but old solid state Peavey amps are cheap and sound very good through a good cabinet, too. If you are on a budget and don't mind weight, that's the way to go, in my opinion. It won't be like an Ashdown through a Mesa cabinet if you find an old heavyweight solid state amp. There are others besides Acoustic Control and Peavey, but I'm not as familiar with them.

I love the 80's peavey bass stuff I've tried in the past.

 

[Doner Designs]

Yeah it's a bass cab, it has a tweeter and doesn't have the usual basket weave grill cloth, instead a metal grill. As another post mentioned they're quite poor but I got it for next to nothing.

Guess that's why you don't hear much about them.

 

[rtslinger]

Okay, apologies if this is in the wrong section, but I didn't know where else to ask it. I've been un satisfied with my tone for a very long time now. The basics are, I use an epiphone TB 90% of the time into an ashdown solid state 300w combo and a marshall 4x10 cab with a compression tweeter. No FX. I am never able to get the tone I want, the low end is never tight enough, the high end isn't clear enough and the mids don't growl or honk enough. I've tried re EQing it 100's of times to no avail. The sound is never dynamic enough. It has no bite, no edge. I've tried pushing the compression in my amp, tried adjusting pick up heights. Nothing works. It only ever sounds remotely good when I push the amp to go stupid loud, which makes things in my room vibrate and drives me insane. I'm at the end of the line now as I've had this rig for about 2 years now but I don't know whether it's the amp, speakers, pickups. I know it's not me because the gear I use (rental) at my rehearsal room (trace 1200w) always nails the tone I want effortlessly. Any advice. Thanks.

Apart from changing your strings, have you tried a San Amp or any other modeling pedal Di? these can be of great help when shaping your sound I use one on all my gigs whether I am using my gear, a backline or ampless direct out to FOH I am able to obtain a very usable and take in consideration, that I am gig with 12 different basses in my seasonal rotation and many different brand manufactures. from Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, SX, Dean, Charvel Jackson, Eiphone and many others RTS

 

[SunnBass]

...the low end is never tight enough, the high end isn't clear enough and the mids don't growl or honk enough. I've tried re EQing it 100's of times to no avail. The sound is never dynamic enough. It has no bite, no edge...

Switched to flats recently...

These two things are the opposite of each other.

To me, it seems like saying: "I wanted to be better at climbing trees, so I broke my arms."


However, if you're happy with one rig, and not another, the issue is with the rig you don't like.
Obviously.

 

[strictlybass_ic]

My TB always sounded very dark and would become muddy VERY easily. I toyed around with different setups before i finally gave in and got a different bass. I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but that's what I ended up doing. I'm much happier with my tone now.

That said, using a different amp did help. The setup I had at the time was dark and a little muddy itself so I had double trouble. Switching to a cleaner head and a quality cab made things better, but it also just made me crave that "ideal" tone even more.

 

[cchorney]

You describe that you want jazz bass through a tube ampish kind of tone and are playing an epi through a solid-state. I am willing to bet your rehearsal amp is compensating for what the bass won't do. But I. Could be wrong.

mate I think you're right on the money. Unfortunately.

I faced a similar situation. The route I took which I am happy with was to get a BDDI to get my sound profile closer to my ideal, and a compressor to get a tube amp effect. The compressor I went with was a EBS MultiComp which actually has a switch called "Tubesim" which does exactly what it sounds like - it makes it sounds like I'm playing thru a tube amp. Ish. So I have a lightweight solid state amp and a non Ampeg cabinet, but it sounds like I have a back breakingly heavy tube amp and an Ampeg cab. And it cost less than replacing my amp and cab.

 

[City]

Change your strings?

Well I read through the entire text, but still I agree with the Captain. Glad you tried string replacement first. I have a G&L L2000 and hated it. It had rounds on it. Was tinny as all get out. Switched to flats....A whole new world opened up. The Gorn Captain was onto something.

 

[Lownote38]

Get a better cab.

^^^^ This. I think the cabinet is the problem more than anything else. Ditch the Marshall.

 

[gregmon79]

May I suggest, get the brightest sting possible. Maybe Pro Steels by D'Addarrio? That bass, IMO, is one of the dullest and darkest sounding basses on the market. Dark may be great for some, but I can't stand it. I suggested strings because it's much cheaper than buying another bass

 

[Josh Kneisel]

I agree with people saying get a SansAmp. I don't even use an amp half the time anymore just use my SansAmp BDDI to model my tone. When I do run an amp my GK 700RB is solid. I would also second those stating GK is a good buy. You can probably find one used on Craigslist or the like they are always around and solid workhorse amps at least IMO

 

[Nev375]

I think if you are running an ashdown combo and a marshall at the same time you probably have a badly mismatched cab issue that is canceling out your desired frequencies.

Also enough can't be said about the effect of room acoustics.

Also Also that 1200w of on tap in the trace Elliot rig is helping you get the low end definition you seek. Headroom!


As long as the marshall is a bass cab and not a guitar cab it might be ok by itself with the right head.
They aren't the greatest, but they aren't crap either.

 

[Tomasz s]

I think if you are running an ashdown combo and a marshall at the same time you probably have a badly mismatched cab issue that is canceling out your desired frequencies.

Also enough can't be said about the effect of room acoustics.

Also Also that 1200w of on tap in the trace Elliot rig is helping you get the low end definition you seek. Headroom!


As long as the marshall is a bass cab and not a guitar cab it might be ok by itself with the right head.
They aren't the greatest, but they aren't crap either.

I could be wrong but I dont think it's a matter of headroom. My ideal playing volume only has the input and output at about 9 oclock. I fear the marshall may actually have guitar speakers in it. I haven't checked since it's closed back and I dont really care enough to take the speakers out and check. I use the same cab for guitar (with a valve marshall head) and it sounds a lot better.

 

[Tomasz s]

As some mentioned, I've tried taking the marshall out of the equation and using the onboard 2x10s and I've cut the bass end a bit more. The tone has improved, a lot more woody (why I like the TB) bottom end nice and tight and clearer highs. Long term I think a tube amp with a fender will be better, but for now the advice has been brilliant and reminded me why I joined Talkbass originally. Thanks all.