Members DeathByGuitar Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 I've been playing guitar for years, but I'm kind of new to bass so I'll ask this question in hopes of not being flamed to death for being a n00b. My bassist has an Ibanez SR405 that just doesn't sound quite right whenever it's played. Even when playing it without an amp, the lower 2 strings sound dull and lifeless, lacking any sort of convincing punch. I've tried fiddling with EQ on the amp and bass itself for ages, but I think this issue is coming directly from the instrument. My question is, are there any common reasons why a decent midrange bass would sound this dull without amplification? Could it have something to do with the string selection (regular vs taperwound) or something like that? I know allot of it is in amp tone, but the bass itself sounds just dull compared to literally any other bass I've played (even cheaper ones).Surely there has to be something I'm overlooking. The 2 lower strings are slightly larger than the grooves in the saddles which i suspect may have something to do with it but I just don't know. Please don't laugh at me Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingeringam Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 hard to diagnose without playing around with it in person, but in my experience a nice set up can cure A LOT of problems, if ur savvy with this stuff this thread should be able to help a ton good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeathByGuitar Posted October 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Dear god. A reply on Harmony Central from someone not being an asshole. Nice avatar btw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crescent Seven Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 You're never going to get awesome unplugged tone from a low B string, and in many cases, even when you plug it in. Perhaps the body wood isn't as resonant as other basses, it's really hard to say. Are you tuned to standard E, or are you playing in drop tunings? That will make a difference as well.C7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crescent Seven Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Dear god. A reply on Harmony Central from someone not being an asshole. Nice avatar btw! We're pretty chill around here. Bitches, blunts and 40's, you know how we do. C7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zebra Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 It could be a number of things. Off the top of my head, dead strings seem like the most likely culprit.Does he use roundwounds? When was the last time he changed them?Could you also specify more what you mean by "punch?" What, in terms of frequency, attack, tone, etc., is lacking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeathByGuitar Posted October 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Are you tuned to standard E, or are you playing in drop tunings? That will make a difference as well.C7 Standard right now, but he usually tunes it up a halfstep to C to go along with me playing in drop C. Sounds about the same either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeathByGuitar Posted October 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 It could be a number of things. Off the top of my head, dead strings seem like the most likely culprit. Does he use roundwounds? When was the last time he changed them? Could you also specify more what you mean by "punch?" What, in terms of frequency, attack, tone, etc., is lacking? He uses roundwounds for starters and by punch I mean clearly defined, not muddy notes that stand out in a mix. Something with a pretty pronounced attack. I know this is still pretty vauge, but it's so hard to describe..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crescent Seven Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Standard right now, but he usually tunes it up a halfstep to C to go along with me playing in drop C. Sounds about the same either way. Some B strings are just meh, and it has to do with the design of the bass as much as the type of strings. As far as the plugged in sound, there are some pickups that reproduce that low B better than others. Some basses are simply duds and there's not much you can do about it. If you think the nut slots are too narrow, take an old string the size that's supposed to fit, and file it out gently, taking care not to make it any deeper, just wider. C7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zebra Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 He uses roundwounds for starters and by punch I mean clearly defined, not muddy notes that stand out in a mix. Something with a pretty pronounced attack. I know this is still pretty vauge, but it's so hard to describe..... That sounds most like an EQ issue, although you've already seemed to rule that out. What does his typical EQ setting look like? It could also be affected by technique. Playing nearer to the bridge will give more of the punch you're describing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeathByGuitar Posted October 13, 2008 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Would a wider slot make a string resonate differently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crescent Seven Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Would a wider slot make a string resonate differently? It might make a little bit of difference if the string isn't seated all the way into the slot. I think it would be a good idea for your homey to take his bass to a pro luthier to have a full setup done on it, and ask him to see if he can fix the issue you're having. On some basses, it's night and day how well it plays and sounds after a pro setup job. Now, as for the EQ. Make sure you're not scooping out the mids, that will give you that flubtastic tone you speak of, especially in drop tunings. Start with the EQ on both the bass and the amp flat, and try boosting the high mids and cutting a little bit of the bass response out. If you're playing hard rock, you don't really need all that low end fatness. If you see improvement in the punchiness, but want more low end, boost the low mids a little. A little will go a long way with the mid controls; too little and you fall out of the mix, too much and it quacks like a duck.C7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Super Bass Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 How often does he change his strings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members no-logic Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Sounds like dead strings to me too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RSBro Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 New strings, and raise the action a bit. Too low of action (on certain basses, anyway- my MTD is the exception ) can make it tough to get enough volume and "punch" from your bass and pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluedogaudio Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 I could also be how the person plays. Do they pick hard or soft? Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 Professional setup & fresh stainless steel roundwounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted October 13, 2008 Members Share Posted October 13, 2008 It could be a number of things. Off the top of my head, dead strings seem like the most likely culprit. Ding Ding Ding Fresh strings are 95% of it The other 5% are: -Needing a horn/driver in the cabinet -Keeping the amp EQ minimized/ as close to flat as possible and/or not pushing the sliders/knobs over certain thresholds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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