Which bass should I get for bedroom recording?
- Thread starter Metalhex
- Start date
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
I just suggest playing whatever you can in a store and spending some time on that low B. I went through a bitch of a time with this, thinking just getting a 5-string would work out well. I found a used Warwick 5-string import, the EADG strings sound fucking GREAT, but that low B, anything lower than the E note at the 5th fret was getting this crazy sub frequency that was so over the top I couldn’t track anything with it.
I spent $400 on bass strings over the course of a couple weeks, trying every gauge, type, brand, etc. I just could not get that thing balanced from low to high. I have a Peavey Millennium 5-string as well, which is a 35”, but it was taken apart at that time for repair, I slapped it together, whacked that low B and I was good to go, I could even drop it down to A without an issue. I still had a specific bass sound I was going for and ended up buying a Spector PULSE 4-string (34”) that fuckin’ thing can go down to whatever tuning I want and sounds badass.
Long story short; string gauge helped some things, scale length can help, but nothing will make a naturally shitty sounding bass sound great. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time on that low B, I’d put a little extra effort into making sure it’s gonna work!
I spent $400 on bass strings over the course of a couple weeks, trying every gauge, type, brand, etc. I just could not get that thing balanced from low to high. I have a Peavey Millennium 5-string as well, which is a 35”, but it was taken apart at that time for repair, I slapped it together, whacked that low B and I was good to go, I could even drop it down to A without an issue. I still had a specific bass sound I was going for and ended up buying a Spector PULSE 4-string (34”) that fuckin’ thing can go down to whatever tuning I want and sounds badass.
Long story short; string gauge helped some things, scale length can help, but nothing will make a naturally shitty sounding bass sound great. If you’re going to be spending a lot of time on that low B, I’d put a little extra effort into making sure it’s gonna work!
boltzthrower
Active member
Try using Google, like “active vs passive site:www.talkbass.com”
FYI, not all EMG’s are active, the HZ’s are passive. But I’ve read the HZ’s pair well with active preamps.
I prefer active pickups, some prefer passive, explaining the tonal difference is beyond me.
boltzthrower
Active member
Which brand worked best for the low A? So far I’ve tried Daddario, Kalium and Rotosound. Kalium is the clear winner with warm mids that cut so you can actually hear the note. I’ve also got a Payson sitting here that I need to try and I’ll order some Dingwall strings at some point.
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
I ended up ordering some custom gauges off of StringJoy.com, using their tension calculator. Can’t remember what it was anymore. The thicker the string, the more of that sub frequency starts coming through, the thinner the string you end up getting it flopping around and that initial strike bounces way out of tune. It’s basically finding the best you can get out of each side of that, tone vs tension. Shortly after that Fractal did a big update on their Pitch block so I can tune a bass in standard down to A without any artifacts, it was like a week after I bought the fuckin’ Spector, had that update come out before that I wouldn’t even have bought it.
Metalhex
Well-known member
Yeah I may need to go to the store and play some in person. At the end of the day I do want it to sound decent to good but also its just a fun project for my own amusement.
I looked at EZ bass but I think I want a bass to noodle around on. Plus I want to minimize downloading things that require accounts, emails, passwords, confirmations, credit cards, etc... I know it's almost unavoidable nowadays though..
Another of good recommendations here!
I looked at EZ bass but I think I want a bass to noodle around on. Plus I want to minimize downloading things that require accounts, emails, passwords, confirmations, credit cards, etc... I know it's almost unavoidable nowadays though..
Another of good recommendations here!
Not sure if how much space it's gonna take up when you're not using it is a concern at all,
but either way - Kiesel V4.
Compactness aside (bass headstocks are big!) it's a really killer bass!
https://www.kieselguitars.com/series/bass/vader-bass
You can get them used for a good price as long as the top isn't something crazy.
Had one for a few years and now my son-in-law's had it for a few more.
Really fun to noodle around on.
rstites
Well-known member
I have three old Guild Pilot basses, which are Jazz style and all came with EMG's which I really like for the bass. They're great players and easy to play as a guitarist. I prefer the Jazz pickup setup, by far, to the Precision setup.
I guess, I'm also seconding this suggestion! Also, active pickups in the bass are a great combination.
cardinal
Well-known member
Yeah, P basses do their thing but the Jazz gets more than close enough if you solo the neck pickup and can do a lot more blending in the bridge etc.
I really prefer the J bass to any other Ive played. Maybe I'm just unoriginal, but I'm not sure why anyone would bother with something not a P or J (or maybe a Stingray) unless you just are after a different look (which of course is fine).
Just wish Fender made more basses with a flatter radius.
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
Yeah, this is precisely why I suggested going to play them. It’s just a quick check of ensuring the lowest *fretted* notes are balanced with the other strings. The open string generally sound pretty good on it’s own, but those fretted notes would just go OOOOOMMM Hahaha that was my original intent, just to get a decent sounding bass track and it ended up in a fuckin’ month long test of different strings, a shitload of EQ and wasted time/money.
Rex Rocker
Well-known member
I have EMG HZ's in my LTD F-205, and I think they're decent. I honestly NEVER even touched the active preamp in my bass. I see no reason to. You can just EQ in your amp/pedal. Like, why EQ on the bass itself. Then again, I'm not the kind of player that needs a thousand different sounds. Especially not for metal. Like a full-on clanky sound with some overdrive. Maybe a completely clean sound for stuff like bass intros or something. Maybe.
I've come to appreciate clanky single coils for metal more, though.
Geisterfaust
Member
While I’m not a big fan of active pickups on basses, I like active electronics. In terms of scale length, you should be fine with 34” if the bass is well crafted. All the brands above fall in that category if you find the right one. My Fodera 6 was tuned to A standard and is 33”. Sounded killer on a metal album we recorded.
Attachments
Oh by the way I have EZBass and I hate it. Like I can take midi from a song in B standard and it butchers it. I had an el cheapo 5 string sound gear bass and the B string was really undefined. The Spector performer I have the B string is clear and tight. It's almost like hitting a low piano key. I will say this the best thing you can do is going to GC or somewhere and just spend some time playing basses. I've been really surprised both good and bad with basses on the low end of the price range. As others have said Squire is a pretty safe bet too. I definitely recommend the spector though. I'm thinking about buying a 4 string version
Metalhex
Well-known member
I've been chomping at the bit all week long for the weekend to get here so I can do just that! Once I get this damn grass cut I can finally go