I really love the sound of the bass in the Jesus Lizard recordings. I'm curious to know what kind of gear was used and how the bass was recorded.

I've been working on a song on bass played through a Big Muff, but the instrument just gets lost in a muddy wash when a really chord-y guitar part is added. I've got a G&L L2000 with really nice pickups. But even in active mode with bass boost the signal still lacks clarity. Any suggestions?

Yngwie Einstein wrote:I've been working on a song on bass played through a Big Muff, but the instrument just gets lost in a muddy wash when a really chord-y guitar part is added.

Any suggestions?

Take the Big Muff. Also, take a blowtorch, and a hammer. Any blowtorch and hammer will do. Apply heat and bang on the middle-section with your hammer until you have a really nice ashtray.

Feel free to experiment with paints, perhaps glittery fingernail polish if you're strapped for cash and the misses isn't looking.

Take these simple steps and hear the mud evacuate out of your tone before your very ears! Then, ash your cigarette/cigar/jay in your wonderful new Russian ashtray! Enjoy!

Take these simple steps and hear the mud evacuate out of your tone before your very ears! Then, ash your cigarette/cigar/jay in your wonderful new Russian ashtray! Enjoy!

Good thing I paid extra for the American version.

I realize the Big Muff has its limitations, but on its own I like the sound of my bass through it. It just doesn't cut through the mix, which basically negates its value. Any other pedals out there that work better? I don't have the funds to buy three amps and even if I did I could find better ways to spend the money.

That's a lot more convenient. I like the SansAmp we use on our guitar (SG through an Ampeg Superjet). Definitely better than the other overdrive/distortion pedals I've tried. Thanks for the recommendation.

I would suggest the "bluebeard" distortion pedal for bass. Troy from mastodon uses one, the bass player in my band uses one also. Its a bit out of control, and well worth the money (~$300) - but for that amount, you could get an Ampeg V-4b and get an awesome bass tone from that. I wish I had a website for the Bluebeard. Maybe Endofanera can tell you where to get one - they're handmade in D.C.

To me, nothing really beats a 100w tube head for bass distortion.

I wasnt meaning to make fun of you with the big muff thing. Jokes, you see. It probably would suck as an ashtray too.

Crowther Audio's pedals both work terrifically for bass. Hot Cake and Prunes/Custard.

The P/C is, I believe, actually intended for use on a bass. The Hot Cake is a guitar distortion pedal, but the bassist in my band uses a Hot Cake and the sound is terrific.

In general the worst thing you can do to get a distorted bass sound is plug into some distortion pedal cranked to '11'. Focus your spending on a high quality head if you have limited funds.

The Bismarck just finished building a set of those EV (Dietz) 1x15 cabs. They sound great w/ just about anything. The construction is pretty simple, and could be done w/ the bare minimum of tools/knowhow. The plans were kinda tough to come by, had to order them off ebay, so we'll be posting them on our website one of these days.
www.thebismarck.net
I think the secret is supposed to be the speaker, but we had a Peavey Scorpion in an original Dietz, and it sounded just fine.

-chris

Play your bass through a 15 watt practice guitar amp. Crank it for a week straight.

Get some of that natural distortion... you know, when you can hear the speaker struggling to rip itself in half.

I actually like the yellow Boss Bass Overdrive pedal...

you actually get a low end boost when it kicks on as opposed to most distortions that make you lose all of your low end

I prefer the russian big muff, bigger volume boost, less square wave-y, noiser. though if you want to be a purist about things.