I have experimented with turning down all mid's and high's. I jammed earlier this year with a guy the provided an SVT, and was surprised at how quickly I was able to dial in an acceptable tone. Hmmmm.....
I'm not sure, but I don't think tunings have too much to do with it, I prefer to play a half step down but most singers seem to want to play at 440.
Am I correctly sussing that the company Ampeg (bass/head/cab-wise) is on to something here as far as delivering deep, ground rumbling tones without too much volume?
I did have a Hartke amp for awhile, I used to believe that they were the shiznit, now I believe they are the shit (as in feces).
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
12sunset_gun wrote:It's all about the tone knob. Roll it back. Pretty simple.
Yes, I have done this with many varieties of amp/cab combos. Not as simple as that.
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
13rocker654 wrote:sunset_gun wrote:It's all about the tone knob. Roll it back. Pretty simple.
Yes, I have done this with many varieties of amp/cab combos. Not as simple as that.
..guess I'm just not as picky about tone.
Rick Reuben wrote:I was reading the Electrical Forum in my parents' basement when ...
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
14My ears have been damaged from years of abuse and neglect. I'm not as picky about tone as I may sound, but I do know the difference between Robbie Shakespeare/Wobble and Linkin Park. I want to get the former tone over the latter. I also know that Tom Hamilton has desired this, and he can't really purchase this tone with all his millions. He gets a good tone in his own right, but not what I'm looking for. There is something to be considered about round-wound vs. flat-wound strings, playing finger-style, and using Ampeg equipment that might be key.
I don't want to discount anyone's input, you do make a good point, I'm just saying that I don't think it is as simple as that.
Another consideration--I have always preferred to record direct to board. This takes the amp out of the equation. Might this be a factor?
I don't want to discount anyone's input, you do make a good point, I'm just saying that I don't think it is as simple as that.
Another consideration--I have always preferred to record direct to board. This takes the amp out of the equation. Might this be a factor?
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
15i always found a space echo with the bass played with fingers got a very dub,reggae sound
"Keep it Country"
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
16mr.arrison wrote:Your cab should work fine. if not, an SVT Ampeg 8-10, or a 4X10 and a 1X15 (or 1X18 if you *never* want to go back to having a cutting bright tone). I am sure there are others. stay away from Hartke.
[Hangs head in shame] If I had my £300 to spend again...
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
17Wobble played an Ampeg Scroll bass, an Ovation Magnum, and occasionally a Jazz Bass. I don't know what he plays now.
The Ovation Magnum's neck pickup has the wickedest low end of any bass pickup I have used. But you can get lots of low end with any long-scale bass, pretty much. Dawn Smithson of Jessamine had a very deep bass sound out of a Fender Mustang bass, so anything is possible.
The folded-horn cabinets--Ampeg, Sunn, and Acoustic made them, as I recall--have massive low end.
Ampeg tube amps do have a lot of low end, esp with the 'ultra low' switch engaged on an SVT or V4B. They are also good for deep bass due to their headroom. You need a lot of clean watts to get deep bass, in addition to a good preamp section.
But before you go buy stuff:
Neck pickup, yes.
Deadish strings, yes, perhaps flatwounds.
Fingers or pick right up by the neck, yes.
Most importantly: the amp has to operate in its most flattering region and engage the speakers properly. The volume etc. will be relative to the amp--an Ampeg B15 will have tons of low end at low volume, as it's purpose-built for that kind of bass playing. An SVT or V4 has to be turned up a lot to move most of the cabinets that will be used with it (8x10, 2x15, etc).
Correspondingly, you have to play gently. If you watch reggae bass players, they barely touch the strings. The note needs a chance to bloom, and that means not whacking it into existence.
It's an adjustment if you're used to playing rock. You can buy all the gear in the world and not get this sound if you haven't gotten used to playing with a light, even touch.
The tone knob on the instrument is a last resort for me--you want a deep sound, not a dull sound. I have no idea what Jah Wobble did in this regard.
Recording: Wobble claims he turned his amp toward the wall and miked up the room, as noted.
If you can play in a resonant room, I have found that a good dynamic mic w/lots of low end (Beyer M380 is the best) can be used up close, with some kind of condenser mic(s) out in the room itself. Small-diaphragm condenser mics on the floor, 10ft or more off the cabinet, will do wonders for the sound on tape.
The Ovation Magnum's neck pickup has the wickedest low end of any bass pickup I have used. But you can get lots of low end with any long-scale bass, pretty much. Dawn Smithson of Jessamine had a very deep bass sound out of a Fender Mustang bass, so anything is possible.
The folded-horn cabinets--Ampeg, Sunn, and Acoustic made them, as I recall--have massive low end.
Ampeg tube amps do have a lot of low end, esp with the 'ultra low' switch engaged on an SVT or V4B. They are also good for deep bass due to their headroom. You need a lot of clean watts to get deep bass, in addition to a good preamp section.
But before you go buy stuff:
Neck pickup, yes.
Deadish strings, yes, perhaps flatwounds.
Fingers or pick right up by the neck, yes.
Most importantly: the amp has to operate in its most flattering region and engage the speakers properly. The volume etc. will be relative to the amp--an Ampeg B15 will have tons of low end at low volume, as it's purpose-built for that kind of bass playing. An SVT or V4 has to be turned up a lot to move most of the cabinets that will be used with it (8x10, 2x15, etc).
Correspondingly, you have to play gently. If you watch reggae bass players, they barely touch the strings. The note needs a chance to bloom, and that means not whacking it into existence.
It's an adjustment if you're used to playing rock. You can buy all the gear in the world and not get this sound if you haven't gotten used to playing with a light, even touch.
The tone knob on the instrument is a last resort for me--you want a deep sound, not a dull sound. I have no idea what Jah Wobble did in this regard.
Recording: Wobble claims he turned his amp toward the wall and miked up the room, as noted.
If you can play in a resonant room, I have found that a good dynamic mic w/lots of low end (Beyer M380 is the best) can be used up close, with some kind of condenser mic(s) out in the room itself. Small-diaphragm condenser mics on the floor, 10ft or more off the cabinet, will do wonders for the sound on tape.
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
18tmidgett wrote:It's an adjustment if you're used to playing rock. You can buy all the gear in the world and not get this sound if you haven't gotten used to playing with a light, even touch.
True enough. It's a style adjustment, mostly. I should have known that.
I was hoping there was a magic combination, I guess that some combo of the above gets me somewhere closer, if nothing else.
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
19I think I'll convert my J-Bass to round wound for a time. Is it simply just restringing it, or do the bridge/nut/neck need adjusting? I know that's a dumb question, but does anyone have the quick answer?
How best to get the deep reggae-Jah Wobble sound
20Quick answer, you might need to adjust the bridge (maybe length, maybe height), but if it's all the same tension, I don't think the neck will need any adjustment.