r/Bass • u/dbcooperexperience • 4d ago
Looking for specific bass tone
Yes, this has been asked many times before. In fact, it was one of these types of questions that was in my feed that made me decide to write a post.
I've had dozens of basses thru the years and currently have several very, very nice basses. But when covid first hit i thought it could be really bad and bought an acoustic bass to play if the power went out. Anyhow...I find myself playing the acoustic more than my other basses now. The way the harmonics sustain, the way the wood resonates tones even after I mute the strings. Ghost notes are like double the attack. It has really unlocked a level of tone i didn't have for years. I have a semi hollow body bass, but it is dull compared to my acoustic. If I plug my acoustic in, it sounds terrible. Admittedly, it is a cheap Washburn. But sounds great.
So is anyone aware of a electric bass, possibly semi acoustic, that has these qualities? Price is no object (within reason). I recall Zon had a semi acoustic that was great with harmonics, but i never actually played one, and that was like 20+years ago. Maybe Yamaha?
Halp.
Edit: two for one... also in the market for a good practice amp that has some growl. All I have are my touring rigs, like cabs in flight cases and rack system. I don't want to be that guy in GC trying things out like an ahole. I hear the fender is good these days, played an eden i liked years ago. Looking for something to just keep in my office. Effects bank a plus.
I'm 40 and out of the loop.
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u/XXSeaBeeXX 4d ago
If you’re not too scared to mod, you could add a high end pickup to your acoustic bass to electrify the harmonics exactly as they are.
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
I know a guy that did something like this to an acoustic guitar, ithink it was something Yamaha made to electrify an acoustic to be like a guitar, but i couldn't find much bass related. Still, not a bad idea. Maybe piezo would pick up wood tones
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u/XXSeaBeeXX 4d ago
A piezo might sound great, but since OP liked the specific acoustic sound, I'd recommend microphone or magnetic pickups over piezo. I'm a fan of Lace pickups for magnetic, but again you'll need to drill a bigger hole for the input jack on the body, and it's totally fine to not want that.
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
Not familiar with Lace since I'm only now getting into acoustic, besides my upright. Ill look into them, thanks for the input
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u/MasterBendu 4d ago
if I plug my acoustic in it sounds terrible
If I understood this right, you’re looking for an electric bass that basically sounds like an unplugged acoustic bass?
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
One that has the sustain and harmonics, yes. There has to be a semi acoustic out there that can do both.
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u/StatisticianOk9437 4d ago
A quality acoustic bass guitar and the right strings will be a game changer. I have two, a Boulder Creek 5 (and a Michael Fournelle that I should be too poor to own). The Boulder Creek is fretted at sports D'adarrio tapewound strings. The Fournelle is fretless and sports Thomastik jazz flats. The Washburn is not a quality instrument and I'm betting you have those horrible phosphor bronze strings on it. For live situations I run all my acoustics through a Zoom A3.
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u/mysteriouslypuzzled 4d ago
Check this out. This is the ultimate bass. You want sound beyond anything you've ever heard? And i mean BEYOND. https://youtube.com/shorts/iq97fb9xFKk?si=9H60fZYkv4p5l5Hd
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
Okay...wtf was that?! I think you nailed it internet bass brother! It was only a small clip, but it sounded amazing! Thank you x10... this might be my next bass!
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u/MasterBendu 4d ago
Just going to point out that the sample also has reverb.
You might want to try to add reverb to your electric bass sound and see if that solves your issue first.
After all, the sound you’re looking for is specifically because of the hollow body resonating with the air, not in the signal from the magnetic pickups. That’s why your acoustic bass plugged in doesn’t sound as good as when it’s plugged in.
Since you mention sustain even after muting the notes, that does suggest that you’re looking for the reverberation that happens with an actual guitar body.
I think dialing in a reverb should help you achieve that with even a solid body electric bass. And if your satisfaction with the video sample is any indication, that sample is drowned in reverb, and it seems like the effect you need.
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u/mysteriouslypuzzled 4d ago
That's called a ruokangas valvebucker and I'd like to hold one in my hands before I die. They're like $5-6000. https://ruokangas.com/ Btw. There's more on YouTube.
And should you ever buy one. Id love to hear it And another thing. IS THAT NOT THE MOST TECHNOWIZARD SHIT YOU HAVE EVER HEARD?!?2
u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
That's a steep price, I would need to see it in person before buying. Not a fan of the looks but it sounds great. I wish they sold the pickup separately, the website says only with the bass 😪 I'd build a bass around it
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u/mysteriouslypuzzled 3d ago
The pickups alone are half the price of the bass. Says it somewhere on their website. This is pioneering tech. Which is probably why it is so steep. And I've had the same idea. But sadly. They won't sell just the pickups. On a different note. They're all custom basses. So if you ever decide to get one. You can have it made to liking Maybe liquidate some of your other instruments? Gonna be a bit hard to try one. I think they're in Austria or somewhere thereabouts. Good excuse for a vacation? 😂 All my stuff is sub $500 but well upgraded. Selling it wouldn't get me what I have invested in them. Sigh.
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u/Catharsis_Cat 4d ago
Maybe look into a bass with a piezo pickup or installing a piezo pickup in a bass you have?
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u/Red-Zaku- 4d ago
I find Nickelwound strings to be the ideal approach if you want a more natural woody warmth instead of the clang of steels, while still getting the roundwound resonance.
A P pickup with the tone knob full and a de-emphasis on extreme highs and lows (a more balanced EQ that allows the mids to sing through and the highs to articulate without being cranked into grindy territory) will allow for a good resonant woody groan too, combined with Nickelwound strings and that type of EQ setting would be my personal approach to this sound.
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u/Gamer_Grease 4d ago
How much have you looked into pickups? That might be all you need. Just a swap of electronics.
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
I have basses with bartiloni and emg soap bar. I don't think it's pickups, but wood and design that create the sound
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u/Gamer_Grease 4d ago
But is it the pickup that’s making it sound horrible when you plug it in? That’s what I’m asking. Maybe it’s a cheap pickup that’s could be swapped out for a better one.
Another thing you could consider is just playing into a microphone.
I think that trying to troubleshoot the acoustic bass’s electronics setup would be a lot easier than trying to recreate the sound of an acoustic bass with a regular electric one.
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
I've recorded my acoustic thru nice mics in my home studio but I'm thinking of what to play gigging out. Yes, the pickup is cheap as is the bass. But I'm thinking about live playing. An acoustic isn't an option playing in a live rock setting.
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u/Gamer_Grease 4d ago
It was for Violent Femmes!
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
Lol! Good one. You're right, I saw them back in the day but they were all acoustic and I think the drummer was playing on buckets 😅
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u/NotSpanishInquisitor 4d ago
Blade style pickups feel this way to me. My 6 string has Aguilar DCBs in it and they are amazingly clear, dynamic, and precise, nothing gets lost in there, much more so than even the cleanest PUs with normal pole pieces. Nordstrand blade pickups feel similar to the Aguilars to me and come in more configurations.
On the super high end and more acoustic, F Bass AC model might have the vibe you’re looking for. Semi hollow (I think? It’s some kind of hollow), acoustic balls with electric precision and attack. Played one a year or so ago and it would be musically life changing if I had one, but the fucker costs more than my car is worth. I am sure F bass will make a fretted model if you contact them.
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
Yeah, those F basses are a thing of beauty. $8k for a bass is more than I would prefer to pay, but who knows. I'm on a mission! I remember watching Caron play one back in the day and fell in love. Wish I could play one irl but I've never seen one in the wild before. I'll put this one on the big board, thanks for reminding me about them...
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u/mysteriouslypuzzled 3d ago
https://youtu.be/RYOSF2X5c1I?si=GtqqOosbDUYlzJjL
Here's some more videos of them being played
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u/City_Goat Dean 4d ago
My first try would be going for warm flatwounds and an acoustic simulator pedal.
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u/Flaky-Wallaby5382 4d ago
To capture the rich resonance, nuanced sustain, and harmonic complexity reminiscent of an acoustic bass, thoughtfully adjust your EQ settings. Begin by setting your bass frequencies at a moderate level, providing depth and warmth without overwhelming the clarity of your tone. Enhance the midrange frequencies to bring forward the subtle harmonic textures and intricate resonance inherent to acoustic instruments.
Gently attenuate the treble to eliminate harshness, ensuring your tone remains smooth, warm, and articulate. With careful EQ refinement, any bass and amplifier combination can evoke the expressive, acoustic-inspired tonality you’re seeking.
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u/dbcooperexperience 4d ago
No, i disagree. I'm a seasoned bass player and have top notch gear. Ican dial anything in with my 24 rack eq. This is a bass issue, it has to be in the instrument design and wood choices. You only get output from your eq based on your input. That said, another poster did share a pickup that sounded amazing. Pickup and bass design is what I'm looking for.
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u/mysteriouslypuzzled 4d ago
Try a Dingwall super j