Great Bass Sound

[CMiller]

I'm looking for a great bass tone on tape. I've been looking at various DI boxes, most notably the Tech21 Bass Driver. I've already checked out the Harmony Central website and there was no real consensus. Has anyone here used this, and if so what was your opinion? Is there any other piece of gear that you would recommend? Are there any bass amp sim plug-ins that you know of? Any input is greatly appreciated!

[Slackmaster2K]

I've got the Bass Driver. Personally I don't think it's very good for DI...really quiet and muted sounding...though I didn't spend much time with it in this respect. However, running this thing as a pedal through your amp definately beefs up the sound. At $130 there might be a better investment out there.

Slackmaster 2000

[CMiller]

Slackmaster2K,

Thanks for your input. Some of the folks at Harmony Central said the same thing. I'd love to check one out for myself but I'm 100 miles from the nearest dealer. I was hoping that Tech 21 would have some .wav's on their site, but thay haven't. Oh well. I'll just wait until I'm in Minneapolis again!

[PPatrick]

I haven't used the bass DI from tech 21, but I have used the SansAmp GT-2 for bass. If you combine this with EQ and compression, you can have a very flexible array of sounds at your disposal. I definitely recommend using some kind of pre-amp or overdrive (go easy, though!) when recording direct, because it really helps when you want to find that bass in the mix!

Oh, here's another one I like that I wonder if anyone's heard of: I really like using the Boss "Acoustic Simulator" on bass --- Try it and see!

[Nemo]

Whatever you decide to use, be sure and try to get a compressor in-line. Tape can take some hot signals but without smoothing out the bass it will sound pretty muddy.

[Jim Marquard]

I use the POD from Line 6. I get great bass results using the preamp setting and the POD clean setting. Very smooth, and yes, the POD has a built in compressor, though I do find it just a bit to noisy. But otherwise, I recommend the POD to bass players. Maybe Line 6, with encouragement, will develop a POD for bass players.

Peace, Jim

[CMiller]

Thanks for all of your replies, it will come in handy. By all means, keep the posts coming!

I did send an email to Line6 asking them about the possibility of a Bass Pod, but as yet I've gotten no answer.

On another front, I understand Roland is introducing a new bass amp that uses their "COSM" technology which can reproduce a number of different bass sounds. Anyone familiar with their "VPro" electronic drums or "VGuitar" system will understand what that's all about, it's the same deal. The down side of their amp is that it's around $600. I don't know much more about it beyond that.

[Metaphysicist]

Whatever else you are useing, at the end of use a BBE Sonic Maximizer. I can't quite tell you what it is that it does [something to do with phase and what not] but the sound is just wounderful! You get a great bass sound; a lot of bottom without being muddy. I really can't explain it, but it fantastic. Plus, you can get a used unit for under $100. Try it, you'll like it.