Which bass combo for home recording?

[hemmick reef]

I have an 25 year old 100w transistor Marshall. What would you recommend as a new combo for nice sound and home recording only - not needed for gigging?

Cheers

[lpdeluxe]

You might check out the Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live. I don't have any direct experience with it but I recorded a bunch with an Austin guitarist who used the guitar version. It was dead quiet and had a multitude of excellent tones.

For myself, I generally use a DI (if you have a good sounding bass that's an option -- less so if your bass needs some help) but I also have an Ampeg B100R with a line out that I'll use if I need the sound reproduced in the room...not much of a problem since I have a monitoring setup using a digital mixer, rather than computer interfaces a lot of people rely on.

I've had zero issues with the Ampeg and I like the sound. It replaced my aging B15N which I ultimately traded off, since the new one could do everything the old one could and was much lighter besides.

There are a number of smaller bass amps but I never found one at the sweet spot of sound, weight and price that the Ampeg hit. I gigged with it for a couple of years, 3-4 times a month, and it has never given me a problem.

[Big Kenny]

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

You might check out the Line 6 Bass Pod XT Live. I don't have any direct experience with it but I recorded a bunch with an Austin guitarist who used the guitar version. It was dead quiet and had a multitude of excellent tones.

For myself, I generally use a DI (if you have a good sounding bass that's an option -- less so if your bass needs some help) but I also have an Ampeg B100R with a line out that I'll use if I need the sound reproduced in the room...not much of a problem since I have a monitoring setup using a digital mixer, rather than computer interfaces a lot of people rely on.

I've had zero issues with the Ampeg and I like the sound. It replaced my aging B15N which I ultimately traded off, since the new one could do everything the old one could and was much lighter besides.

There are a number of smaller bass amps but I never found one at the sweet spot of sound, weight and price that the Ampeg hit. I gigged with it for a couple of years, 3-4 times a month, and it has never given me a problem.

yup
...........

[Jouni]

plus 1 to DI boxes.

No need for an amp at home.

[gdavi1]

i like to run a bass head into a di box
gives you that sound the bassist is use to and likes but gives you the clear sound that is easier to mix with

[pohaku]

Sansamp RBI

[hemmick reef]

Thanks for the help

[lpdeluxe]

Originally Posted by gdavi1

i like to run a bass head into a di box
gives you that sound the bassist is use to and likes but gives you the clear sound that is easier to mix with

I've done that, too, with an early '70s Music Man hybrid head that didn't have a line out. Plug your cord into a passive direct box, run another cord to the amp input, and a mic cable to the recording input. If you just gotta have window-rattling volume, that's the way to go.

[Dax Productions]

amplitube ampeg svx

Seriously, this sounds AMAZING. Even Butch Walker uses it!

[Dan The Speakerman]

+1 again on DI. I go bass>SansAmp Bass Driver DI>recording unit (where I can compress/limit, if needed).

[Roguetitan]

YEP, I Vote DI also

[Buck62]

I used to do direct in all the time, and it sounds darned good.

But nothing sounds as good as mic'd amp... period.

That being said, the Ampeg BA-112 is an awesome amp for recording, practice, or small gigs.

I bought one after giving 20 different bass amps a test run and the BA-112 was the best-sounding and most versatile for the money.

Just my 2 cents.

[hemmick reef]

Originally Posted by Dax Productions

amplitube ampeg svx

Seriously, this sounds AMAZING. Even Butch Walker uses it!

I tried the demo and could not get the same ambient punch to the sound compared to using a microphone.

[lpdeluxe]

Originally Posted by Buck62

But nothing sounds as good as mic'd amp... period.

As long as you have a room that's treated with bass traps. A mic'd amp can give you a tubby overall sound that you can't clean up without losing some of the bass.

[hemmick reef]

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

As long as you have a room that's treated with bass traps. A mic'd amp can give you a tubby overall sound that you can't clean up without losing some of the bass.

I'm in a very small room (8x6 feet). It's my office wher I work and it's full of shelves desks filing cabs - I can just about get in myself. My amps are tucked away under my drawing table. Sounds ok when I mic an amp but I down turn it up too loud as everything starts rattling.

[Buck62]

Originally Posted by lpdeluxe

As long as you have a room that's treated with bass traps. A mic'd amp can give you a tubby overall sound that you can't clean up without losing some of the bass.

That's not true if you record at lower volume levels using an amp with a 10 or 12 inch speaker. We record in a tiny basement with no traps and the recordings we do with a bass amp always sound better than direct in. But from a $$$ standpoint, I'd have to agree that direct-in is cheaper and doable. I'm not saying direct recording a bass isn't good. Re-read the first sentence of my post. I'm just saying that a properly mic'd bass amp is the best way to go.

Is that even worth arguing?

[lpdeluxe]

Originally Posted by Buck62

Is that even worth arguing?

Hmmm....I didn't know I was arguing. I simply pointed out the drawbacks to that method. It's an issue that will be there, regardless of the volume; sometimes it'll ruin a recording, sometimes you'll get away with it, there being so much variation in "good sound". Equally, in some listening environments you'll hear it clearly, in others it won't be easily apparent (before I treated my former room, the mic'd bass sounded fine when played back there, but sounded awful in the living room of my home). And, by the same token, some listeners are oblivious to it (especially in this era when every bass part is supposed to be "slammin'") and others more sensitive.

The bass tubbiness is something I frequently hear in other people's recordings, and I find it intolerable in my own. I want a non-resonant, articulate bass line with strong note definition and DI is the first step to getting there.

[Anfontan]

I use a Johnson J Station for recording Bass direct-it has contol knobs just like an amp and quite a few Bass simulations. It's also got lots of guitar Sims and effects so it can cover a lot of bass & guitar parts, it's really great for arranging song ideas whenever you don't need a cranked up amp....like late at night..
You can find them used on EBay pretty often.

[OJB]

I've been going direct with a M box mini,and a fender precision (mexico) bass.But my sound really sucks.I can't seem to eq after the fact.It just sounds clumpy and clunky with no solid bass sound.Where should I go from here?

[hemmick reef]

Originally Posted by OJB

I've been going direct with a M box mini,and a fender precision (mexico) bass.But my sound really sucks.I can't seem to eq after the fact.It just sounds clumpy and clunky with no solid bass sound.Where should I go from here?

Although I am looking for a new and hopefully smaller bass combo for my home studio my 100 watt Marshall with an sm57 mic 6-12 inches in front can sound really full. I have never obtained a good bass sound with plugin amp sims or D.I although the D.I can be down to the quality and price you pay for it!

Get a small combo, check some out in your local store, buy something like an sm57 mic and you will never look back
Ohh, and you don't need to crank the volume high to get a good sound, just make sure the levels are correct on your preamp with no clipping.

[Jouni]

I'm kinda repeating myself here with the D.I -ranting...

But...
Depending from your preamp/DI-box, you can really have some SERIOUS bottom to track, I play through a good rig live, but don't think twice about D.I:ing when it comes to recording, to last recordings, I recorded tracks with two basses, two tracks with a pick and one fingerstyle, just to be sure one of them fits in the mix. ...In an hour. (three songs)
I had looked up the sounds ready and set in earlier recordings --> and LAUGHED pointing a finger to guitarists, twiddlng around with their mics and cabs for DAYS...

OK, the cab-micing is THE way, especially on guitars, but I'd go as far to say the bass can get a clear-noise free recording with all the bottom-end needed with crispness, going DI.

Have good time thinking.

[tc4b]

I got to play through one of these the other day. I liked it a LOT. Seems perfect for recording (for those who enjoy micing bass cabs). Frankly I prefer micing a cab to DI, but I use a sansamp RBI because I don't like any amps I found that cost that little ($240 or so on ebay) . So I bought a sansamp and am saving up for a good combo, like the PJB or my other favorite, this! Keep in mind, I don't play out on bass, only record.

[rayc]

double trouble

[rayc]

Shoot me down in flames but the Behri Bass DI is pretty good.
Apart from that a Gibson Grabber into a Marshall Superbass MkII through a good attenuator & then an Etone 200W single cone box would be nice. (I use that except for the Gibson PLUS the DI to mix together).
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

[tc4b]

Originally Posted by rayc

double trouble

As it is, I use the RBI track and an unaffected track, then balance them in the mix as I see fit. When I get an amp I can stand, I plan to record all three and worry about which is best later.