Bass Guitar Compressor

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tmix

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One area that I don't have covered is a good comp for bass guitar.
The low frequencies seem to reek havoc on my software and hardware compressors.
I have sold off every compressor I had except my RNCs that I use for Acoustic guitar and vocals.

What would be good Bass comps? what are factors to look for?
Fast attack times (under 3 ms?) Optical vs ?

I have used a Manley Vox box and loved it, but don't have that much to invest currently.

Is there anything out there under 1 grand?

I have done many searches, and have not had much luck with anything specific. I wan't to know why a certain comp works better, what in its design makes it better.

Thanks for your help.
 
T-Mix check this out
bass compressor
Warren at frontend audio will give you an unbiased opinion, he goes by Warhead on homerec, and over at studio forums.


Paul Robison
 
I'd possibly consider grabbing an old dbx 160 (not an A, X, or XT) and send it to a tech to make sure it's up to snuff and have him get it up to snuff if it isn't.

While not under $1k, I LOVE my DaviSound TB-3 on bass... That's what I use mostly. Also not under $1k, a Universal Audio 1176 Reissue is cool on bass. Occassionally though, I'll strap the 1176 Reissue across the ch. insert and route the channel to a sub/group with the TB-3 strapped across the sub/group insert.

On a few occassions, I've tried my Urei/Universal Audio LA-3A and it has worked well as a bass compressor; but again, make sure the particular unit is up to snuff. However, that's not a compressor I usually think of when it comes to bass compressors.

Eventually (in a year or two), I'm gonna have DaviSound build me their FET compressor (not a standard DaviSound Tool Box) for another bass compressor flavor option. Hayne Davis (the designer) says he's always loved it on bass and I myself fully trust his ears based on the DaviSound gear I own. This option would more than likely be at or a little below your $1k price. I HIGHLY recommend considering this option.

For other options, I bet Fletcher at Mercenary Audio can steer you in the right direction. Of course, he may not be able to recommend anything under $1k... I don't know.
 
FWIW, and considerably under that $1k pricetag, i hear that the Symetrix 501 is pretty nice on bass. that's purely from folks on this board. i've not tried one out, although i do have one on my short list of things to acquire--other things just keep popping up (like the Ashly CL100 i just picked up for $40 :D).

for under $100, you can't really go wrong, and you might find something that works nicely.

i usually run bass through a VTB1->Symetrix 425, and have been generally pleased with the results (gotsta watch out for that toob!). bargain basement for certain, but no slouch in the rumble and growl department.


wade
 
I do appreciate the leads very much.
It gives me areas to investigate.

I enjoy 2 basic types of Bass sounds:
a) a stringy piano tone type Funk / Jazz type sound and,
b) a heavy growly low end with a woody knobby kinda top end for a driving sort of sound.

In both cases I want something that doesn't sound like a pile of hot mush.
I dont mind spending, I just want to find the right thing.

In general I wonder if Bass Guitar comps tend to be of a particular architecture such as optical.

Perhaps I am just trying to set my attack times too short, but I have occassionally recorded a wonderful sounding Bass part, but can't figure out what made it different than the majority. Perhaps it is just the player, or his Bass . But when ever I have recorded the Fender types of Jazz it sounds like hot pile of thick oatmeal.

It is funny, because to me most Bass parts I have recorded sounds like crap tonally, but the players seem very satisfied. The problem is, it never sounds good at mixdown, it turns the songs to mush.

I generally NEVER track with compression for fear of destroying someones take, but I would like to do a little limiting on input If I can get away with it.

Anyway... Thanks again! Off to peruse the Internet for deals and more info.
 
a lot of times is IS the bass. some basses just sound mushier than others.....and some are punchier (like geddy lee's old Ric 4001). and sometimes it's the player. as a wise man once said, "the tone is in the fingers". you put SRV on any old guitar and it's still gonna sound like SRV, ya know?

you might want to consider string selection as well--roundwounds i believe are the generally favored ones for more twangy, trebly tones. flatwounds for more growl, but then it's been 15 years since i've played bass with any regularity, so i'm mostly talkin out my ass here. :p but experiment--a $40 pack of strings is a LOT cheaper than a $1000 signal chain. i DO tend to like P basses over J basses. purely personal preference. so pickups are gonna make a difference as well.


generally speaking, i almost always compress (well, limit) while tracking bass. i like to have a nice, even level going to tape, but i don't like to be married to an overly compressed track (so i avoid that if at all possible). bass is one of those instruments that it's real easy to have a LOT of unplanned dynamic range on (such as Phil Lesh's infamous "bombs"), and a lot of basses and bass players (like drummers) are not very balanced/even players. gotta have a safety net in there somewhere lest i ruin a good tape with something getting clipped.

as for that low, growly, "Ampeg on the verge of collapse" tone (which i'm REAL fond of), i like the VTB1 as a DI. it's not great for funk/pop/slap, but it's real good at that snarl. just don't overuse the toob.


one thing that might help keep your mixes from going to mush at mixdown is to roll off the extreme low end. i almost always roll off starting between 80-120Hz (depending on the song/mix) and it tightens everything up nicely. i do that on bass, kick (sometimes--sometimes i boost around 80 and then roll off), and guitars as well. sometimes i start a little higher on the guitars, depending on how dense the mix is. otherwise, everything's competing for that low freq space, and mud ensues. i also find that panning all guitars except for the lead (i tend to keep that in the middle) really helps to carve a space for the bass and kick. YMWV. :D


hope some of this helps......
wade
 
to compress or not to...

As far as compression goes, I am not totally sure. I am working on that with different compressors. I would like to also kick in on that string issue. Roundwounds with Stainless steel very bright sounding - Played a Shecter not long ago with these and it was overwhelmingingly bright and crisp to me. I personally prefer a more mellow flat wound sound. Although, I would love to have two of those Shectors with different setups for diversity of sound.
 
I appreciate the input.

I agree on all you have said. I dont play Bass myself except in emergencies. I have and old Gibson G3 Grabber Bass with 3 single coils and Round Wounds on it.It sounds OK but I dont.I have experimented on Rolling off below 60 hz or so on some songs and eliminating low end when I can on other instruments and I agree it helps. I have even put a little chorus on Bass and for what ever reason that makes it sound a little more vibrant at times.

I don't mean to puh off my responsibilty on others, But the players technique has sooo much to do with it.


That is why I need a good Bass Compressor!

Thanks!

Tom
 
I'm also only a pretend bassist, but I really liked the sound of bass through a humble Joemeek MQ3. I no longer have the MQ3, but I am anxiously awaiting an older Meek C2 compressor I picked up on eBay for $100. I'm hoping to run bass through my RNP and add the C2. Anyone out there use that kind of a combo?

Fab
 
The problem is that a lot of the VCA's out there are over-responsive to the low bass notes, so there's a lack of uniform / even response. They'll go all crazy and start squashing once the low e-string is hit, yet they'll let through all that popping shit on the G-string. :D

One of the best comps I've ever used for bass guitar is the Symetrix 501. Another really good idea is to use something that's got a multiband element to it -- Rane has one called the DC-24 which is a great option if you can find one used on the cheap (I believe it's even made some appearances on Steely Dan records). With something like this, you can basically set a seaparte threshold for the low, low notes and another for the higher ones so you get more uniform compression accross the spectrum.
 
Try a Meek VC6 (or VC6Q). You can find 'em all over Ebay; they're the little (cheaper) brother to the VC1 series, have photo-op based compressors in them, usable EQ, and kinda warm and fuzzy preamps too. All day for $300 or so. Then you've also added another pre-amp flavor to your rig that's good for stuff like crunchy guitars, sometimes acoustic guitars, or even sometimes vocals.

It's a very british sounding preamp; think older allen & heath rather than Neve. Forward mids, kinda squishy.

A VC6 would make a great bass DI and comp box.

Chris
 
Paul Robison said:
T-Mix check this out
bass compressor
Warren at frontend audio will give you an unbiased opinion, he goes by Warhead on homerec, and over at studio forums.


Paul Robison
Click to expand...

The P2 is an excellent bass DI, the sound is "tight". The opto compressor is suited well to bass, drums, etc. I could see the P2 being a nice "go to" unit for any bassist! You can get funky with that compressor too.

For recording, a P2 would suit anyone in need of a tighter image track to cram into a dense mix.

Cheers

Warren Dent
www.frontendaudio.com
 
I gotta second the symetrix 501 that chessrock mentioned; i've gotten some tight, controlled and punchy bass sounds out of that one... in the few weeks i have owned this thing, i have found that my bass sound in busy mixes have improved, even before i have touched any eq.

T
 
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