Recording Bass Direct

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Coolerhead94

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Hey now...

I'm a Newbie to this forum, but I am sure that I have been looking for an answer (indirectly) in this and other forums, and it seems like all I can do is nibble at the fringes.

So, here goes...

If you were trying to record in an apartment with thin walls and testy neighbors (so you can't mic a cabinet) - and you needed to go direct in (in this case to a VS2480) what would you use to get a solid Bass sound? I have tried just going into the Vs, but i am not happy with the lifeless tone I am getting...LOL

Behringer Bass V-Amp Pro?
SansAmp RPI?
Line Bass Pod?

or some other "Modeling Processor"

OR

Would it be better to go for a dedicated Bass Pre:

Alembic
Kern
Demeter
Aguilar
Ashdown
Ampeg (but I don't really care for 'em)

or Some other

Or just get a really nice Mic Preamp?

Assume:
- a Price Range over $200 BUT Less than $1000

- the most flexibility in Bass sounds - leaning toward a punchy and well defined jazz sound (READ: NO DISTORTION)

- Rack Mount

- extra credit for additional recording applications but understand that I have a full compliment of Dynamic Processing, etc....

Any clues? Thanks!
 
I use a GT-6B into my VS2400CD and get great sounds; just a little tweaking of the EQ in the GT6B, especially if I'm looking for that John Entwistle trebley bass tone.

I've never tried recording bass in mono with any preamp so I can't say if it would sound as good (or better). A preamp would likely be less expensive than a bass effects processor though.
 
I just use a direct box: I plug the bass into one side and go to the board from the other. This provides an extra gain stage over just using a 1/4" input.

Note that I'm not a "processed sound" guy. I try to get the sound from the bass, and then capture it on the recording. I generally add FX post, where I have more control and more choices.
 
lpdeluxe said:
Note that I'm not a "processed sound" guy. I try to get the sound from the bass, and then capture it on the recording. I generally add FX post, where I have more control and more choices.
Click to expand...

I agree that I want to go in as clean as possible - as I am really looking for the sound from the bass, but I guess what i am looking for is a way to do it that will provide the cleanest - purest - and/or fattest punchy sound i can at that time...

I almost never add anything to the bass tracks post tracking, so I am looking to get the sound as "pure" as possible on the input side.

perhaps this gives you all a better idea of what I am asking.

Thanks
 
I suggest just buying a direct injection box the one that has the best reviews for your price range.

Cant help on models ahvent looked into buying a di yet.
 
I could be shot for this but the Behri Bass DI isn't too bad.
Just straight into the with a built-in pre amp has helped me previously as has using a presonus blue tube (older model).
On top of one of those I pinch a peak at 3khz for the definition my personal taste likes & that's it.
 
I'll give a nod for any of the SansAmp options. I have the Bass Driver DI and its excellent.
 
SansAmp

Thanks Adam

I listened to the clips of a number of the options listed above on bass tasters.com and the BDDI definitely had a clear and pleasing sound... but I could only listen to it though my (crappy) 2 way comp monitors and headphones - and these are mp3's so that's not a real indication...

Does it give the signal a "feeling" of being recorded with a mic on a speaker like many reviews have stated? Do you have any recordings you could share?

Thanks again
 
I've got a Countryman Type 85 DI that i get great results with. You run the output of the DI into a mic preamp and run that into your recorder. They're about $150-180.

At the $600 price level you can get into an A-Designs REDDI which should knock your socks off. It's designed to give a similar sound to an old Ampeg B15.


cheers,
wade
 
I don't think you get "the cleanest - purest - and/or fattest punchy sound i can" from a direct box. Me, I currently use a Fender Classic '50s Precision with a Basslines Quarter Pound pickup and Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats and it cuts through everything. If it's not in the original sound, it's not there, as far as I'm concerned. I'm an old school sort: I don't do samples or synths. Part of the fascination of recording is not simply turning on a box and letting it run, but in making the sounds with my hands, so to speak.

Of course, basses are more expensive to experiment with than boxes, but over the last few years I've done some horse-trading and now have the P mentioned, another,fretless, P with the same pickup and strings, a '51 Precision Reissue and a Jazz fretless, which gives me a lot of choices, depending on the material.

My direct box is a Whirlwind Imp2 (about $40 most places) and, as long as I'm putting in a good sounding signal, I don't need anything more expensive.
 
I've not used the Bass Pod Live XT (I think it is) but I recorded a guy playing a Tele through the guitar version, a couple of years ago. If the bass version sounds as good as that then it'll be good.

One thing that impressed me: I used the line out from the Pod into my digital mixer and there was **ZERO** noise. Not a little, not any at all. Made me think it was well made.
 
Aiming at about the middle of your budget, you might get a nice bang for your buck (if you're not opposed to a little soldering) with a Hamptone JFET dual pre kit. The DI on that thing is superb, and I've been very happy with the bass tones I've gotten with that, not to mention the two great mic pres. He's got a tube version too, with fewer parts, but higher voltages to play around with.

It was my first real diy project. Get a decent Weller iron, practice making solder joints on a radio shack breadboard and a handful of resistors, then just look at the pictures on the site to make sure your putting things in the right place. It worked for me anyway...

*Just re read your post about rackability. THis doesn't come with rack ears, but a rack shelf would work fine as all the connections are in front. I've got mine set up like that.
 
I love my sansamp rbi, got it for 230 off ebay. I run the sansamp signal as well as a direct signal into my digi 001, then blend them in mixdown. Often, I eliminate the direct track entirely. If I were spending more, I'd love to try this or this.
 
Love my bass pod.

I use DI when I'm looking for that sound, but the XT Pro does it's job very very well.
 
I've heard a lot of good about the Sansamp stuff. Personally I just plug my bass straight into the line input of my preamp. But then, I'm poor.
 
i run my bass through a Pod XT Live (not a bass Pod), using only the preamp amp model. This loosens up the tone a bit and keeps it from sounding so dead.
 
Still rocking the Bass>Aguilar Pre>board>interface. Then in Sonar I use light compression and very light EQ and get pretty wicked low, thundery bass. Of course that's when I'm not too lazy to actually hook it up....
 
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