Need a more thuddy bass!

smigeon

A bass player friend and I have been working a recording project using Logic Pro X on my Mac. We have a track that's a bit Freddie King-ish that we're both liking - except that the bass player is not all that happy with his bass sound on it. He DI'd his track using a bass that has a natural sound that's close to a Fender Jazz (it's actually a Danelectro). And he wants it to sound on the recording more like a Precision or even a Gibson EB0 - more dull thuddy and muddy and "old" and with less clarity. 

I've tried a few obvious things from the standard Logic feature set including the "60's bass amp" preset, a bit of boost or distortion or fuzz (e.g. a RAT), and of course EQ, but I haven't yet been able to make it sound like he wants - that clarity keeps on coming through. Anyone got any thoughts or suggestions? (It's not worth buying anything specially, so it would have to be something that comes with Logic...).

 Thanks for any inspiration...

steamabacus

Try a bit of foam under the strings by the bridge saddles.

ICBM

Flatwound strings.

Fiddlesticks_

steamabacus said:

Try a bit of foam under the strings by the bridge saddles.

I’ll second this for a quick, easy and cheap option that may well do the trick. I was recently after a similar effect and it did for me.

Literally any foam or sponge material you have lying around could work (as long as it isn’t rough). I used a piece of foam from an old flight case.

Funkfingers

Flatwound strings
Neck pickup only
Fingerstyle rather than plectrum or fingernails
DAW Channel EQ (as distinct from amp model TMB controls)
Apple Logic Pro X Sub Bass plug-in
Airwindows Tape plug-in (simulates various unpleasant artefacts of analogue tape that just happen to make drums and bass sound huge).

JezWynd

Flatwounds and foam under strings at the bridge.

Bork

Some Danelectros can be honky and twangy in character because of the lipstick pickups.  The sort of twang that flatwounds probably might not solve - you'll end up with string attack but it'll be twangy flatwound attack like Larry Knechtel.  It will be an improvement on rounds but still not thuddy.

You might want to consider the use of compression on the upper, attack frequencies.  Also, loosen the neck bolts a little, not enough to let the neck shift, but enough to decouple it acoustically from the body for more rubbery midrange.  You also have the option of slipping a little kitchen towel or kleenex in there if you are prepared to detach the neck completely.  (Added bonus: If the paper towel doesn't work you won't need to take the neck off to remove it.)

Failing all that, you might be better off borrowing a cheap p bass from somewhere and then following all of the advice above.

Now...having said all that, this guy seems to be getting pretty close to a vintage vibe on a 59 bass in the first few minutes.  However even he comments on how bright the bass is later on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drlqqCwzrpc

crunchman

Not sure I'd have a Danelectro as my only bass.  Something more along the lines of a Precision would make far more sense.  Even when I had a Jazz, I couldn't get recorded sounds that I liked.  The answer to is to get a Precision.

EricTheWeary

Freddie's usual bassist was his brother Benny Turner who was strictly a pick style player ( on a Precision, later on at least) although he isn't on the early recordings. I have it in my head that it's organ playing bass on some early tracks ( producer/ keyboardist Sonny Thompson) although there is a bassist credited on the albums. 
Dunno.
This Discussion needs more Freddie...( the bassist on this I think is from the show's own backing band)

  

fretmeister

JezWynd said:

Flatwounds and foam under strings at the bridge.

This.

And knock the tone control down by at least half.

EricTheWeary

I was thinking about Monk Montgomery and he used his thumb near the neck and later a felt pick and certainly flatwounds. 
I don't think this was the first recording of an electric bass despite what the title says but it is Monk and it was an early Precision, flatwounds, thumb near the neck and the kind of thud that could have graced a Freddie King recording.

   

TheMadMick

ICBM said:

Flatwound strings.

What he said. I like that sound and, although a very occasional bass player, it blends in nicely with the others I play with.

Reggaebass

As above, flats and a foam mute with a bit more bass dialed in will definitely get you that low end thump , it’s surprising how much a small piece of foam can change the tone 

trikelops

If he doesn't use a pick, try plucking just above the last few frets at the end of the neck, using the pads of the fingers rather than the nails.

smigeon

Thanks to all for a brilliant stack of suggestions. Now to get to work...

diap

crunchman said:
The answer to is to get a Precision.

Although tbf that's like 42!

crunchman

diap said:

crunchman said:
The answer to is to get a Precision.

Although tbf that's like 42!

Been watching Hitchhikers on Britbox!

Zoonyboy

Have you got a bass amp and a mic you can borrow? Stick the amp at one end of your staircase and the mic at the other, and turn the tone knob on the bass fully off. And bass up on the amp. And flat wounds. Turn it up loud and don't play too hard on the strings. Any or all of the above. Bass needs to move air and vibrate wood, ideally. P Bass is best but EBO OK, and, really, ANY bass will do...

Bork

Zoonyboy said:

ANY bass will do...

Apart from maybe a 1980's Status Series II.

PAL

Short scale with flat wound strings !

mbe

Rubber strings with a canvas plectrum !