Need help on an upgrade for my new studio

[AntonioPetrole]

Hey dudes I'm finishing up on building my studio and I need some advice. I finished building my desk, I'm doing bass traps tomorrow, I bought an SM7b and an AT4047 and I have a decision to make.

I still don't have any amps. I found a 5150 2x12 for about $500 bucks with brand new tubes and I don't know if I should get that or a decent bass and pre. I bought Zombass II and I figure bands are gonna bring in there own bass guitars anyway (although they will probably be shit). I feel like amp sims are the only thing still holding my mixes back.

So should I jump on it and get the 5150? Or keep using amp sims, get a decent bass and pre and just have people reamp? I feel like I am missing a huge part of the art from not actually micing amps

 

[LBTM]

See this topic: TSE X50 vs. 5150: Can you tell Which is Which?

I would suggest you to just use the x50 for guitars. It's amazing.

 

[AntonioPetrole]

I've used the X50 quite a bit but honestly the difference between those two clips is night and day, even in a mix. Those mids are so sterile and annoying.

 

[colonel kurtz]

having some amps around can never hurt...but having a nice bass on hand is pretty necessary, as well

personally i would probably get the bass, then save up the cash for a head...or 2...or 3

 

[LBTM]

having some amps around can never hurt...but having a nice bass on hand is pretty necessary, as well

that.

roflsaurusrex about which one do you talk? i think the x50 sounds better.

 

[AntonioPetrole]

that.

roflsaurusrex about which one do you talk? i think the x50 sounds better.

The X50 is kinda supposed to sound better solo'd like that. I know that sounds strange but when the mids are that apparent and stick out you perceive it as sounding better imo. The 5150 is much more neutral and dense and would sound MUCH better in a mix. Also the gain characteristics are very different. Again the X50 is very sterile and the 5150 is spongey and appeasing to the ears.

Just my 2 cents

 

[MatrixClaw]

I've used the X50 quite a bit but honestly the difference between those two clips is night and day, even in a mix. Those mids are so sterile and annoying.

+1 to this. X50 is probably my favorite software sim, aside from TH2, but I wouldn't use it as a serious alternative to the real thing on a paid release.



That being said, the 5150 combo is nothing like the head and I don't really like it at all. It's between the 5150 and 5150 II (6505+) in tone, which is not a good place to be IMO.

The X50 is kinda supposed to sound better solo'd like that. I know that sounds strange but when the mids are that apparent and stick out you perceive it as sounding better imo. The 5150 is much more neutral and dense and would sound MUCH better in a mix. Also the gain characteristics are very different. Again the X50 is very sterile and the 5150 is spongey and appeasing to the ears.

Just my 2 cents

I don't even think X50 sounds better solo'd. It has a certain "up front" appeal to it, sure, but the real amp is so much more full it's not even funny.

Also - I'd definitely grab a decent bass for your studio if you can afford it in your budget, unless you feel that comfortable with Zombass. I have the original and it's cool, but it just doesn't work well in songs that have bass lines that are different from the guitars, or are used as a main element to the sound/are solo'd anywhere in there, because it doesn't sound like a real person is playing it (at least on quicker bass lines). I know they've upgraded it on that aspect, but I'm sure it takes a lot more effort to make it sound real than it would just tracking it with a bass.

The Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass is an awesome bass for the price and very easy to work with, something I'd definitely suggest, if you can afford it in your budget. I've found the biggest part of my mixes that's been lacking lately is the bass, and after finally getting one I enjoy the DI sound of, instead of trying to make up for it in production, my mixes have improved ten-fold.

 

[AntonioPetrole]

+1 to this. X50 is probably my favorite software sim, aside from TH2, but I wouldn't use it as a serious alternative to the real thing on a paid release.



That being said, the 5150 combo is nothing like the head and I don't really like it at all. It's between the 5150 and 5150 II (6505+) in tone, which is not a good place to be IMO.



I don't even think X50 sounds better solo'd. It has a certain "up front" appeal to it, sure, but the real amp is so much more full it's not even funny.

Also - I'd definitely grab a decent bass for your studio if you can afford it in your budget, unless you feel that comfortable with Zombass. I have the original and it's cool, but it just doesn't work well in songs that have bass lines that are different from the guitars, or are used as a main element to the sound/are solo'd anywhere in there, because it doesn't sound like a real person is playing it (at least on quicker bass lines). I know they've upgraded it on that aspect, but I'm sure it takes a lot more effort to make it sound real than it would just tracking it with a bass.

The Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass is an awesome bass for the price and very easy to work with, something I'd definitely suggest, if you can afford it in your budget. I've found the biggest part of my mixes that's been lacking lately is the bass, and after finally getting one I enjoy the DI sound of, instead of trying to make up for it in production, my mixes have improved ten-fold.

Awesome thank you for your response. The Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass is the one that I keep seeing everyone recommending and the 5 string version is only $329! I can definitely swing that in my budget.

Now as far as an amp what would you recommend I do? It seems like everyone is saying unless I have $1200 to spend on a 5150 head and mesa OS than I shouldn't get anything but that kind of ruins my hopes of breaking away from amp sims.

 

[LBTM]

bugera 6262 infinium is great IMO.

 

[AntonioPetrole]

bugera 6262 infinium is great IMO.

That is what I have been hearing. I guess I'm just gonna get everything else I need and see what my budget is like from there.

Thanks dudes

 

[MatrixClaw]

Awesome thank you for your response. The Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass is the one that I keep seeing everyone recommending and the 5 string version is only $329! I can definitely swing that in my budget.

Now as far as an amp what would you recommend I do? It seems like everyone is saying unless I have $1200 to spend on a 5150 head and mesa OS than I shouldn't get anything but that kind of ruins my hopes of breaking away from amp sims.

I haven't tried the 5 string version, but the 4 string is truly an exceptional instrument. When I was shopping for basses a few weeks ago, I put that one up against all the Fenders, and while the MIA did sound better, it certainly wasn't $700 better. Upgrade the pickups for ~$150 in the Squier and I'm certain you'd have a bass that would completely put the MIA Fender to shame. Only reason I didn't go for the Squier, is cause I found a USA Peavey Axcelerator that I fell in love with - So much so that I just bought a 5 string USA Milennium to go with it

It's quite possible to find a 5150 head for ~$500, but you'll definitely still need a cab. I'm not sure I would go for a 4x12 on the price range you're dealing with - For recording, while there can be a difference, I don't think it's so huge that it's worth the extra cost, especially if you're on a budget. I own a 4x12 Emperor cab (owned the Mesa OS before and replaced it with the Emperor) and a 2x12 Soldano, and the Soldano sounds every bit as "big" as the Emperor. That being said, you can pick up a decent 2x12 in the $300 range, but a little more will get you something that would last you longer

If you can't stretch your budget, the 5150 combo, I'm sure, will still do fine. I just much prefer the head, but it's obviously going to cost about twice as much, since you don't already have a cab.

I'd probably focus on the bass right now though. Seriously - People seem to dwell a lot on the guitar sound, whereas they don't realize how gigantically important the bass is. You could take a crap guitar tone and throw an awesome bass tone behind it and no one would notice how bad the guitar sounds, cause the bass is there to beef it up so much.

 

[anotherpaul]

As I can see, a lot of guys have their own bass guitars in their studios that clients might use in the recording process. I suppose it's usually a decent and expensive instrument, so how do you deal with all the different tunings that all the clients might use? Retune and reintonate the bass or just have the bass player relearn the parts in the tuning that your bass has?

 

[MatrixClaw]

As I can see, a lot of guys have their own bass guitars in their studios that clients might use in the recording process. I suppose it's usually a decent and expensive instrument, so how do you deal with all the different tunings that all the clients might use? Retune and reintonate the bass or just have the bass player relearn the parts in the tuning that your bass has?

If I think it's going to be an issue, I ask the bands before they come in what tuning they're playing in and I'll set it up for that, but usually the bands themselves don't even come in with properly setup instruments, so it's not really like it's any different than trying to sort that debacle out

 

[wetpenny]

my £0.02 is get the 5150 combo m8, get the squier v a little further down the line..

 

[Sloan]

Having your own instruments on hand can be a lifesaver. When dudes show up with $50 shit from Best Buy, you let them use them yours, get a good solid track and also charge a rental fee (lol). Having your own instruments gets you familiar with their sound too (a known variable), you'll know how they will fit in the mix and how to treat them before they are even tracked - unlike someone else's instrument in which you have no idea what it's gonna sound like.

With that said, you will not get better at real amp tones without having a real amp around. There are plenty of low cost options. I would stay away from 5150II/6505+ variants and go for straight up 5150 or SLO type amps.

Jet City JCA100H/JCA100HDM
Bugera 6260
B52 AT100

Buy used heads, get a good cab with v30's.

Also, don't leave out other options from Peavey, Laney, and more....

 

[AntonioPetrole]

Having your own instruments on hand can be a lifesaver. When dudes show up with $50 shit from Best Buy, you let them use them yours, get a good solid track and also charge a rental fee (lol). Having your own instruments gets you familiar with their sound too (a known variable), you'll know how they will fit in the mix and how to treat them before they are even tracked - unlike someone else's instrument in which you have no idea what it's gonna sound like.

With that said, you will not get better at real amp tones without having a real amp around. There are plenty of low cost options. I would stay away from 5150II/6505+ variants and go for straight up 5150 or SLO type amps.

Jet City JCA100H/JCA100HDM
Bugera 6260
B52 AT100

Buy used heads, get a good cab with v30's.

Also, don't leave out other options from Peavey, Laney, and more....

So you wouldn't recommend the 5150 combo? I could get a 5150 head, but then I will just have to run DI with a dummy load for a while

 

[Sloan]

So you wouldn't recommend the 5150 combo? I could get a 5150 head, but then I will just have to run DI with a dummy load for a while

I do not have any experience with the combo. From what I have read is that it fixes the bias issues of the 5150 head, but I'm unaware of anything else and do not have first hand, real world experience. The combo will most likely not have v30's in it anyway.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

I had a 5150 combo and really liked it; the 6505+ combo is kinda meh but the 2x12 is a whole different game (apparently came from the factory based much warmer than either of the heads), pop 2 or even 1 V30 in there and I bet it'd sound pretty rip-roarin' - LosingReality posted some badass clips of it through a Recto 4x12 awhile back (he converted it into a head, looked sweet)

The only warning - it's fucking heavy! 80-90 lbs, and handles only on the top of it, so it's super awkward to carry

 

[lolzgreg]

5150 combos sound pretty great to me.

 

[EffigyForgotten]

Get the 2x12, replace the meh stock speakers with v30s or eminence governors, and get a TS/Noise Gate.