What equipment are you guys using for bass?

[gixxsta04]

I've been looking at the sansamp stuff such as the RBBI and the RBI. RBI would be cool as it would never leave my studio. I have no way of demoing these products, however. Am I going to get better bass tone than a straight di? Any other options? What are you guys using for bass tone? Should I stick with plugins, buy an amp, or get a preamp ie sansamp?

INB4: Ola's youtube tutorial.

 

[53Crëw]

I like going direct and using plugins because you can easily change the tone during mixing.

My favorite plugins are Ampeg SVX, and TSE BOD.

 

[sprack]

If you're thinking about the RBI, go for the RPM instead. RBI is much better for an RnB kind of sound. RPM gives you loads of drive and a sweepable mid.

I have both and like them for different sounds.

 

[gixxsta04]

what about the psa1? I can get my hands on one for $169.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I'm using a BBE Bmax bass pre.

 

[amarshism]

I use an amp and cab. Usually the foundation of what the guitar tone is or will be is there so I don't find it difficult to dial in a tone or commit. I like svts for metalcore, the classic for rock/hardcore and have tracked an Eden which was great to. Usually just chuck a d6 half on half off about 4-6 inches back. I split the guitar signal to the amp and to the di and I also take a line out of the amp. Di for insurance, the line out is generally well suited for grind.

 

[BLUElightCory]

A Designs REDDI. Best bass DI in existence.

 

[if6was9]

I've lately been using my Hafler T2 preamp for bass aswell as a DI (Little Labs Red Eye). It's a tube guitar pre but I tried it on bass and liked it so I've been using it since. It's got a nice warm but very punchy tone. I usually blend it with the DI and use plug ins for distortion. Sometimes I use a 4X10 bass cab I got ( no idea what model, it's old, battered and unbranded) and mic it with an Audix D4. sounds good but I prefer the Hafler's line out to be honest.

 

[Ermz]

Countryman Type 85 and Millennia STT-1 for tracking. Usually print a touch of EQ and comp to clear up the bass tone.

When 'reamping' I usually run it through a PSA-1 and MXR for the grit portion. Either run these into cab impulses or an amp sim like Bass Amp Room. The low-end portion I normally get with SVX, but as of late have been demoing the Studio Devil stuff too. When it's possible I like to also run the grit through a Dual Rec - helps the bass really sit alongside guitars.

 

[Torniojaws]

For recording: Ibanez BTB555MP -> DI box -> DAW -> Duplicate track, LPF + HPF -> Shitloads of fuckload of compression on both (CamelPhatFree being my current weapon of choice) -> A gnarly distortion on the highpassed track
For playing: Ibanez BTB555MP -> MXR M80 Bass DI+ -> GallienKrueger Neo700-112

 

[Ola Englund]

just get the best sounding bass out there... You practically don't need anything else. It's always nice with additional ampsims and stuff but sometimes just compressing a bass DI is enough.

 

[Demonstealer]

I use a TC Electronic Rebel Head and Cabinet. I take 1 DI out from the head and mic the cab with a 57 and use those 2 signals mixed together

I've used that with an ESP D5 Bass to record my bands latest album here is a track from, hopefully the bass is clear enough

 

[laszlozsolt82]

Bass guitar(new strings)->HiZ input on sound card(or DI box), then you can do what ever you want with ampsims & plugins, I usualy double the Bass track , one of them get a Hi pass filter one of them a Low pass, then a little distortion for one of them ampsim, and lots of compression, maybe limiting to.

 

[if6was9]

just get the best sounding bass out there... You practically don't need anything else. It's always nice with additional ampsims and stuff but sometimes just compressing a bass DI is enough.

True, I find that with bass more so than guitar the tone is in the bass instrument itself. A nice bass will sound good right from the get go while a bad bass can be processed to hell and back and still retain those bad tonal characteristics that it began with.