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what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:29 pm
by maninashed
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4kDXQRC1JQ[/youtube]
flanger? chorus? I dunno I wanna cop the whole package
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 12:32 am
by Chankgeez
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 6:50 am
by qersty
i agree with chank, it is definetly doubles with a synthesizer. You could get in the ballpark using a fretless with a chorus that has a fairly long delay time though. You wont get that synth "unison" sound though.
Maybe that boss SY-1 has a sound like that? The SY-300 could definetly do it
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:40 pm
by maninashed
dang I didn't know there was a synth
I've thought about taking the frets off of my supro pocket bass but whenever I think about it a little too long I get a tummy ache hah
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 3:00 pm
by qersty
Honestly I think just saving up for a cheap squire instead. Removing frets will be a pain.
Also you kinda gotta have a bridge pickup to get the fretless-fretless sounds
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 3:31 pm
by Chankgeez
I mean, Nick Lowe is known for playing interesting basses, but I think there's more than just bass guitar going on there.

Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:23 pm
by retinal orbita
I am admittedly hearing this song for the first time and through my shitty phone speakers but wouldn’t an OC-2 type pedal get you somewhere close? Perhaps paired with some modulation effect?
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:26 pm
by retinal orbita
I actually really liked that track - I will check this album out more! Definitely not the sort of thing on my radar.
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 9:58 pm
by maninashed
haha yeah I've had this power pop obsession goin on for like 3 months now
I do like yer octave pedal + chorus/flanger idea
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 10:05 pm
by retinal orbita
maninashed wrote:haha yeah I've had this power pop obsession goin on for like 3 months now
I do like yer octave pedal + chorus/flanger idea
I just bought a MXR Vintage Bass Octave pedal - for that OC2 sound. But I started screwing around with beyond the default sound and found some very cool tones.
I have this Nick Lowe record que'd up on my Tidal for work tomorrow. I’m into giving it a closer listen.
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2021 7:12 am
by qersty
I dont think that an octaver would help a lot since it is the same octave as the bass. You could double track the octaved part an octave higher but i still think a chorus would be more satisfying
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2021 11:35 am
by Chankgeez
Nick Lowe's a great songwriter.
The question now stands whether OP wants to sound like the bass guitar or the synth.
As qertsy said, the bass guitar and the synth are playin' in the same register.
I think the bass guitar has chorus on it and is maybe short scale and/or fretless.
The synth is a little more difficult. It definitely has some extended sustain (sounds almost like a bowed instrument at times). Maybe an envelope filter'd cover that in combination with playing technique on a bass guitar?
Either way, seems fun!

Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2021 9:44 pm
by cosmicevan
Sounds to me like an upright running through some effects...likely a chorus. Listen at 1:20ish...there is a huge open note. It is without a doubt an upright bass or a fretless that catches an upright vibe. It could just be doubled, but I think a chorus and fretless will get you there. That's no synth.
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2021 11:41 pm
by maninashed
yeah the part I want to cop is the upright kinda sound, and the bwowowow
Re: what would you use to get this bass tone?
Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 4:53 am
by Blackened Soul
For what it’s worth the internet’s credit his owning a S.D. Curlee fret less…
Sounds like a fret less with light strings and a chorus to me
