Robert Russell: Upright Bass Sound Basics and My Pedal Board (Rockabilly Inspired)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- In this video, I go through some basics for understanding the dual pick up system and stereo signal that is common on most modern upright bass set ups, as they relate to amplifying the slap sound. I also walk through my current pedalboard for upright bass. Pedals are not commonly used among upright bass players, so be advised that this is just what I'm doing right now, and not necessarily great advice. I do like to tinker and experiment with gear.
;)
Man this is a criminally underviewed video. I’m a professional electric player but I’ve recently been contracted in a professional Buddy Holly musical. I have an old upright with steel strings from my orchestra days, along with an upton pickup fitted into the bridge. I have a ways to go to get my setup up to snuff!
Thanks man! Your comment means a lot to me.
Nice to see a setup that's comprehensive & effective, but not built from unobtanium. Good work.
Ha yes... I do have some "affordable" pedals in there. ;)
This is so underrated the editing quality available and the sheer quality and information available thanks alot mate!
Who said your pedalboard don’t make sense?… they don’t make sense! This video actually confirms the pedalboard I wanna build for my bass
Ha. Cool.
I get occasional rude rockabilly-splainer comments, so I feel like I have to preemptively defend that even though I do love pure reenactments of the past by others, I personally am not doing that, and that is ok. :)
Great Job you obviously put some time into this..
Dude!!! seperate channels for the bridge and fingerboard is fucking genius!!!! Only 137 subscribers is criminal, your channel should have thousands, nay millions!!!!
I've been looking into building a pedal board that i can use for both my upright and electric basses (1941 kay bass and geddy lee signature series jazz bass) on a markbass mini combo head II....you just sold me on the keeley bassist..
I have seen it being sold as used a lot though, any idea as to why so many people are getting rid of it?
Thank you for your videos, i enjoy them immensely!!
Ha! Thanks. That Keely bassist pedal rules in my opinion... I'd imagine a lot of slab players don't really need it as much, because the sustain is much longer and louder than on an upright bass? I'm happy when I see one basically new with a used price... saves money. ;)
Great video!!! Thanks, I'm an electric player getting ready to get my Rockabilly on!!
You’ll love it. It’s just cool.
Thanks for the effort of putting this out there. I'm more of a celtic and bluegrass player myself, but I like your style and found a lot of inspiration in the way you have thought out your signal chain. Rock on
Love this set up! Am very envious! Thoroughly enjoyed the run down. 😎👍
Love all your stuff Robert...
Love those Keeley compressors! Have one myself… “I beat this thing like it STOLE from me…” 😂😅😂
so nice! i’ve been playing clean with a shadow rockabilly plus pickup/preamp for years but im venturing into pedals. your input is priceless! and nice lookin setup!!!
Glad it helps. I’ve changed that board and made another one that does some haunted house orchestra type stuff for fun. I fell off making vids but I’ll get around to to it again.
Great video Robert
Todd Hamby
Thanks Todd.
great video- very helpful and the final sound you crafted is very good- gotta look into that Keely pedal!
I know it's late to the party but thank you, I've ran a two pickup system for a while now and have much better tone, again thank you.
Cool! Glad it helped. I have another experiment I did, having two pre amps before the pedals, and summing them at the end, but I’ve had no time to really play with it or make a video… maybe 2022. :)
Beautiful Pedal Board Bro!
Great vid!!! What exactly is the config in your K&K? There are some knobs to control highs, mids, bass, gain for each channel. I would love to see that nice little detail :-)
Is anyone in So Cal Rockets not super talented? Jebus, save some for the rest of us. Rock on Robert!
Your bass sounds great, I don’t care what “They” say.
Great Video !! Very informative !! Just wondering ,, what type of strings do you have on that bass ? Thanks
Great set up!
That's a great idea!!!!
Awesome! Very helpful! Thank u!
This is super useful i play in a psychobilly band and ive been thinking of this same idea!!
By the wY which guitar patch cables do you use ?
Right? I thought about doing it for years... and when I got the Keely limiting amplifier for my guitar, and noticed there was a bass version... I was like... it’s time. I’m doing it.
I’m not sure I’ve ever bought the same cable twice, except for mogami.
I just gave your True EP a listen on Spotify, its produced pretty damn well man! Love the rockabilly vibes and instrumentation you've got going on. Do you record the drums yourself as well? This pedal board is awesome as well, I'll keep it on my mind as I grow my pedal collection, I just started with a Canyon delay pedal and its sweet but could use some friends to help it out hah!
atbsteelers
My buddy Mark Powell played drums on those 8 songs.
Thanks!
I also don’t record all this myself.
That 8 song ep was recorded by Matt Thorne and mastered by David Donnelly.
Do you have an issue with the TRS Cable becoming microphonic. Mine picks up a ton of floor noise. Thanks
Have you used distortion/fuzz, chorus or reverb on the upright? If so, how did you find it?
How do you marry the bridge and finger board channel into the k&k? I've watched the vide several times and I still don't understand. Btw I'm building the same pedal board.
I'm wondering the same thing, a bit confused how everything is wired together
Excellent setup and video man! I've learned a lot about building my current pedalboard from this.
I'm playing bass and doubling on an electric upright, which has to have an external preamp... I had to build a board to support both going into the same amp, along with some other tools.
Most bass players around here frown on any pedalboard effects, comp, etc, ... but I say whatever works.
I like your unconventional approach. Where would we be if no one tried other ways of doing things?
Thanks!
THANK YOU
What strings are those? I’ve never seen any red upright bass steel strings.
Sorry someone asked this already. I just ordered my first upright bass. What pickup system are you using? Or do you have any recommendations? Thanks!
K&k rockabilly are good and easy.
I noticed on your K&k it has a power jack.is that anew option or did you modify it? I'm looking to make a small pedal board for my upright and my k &k only works with a 9 volt battery. Thanks for this video, really helpful!
Whiskers Briarwood - it’s modified. Good eye. I can never relax if a battery might go down. Ha.
@@robertrussell2717 did you do it yourself? I've been trying to find the parts to do that for the last 30 minutes. So any info would be great!
I did not do that one, But I have done one before:
th-cam.com/video/yHFq44bPsIA/w-d-xo.html
The parts are amazon for almost nothing... it's also very cheap just to have someone do it for you. (My time is valuable) ;)
@@nickkanakis3469
Hi Robert and thanks for this precious video. Do you think that can I split the stereo signal with a TRS cable?
It’s the same as splitting with a box. …and I forgot to talk about it in the vid, but I use a dual mono to trs cable to go back to the k&k.
So yeah, splitting is splitting, it’s just where and when you use a preamp or effects and where you sum/mix it..
Hi Robert!
I’ve been setting up my equipments inspired on your vídeo.
Here in Brazil is really hard to find stuff to double bass and rockabilly. I’m not able to find what you shown at the vídeo.
Would you say that I could use a ABY pedal box instead the K&K?
Thanks for the vídeo!
Saturnworks can build you a powered 2 channel mixer for bass.
Otherwise watch eBay, k&k and shadow mixers for this come up often. I can’t recommend an aby for it, …it may work, but not as a bass pre-amp? …I don’t know for sure.
Who supplies/sells the actual brackets and pick ups to be used with such pedals? Thanks.
K&K made the pickups. (Came with the k&k mixer) The one under the fingerboard is there with tape. The one on the bridge is wedged in, and sometimes has a thumb screw to help hold it in place. I have 3 uprights and each is set up a little different.
Curious how often you deal with feedback live at high volumes always had that problem with piezos sadly
Two sound posts and a mini nerf football shoved under the tail piece.
I hug it with my knees when needed, and mostly, I just don’t turn up that loud, and let the house take care of it. Feedback does happen though.
Dear Robert. I did a similar pickup system for my upright bass. Unfortunately I can’t generate a good click sound on the fredboard. Maybe the reason is, that I use a simple piezo-pickup from amazon.
What pickup you using?
Greatings from germany 😊
I don’t think what my pick up is doing is all that great either, but it could be the pickup quality. I was just using the pickups that come with the k&k rockabilly.
@@robertrussell2717 thanks for the answer. A further problem is that the wood of my fingerboard is bended at the bottom. I think i will fill it with a woodpiece to make a flat connection. Do you agree ?
Now I ordered a K&K Hot Spot. Hope it will works better.
I hope it helps.
Not sure about the bent wood. You never know how much stuff like that is going to matter or not. With my sloppy and heavy handed playing, nuance matters less. :)
I have had the K & K for a while now and never can seem to get a good sound (can,t dial in the bass,mid,treble and gain inside under the cover for each channel ) I don't know maybe the little screw driver adjustment tool instead of knobs . However you have yours dialed in nicely , do you happen to know how much gain ( that set it forget it on K & K approx are you using on the little pots inside ) for each channel . I believe I have same pickups and Deuce bridge . Basically I have been fighting with my tone and feedback playing live , I have followed your lead and purchased the same pedals to give a try .Thank You Robert .
I have not opened it up in a while... I think its about half way up if I remember correctly. I just turned it till it had some heft but did not distort.
Great video , Im Struggling with bass cabs to get the right punch sound ,I use a a peavey mini mega head and have been using warwick 4x10 and mark bass 1x 15 8ohm just cant get the right sound ,any suggestions for cabs that are good for.upright slap please?
paul hamid-holmes - - unfortunately, I only used GK for the last 15 years... so I don’t really know what other set ups feel like. I see that a lot of players like the green boy cabs, but I never heard one in real life. Seem cool though.
....But anyway, GK 1001 or 800, and the GK Neo cabs because the speaker can handle the slap and it’s light and small enough to drag into clubs. Works for me.
I think I had a similar problem. But rather than spend money on different amps and cabs, I invested in a small pedalboard not too different to this one in the video.
My biggest issue was that I had no idea about the fingerboard pickup. I was always wondering why I couldn't get my clicking sound at all. I asked a fellow mate and rockabilly bassist how he got his sound. He mentioned the pickup. Mind blown. Now I just need to find one in Australia.
However, I found that I preferred a bit of compression, EQ and slight overdrive on my board for upright bass. The EQ pedal is most useful to avoid feedback which I seem to get around the 110Hz area.
Best of luck, and keep slapping!
Robert the one thing I don't understand is how you run both channels back into the K&K. There's only one input on it with two outs. Could you help me understand? Thanks, Brian
I found the post below addressing this, thanks.....
Yeah, those trs splitters are really handy.
Thanks to this inspiring video I bought the same pedalboard and I am super happy with it. The only thing is that I miss playing wireless. Does anyone know if there is a STEREO wireless system for this set-up? I couldn't find it so far. Thanks in advance.
I’ve never tried wireless on upright… Shure is my favorite… maybe BLX or SLX dual channel receivers… but I dunno if that means you need 2 body packs on the bass like Johnny Hatton had in BSO. (Nady if I remember correctly… 🤔 ) but yeah… stereo body pack transmitter… let me know if you find something. Sounds fun.
Oh and thanks for the kind words.
@@robertrussell2717 Thanks for your reply! :) I let you know when I found something from Sure. Greetings from the Netherlands.
@@robertrussell2717 I would rather keep it simple and use one stereo sender but I could not find it. I think I go for the Shure BLX188E-K14 with 2 beltpack senders (and I add the receiver to the pedalboard).
@@sjorskiewiet2373 Hope it works! Let me know how it goes... I'm interested.
Do you have trouble with feedback? And if so how do you address it? Great video by the way!
Thanks! Check out my response about feedback from a different question last week, So I don’t type it all again. :)
I love this video! Do you mute your f holes at all or is the feedback issue solved by the comps and eq?
It’s a bunch of little things... I don’t mute the f holes. That bass has such thick automotive grade paint on it that the wood does not sing as much as a traditional bass should. ...so that helps a little. A different bass I use (also thick paint) has two sound posts and that also helps a tiny bit. The eq and comp help some, and mainly, most places run a DI off the amp, so once that is happening I just turn down to a more manageable stage volume. I hug the bass with my knees most of the time and try to stand as far from the cab as the tiny stages may allow. ...also, if you don’t want to hug the bass with your knees all night, if you find a mini nurf football, like the generic kind for advertisements, you can wedge it under the top back of the tail piece against the wood of the body. If you get one in black no one will notice it and it won’t look bad. That deadens it up a lot, and you can get crazier with the bass without feeding back so much. I realize you probably know all these tricks, so I’m just writing all this for anyone who might be having trouble and are experimenting. :)
@@robertrussell2717 thanks for the reply! I’m sure the double posts and thick paint help tremendously! I’ve just been running a mono bassmax bridge pup with a couple radial pre’s on a board.. always end up sounding like a diva when I ask the sound man to mic my cabs instead of a di haha! Perhaps I’d have more luck if I had to di with a fingerboard pup in the signal chain.
Bass setup sounds awesome, I'm currently starting a similar project using the Bass Bone from Radial that I already have. So there's no need to use a booster before it hits the K&K? I figure the length of the cable plus the unbuffered pedals it goes through before it hits the K&K would be on the lite side. I was thinking about a similar setup but also using the same EQ on the bass channel to filter out the ultra highs to keep the slaps sound out of that channel, that way they are separated as much as possible.
Eli Hatch
A buffer could not hurt. I wanted to keep trying different combinations and orders, but I ended up working on a lot of guitar projects last year and have not pushed the bass experiments much farther. Let me know how your project goes.
@@robertrussell2717 Thanks, I will! I know how that goes, there's always something going on. I can't believe the prices on pedal boards, I am going to take another page from you and attempt to make my own. Do you have any issues with feedback when playing in a band setting, that was my issue so I went to magnetic pickups but I love my synthetic guts and want to go down that road again.
This is totally cool man ...gonna get me one these configs for my double bass.
What cabs do you use ... 10" 12" or 15 inches ? Maybe 12's for punch and low end ?
Love this video ... thanks so much.
Igmar Haerens
Gallien-Krueger Neo 410 Bass Cabinet
I’m not saying it’s the best, it’s what I have, and I got it because I trust GK and it’s light weight.
@@robertrussell2717 G-K is a very nice brand no doubt about it. I was just keen on knowing what was moviing the air when those sound waves blasted out of your speakers.
4 x 10"" is forcefull and punchy.
I'm lucky enough to have all sorts of cabs (10" & 12" & 15") so i'll try some combinations but your sound there man just nails it.
Of course i understand it is everything together ... your strings the wood of your instrument your plucking technique the 2 mics the effects the amps and the cab.
Respect
With using the KnK, you're able to go through the Keeley Bassist first. But if I have a Shadow, would I be able to go from the Shadow preamp, then to the Keeley Bassist?
Nick Presser
You could, but I’m not sure if the shadow makes it mono first... (I don’t have one) that would make it harder to separate what you want to do with click vs the bass sound. I think running a pre amp before the pedals is a way better idea... but it seems you would need two separate pre amps at the start and a parallel mixer at the end of the chain... not really sure.
hey man, killer video! great tips. I was wondering if you had any tips on combating feedback. im using a 50's dearmond 900 upright bass pickup going straight into a gk 1001rb combo 115. I think its a bad combo of really old tech vs new but I can barely make it to practice level volume without it becoming a howling beast. I have a k&k rockabilly pickup but its goin to involve me fitting a new bridge....hoping that will solve most of my problems. any info would be appreciated!!! thanks for posting this
Thanks!
I've never used a dearmond, so I don't know. It's definitely worth fitting the K&K to see. I bet it will make the difference.
If not, a second sound post can help. It hurts the sound a little, but, it's better than feedback I guess.
Feedback still haunts me too... I have to hug it with my knees a little, mute strings that are not being played with thumb or fingers, and stand away from the amp as much as the tiny stages allow... My basses have heavy automotive grade paint jobs, that also hurts sound/tone but lowers feedback... but yeah, you should be able to get very loud before it howls unreasonably.
right on man, thanks for the response. ya im gonna have to bite the bullet and get the new bridge on. great tips on feeback.....sounding more and more like im in need of a dedicated gig bass that sounds like crap acoustically...lol. thanks again man!
Ha... remember, just because I do it, does not make it a good idea. ;)
Good luck with the bridge.
Wow. Great rundown and some good ideas in there. I’m a King Double Bass guy too and I’ve recently switched to a steel string... well, steel wrapped nylon. But the idea of cleaning up the fingerboard pick up with EQ and compression separate from the bridge is so smart and obvious, duh!! I’ve had my K&K mounted under my tailpiece for so long, I completely forgot that I could move it.
after two hours of Zyex string I switched back to Velvets. It's the best compromise between gut and steel.
If you use a preamp before processing the signal, you should get better result. Think an audio mixer signal path
You are right. I was making it work because the pre-amp I had at the time sums… and needed separate processing. I’ve tried some new experiments since with the pre amps first, (2 mono pre amps and a custom mixer at the end by Saturn works) but have not made new vids about it. Yes. You are right.
Hi :) just a little question : I have the same chanel mixer than you and I see that you have power in it and not only 9V like i have. So did you put it yourself ? and if yes, how did you do ? :) Sorry for the mistake and big thanks from France :D
You drill a hole and add a dc jack with a negative center pin. Then cut the line to the 9 volt battery and connect them to the jack. Then you will be able to use a power supply.
Kinda like this vid:
th-cam.com/video/yHFq44bPsIA/w-d-xo.html
@@robertrussell2717 Thank you so much for the quick answer !!! :D you killing it bro ;)
Very interesting and well done video, what brand is the double bass you play in the video? thank you
That is a Slap King from King Double Bass, but it has a custom paint job that a car painting shop and the pinstriper Von Leadfoot did for me years later. (King double bass no longer exists, but the Blast cult 145 is really similar)
@@robertrussell2717 thanks for the answer, very nice both aesthetically and sound, a greeting!
which string/pickup combination are you using?
That was Innovation Rockabilly Reds with k&k pickups.
Hi are you taking two inputs into the k&k box ,as normally you would just put one into the stereo input ? Loving the sound your getting , also what strings do you use please ?
paul hamid-holmes
I recombine them with this
EBS ICY-30 Insert Cable for use w the Billy Sheehan Signature Drive Pedal www.amazon.com/dp/B076LVM5PC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7vZXDbZ3663P0
And the strings are innovation rockabilly reds.
How are you powering the K&K on your board? Are you using a battery or did you have to rig an adapter to the battery compartment?
I added an adapter. There are TH-cam vids that show you how if you have not done it… or most folks that do that stuff don’t charge much to do it for you. I never trust batteries… plus I forget and leave stuff on. Gets expensive. :)
Same here with trusting batteries.
I love your setup... I'll eventually get mine done.
Thanks man!
It looks like you have very low action?
I heard so many people say high action is needed, but I can only make the slap work using low action.
Yeah, pretty low. To me It’s more comfortable and responds easier and quicker. There is some unwanted buzz though.
Since some psychobilly folks have faster, cleaner and more complicated chops than I ever will, they might be right to go with higher action? ...but yeah, me too. This is comfortable for what I do.
@@robertrussell2717 Thank you Robert! I really appreciate you taking the time to reply.
Are those limiters specialized for Upright bass or are other bass limiters useful . ( I've got boss limiters for electric bass)
I think any good bass limiter would work. I just like those. Boss should be fine.
Que marca es su contrabajo? Y donde lo compro
It is a SlapKing by King Double Bass. It was a manufacturer in Orange County California many years ago. I had it custom painted by an auto paint shop.
…Today it is very close to a 1,4,5 by Blast Cult.
What do you think about this pickup? How is the feedback resistance?
I’m wondering about getting this or the shadow system...
Ørjan Midthun Øye
I’ve never used the shadow, but people I trust say it’s great. Your money is well spent on any of them.
There are some things you can do to stop feedback if you have to crank your amp on a small stage and stand next to it.
If there is a pa, turn down and let the house make you loud. If there no PA, Try to EQ till feed back is less out of control... and if all else fails, I keep some mini nerf footballs around and wedge one between the tail piece and the body for the night. ;) -then you don’t have to constantly hug it with your knees.
Robert Russell Thank you!
Robert, do you have 2 Inputs on the K&K Bass Master Rockabilly Pickup? Mine only has 1 Stereo Input and. 2 Outputs...?
Peter.Stefan Rausch
Only one stereo input. I use a cable that changes them back to stereo jack. You can also use another box like the American looper splitter.
EBS ICY-30 Insert Cable for use w the Billy Sheehan Signature Drive Pedal www.amazon.com/dp/B076LVM5PC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3L89DbGRRQ1M6
Thanks mate
Wha is the power coupler called? I want to install one on my board to easily plug a n extension cord into it but cannot find one.
Miady 15 Amp Flanged Inlet 125V,... www.amazon.com/dp/B0825X3M7X?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
@@robertrussell2717 Thanks a bunch man!
@@hazystudios
Sure! Yeah, those are actually hard to search for.
@@robertrussell2717 The link really helped!😊
Can I get info on your bass? Looking into getting a rockabilly setup and I’m not sure if I need to spend the extra $$$ for an ebony fingerboard.
You can get something that does not have ebony. You will probably upgrade over time so, the first one can be whatever.
I even had one of those 500 dollar eBay ones… fake ebony, and thin wood… it was student grade, but if you set it up well, it’s sounds great because the wood is thin and it’s sort of clear and loud. (Feedback though… it’s just for practice, not four amplified performance) It was nice to have something to beat up and experiment on. I gave it to a friends kids after I ran out of room to keep so many. They do take up space.
The bass in the vid is a slap king by king double bass. (Has custom paint job) that company no longer exists, but you can get a blast cult 145… pretty much the same. They offer different options than an ebony board.
www.blastcult.co.uk/
For budget line stuff, FMI has options: (I have one of their rockabilly set up shen uprights too.)
gotofmi.com/
I’m sure it matters to some extent, (the exact wood type) but for rockabilly, close enough can work. It needs to go “thunk” and not wear down too fast. ;)
However, Check: …lemur, Upton, gollihur, …getting something you love, and believe is great, will make you like it, and like practicing more, imo. The cost will fade… the bass is forever. :)
@@robertrussell2717 thanks! I already have a jazz/classical upright so I’m looking to go extreme rockabilly with one. Maybe even weedwhackers. I appreciate the info. I’ve been looking at FMI and Gollihur. 😎
@@PaulKaraRoss
Oh, cool, sorry for over explaining then. 🤓
What kind of string you use?
Innovation
Robert, I am a beginner upright player. Are most Billy Rockers using 3/4 or full size basses?
I remember wondering the same thing when I started! ...I was used to seeing photos of my heroes, or even live shows, and their bass looked huge so I always thought they must have the elusive 4/4... I thought logically, that the 4/4 must be 25% larger... (spoiler it’s not, just a few inches larger here and there) so I really wondered what they had, that was nearly as tall as they were without even extending the end pin!?! Must be massive! Custom?!?
Nope...
So the truth is I’m just a foot taller than most of my heroes, and that is why I could not find a bass that fit me like theirs did. So yeah, Most players use 3/4 and it is pretty much the standard.
If you are new to upright, gollihur will be a light in the dark.
They have great advice on this... and most things really.
gollihurmusic.com/double-bass-sizing-faq/
@@robertrussell2717 Thanks I really appreciate it! I've played electric for like 35 years but this is all new.
@@robertrussell2717 Great info, all the dimensions of mine point toward 4/4, but I think I can live with it for now until I'm ready to upgrade. I wish it were smaller, this thing is kicking my ass and I'm a big dude.What's you recommendations on string hight and type of strings. Mine is strung with steel strings now...
@@randallmann8668
I used steel to record for many years... JHS solos, ... and the sustain is unmatched, but playability and slap speed is low though... and they make a ton of noise on the initial attack of the slap. Use ‘em, if you can nuance them to work, but I had a better time with innovation slaps, or roto-sound... easier to slap, ok sustain, not as good as steel sustain and tone, but nice on the hands/fingers with a soft attack and quick recovery in vibration... (especially if you don’t have magnetic pickups) ...there are lots of strings I never tried though... so good luck.
I do recommend staying away from weed watchers and other easily slapped yet zero sustain synthetics, especially strings that have a sort of dribbling a flat basketball response on the pull and slap of the lower notes.
As far as height... in my opinion, get them as low as you can before they buzz too much.... but this advice will vary from player to player... what’s right to me may not be right to you. Again... good luck. Lower slaps easier/faster but... the buzz and noise... I shim mine with washers, cause I feel like adjustable bridges decrease tone... (having a screw space with thin thumb screw instead of pure wood cut to fit) ...but yeah, once you find a height you love, perhaps go to a luthier and have them make you a bridge exactly that height.
Your (top) belly will crush or settle if it’s a new bass, so... be prepared to get bridge updates or start making your own... worth the cost to get them made in my opinion. :)
What strings are you using here? Are they gut, synthetic gut, or hybrids?
Innovation rockabilly reds.
I also use innovation silver slaps on 2 others.
@@robertrussell2717 I've been looking into getting the silver slaps for my DB, those rockabilly strings sound great!
These steel strings are too high tension for slap, and too rough on the fingers and fingerboard.
Thanks Robert!
@@robertrussell2717 Do you find the silver slaps pretty equal in tone and even volume across the strings as the rockabilly?
I've heard the RAB have an even tone and project well acoustically, I wondered if the SS were the same.
@@hazystudios the are ok for me… I’ve not used a lot of other strings so I don’t know what might be better. Rab? I used steels to record for a while… I tried the weed wacker types back when that was trendy, but the sustain was short and the e was unresponsive. (Like dribbling a flat basketball) …I did use roto sounds for a bit… the kind with the different wrap on the d and g… those were nice on my hands and and responded fast as well as rang long… I settled on silver soaps… or whatever color slaps, because the rotos can flake off their coating over time… might be a better string on the short term though… anyway, I’m set in my ways, so I’ve not used any newer strings lately.
@@robertrussell2717 I'm sorry I wrote RAB for short for the rockabilly strings.
I'm torn between them and the silver slaps.
I play between roots rock/rockabilly, classic country and bluegrass and need something I can slap as well as pluck well without tearing up my fingers or the fingerboard. I'm thinking either of these should have good sustain and sound pretty good acoustically for the times I need that.
Thank you so much!
OK, so maybe I missed it or just don't quite understand, but... You come in through the stereo input jack and it splits the signal. You take the bridge side through the Keeley pedal and then on into the K&K pre. The fingerboard signal goes through the rest of the chain. I'm with you so far. But where do the signals come back together to go into the K&K box?
lowendtheory2121
EBS ICY-30 Insert Cable for use w the Billy Sheehan Signature Drive Pedal www.amazon.com/dp/B076LVM5PC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_jWYTDbQCFQCDC
Gotcha. Thanks! As thorough and in-depth as everything was explained (thanks for that, BTW), I just wasn't sure if I had missed something or what...
lowendtheory2121
I totally should have mentioned that part. Glad you asked.
What pair of pickups do you use on your bass?
K&K …came with the mixer.
I'd love to know what strings you've got on that beautiful bass.
sherryandtherockafellas
Innovation rockabilly reds
@@robertrussell2717 Thank you!
I received a set of rockabilly reds and they look more orange. That's why I asked. I love these strings but I have to send them back.
sherryandtherockafellas
Yeah... they should change the name to rockabilly reddish oranges... 🤔
I thought the same thing when I got them.
Under stage lights they look fine... but I mostly leave that bass at home.
@@robertrussell2717 Is there a similar string that is red?
red Strings? link please!!!
www.innovationstrings.com/store/p2/Rockabilly_Red.html#/
But know this, they are kinda orange red. 🍊
Whats that song called that you played first
The intro song is from a record I did, the first thing I played on the bass is just a minor walk in A... so it’s any one of a thousand songs...
The cool classical line I played later is Hall of the Mountain King... (if that’s the one you meant)
@@robertrussell2717 ok thank you
What band do you play slap bass in?
th-cam.com/video/YNJTuu8fOvc/w-d-xo.html
So-Cal Rocket Dynamics
th-cam.com/video/ewnJpyo1jyk/w-d-xo.html
What is the pickup brand??
K & k
Can you share the pick up model ?
What kinda strings?
Those are innovation rockabilly reds.
(Be warned… they should be called orange red) :)
@@robertrussell2717 did you lower your action of your bridge to get a better slap angle?
@@jacobcarberry3339
When I started I made them very low. Like 4mm off the fingerboard. It was easier to slap, but the buzz/noise was high. Over time I raised them up with washers under the thumb screws, because I feel like the thin exposed screw weakens tone and tuning… though I’ve no scientific data to support that feeling… I just think a solid bridge cut and sanded to fit is better.
Anyway, Slapping gets easier, and I did not need them as low… and I stopped doing crazy triplet slap runs… I’m old now and keep it simple. (Ha)
@@robertrussell2717 awesome thanks
Dont use any of that.. Especially weedwakers! Never used a slap pick up.. Never will.. Never needed one.. Just hit hard enough and the sounds there!
Just so ya know… Those are not weedwackers… and also, I’m curious, what are you using as a pick up, eq and amp?
@@robertrussell2717 a schaller emg pick up with presto ultra light steel core strings...no feed back!.. And very loud.
Is it just me or does this dude sound just like Mark hoopus from blink 182