How do they get that sound? Question Answered!

As many of us bassists know, the grinding edged tone that have come from many greats such as Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, John Entwistle, John Wetton, and even Greg Lake have touch our ears in many ways that most people couldn't understand. Even I had fallen for this awesome tone when I first began playing bass, Geddy Lee was my main driving force when I first began playing bass. The real deal here though is that many people try to replicate this sound with no luck. I will now reveal to you the secret of unlocking the famous Prog Bass Tone that has paved the way for many bassists like myself. 

First lets address the type of instrument needed to get that sound. Many Geddy/Chris fans going for their sound usually grab a Rickenbacker 4001/4003, but it can also be done on a Fender Jazz Bass or a similar bass with two single coil pickups. Stainless steel strings set with very low action to the point of slight fret buzz on the lower frets is essential to get this sound, it creates the grind.

Once that has been established, next is the effects chain. I usually have a BOSS Bass Chorus pedal then a Bass Overdrive pedal in front of my amp. The chorus adds richness to the upper harmonics in tone giving it almost a piano-like quality. My knobs on it are set as followed: E.Level - Max, Low Filter - 100% Cut, Rate - 10:00, Depth - 10:00. The Low Filter is awesome because you can keep your fundamental frequencies unaffected by the chorus and only your upper harmonics are affected. 

Next is the overdrive, it gives you the extra edge you need to create this sound. Controls are setup as followed: Level - 12:00, EQ - (Bass - 1:00, Treble - 12:00), Balance - 100% OD, Gain - 9:00. The overdrive pedal sounds amazing, but I always add a little bass on it's EQ to compensate for the natural compression of the signal during the clipping process. 

Next up, the amp and speakers! Now this is where it gets tricky, because this will ultimately be the hit or miss of this tone. In order to get this sound, you will need a tube amp or a Tech21 Sansamp in front of your solid state rig. Whichever setup you use, always try to keep the gain clean; your grind and edge will be switchable this way with the overdrive pedal. Keep your EQ set flat, but I would completely roll off the presence as it makes the tone to brittle and thin. If you have a graphic EQ on your amp, completely roll off any frequency above 3.5 kHz and boost around 2 kHz range at least 6 dB. Anything higher than 3.5 kHz will make the tone sound brittle and fizzy and 2 kHz brings out the brightness of the tone. Add as much bass to suit your needs. 

The speakers! Well, I get my sound from 1 - 18" Carvin Bass Subwoofer. It has an frequency range of 30Hz - 2kHz. I prefer this range because I usually don't like anything higher than 2 kHz, but up to 3.5 kHz will still be good. Just remember to EQ your amp properly otherwise you may end up with a fizz factory or a giant mud puddle. 

Here's my setup chain for this tone:

SX Jazz Bass/Cort Action V Bass > BOSS Bass Chorus > BOSS Bass Overdrive > Carvin BX500 > Carvin 1x18 Subwoofer.

My Prog Bass Tone setup. First without the pedals, then with the pedals.