let's compare EQ settings
 

Just for something fun to do and see if we can get a good idea of what kind of tone we all target from our Smith basses, post what you set your knobs and switches to..

I usually run volume all the way up, active mode. Pickup fader is about 10:00, high eq about 11:00, mid eq about 9:00 and low at 1:00. neck pickup set to series and bridge set to parallel. Head EQ is set flat.

So, skewed in favor of the bridge pickup, but enough of the series mode neck pickup to get some of that sweet spot fatness into the tone. The EQ set to cut highs a little, cut mids a little more, and slightly boost the lows.

This gives me a warm and growly yet well defined fretless tone, with plenty of bottom end preserved.

Good info. I'd be interested in seeing the various EQ amp setups as well.

I've played out of an Eden Traveler Plus for a while now, and the parametric EQ setup possibilities intimidated me for a while. I came straight out of an era where you set your treble, bass and mid knobs on your amp with 15 - 18 inch speakers, and went to work!

Those days, looking back on them, were sonically ugly, and long gone.

Edens, etc....
 

Hey Ronson, those Eden Heads and Cabs are so dang efficient, you could virtually leave the settings set flat on those Amps and be oh-so-happy! I have the WT-800, WT-550, and WT-400. Edens are hard to beat, unless I go to my ultimate playing-out-rig (i.e. QSC PLX-3602 with Alembic F2-B Pre-amp)!!! :D ;)

As far as my setting on my Smiths....depending on which Smith I use....my typical setting would be Panning 100% to the front P/U (love that better-than-vintage tone!), volume ALWAYS maxed out, S/P Switches up, Bass, Midrange, and Treble virtually flat, unless I need a taste of any of the BMT (I find there is an incredible amount of tonal headroom here, so, adjustments (+/-) are minimal). ;)

If you're panned all the way to the neck pickup then only 1 switch matters!

I'll set mine up like this tonight and see how it sounds.

Volume: all the way
Pkups: middle of the road
High: 2 oclock
Mids: flat
Low: 2-3 oclock

Eden head: flaaaaaaat!

Now guys, keep me straight here: On all the knobs on the Smith, you're considering the indentation to be "12 o'clock" position, correct? :confused:

Yes...
 

Ronson, yes. Actually it is known as "center detent" position and that would obviously apply to the BMT settings only. ;)

The "notch" should be pointing straight up if you're looking at the face of the bass. Imagine looking at someone who is sitting down playing the bass. You're looking at the front of the bass, right side up, neck pointing to the right (3:00). The notch should be pointing at the ceiling, or 12:00 on a clock face.



As an aside, Ken, do you use different pots on lefty basses or do they operate on the same clockwise=up idea as the righty basses?

Thanks, Tim & Bob.

Incidentally, I'm also gettting used to having a "mid pot" as I have been a lifetime bass & treble pot guy. I've started off like Tim Pruitt: Mids, flat!

This one for me is easy. First of all I play/endorse Eden amplification. I use a WT550/WT400/WT1000 with ant combination of 210XST 4ohm/ dual 212XLT 4ohms and a 112XLT. My head are usually set flat.


My 5M tiger maple fretted has "no" extra switches just 3 band tone. I use it %95 of the time with the eq disengaged (by-passed). If I slap I do engage the eq with the mid control at about 2 O'clock. This adds just enough body to keep a slap tone fat.

My Fretless walnut 5M is also run with the eq by pass and no extra switches, just the stock tone controls. It is huge and growly with NO eq. so I don't use it. If I am doing more of a fusion thing I do run %75 bridge with a slight ( bass at about 1 o"clock and mids about 1:30-2 O'clock) for a little more growly gut to the bridge pickup. Ken was amazed when he built my fretless when I dod not opt for the extra switches. He asked on 4 occassions if I wanted them. He is a master in every way when it comes to this whole building thing. He asked what kind of tome I wanted and I told him I want it to sound like my tiger maple 5 but with a little darker sound. He said walnut is the way. I like lighter colored woods but I trusted him and the outcome still blows my mind.

Really.....
 

Dennis, just makin sure I am clear; when you say "eq by pass", you are saying that you play with the Smith in Passive Mode (i.e. volume knob pulled up)?

Yes that is what I am saying. I know Ken designed that circuit as an emergency by pass in the event that your battery dies and I believe the owners manual says to only use it for that. However, they are so perfectly built eq'ing isn't needed for me to get my tone.

Actually it just warns against frequent switching of the push/pull switch as they typically don't last for a great number of cycles. I'm pretty sure you can leave it in passive mode with no issues at all. Just so long as you're not popping in and out of passive mode 12 times a day.

Pot Strength..
 

The Volume Push/Pull Pots we use today ate way way stronger that the original ones we had back in 1979-1993. We worked hard to get these improvements made as we had to have the Pots custom built in the beginning and even paid tooling charges as these were not on the market to the specs we needed. The Pot we use now as before is still intended as a Pot and not a switch but we still keep that warning in the info to cover over use as a Toggle switch is still considered to be stronger for this purpose.

And I will do my best not to destroy mine. I promise... really I do. Passive sounds soooooo good.

I run my amp and basses totally flat as a rule. I have a simple set up where my basses give me the tone I want, my GK amps just make it louder and if there's any part of my bass I can't hear then I use the eq on my amps to compensate.

However occasionally I'll adjust the treble and bass onboard eq to compliment a specific style of music I'm playing (more bass and less treble for ska, more mids for slap) although within small limits because otherwise it can mean adjusting the gain controls on my mixer.

I sold my Eden WT800 because it didn't suit the Smiths very well but the WT800 and WT400 amps sound very different to me. The WT400 sounds louder and flatter.

So much depends on cabinetry used. Most run the 800 with a 410XLT... I HATE that cabinet. With the 212's I love my tone. The 210XST/112XLT gets it done real nice as well and is my main rock rig.

What???
 

Dennis, what is it about the 410XLT that you "HATE"?

The MIDS are WAY TOOOOOOO Agressive. I never had any luck eq'ing the mid bump out of the 410XLT. I guess they just aren't flat enough for me. My Smith's for the tone I want have enough mids to get it done... I feel as tho' the bump tho' it will help cut through a band is just a hair, a big hair too much. To try to eq the nature of the cabinet out just messes with sonic properties too much to be useful to me. Many friends.Eden endorsers love them. They just don't work for me. It's just my opinion but Eden makes plenty of cabinets I love.

David Eden Cabs and Heads
 

Honestly I never played through a matched Eden rig, I either found myself playing through someones Eden head or someones Eden cab, mostly 2-10 or 4-10. I cant say that I actually had that epiphany when it comes to the clarity surrounding the Eden brand. I do look forward to playing through a matched set Head as well as cab. It will be interesting to see if I'm persuaded to cross over from my Ampeg rig to Eden. :D