Your Favorite tone setting...

[Jason Keene]

Hello all! Just joined the KSB club a few days ago with a stunning Black Tiger 5 string. My question as a newbie-do you have a favorite setting for your tone? I know every player is different, and every bass is unique etc.-but with such a large choice of tonal variations on this bass I wonder if some of you have particular settings you could share.

For example, this sounded pretty jazzy to me so far:

Balance slightly towards the rear PU
toggles both down
1/4 turn +bass
1/8 turn +treble
flat mid

something like that....

I would love to hear some of your insights, and what styles they work well for. Thanks!
Here's a pic from Ken before she was stringed...

[Anton Hasias]

Hi Jason and Welcome here.

Unless you are playing directly to the line mix board,( then maybe the bass controls are the only to take in consideration), I really think that the overall bass tone for a player is a sum of several things like: bass type, strings, cables, amplifiers, boxes, effects and of course playing technique.

In this case it's rather difficult to have a sound formula or a sound refference only with the position of the bass' controls.

Best regards

[Jason Keene]

Originally Posted by Anton Hasias

Hi Jason and Welcome here.

Unless you are playing directly to the line mix board,( then maybe the bass controls are the only to take in consideration), I really think that the overall bass tone for a player is a sum of several things like: bass type, strings, cables, amplifiers, boxes, effects and of course playing technique.

In this case it's rather difficult to have a sound formula or a sound refference only with the position of the bass' controls.

Best regards

I agree, sort of. But when I first picked up my KSB I was shown various settings that produced entirely different sounds with fairly specific identities. Panned all the way to the back PU with the bass turned up and the midrange pumped a bit gave it a "Jaco" sound.

Both toggle switches up gave the bass more of a fender precision sound, especially with the treble turned down a bit.

I run my GK 700 straight up pretty much, but even through other amps the basic tone of the bass comes through.

Maybe it is kind of a plebeian question, but my last bass was a 1977 Music Man Stingray with a volume control and treble/Bass. Not much choice-although it sounds great. My friend Trevor showed me how he likes to set his KSB tone controls-it was pretty interesting. I also wondered if anyone fools around with one toggle up, the other down etc.

So I guess the better way to phrase this newbie question is:
Do you have an unusual setting you use to give your KSB a "Unique" tone?
If nobody answers I will move on...

[Tim Bishop]

Any response you would get would be subjective at best: Way to many variables. You really need to experiment and dial-in the tone that works for you. The Smith circuit is not a complicated one and with the right bass and amplification set-up, you should be able to achieve the tone that not only defines a Smith but settles into the mix as it should.

[Bob Faulkner]

I run my amp flat, and control tone entirely from my Smith.

I run bass boosted (about 2 o'clock),
Mids flat to slightly cut,
Treble boosted slightly (about 1 o'clock)
pickup balance slightly favoring bridge, (about 11 o'clock)
and vary between both pickups in parallel, or neck pickup in series.

All in all, you and I arrived at about the same settings.

[Jason Keene]

Originally Posted by Bob Faulkner

I run my amp flat, and control tone entirely from my Smith.

I run bass boosted (about 2 o'clock),
Mids flat to slightly cut,
Treble boosted slightly (about 1 o'clock)
pickup balance slightly favoring bridge, (about 11 o'clock)
and vary between both pickups in parallel, or neck pickup in series.

All in all, you and I arrived at about the same settings.

First actual band rehearsal with the KSB today-the guys loved the way it sounds! I love the extra boost you get by running both PU's in parallel-Classic older sound only more present.
We do a variety of modern jazz through older 40's & 50's material, the versatility is great.
Thanks for responding!

[Michael Wilson]

I run everything flat, with a touch of bass boost. My sound guy loves me to death.

Mike

[frederic vidal]

Sorry for my question but...my luthier instaled a new 3 pot circuit and i'm not sure of the position of pots.

Is anybody can say to me what the exact position of these pots ? i mean the white line of pot...

Sorry for my very bad english

[Amit Shtriker]

My favorite tone position - flat. sometimes when I use only the neck pickup and need more bottom - a slight bass boost.