Amp Settings For Bass Guitar - A Complete Guide - Pro Sound HQ

14/09/2022 12:26 Amp Settings for Bass Guitar: A Complete Guide - Pro Sound HQ
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Amp Settings for Bass Guitar: A Complete Guide
To achieve the best possible tone with your bass, you will need to get the
perfect amp settings. In this guide, I’ll be going through what all the
controls do, how to adjust them to change the tone, some bass amp
settings examples, and common problems plus how to fix them.
At a Glance
Bass guitar amplifiers usually have a gain control which adjusts
distortion, and EQ or tone controls such as bass, mids and treble.
Increasing the bass will produce a heavier low-end, increasing the
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mids will provide more depth and increasing treble will improve the
clarity.
The Basic Controls

If you want your bass guitar to sound as good as possible, then you’ll
need to know exactly what each control on your amplifier actually does.
Let’s take a look at the most common controls and how adjusting them
will help to shape your bass guitar’s tone.
Bass
It goes without saying, this is probably the most important setting on
your bass amp. So bass amps need to crank the bass up? Well, not
exactly. Since bass amplifiers already are designed to amplify the low-
end frequencies produced by a bass guitar, the bass setting does not
always need to be turned up. Here’s what to do instead:
Increase the bass setting if the tone sound thin
Decrease the bass setting if the tone sounds too heavy or “boomy”
Mids
The mids setting controls the, you guessed it, mid-range frequencies.
You should avoid turning the mids too high, as this can start to interfere
with the sound of the guitars.
Generally, bass guitars provide the low-end frequencies, guitars provide

the mid-range frequencies, and the vocalist will provide the high-range
frequencies. This balance is what helps the band to sound cohesive, and
ensures that certain instruments don’t overpower the overall tone.
However, you may need to increase the mids setting if the tone sounds
too thin and weak. A higher mids setting will help to thicken the tone.
Some bass amps will have the mids setting split into two controls: low-
mids, and high-mids. Essentially, these allow you to control whether you
want to play emphasis on the bass or the treble. For a balanced setting,
you will usually require them both to be on midway.
Treble
The treble control on a bass amplifier controls the upper-range
frequencies. Here’s how it works:
High treble settings make the tone brighter, sharper and crisper. This allows distinct notes
to be heard more individually.
Low treble settings will make the tone warmer and more mellow. This makes different notes
to blend together more.
For songs where the bass is the focus and perhaps includes a bassline
riff which is more prominent than the guitar, you will likely need a higher
treble setting. This allows the sound of the bass guitar to cut through
more, rather than blend into the background. However, for most songs
where the bass is not a focus, the treble setting will be set low-medium.
EQ or Tone
On some amplifiers, the bass, mids and treble controls are combined
into a single control, usually called “EQ” or “tone”. This allows you to
shape the tone, causing it to sound sharper, or more mellow.
Turning the EQ/ tone control anti-clockwise to a lower setting will play more emphasis on
the bass and less on the treble.
Turning the EQ/ tone control clockwise to a higher setting will play more emphasis on the
treble and less on the bass.
Gain
Most bass amplifiers will also have a setting to control distortion, this is
usually termed either gain or drive. It is important to adjust this before
altering the volume, as the gain control feeds into the volume in an amp.
Here’s how to adjust it.
For a clean tone: set the gain control low, and the master volume control high.
For a gritty, overdriven tone: set the gain control low-medium and the master volume
control low.
For a distorted tone: set the gain control medium-high, and the master volume control low-
medium.
Getting your amp settings right is only half the battle. Make
sure you check out my complete guide to bass guitar controls
as well to get the most out of your rig.
Getting the Perfect Bass Amp Settings

Here is a step-by-step guide to setting your bass amplifier controls:
1. Make sure the tone and volume controls on your bass are set to maximum.
2. Turn the bass, mids and treble controls to midway.
3. Start with the gain control. Adjust this higher for more distortion, and lower for a cleaner
tone.
4. Adjust the volume control to the desired level.
5. Increase or decrease the treble depending on whether you want more or less definition,
respectively.
6. Increase or decrease the bass depending on whether you want a heavier, fuller sound, or
thinner tone.
7. Adjust the mids control. Increase it to provide more depth, and decrease it if it becomes
overbearing.
8. Add any effects e.g. reverb.
Remember to only adjust one control at a time, and listen carefully for
the change. This will really help to dial in the perfect tone.
Bass Amp Settings Examples

Here are some example bass setting controls to try. Remember that they
will sound different depending on what amp and bass guitar you’re using.
So try the steps above for a more refined approach, or skip ahead to the
common problems section if you need to make any adjustments.
Bass Settings for Rock

Bass: 7
Mids: 4
Treble: 5
Gain: 5
Bass Settings for Metal

Bass: 7
Mids: 4
Treble: 4
Gain: 7
Bass Settings for Blues

Bass: 5
Mids: 5
Treble: 6
Gain: 3
Bass Settings for Clean Tone (Warm)

Bass: 7
Mids: 5
Treble: 4
Gain: 1
Bass Settings for Clean Tone (Bright)

Bass: 4
Mids: 5
Treble: 7
Gain: 1
Common Problems
If you’re having some trouble setting up your bass amp, you may be
running into one of the following problems. Here’s what to do.
Muddy Tone
This is often due to over-emphasis on the low-end or gain. Here’s what to
change.
Decrease the bass
Decrease the gain
Increase the treble
Remember, only make one adjustment at a time and listen for a change.
This will make it far easier to pinpoint the problem.
Overpowering Tone
This can be an issue if you don’t want to annoy your band’s guitarist!
Here’s what to change.
Decrease the mids
Decrease the treble
Decrease the gain
Considering increasing the bass if your tone lacks depth after the above changes
Lack of Depth
This can be an annoying problem if you are playing a song which focuses
on the bass riff. Here’s how to fix it.
Increase the mids
Increase the gain
Can You Use an Electric Guitar Amp and Bass Guitar

Together?
A lot of players who want to play bass and the electric guitar often
wonder if they can use their bass guitar through an electric guitar
amplifier.
It is possible to use a solid-state electric guitar amp for bass guitar,

but only at low volumes and using passive pickups to avoid damaging
the speaker. Valve (tube) amps designed for electric guitars should
not be used with a bass guitar because they are more prone to
damage.
Take a look at my complete guide to a bass guitar’s controls to

learn how to get the best from your bass.
Heather
Hey, I'm Heather. I started playing an electric guitar when I was given a
Squier Strat for my birthday around 15 years ago. I now own an acoustic
guitar and several electric guitars including my personal favourite, a PRS
SE Custom 24.
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Hey, welcome Pro Sound HQ. I created this website to share everything
I've learnt over the past 15 years of playing guitar. You'll find amp
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specific issues. Thanks for visiting!
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14/09/2022 12:26 Amp Settings for Bass Guitar: A Complete Guide - Pro Sound HQ

Amp Settings for Bass Guitar: A Complete Guide

The Basic Controls

Generally, bass guitars provide the low-end frequencies, guitars provide

Getting the Perfect Bass Amp Settings

Bass Amp Settings Examples

Bass Settings for Rock

Bass Settings for Metal

Bass Settings for Blues

Bass Settings for Clean Tone (Warm)

Bass Settings for Clean Tone (Bright)

Can You Use an Electric Guitar Amp and Bass Guitar

It is possible to use a solid-state electric guitar amp for bass guitar,

Take a look at my complete guide to a bass guitar’s controls to

Dog Ear vs Soapbar P90 Pickups: Is There a Difference?

Gibson 498T vs 500T: Bridge Pickup Comparison

DISCLAIMER & DISCLOSURE

Prosoundhq.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates

© 2022 Copyright Pro Sound HQ

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