There are certain songs (which most of you don't likely listen to) that has this real rich, deep, and smooth bass that I cannot for the life of me figure out how to achieve. Any bass effect tips? Or just a suggestion for a good bass like this? I am looking to buy my own bass, and I want to be able to get this kind of sound.

Post a clip

Alright.

I've never done this particular style of music, but that darn bass tone just sounds so insanely smooth, instead of chunky like a lot of basses.

Sounds fretless to me. But I'm not sure. I have a better ear for guitar sounds, and not bass sounds.

For effects "tips," the best tip I can give you is, when recording, always mic your bass amp, and record the amp AND the bass direct through a DI and use both tracks when mixing - chances are you won't even have to EQ, and if done right, it gives one hell of a bass sound.

For now, my bass "amp" is a Bass PODxt, and I mix the processed output with a DI signal. Bonus.

I actually have a bass DI box with an Aural Exciter that sounds a thousand times better plugged directly into a sound system than it does on my bass amp. But still nothing like that.

I'm going to see if I can find out what kind of bass that was. I doubt I'll be able to find out what kind of effects were used on it.

[edit: Bah, band has no equipment page.]

Lots of compression is usually an essential effect on bass to get that long sustain and smooth attack. Overdriven tape is often used to warm up the low end as well.

I've played some basses with some almost rediculous amounts of sustain by themselves.

So have I, a 5-string MusicMan bass. It kicked ***.

But we're not talking about good basses here.

yeah, since I've been focusing alot on bass lately..... I just thought I'd pop in here and tell you that the best active bassist is Matt Freeman (Operation Ivy, Rancid, and the Transplants [horrible band[ )

So, I found out that the bass used was some older model Fender Jazz bass. I e-mailed the band, their bass player actually e-mailed me back in about a day. But their current bass player isn't the same as the one in clip I posted, which was from 1996, so he didn't know anything about the effects used.