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In order to fully understand the scope behind the Bassbone feature set,
one must understand the challenges that bass players face. As the saying
goes: “necessity is the mother of invention” and Bassbone
delivers solutions to needs that are at once real and relevant.
Today, with the collision of so many musical genres, the performing bassist
generally requires two instruments to meet the demand for tonal range.
The choice of instruments will often include a passive vintage instrument
like an old Fender P-Bass and a new generation five or six string active.
Both instruments are at extreme odds with respect to tonal range and output
level. The problem occurs when swapping instruments on stage; this necessitates
new amplifier settings to conform with each instrument’s particular
sound. So how do bassists address the problem? They don’t. They
have been forced to compromise. Until now…
The Radial Bassbone solves the problem by providing an individual channel
for each instrument combined with a powerful EQ section that lets you
override the amp’s control settings, allowing you to dial-in the
perfect sound for your instrument.
When performing with one bass, the challenge comes down to achieving a
greater palette of sounds to address the various musical styles required
when playing covers or creating new musical landscapes. This is partially
addressed with two channel amplifiers, but playing with one bass still
forces a compromise with respect to EQ control and limited access to boost
settings for soloing - Bassbone solves both problems.
When only one bass is connected, the Bassbone converts to a two-channel
controller with a foot-switch to toggle between channels. Channel-1 drives
your amp directly with regular settings while Channel-2's ultra powerful
3-band EQ lets you shape alternate sounds from thunderous deep bass to
solo-cutting power mids. Bassbone also includes a power boost section
that acts on either channel, giving you four completely different settings
with one bass! Finally – real control when you play!
Another major concern for bass players is bringing effect pedals in and
out of the signal chain. Bass frequencies are the most powerful and demanding
of any signal path. This is why bass amplifiers generally require two
to four times more power than the accompanying guitar amplifier. The same
law of physics also applies at the electronic circuit level. This forces
circuit designers to make decisions such as compromising dynamic range
versus noise, using higher quality parts versus saving money and so on.
The problem with most 9-Volt effect pedals is that they do not have sufficient
power handling to produce clean, solid bass. As these are typically not
true-bypass designs, bass players are forced to compromise by keeping
these effects in the signal chain even when not in use. This causes the
signal to degrade and adds noise.
Bassbone comes to the rescue with a separate effect send-and-receive loop
that can be activated with a simple foot switch. The effects loop can
even be combined with the boost circuit, so cool effects such as flanging
or chorus can be instantly kicked in for solos.
When performing in small ‘coffeehouse’ gigs, bringing an amplifier
may be cumbersome. The bass is often plugged into a direct box and then
fed directly into a mixer which feeds the house speakers and stage monitors.
Although this set up can get you by, it just does not sound right. The
problem is the mixer’s EQ center frequencies are tailored for general
purpose (ie microphones for voice, percussion and instruments) and as
such, the bass player is unable to achieve a ‘real’ bass sound.
Bassbone gives back control.
The Bassbone is essentially a 2-channel bass pre-amp with a built-in balanced
XLR output for the mixer. This means that the EQ controls have been designed
specifically for bass guitar frequencies so that you can get great sounds
easily. This also means that you can connect the Bassbone to your mixer
and have total control over your sound going through the PA. Because the
XLR out is post-effect, all changes such as channel selection, EQ, boost
and effects are all sent to the mixer. It’s like having your own
personal sound engineer!
Just like effects pedals, tuners can cause havoc, robbing your sound of
dynamics and tone, even though one cannot argue the tremendous benefits
of having a tuner plugged for on-the-fly adjustments. Until Bassbone,
you were either in tune or being tuned out!
The Bassbone’s 'always on' tuner output has been optimized to accentuate
the fundamental frequency. This reduces 'needle wobble’ making tuning
faster and easier. For silent tuning, the Bassbone’s power booster
can also be set to zero to act like a mute. This way, with a single foot
action, the main output can be turned off while tuning.
Whether you are playing in the studio or performing live, being in total
control of your instrument is a critical factor in achieving a better
performance. Bassbone was developed to address the real needs of bass
players and to provide them with a tool that is at once flexible and practical,
while opening the door to a greater array of sounds and textures. Ultimately,
the Bassbone helps to spur the creative process of making music.
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