Recently I was tracking a session bass player who came up from Nashville and he was shocked that I wanted him to bring his bass amp. According to him he usually just shows up to sessions and they jack him into a sans amp and thats it.

I prefer the sound of the cabinet miked in the room (D6 &/or Fet47).

Just curious what you do for bass these days?

Also do you compress bass and if so do you do it on the way in or during mixdown?

-XJ

I totally agree
If I can record air on just about anything i like it better
so
I use a DI , usually one of three .. the EVil Twin i've had for 30 years , or the new Radial Firefly or my new most favorite , The Acme Audio Motown DI
I love this new DI
then a bass amp of choice, the B15 or B100R or SVT or even a guitar amp with FET 47 or a Blue Mouse
sometimes I need to use a Little Labs IBP (in between phase) putting the amp in better phase with the di)
and I also add a third track, some kind of distortion .. because i like distortion on bass

I very rarely compress going in

when I mix my very favorite Bass compressor is the Retro Sta Level
nothing compares
not even my modded Altecs
the Sta Level is THE BOMB for bass

Thanks Ross!

I have a Sta-Level as well and it stays glued (ha ha) to my bass bus on 90% of my mixes, unless I need it for a problematic vocal and then I swap it for my La-2a reissue.

One last question, do you have any favorite settings on the Sta-Level for bass? I find I like Double mode at the fastest or one click down from fast on the recovery time the best. I also find myslef hitting the Sta-Level a bit harder than I normally would the La-2a and it sounds great.

Thoughts?

XJ

STA LEVEL YES!!!!!!
you a smawt mahn ..

i actually use single mode and its either 1 or 2 cliks from fastest
and yes
the sta level can do loads of compression as far as the meter is concerned and you never really hear it or perceive it too much ...
and on bass
the extra lo end glue it gives is un matched

Have you guys had the chance to hear the 500 series Doublewide? Sounds similar to STA?

Doublewide is a great bang for the buck
not as huge as the sta level but how could it be
but it has many of the same great attributes and actually has its own sound
a bit more modern than the sta level
i like it very much

Do you usually distort the amp track or the DI or both?
Do you often run the Ampeg with some distortion too or you like it clean?
Thanks!

For the 3 tracks of Bass I presume you use the Retro STA-Level in parallel with those tracks or do you sum them into the STA-Level . Thanks !

I was going to ask the same thing as well. Do you let the DI clip?

while recording usually no compression
DI = no dustortion
amp= natural distortion
xtra track of distortion= distortion


mix
usually all 3 tracks blended into the sta level
sometimes a mult of a not compressed blend along with that