Fieldy (KORN) Bass Effect DIY?

[mydementia]

Anyone have any recommendations on a DIY bass effect that will give that weird clicky-grinding sound Fieldy from Korn gets?  A quick internet search turns up the Ibanez PD7 Phat Hed.  I assume it's a combo of slap-bass, filtering, and a bit of distiortion...
Any thoughts?

Thanks.
Mike

[Bernardduur]

I thought it had something to do with EQ; around some EQ band that sound just emerges.

[Rodgre]

oh and disconnect all but the tweeter in your bass amp.



Roger

[tommy.genes]

I've read that a big part of Fieldy's sound is the action on his bass. His strings are set rreeeaaalllly low - most guys would probably consider it unplayable. He obviously gets a lot of string/fret noise that way, which gives the clicky-grinding sound of which you speak.

I've read debates about the "Fieldy" sound on other bass-related forums. Alot of guys think it doesn't even sound like a bass, and I tend to agree, but at the same time, when you are a bass player in a band with two detuned seven-string guitars playing through Marshall stacks (or at least models of Marshall stacks), it's got to be pretty hard to carve out your own sonic space.

-- T. G. --

[Jaicen_solo]

Actually, i've always thought that it was just the strings of his bass mic'd up while he's playing. You get that scratchy clicking sound a lot, especially if played with a pick.

[DavidS]

I read years ago that he uses a 31-band graphic eq with the mids scooped out mercilessly, highs and deep lows boosted. Personally, I think it sounds pretty crappy.

[Gladmarr]

I'm still bitter that KORN made the price of 7-string guitars go up when they first hit the scene.  I wanted a second one so badly, but they all got ungodly expensive.  However, I was singing their praises 5 years later when I sold my 7-string guitar for 1-1/2 times what I paid for it 8 years earlier.

As for the bass sound, it's probably more the action than an effect.  I bet EQ has a lot to do with it as well, but basses get really clicky and buzzy when the action is set low.  Also, if he's playing super clean into a DI box or something, that'd make the sound more pronounced.

[freak scene]

Personally, I think it sounds pretty crappy.

it helps if you are using rubber bands wrapped in tin foil for strings though.

[lowstar]

the sound of the bass he plays has a lot to do with the result, its a bolt-on wenge-bubinga-wenge-bubinga-wenge neck on a padouk-mahogany-padouk body, with two active humbuckers. it gives very dry mids (i can´t find a better description).
no, i´m not a fieldy or korn fan, but he modelled his signature bass after the ibanez sr series 12xx from the early 90ies, and i happen to own the six-string-version of this early bass, so i know pretty well how it sounds.
add to the recipe lots of compression, maybe a touch of grit, some mid-scoop (but not too much, the bass is pretty dry by itself) and some room-reverb.
i think korg nailed the sound pretty well in their pandora´s box...
cheers,
lowstar