BassCleanClean
Safari Song Bass Tone Settings — Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet · 2010s+ · rock
studio
Tone Reconstruction
A clean Safari Song bass reconstruction. Sam Kiszka’s 2021 touring gear belongs to a later period; it does not verify every device used on the earlier recording.
Bass
Fender Precision Bass (likely Mexican Standard, passive)
Pickups
Split single-coil Precision pickup
Amp
Sunn 2000S head into Sunn 2x15 cab (studio), possibly Fender Bassman 810 Neo live
Pickup Position
Neck pickup only (Precision split-coil, standard wiring)
Amp Settings
Suggested starting points on a 0–10 scale, not documented studio knob positions. Match to your gear for controls specific to your setup.
Mids6
Bass5.5
Gain0
Treble5.5
Presence5
compression4
Effects Chain
Fender Precision Bass → Sunn 2000S head → Sunn 2x15 cab (mic'd), possibly blended with DI; no pedals or preamp boxes used.
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Tone Character
- deep and thumpy
- punchy low end
- clear note definition
- slight vintage warmth
- aggressive attack
- full-bodied
- uncluttered mids
- no grit or drive
- classic rock presence
Playing Technique
Practical suggestions for this bass line reconstruction; difficulty reflects the exercise, not an official transcription.
- Keep the bass attack consistent · difficulty 3/5Match repeated notes by hand so the clean line stays present beneath changing guitar dynamics.
- Listen for the kick relationship · difficulty 3/5Practice a short section with the drum pulse and make the main bass accents agree with it.
- Mute at the chord change · difficulty 3/5Stop the previous root before beginning the next phrase, keeping the harmonic movement clear.
- Leave room around upper fills · difficulty 2/5Keep any connecting bass gesture brief so the guitar and vocal remain distinct above it.
Sources
Tone Story / Why This Tone Works
- Bass beneath a classic-rock guitar voiceSafari Song needs a clear low-register foundation under Greta Van Fleet’s prominent vocal and guitar.
- Sam Kiszka’s distinct roleThe band’s rig tour separates Sam’s bass setup from Jake’s guitar equipment. Preserve that distinction in the reconstruction.
- Warmth with enough attackA rounded clean sound can still speak through the arrangement when the note’s first instant remains defined.
- Let the rhythm section supply the sizeStable bass note lengths support the drums without requiring excessive sub-bass or a guitar-like distorted layer.
Story sources
- Rig Rundown: Greta Van Fleet [2021] - Premier GuitarLater Sam Kiszka live-rig context only; earlier Safari Song studio equipment is not established.