BassCleanClean
Soul To Squeeze Bass Tone Settings — Red Hot Chile Peppers
Red Hot Chile Peppers · 1990s · funk
studio
Original Recording
A reconstruction of the bass tone. Gear attributions and estimated settings are explained in the research notes below.
Bass
Music Man StingRay (4-string, early 1990s, likely with maple fretboard)
Pickups
Single humbucker (bridge position, active electronics)
Amp
Gallien-Krueger 800RB (studio era), possible Ampeg SVT for live
Pickup Position
Single bridge humbucker (Music Man StingRay, 100% bridge)
Studio recording, 1992-1993 (Blood Sugar Sex Magik/Soul To Squeeze sessions); likely DI + amp blend, as was RHCP studio practice in this era.
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.
Mids5.5
Bass6
Gain0
Treble5.5
Presence4.5
compression4.5
Effects Chain
- MXR Dyna Comp · compression
Music Man StingRay (active) → MXR Dyna Comp (always on) → Gallien-Krueger 800RB (studio amp) → DI and amp-mic blend
Tone Matcher
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Tone Character
- clear and articulate
- deep but not boomy low end
- slightly scooped mids
- bright, percussive attack
- tight, controlled dynamics
- modern, hi-fi clarity
- subtle compression for evenness
- no audible drive or grit
- fast transient response
Playing Technique
- fingerstyle
Sources
Tone Story / Why This Tone Works
studio