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Tom Sawyer Bass Tone Settings — Rush
Rush · 1980s · Progressive rock / Hard rock
Original Recording
Bass
1972 Fender Jazz Bass
Pickups
Jazz Bass pickups (bridge and neck)
Amp
Bi‑amped rig including Ashly SC‑40s (studio era) and SansAmp preamp; live rig later evolved to include Orange tube amp and SansAmp
Pickup Position
bridge
Geddy switched from Rickenbacker 4001 to a Fender Jazz Bass for the recording of “Tom Sawyer” on Moving Pictures; tone achieved via a combination of clean and distorted channels using SansAmp, DI, and amp simulation
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass5
Gain0
Treble7
Presence6
compression4
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Tone Character
- bright
- punchy
- cutting attack
- crunchy/distorted edge
Playing Technique
- fingerstyle
Notes & Caveats
- Settings derived from 75% AI knowledge and 25% web research. Geddy Lee's tone on 'Tom Sawyer' is known for its clarity and punch, achieved with a clean yet slightly warm setting. His use of fingerstyle technique and a Rickenbacker bass contribute to the mid-forward, bright sound typical of progressive rock.
Sources
- Tom Sawyer (song) – Wikipedia
- Moving Pictures (Rush album) – Wikipedia
- Which bass does Geddy Lee use for each song on Moving Pictures? – Room34 blog
- Geddy Lee`s Bass Tone (Settings, EQ, Technique, Strings) – BassOx
- Rush's Geddy Lee and his Pro Tools bass setup – LoopInsight
- What kind of distortion should I use to get a Geddy Lee type sound – Reddit