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bass guitar from “fortunate son” by creedence clearwater revival | ToneDB

fortunate son

creedence clearwater revival

bass guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The bass tone is punchy and warm, providing a solid foundation for the song. It has a slightly overdriven character that helps it cut through the mix without being overly aggressive.

Gear

Fender Precision Bassinstrument
ReverbSweetwater
Ampeg B-15amp
Reverb$85Sweetwater
Neumann U47microphone
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The Story

The bass on "Fortunate Son" was recorded using a Fender Precision Bass through an Ampeg B-15 tube amp, with a Neumann U47 microphone capturing the sound. The recording took place at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco with engineer Russ Gary. The warm, punchy tone comes from the tube saturation of the B-15 combined with the DI blend and the natural character of the P-Bass.

Production Credits

Producer: John Fogerty

Engineer: Russ Gary

Recorded at: Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Precision Bass

Amp: Ampeg B-15

Microphone: Neumann U47

Recreation Tips

  • Use a Fender Precision Bass with flatwound strings for a similar fundamental tone.
  • An Ampeg B-15 or similar tube amp with a 15-inch speaker will get you close to the original sound.
  • Experiment with microphone placement to find a balance between direct sound and room ambience.
  • If you don't have an Ampeg B-15, try an Ampeg SVT or a similar amp simulator plugin.

Original Gear

  • Fender Precision Bass(guitar)
  • Ampeg B-15(amp)
  • Neumann U47(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Squier Classic Vibe '60s Precision Bass$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Precision Bass

Budget-friendly P-Bass with split-coil pickup that delivers the fundamental warmth and punch needed for this CCR tone

ReverbSweetwater
Ampeg PF-50T Portaflex$800-$900

Alternative to: Ampeg B-15

Modern tube amp that captures the warm saturation and vintage Ampeg character of the original B-15

ReverbSweetwater
Plugin Alliance Ampeg SVT-VR$50-$100

Alternative to: Ampeg B-15

Authentic Ampeg tube modeling that recreates the warm overdrive and vintage character heard on the recording

ReverbSweetwater
Warm Audio WA-47$900-$1000

Alternative to: Neumann U47

Vintage-style tube condenser that captures the warm, full sound of the original U47 on bass cab recording

ReverbSweetwater
Radial Engineering JDI$150-$200

Alternative to: Direct Input blend

High-quality passive DI that provides the clean direct signal to blend with mic'd amp for added clarity and definition

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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