TONEDB

bass guitar from “national anthem” by radiohead | ToneDB

national anthem

radiohead

bass guitar

90% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A heavily fuzzed-out, aggressive bass tone with a raw, almost synth-like texture, yet retaining a distinct percussive attack. It's thick, driving, and commands attention with its gritty sustain and slightly gated decay.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Precision Bass (likely a 1970s model or American Standard)

Amp: Ampeg SVT Classic Head with Ampeg SVT-810E Cabinet

Microphone: AKG D112 (on cabinet) and potentially a DI signal blended

Processing: Lovetone Big Cheese Fuzz Pedal

Other: The bass is played with a pick, contributing to the aggressive attack. The fuzz is the dominant characteristic of the tone. The Big Cheese pedal has various modes; the 'Cheese' (gated fuzz) mode is likely engaged.

Recording Notes

  • The fuzz effect is extremely prominent and defines the sound.
  • A simple, repetitive bass line allows the complex texture of the fuzz to be the main focus.
  • The tone has a significant amount of low-midrange punch and upper-harmonic distortion.
  • It's probable that a DI signal was recorded alongside the mic'd amplifier to allow for blending, ensuring low-end clarity while capturing the aggressive amp tone.
  • The performance is tight and driving, emphasizing the rhythmic nature of the part.

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Fender Precision Bass or a similar instrument with passive pickups, using fresh roundwound strings.
  • A Lovetone Big Cheese pedal is ideal. If unavailable, seek out clones like the JHS Cheese Ball, ThorpyFX The Fat General, or experiment with other aggressive fuzz pedals that offer gated fuzz sounds (e.g., ZVex Fuzz Factory on certain settings, or a Big Muff Pi with a noise gate after it).
  • Play with a pick, fairly aggressively, to bring out the attack and percussive nature of the fuzz.
  • Set the fuzz pedal for a high gain, saturated sound. Experiment with the tone/filter controls on the fuzz to match the bright, cutting character.
  • Use an Ampeg SVT or a similar high-headroom tube bass amp. If blending DI, ensure the fuzzed amp signal is dominant.
  • Consider slight compression after the fuzz if needed to even out dynamics, but the original sounds quite raw.
  • The 'gated' characteristic of the Big Cheese is key to the sharp decay and 'spitty' texture.

Sources