bass guitar from “lateralus” by tool | ToneDB
lateralus
tool
bass guitar
AI generatedv1.0
Tone Profile
A clean, articulate, and slightly aggressive bass tone with a focus on clarity and punch. It blends a direct, modern sound with subtle grit and warmth.
Gear
- Wal Bassinstrument
- Reverb$1199Sweetwater
- Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400amp
- Reverb$3200Sweetwater
- SansAmp PSA-1processing
- Reverb$337Sweetwater
- Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DIprocessing
- ReverbSweetwater
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The Story
Justin Chancellor's bass tone on "Lateralus" was built around his signature Wal bass, which provides the foundation for his distinctive clear and articulate sound. The signal chain included a Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400 power amp and Tech 21 SansAmp PSA-1 preamp, with the SansAmp Bass Driver DI used for additional tone shaping and direct signal blending. This combination of high-end active bass electronics, solid-state power, and SansAmp saturation creates the modern, punchy tone with subtle grit that defines the track.
Production Credits
Producer: David Bottrill
Engineer: Unknown
Recorded at: Unknown
Signal Chain
Instrument: Wal Bass
Amp: Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400
Processing: SansAmp PSA-1, Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI
Recreation Tips
- Start with a high-quality bass guitar with active electronics to capture the clarity and articulation.
- Use a Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400 or similar amplifier known for its clean and powerful output.
- Experiment with a SansAmp PSA-1 or Bass Driver DI to add the desired amount of saturation and drive.
- Blend the direct signal with the amp signal for a balanced tone.
Original Gear
- Wal Bass(guitar)
- Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400(amp)
- SansAmp PSA-1(pedal)
- Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI(pedal)
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Wal Bass
Active electronics and similar tonal clarity to Wal basses, with the growl and articulation needed for Chancellor's tone
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400
Modern Mesa bass amp head with the same clean power and headroom as the Strategy 400
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: SansAmp PSA-1
Rackmount SansAmp preamp that provides similar tube amp simulation and drive characteristics
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: SansAmp Bass Driver DI
Updated version of the exact pedal used, providing the same DI capabilities and tone shaping
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Wal Bass
More affordable option with active EMG pickups that deliver similar punch and clarity
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: SansAmp PSA-1
Modern bass amp simulation plugin that can recreate SansAmp-style saturation and amp modeling
ReverbSweetwaterFrequently Asked Questions
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