Try a little EQ boost @ 200 Hz. or so.

Actually, you should be able to get a fine tone through what you have. A lot of the great bassists tones come from their playing style..

Well my circumstance is different but here goes. Kurt is right about the importance of a good player and his instrument. My best bass tracks always came about with those players an SSL, Neve 1073, or API mic pre. Usually the mic is a 421 or RE-20and the DI is usually a Countryman. I print it flat with a hefty amount of compression on the DI provided by either an 1176 or dbx 160. When mixing I use either my Moog Parametric a Pultec, or an API 560. For a smoother sound I might use an Avalon for EQ. Often I bus the bass to an 1176 and then depress all the ratio buttons at once while ignoring the meters.

Hope this gives you some ideas to pursue.

oops I forgot the ultimate secret weapon so keep it on the DL...

I stick a big ass transformer between the Pro Tools output and the console line in. Very fat and phat!

Bass sound

If you are recording onto a computer and using a directx compatible software, there is a very cool plugin called Izotope Trash, has some wonderful effects, not only for bass but guitars too. You can get a demo at http://www.izotope.com
Sharmon

try this plug if you want it cheap (free), I like it on bass:
http://www.kvr-vst.com/get/537.html

cheers,
Bob

bane wrote: I'm using a Tascam US-122 with an old Ibanez bass. I've been running the bass through a Hughes and Kettner Tubeman 2 preamp and then into my US-122. I realize that the gear is waaaay cheap, but is there anything that I can do to give the bass a thicker tone (the cheapest way possible)?

Thanks.

The cheapest way possible...?

Yes boosting around 120 hz to 300 hz will improve the body.
How about try NOTCHING ( subtracting ) frequencies around 600 hz to 2 khz.... maybe roll off a bit of the top.
The three-way E.Q on the Hughes may do it.

Unfortunately the US-122 won't do the Hughes and Kettner Tubeman 2 preamp very much justice.Have you got it set to line level input?
You really need some Class-A gear to get a real full bottom end.
All that Big Mac stuff is pretty cheesy mass-produced imagery ....nice to look at.
Two channels of Sebatron VMP in series with ' deep ' activation would do it for sure ..... but hey..... :oops:

Try and avoid too much circuitry ,,, cut some tops ,,, let your bass strings age a bit with sweat.
That's a cheap way. :shock: