Dark Necessities (Red Hot Chili Peppers) bass tone and bass amp settings
Dark Necessities bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3: low gain (Gain 4.5), forward high-mids (High Mid 2), balanced lows (Bass 1), both pickups.
Settings for your amp
Dark Necessities settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3
Fender Rumble 40 V3 settings for every songAmpFender Rumble 40 V3
BassPassive P/J bass
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bright
- On
- Contour
- Off
- Vintage
- Off
- Overdrive
- Off
- Bass
- +1
- Low Mid
- +1
- High Mid
- +2
- Treble
- +1
- Master
- Set to your room
Passive P/J bass
- Neck Volume (P)
- 7.5
- Bridge Volume (J)
- 10
- Tone
- 8.5
Dark Necessities settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108 settings for every songAmpAmpeg Rocket Bass RB-108
BassPassive P/J bass
The same settings in text
Amp
- SGT
- Off
- Volume
- Set to your room
- Bass
- +1
- Midrange
- +1.5
- Treble
- +1
Passive P/J bass
- Neck Volume (P)
- 4
- Bridge Volume (J)
- 8
- Tone
- 8
Dark Necessities settings on any bass amp with Bass, Mid, Treble, Drive
Amp
BassPassive P/J bass
The same settings in text
Amp
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 5
- Drive
- 1
Passive P/J bass
- Neck Volume (P)
- 5
- Bridge Volume (J)
- 8
- Tone
- 7
Why it sounds like that
Flea's studio bass on The Getaway is his Shell Pink '61 Jazz Bass. He got it from a fan and used it to record Stadium Arcadium and The Getaway. It has been his primary studio instrument since 2006, and he has recorded every record on it since he got it. He does not play it that much in big stadiums because of its old pickups. His 2016 signature Jazz Bass from Fender is a precise recreation of it.
What bass did Flea use on Dark Necessities?
Flea
- Bass
- Shell Pink '61 Jazz Bass[1]
- Guitar World, reporting Fender's 2016 launch, says Flea's Shell Pink '61 Jazz Bass was used to record Stadium Arcadium and The Getaway. (on the album The Getaway)[1]
- Guitar World says the 1961 Shell Pink Fender Jazz Bass has been Flea's primary studio instrument since 2006. (in a later era)[2]
- Flea said he has recorded every record on that bass since he got it. (in a later era)[2]
- Flea said he does not play that bass much in big stadiums with the Chili Peppers, because of its old pickups. (in a later era)[2]
- Guitar World says Flea's 2016 signature bass from Fender is a precise recreation of the bass he found through Twitter. (in a later era)[2]
Questions
What bass did Flea use on Dark Necessities?
The sources on this page document Flea's gear on Dark Necessities by Red Hot Chili Peppers: bass, Shell Pink '61 Jazz Bass [1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Dark Necessities settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3?
For the Dark Necessities bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3, set Gain 4.5, Bright On, Bass +1, Low Mid +1, High Mid +2, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 7.5, Bridge Volume (J) 10, Tone 8.5. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Dark Necessities settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108?
For the Dark Necessities bass tone on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108, set Bass +1, Midrange +1.5, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 4, Bridge Volume (J) 8, Tone 8. Set Volume to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Dark Necessities tone on my own amp?
Yes. The settings above cover 2 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for Dark Necessities, using only the controls your gear has.
Get it for your exact rig
KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for this song.
Download KnobMaster on the App Store