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Where Is My Mind? (Pixies) bass tone and bass amp settings

Where Is My Mind? bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3: low gain (Gain 4.5), balanced lows (Bass 1), even low-mids (Low Mid 1), neck P pickup.

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

Where Is My Mind? settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3

Fender Rumble 40 V3 settings for every song

AmpFender Rumble 40 V3

Gain4.5Keep the signal clean and retain the picked attack.
BrightOff
ContourOff
VintageOff
OverdriveOff
Bass+1
Low Mid+1
High Mid+1
Treble0
Set to your roomMaster

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)8.5Favor the round, punchy neck pickup for the bass foundation.
Bridge Volume (J)4.5Blend in definition without making the tone too thin.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
4.5
Bright
Off
Contour
Off
Vintage
Off
Overdrive
Off
Bass
+1
Low Mid
+1
High Mid
+1
Treble
0
Master
Set to your room

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
8.5
Bridge Volume (J)
4.5
Tone
8

Where Is My Mind? settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108

Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108 settings for every song

AmpAmpeg Rocket Bass RB-108

SGTOff
Set to your roomVolume
Bass+1
Midrange+1
Treble+1

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)10Full P pickup for a rounded, punchy foundation
Bridge Volume (J)5Blend in definition without making the tone too thin
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

SGT
Off
Volume
Set to your room
Bass
+1
Midrange
+1
Treble
+1

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
10
Bridge Volume (J)
5
Tone
7

Where Is My Mind? settings on any bass amp with Bass, Mid, Treble, Drive

Amp

Bass5
Mid6
Treble6
Drive2

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)8Keeps the bass full and punchy.
Bridge Volume (J)4Adds definition without thinning the blend.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Bass
5
Mid
6
Treble
6
Drive
2

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
8
Bridge Volume (J)
4
Tone
8
The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

Kim Deal's bass on Surfer Rosa was an Aria Pro II Cardinal Series, borrowed from her sister Kelley, and she usually brought a Peavey Combo 300 to recording. She ran a DI alongside the miked combo, so the sound had something thin and something thick. She played with a pick because she already played guitar that way, and Steve Albini issued metal plectrums for an extra punk edge.

  • Play the bass with a pick, as Kim Deal did with the Pixies.
  • Run a DI alongside a miked combo so you get something thin and something thick.

What amp did Kim Deal use on Where Is My Mind??

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Kim Deal

Bass
Aria Pro II Cardinal Series[2]
Amp
Peavey Combo 300[2]
  • Long Live Vinyl credits Kim Deal with the basslines on Gigantic. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[1]
  • Kim Deal played an Aria Pro II Cardinal Series, borrowed from her sister Kelley, through a Peavey Combo 300. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[2]
  • The Aria bass can be heard throughout the Pixies' first two albums, Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[3]
  • Kim Deal said she usually brought a Peavey Combo 300 to recording in the early Pixies years. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[4]
  • Kim Deal said the Combo 300 and the Aria bass were the gear on the first two Pixies records. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[4]
  • Kim Deal said she played bass with a pick because she already played guitar that way. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[4]
  • Kim Deal said she ran a DI alongside the miked combo to get something thin and something thick. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[4]
  • Steve Albini issued metal plectrums to Joey Santiago and Kim Deal to get an extra punk edge on Surfer Rosa. (on the album Surfer Rosa)[5]
  • Kim Deal provides the song's memorable vocal hook. (on this song)[5]

Questions

What amp did Kim Deal use on Where Is My Mind??

The sources on this page document Kim Deal's gear on Where Is My Mind? by Pixies: bass, Aria Pro II Cardinal Series [2]; amp, Peavey Combo 300 [2]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Where Is My Mind? settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3?

For the Where Is My Mind? bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3, set Gain 4.5, Bass +1, Low Mid +1, High Mid +1, Treble 0; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 8.5, Bridge Volume (J) 4.5, Tone 8. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Where Is My Mind? settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108?

For the Where Is My Mind? bass tone on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108, set Bass +1, Midrange +1, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 10, Bridge Volume (J) 5, Tone 7. Set Volume to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

Can I get the Where Is My Mind? 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 Where Is My Mind?, 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.

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