Dave Meros - Equipment

Equipment

Dave's main bass is what he terms his "Fendenbacker". It's a Rickenbacker 4001 bass that's been severely modified to serve a variety of purposes. "A buddy of mine found a really trashed Ric in a pawn shop, and I turned it into a project bass to try to make a 'one bass fits all' for myself" says Meros.

It has a set of Fender Jazz Bass pickups set in mid-'70s-era spacing (the bridge pickup moved closer to the bridge than in previous incarnations, giving the bass a "tighter" and more midrange tone) as well as the standard set of Rickenbacker pickups in the traditional Ric positions. This gives Meros four pickups total to choose from, with a switch that chooses between the two fairly different "basses", Rickenbacker or Jazz. All four can also be activated at the same time. A BadAss bridge, Hipshot Bass Xtender (otherwise known as a "Hipshot D-Tuner" or simply a "Hipshot" or "D-Tuner" among bassists) for its ability to downtune the low E-string of a bass typically to D at the flip of a lever) and a string mute that Meros can raise or lower with thumb screws (which were fabricated by Meros himself) were also added.

"I did the refinish on the front of the bass, made the pickguard and did a lot of the other little stuff myself, but I had John Carruthers (Venice, CA) do the stuff that really mattered, like route the body for the two extra pickups, cause you only get one chance to do that, and it has to be perfect. He's the man, totally. He also did a really versatile wiring thing for me and one of the most amazing fret jobs I've ever seen."

More recently, after the neck began delaminating from the body, it was completely rebuilt and beautifully refinished by Ed Roman Guitars, Las Vegas NV.

In 2007 Ed Roman built Dave a custom instrument designed with most of the same features and specs as the "Fendenbacker" (see below), with a Rickenbacker-like body shape but with a Fender scale length and neck width and more of a Fender body contouring.

Other basses Meros uses are various Fender Jazz and Precision models (One of his Fender Precision basses was used on 2005's "Gluttons For Punishment" tour" while the Rickenbacker was being repaired), a Carruthers five string, and other fretted and fretless basses.

Other items Meros uses are a Digitech RP-21D tube preamp/digital effects unit for his main tone, distortion, and other effects ("Besides the bass, that's the source of probably 90% of all the sounds that I get"), Eden amplification (Dave's usual bass amp set-up is an Eden WT-800 head, two speaker cabinets: one with 1- EV15" and an EV horn tweeter, one with 1- JBL 15", but often uses rented Eden amps and Eden speaker cabinets on tour when not carrying their own equipment, typically overseas where shipping is a major cost), DR Lo-Rider Strings, Korg Prophecy keyboard triggered by a Fast Forward Designs Midi Step pedal for bass synth.

"For live shows, I go from the bass into the RP-21, then into the amp and mic the amp. In the studio I go from the bass into both a direct box and the RP-21 / POD Pro, then both the DI and the POD go direct into separate channels on the mixing desk."

Bass 1982 Rickenbacker 4001 modified with a Babicz Full Contact Hardware Bridge, 4 pickups: 2 in the usual Rickenbacker positions and 2 in the Fender Jazz Bass positions Strings DR Lo Riders Bass Synth Korg Prophecy triggered by Fast Forward Designs Midi Step pedals Live Rig Amp: Eden WT-1205 (with two preamp channels and two independent inputs). Speakers: 2- Eden 410XLT cabs.

I split the signal coming out of my bass and run one line into my Digitech RP-21d pedalboard and the other directly into one channel of the WT-1205.

The output from the Digitech RP-21d goes into the remaining input of the Eden WT-1205.

I EQ the highs and mids out of the direct channel so that it is only low end and blend that with the Digitech channel since the settings I use on the Digitech pedalboard give me a sound lacking in low end. Recording For recording I just go direct into Cubase (or ProTools or whatever) and use the IK Multimedia plug-in Ampeg SVX.

Before that plug in was available I used to go through the Digitech pedalboard and into a LIne 6 Bass POD (the POD was to simulate an amp, speaker and mic).

Before that I would actually set up my whole rig and put a mic on it. It was often very difficult to find an isolated room to do that, so I am very grateful for modern technology.