Gear & signal chain
A deep dive into the basses, amps, and signal chain — past and present.
The instruments
Signal chain
Project by project
Tribute project
Tribute: A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band
Add tone/approach note — e.g. "Warm, round, vintage — Berry Oakley feel. Fingers only, neck pickup emphasis."
| Bass | 2019 Fender American Ultra Jazz Bass |
| Tuning | Standard E |
| Signal chain | Bass → Darkglass Anagram → split signal |
| Side A — stage | Compression → Aguilar AG700 → 2× Aguilar SL210 |
| Side B — FOH | Compression → EQ → Ampeg amp & cab sim → FOH |
| Drive | None — clean tone |
| Notes | any other specifics |
H.O.R.D.E. revival
THE CORE: A H.O.R.D.E. Festival Revival
Add tone/approach note — e.g. "Extended range, improvisational feel — big headroom for dynamic sets."
| Basses | Fender American Ultra Jazz · Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray Special HH · MTD Kingston AG5 |
| Tuning | E♭ — half step down |
| Detune method | Darkglass Anagram pitch shift block — no retuning or second bass needed |
| Anagram chain | Detuner → Compression → EQ → Envelope filter → Auto-wah → Octave → Chorus |
| Signal chain | Bass → Anagram chain (above) → split signal |
| Side A — stage | Compression → Aguilar AG700 → 2× Aguilar SL210 |
| Side B — FOH | Compression → EQ → amp & cab sim → FOH |
| Amp sims | Gallien-Krueger RB800 · Ampeg · MarkBass (selected per song / vibe) |
| Drive | None — clean tone |
| Notes | any other specifics |
R.E.M. tribute
Wolves, Lower: Performing the Songs of R.E.M.
Add tone/approach note — e.g. "Clean, defined, melodic — Mike Mills influence. High-mids, controlled low end."
| Bass | 2017 Fender Standard Precision Bass (Fender American Ultra Jazz as backup) |
| Tuning | Standard E |
| Signal chain | Bass → Darkglass Anagram → split signal |
| Side A — stage | Compression → Aguilar AG700 → 2× Aguilar SL210 |
| Side B — FOH | Compression → EQ → Ampeg amp & cab sim → FOH |
| Drive | None — clean tone |
| Notes | any other specifics |
Effects & control
String choice
All basses strung with Rotosound Swing Bass 66 — nickel-on-steel roundwound, warm-bright tone, long scale, standard gauge.
Rotosound Swing Bass 66
RS66LDN · Long scale · Standard gauge
| Gauge | .045 – .065 – .085 – .105 |
| Material | Nickel-on-steel roundwound |
| Scale | Long |
| Tone | Warm-bright |
| Fits | All 4-string basses |
Rotosound Swing Bass 66
RS665LDN · Long scale · Standard gauge
| Gauge | .045 – .065 – .085 – .105 – .130 |
| Material | Nickel-on-steel roundwound |
| Scale | Long |
| Tone | Warm-bright |
| Fits | All 5-string basses (Jazz Deluxe '08, Kingston AG5) |
How it evolved
The Foundation Years
Classic American tone — Fender and Rickenbacker basses through Ampeg tube amplification. The foundation of the sound: punchy, round, rooted in the room. Every decision in this era was about feel and authority in the low end.
The Extended Range Era
The Bitteroots and early CORE years pushed toward extended range and a more modern active tone. MTD basses (6-string and 5-string) became the primary instruments, paired with Bartolini active electronics that opened up the high-mids and gave the signal clarity in larger, louder rooms. Markbass amplification replaced the Ampeg — lighter, more headroom, better for touring.
Back to Four — The Modern Direct Rig
Post-pandemic, the rig simplified dramatically. Back to 4-string instruments — Fender Jazz and Music Man StingRay — and a move toward running direct via the Darkglass Anagram multi-effects unit. The Anagram handles preamp, DI, drive, and amp sims in one unit, making the rig highly consistent regardless of the room. Aguilar handles the stage when needed. Less is more.
Beyond the main rig
Additional basses, acoustic instruments, and backup amplification Bill owns and rotates through when the song — or the truck — calls for it.
Industry recognition
MTD Basses
Artist endorsement from Michael Tobias Designs — one of the premier boutique bass builders. Bill's extended range setup during The Bitteroots and early CORE years was built around MTD instruments.
Bartolini Pickups & Electronics
Artist endorsement from Bartolini — industry-standard active pickups and preamp electronics. Bartolini's systems powered Bill's MTD instruments throughout the extended range era.