How do you guys record bass guitar?

Now  I’ve been a bass player for 40 years or so and I think I get a pretty good sound on stage and in live situations with my band, but when it comes to recording I just can’t seem to make it. I just can’t seem to get that nice round present tonality that stands on its own in the mix.
 
It is only some five years or so that I’ve been into serious recording and while I can get a reasonable mix, that bass is always there, but not so you’d say, “that’s a nice bass sound”.
 
I have been recording my band which is basically country music, so you know the sound that I’m trying to achieve.  I have tried  recording direct into the interface, I’ve tried direct output from my amp, with a microphone amp mix, interface and direct guitar, interface and allsorts of other mic, amp and direct combinations. All to no pleasing effect.
 
I can track great vocals, drums and guitars, I know about carving out space for the instruments, but that bass remains just another sound that I have to massively massage to get it to sound presentable in the mix.
 
What  do you guys do to get a good bass track happening? I realize that the initial tracking is most important and the rest is just adding gloss, so how do you guys go about getting that initial great track tonality?

I just DI here at home. Of course, a nice DI.  Radial makes good DIs which aren't too expensive if it is your instrument you are recording.  I usually use either a warm audio preamp for DI or the Portico strip.  The WA gives a nice vintage tone, while the RND Portico just sounds good - on everything.
 
Many if not most studios use the UA 6176.  You don't have to spend 1000s of dollars, but it does make it easier.  For bass, I always want a transformer in line.
 
Being a bassist, you might prefer to mic your amp.  Lots of different methods for that, too.
 
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I use a good DI (Steinberg UR44) and then compress and EQ to taste.  I have found that the less signal chain you use - the better.  
 
A good bass sound starts with the player and bass instrument itself.  
Do a search in YouTube for bass sounds and you will find some really good tips on how to play the instrument in different ways to achieve different results.  

I run one track through my UA LA 610 MkII pre-amp.  This pre has a fantastic sound and compressor for Bass.  I'll then simultaneously record the Bass amp mic'ed up with a Shure KSM 44, which I find has an excellent low end response.  During mixing you can blend them together.
 
If I am in a hurry, I just go the direct route through the LA 610.  
 
On an added note, GuitarRig has some cool sounds for Bass and worth experimenting with, if you are not capturing the sound you want.
 
 

Thanks guys, I think I'm getting somewhere.
 
I changed the strings on my bass from the flats I've been using for years to round wounds and set a mic a couple of feet away from my bass cab to get some room, and used a DI to split my bass guitar to bass amp and interface. I don't have any outboard pre-amps or compressors but already I'm hearing a difference.
 
I've sent the two bass tracks to a bus and inserted Guitar Rigs Ampeg emulator and made some slight adjustments and I think things are looking up.
 
Perhaps the round wound strings have made a difference. I've used flats for years because I like the old fashion thump they gave a precision bass which suited the music I was playing. Old habits die hard. Also previously I put the mic right up against the cab. With a bit of air between now, perhaps allows the sound to bloom, just like playing live, I always liked my amp as far back from me as possible in order to hear the sound develop.
 

I fake it.
 
with a guitar and a bass synth. 

Mod Bod, I assume you are using a splitter to go direct and mic at the same time. Have you ever tried using the stereo jacks on your white Rick to split the signal? I have been wondering laterly if tht would work similar.

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Mod Bod, I assume you are using a splitter to go direct and mic at the same time. Have you ever tried using the stereo jacks on your white Rick to split the signal? I have been wondering laterly if tht would work similar.

Rick o Sound isn't quite like stereo or split mono, it is more like two mono signals from two different sources. You may want to use both sources and on top of that you may want to split both direct and through amp/mix setups for a total of 4 tracks. Maybe.

I have tried different approaches. I think in my case I need to upgrade my bass pickups or change strings as I haven't had the best of luck with my tone.
 
I had been using the pres on my sound card which aren't terrible, but it leaves a lot to be desired if you want to compete with pro mixes. I haven't really attempted to use an outboard pre yet for bass. One thing that really made a difference was changing the battery in my bass duh..
 
 
Right now my best bass tracks are midi played in to a sound ITB. I might sweeten that up a bit with Amplitube  SVX or GR. There are some  good bass samples out there. ....so I guess I'm at almost the same place you are. 

I've been quite pleased with the sound I get from plugging the bass into an Eden WTDI and then running this to the
interface preamp input.