Can You Record Bass Through a Headrush Core? Yes, and Here's the Setup

Yes. The Headrush Core is a guitar modeller first, but it has bass amp and cab models, and the input handles a passive or active bass without any adapter. I plug my Ibanez SR400 EQM straight into the Core, use a bass rig with a compressor in front, and record the processed signal into Logic Pro over USB. Every bass part on my record was done that way, with no separate bass interface or DI box.

Here is the rig I use and the two settings that matter.

Why run bass through a guitar modeller at all

As a solo artist I want one box on the floor. Swapping from guitar to bass should be "pick up the other instrument and change the rig," not "re-patch the studio." The Core does that. The tone is a bonus: a modelled amp and cab gets a bass sitting in a mix faster than a raw DI does.

The rig

1. Compressor first in the chain. Bass needs it more than guitar. Medium ratio, enough gain reduction to even out the fingers.
2. Bass amp model. Pick one of the bass amps in the Core. The FX Browser lists which real amps they are based on. For country-pop I want clean and round, so I start with the cleanest one.
3. Bass cab. Match the cab to the amp and leave the mic position alone until the mix tells you otherwise.
4. Optional EQ after the cab to pull a little low mid mud around 250 Hz if the track is busy.

Skip drives, chorus, and anything stereo unless the song asks for it. Mono bass is easier to mix.

Active bass: watch the input

The SR400 EQM has an active preamp, so it puts out more level than a passive guitar. If the Core's input clips on hard notes, turn the bass's onboard volume or treble down a touch rather than fighting it in the Core.

Recording into Logic

Same as guitar: set the Core as Logic's audio device, create an audio track on the Core's input, record the processed sound. The full walkthrough is in how to record the Headrush Core into Logic Pro over USB.

I record bass as a mono track. There is no reason to take up a stereo pair for it.

Should you also record a dry DI?

If you are not sure about the tone, yes. A dry track lets you re-amp later with Logic's own bass amp plugins. I stopped doing it once I trusted the Core rig, because committing at the floor is the whole point of the workflow.

FAQ

Does the Headrush Core have bass amp models?

Yes. It includes bass amps and bass cabs alongside the guitar models, so you can build a complete bass rig in it.

Do I need a DI box to record bass with the Headrush Core?

No. The bass plugs straight into the Core's instrument input, and the Core sends the processed signal to your computer over USB.

Can an active bass overload the Headrush Core input?

It can on hard playing. Lower the bass's onboard volume slightly if you see clipping on the input.

Bottom line

Bass into the Core, compressor then bass amp then cab, record mono into Logic over USB. One box on the floor for both instruments is the reason I bought the thing. The bass and the Core are both on the rig page.