what would you say some of the "must haves" are for a good clean full bodies clear tapping tone? (note: i'm using active pickups)
Really, the most important thing is an amp that has some power behind it that is clean. For me, big amps like a V4, older higher watt Sunns, Bassman 100s and up, and the likes all have a noticeable power behind their clean tone and it makes tapping a damn breeze. At least if you were to compare against something like a Deluxe Reverb or a VOX AC15 or something. There is just something about the meat those amps have that I’ve always really liked.
Other than maybe a compressor though it is ALL technique. Lots of dudes can tap, sure. I can tap. The difference between me and someone who fucking rips is that they have 1. practiced far more than me and 2. their technique isn’t dogshit. It’s something you really have to continue to develop. So not knowing what your background is, the better you are at actually tapping the less your gear is gonna matter.
Having an amp that is capable of a fat fucking clean tone is crucial in my eyes though. Hope this helps somewhat.