Picking/fingering noises...

[jsbass]

Why on bass are they usually more prominent? Is it just because of the size of the strings, or the fact that we run with high tone/mids to cut through the mix? It seems as far as guitar you don't hear picking noises as often as you will bass on recordings.

Jason Newsted is a good example of what I'm talking about.

[Etbass]

Yeah I'd reckon it's a string size thing - if you look at the grooves between the windings on a bass string and compare it with a guitar string, the grooves are as deep as Victor's philosophy. Rubbing across those grooves is pretty much the equivalent of running a stick along a metal fence. Only smaller. And your neighbours don't get angry at you.