Tone matters more on Bass than on Guitar?

[onlyclave]

Originally Posted by Richard Lindsey

(Deep down, I wonder if this overemphasis on tone, in some but not all cases, might happen in part because people believe it's inherently more within their reach than excellent playing is--that it's something anyone can have. That is, some may feel they can at least buy good tone, if they just spend enough money or acquire exactly the right piece of gear, whereas they know they can't buy talent or hard work.)

You nailed it. Clothes don't make the man, and all of the other forum topics like Basses, Amps, Strings, Effects are worthless to me because the sounds come from my fingers.

[Infernal Affair]

Originally Posted by DocBop

I read these forums and think people work more on tone than what they are playing. If what you are playing is strong enough then tone is of minor importance.

Also being I worked in a couple music schools and seen many great players grab any instrument or amp and make it sound great. It's mainly your hands and ear that make the gear sound good not the other way around.

Totally agree. I'm sure if any number of legendary bass players picked up any bass, as long as it's playable they will get a "good tone" out of it. Skills first, gear second.

This isn't to say I don't like my gear. I really have to check myself sometimes when I think about buying more stuff and think about whether the new toy is THAT important in regards to what I want to accomplish with the instrument.

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by onlyclave

You nailed it. Clothes don't make the man, and all of the other forum topics like Basses, Amps, Strings, Effects are worthless to me because the sounds come from my fingers.

I actually love good gear, and am glad to have it when I can. I enjoy stuff like tombowlus's BassGearMag, and I enjoy the various forums. I just think that tone/gear stuff is best looked at in its proper perspective, and not as the be-all and end-all. I mean, anybody has the absolute right to set their priorities however they see fit, depending on what they want (or don't want) to do with the instrument, and that's cool. For really developing on the bass, or any other instrument, however, there are are many things more important than tweaking one's gear. My $0.02.

[Fergie Fulton]

Tone is objective, what one person likes another will dislike. Tone on a bass if anything should be functional, ie. be audible, not loud but audible even to the extent that you believe that its not there at all, but when you stop playing there is a difference in the over all sound, a sort of you dont know its there till its missing senario.
In over 35 years of playing i have had a tone i liked about half a dozen times so its something i never worry about.

[DudeistMonk]

I would say that anyone who has the ability to change their tone is going to spend some time on it, guitarist, bassists, keys players whatever...

I would dare say that bass tone is more subtle than guitar tone, since in general we aren't going to be as "effected" by pedals and whatnot, and that most of the tonal adjustments we make are more subtle and elusive.

I'll also venture to say that players are so obsessed with tone because you have to play to your tone (when your playing style matches your tonal choice) and the amount of distortion or reverb or wah or whatever is going to influence what you are playing and of course how it sounds.