I'll bet...........

[HeyMikey]

that if blindfolded in a room where someone was playing a bass, 98 percent of us bass players could not tell if the player was;

1. Male or female
2. Playing right handed or left handed
3. Could name the brand of bass that was being played
4. Could name the cabinet being played
5. Could name the amp being used

I think for numbers 1 and 2 it would be 100 percent impossible to tell and for 3,4, and 5 there might be a very slight chance of recognition which is why I say 98 percent overall. The reason I bring this up is that so many bass players seem to be hung up over who you are, what equipment you have, so on and so forth, instead of just listening to the playing and drawing conclusions based on that. The music you make is the important thing, not which brand you own or whether you are left or right handed, male or female, black or white or anything else.

[ynie92992]

True, I hate when people think for example squiers are bad because they
"Aren't real". Or even that laklands are fake. And as far as color or sex go, what does it matter?

[Deacon_Blues]

True. Most of the sound is in your fingers.

It's the build quality and second-hand value that I'm attracted to on the better brands. Not so much the sound quality. A high quality bass or amp will last for ages with only little maintenance if you treat it well, and the value will eventually grow over time if you keep it long enough.

I'm still missing a real high-end bass though...

[ehque]

Didn't Munji do some test regarding number 5 a while back?

I got both right, but i'll agree with you here. Funny thing though, if all we relied on was sound, and not the visuals, the music scene would look a lot more different today than it is now. Paris Hilton and Britney Spears comes to mind. Oh, and that Pussycat Dolls or something like that.

[Depth_Charge]

In todays society it's important for everyone to recognise the mountains us moles have chosen to climb over in order to gain the recognition of the peers we choose to hold in high enough regard to care what they think about the acquisition of whatever skills we choose to demonstrate.

[Phalex]

#3 is a possibility, but it depends on what brand of bass you're talkin about, and probably can't be done with any great accuracy.

[Mark Latimour]

Of course, this test proves very little.

A much more relevant test is whether a blindfolded bassist can tell whether there is any difference in sound between:

1. Two different basses;
2. Two different cabinets;
3. Two different amps; etc

If there IS a difference in sound, then its likely that a bassist will prefer one sound over another. In which case, the choice of gear matters IF you want to get that sound. Then, an even more relevant test, in relation to basses, is whether they feel different in a persons hands. If so, then gear matters, don't it?

[DWBass]

I'd think I'd know a Ken Smith (or Peavey Cirrus) if I heard one. The rest, I agree with!

[bassrique]

I can always tell the anal retentive musician snobs in the crowd. Arms folded, dissecting gear and other meaningless things with smirks on their faces.

[COOL AND DEADLY]

hmmm, this is breakthrough stuff. I don't think you could tell the bassist's blood type either.

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by bassrique

I can always tell the anal retentive musician snobs in the crowd. Arms folded, dissecting gear and other meaningless things with smirks on their faces.

You forgot to mention the icy stare they give you while you're playing in the hope you mess up

I had a guy do that to me for 3 sets at a gig, then at the end he comes up to me, points me out to his friends yelling loudly that "thats the guy" and then praises my playing to them for a minute or so, describing in details some of the parts I nailed that he usually misses. It was nice to hear actually.

Sorry, carry on. . .

[Chriss62]

Originally Posted by DWBass

I'd think I'd know a Ken Smith (or Peavey Cirrus) if I heard one. The rest, I agree with!

+1 to distinctive tones. I think I might be able to pick out a p-bass. Also P-up config. I think that might be easy.