The Sound of Thunder
 

I notice a lot of people on this board commenting on this player or that player's bass tone. "Really loved his tone," or "never much cared for his tone."

This is very interesting to me.

A lot of bass players compliment me on my tone. The Fender Jazz/frankenfender that I bought on eBay came with EMG Select passive pickups, and I play it with them both about halfway, and the tone wide open.

I like my tone.

My wife plays an Ibanez SR700, and she pretty much plays it with all the controls wide open.

I like her tone.

A guy said he never cared for Roger Glover's tone with Deep Purple. I always thought it was fat, and boomy, and went well with all that keyboard, and I always liked it.

I like Roger Waters' tone with Floyd.

I like Geddy's tone; Squire's tone; hell, to be honest, I LOVE Gene Simmons' tone on "Kiss Alive."

I like so many tones, and I would play a lot of different basses; most Fenders, Gibsons and/or Rickenbackers, and the only reason I don't show love for Lakland, GSL, Ibbidy Dibbidy Doo, or whatever other basses people talk about on here is because I haven't tried them, and I'm not that familiar with them.

Am I just easy to please? I love the sound of bass guitar. Just about ANY bass guitar! I don't put much thought into my tone, but I love the tone I'm getting. I'm happy when a bass player says he likes my tone, but I can't imagine being too unhappy if one said he didn't.

Does anybody have any thoughts about this? Do some players work too hard at "chasing tone," or is it a big deal? Frankly, I'm a little mystified by the whole thing.

Basses are supposed to make low sounds, with some mids, and when they do, it's good, right?

:bassist:

Im easy to please myself.
Ive been able to get a tone that I liked with every bass Ive owned, from an Ibanez starter bass, Fender MIM J, Squier P/J combo, SX Jazz clone, and my 5string Brice.
No, they don't all sound the same, but Ive been able to dial in something enjoyable on all of them.

For some people, 'tone' is the Holy Grail and they spend their time in relentless pursuit of this wispy, insubstantial ideological nirvana. Diddling with strings, effects, circuitry and wood brings them ever closer to realising that they will never sound like Justin Chancellor.

Oh sorry, that's just me :)

A big part of tone comes from your hands. I've listened to my uncle play a Gretsch Viking, a 1960's Gibson Les Paul, Strats, even a cheap Yamaha Pacifica thru different amps, Fender, Ampeg, Marshall solid state or tube. They sounded different, but they ALL sounded like HIM. It is all in his hands. That's where the magic lies. I miss you, Tio Bebe!