Noob questions re: pickups, electronics, ect.

[LotusCarsLtd52]

I read on another post that the sound a bass produces is largely a result of the pickups and electronics the instrument uses and not so much the wood itself.

1) How does the hardware fit into this? How does it impact sound?

2) I LOVE the tone on the Rickenbacker 4001/4003 basses. How do they achieve this tone (again, is it the wood, construction, or electronics? Or something else?)

3) How might I go about trying to imitate this tone on my own bass (Ibanez SR300) or at the very least trying to create a punchy, trebley tone?

Thanks for the help

[bongomania]

On the one hand, every single tiny component of a bass is involved in its vibration in some small way, so technically even the pickguard screws have something to do with the sound. However the point where there's an actually audible difference is hotly debated. Some would argue that even the bridge and nut don't make that much difference. Roger Sadowsky said something to the effect of the body wood making only a negligible difference to the tone, whereas he thought the fingerboard wood made a really audible difference. It's all over the map, and there is a mix of truth, hokum, and subjective experience all stirred together.

Getting a punchy, trebley Ric tone: use brand-new bright stainless roundwounds. Set it up with low action so you get a bit of fret buzz. Play with a pick. Emphasize the bridge pickup. That should get you there!

[Musiclogic]

Single coils, skip the fret buzz, adding mass like a high mass brass bridge, stainless strings. The ric tone is generally from the sc's and the maple/cherry neck through, depending on the year.

[543432321234]

Yes, maybe even stainless frets; they last a while, and give very trebley tone. i agree, use stainless strings, but i personally have a sr300, and the pickups are huge, so i dont know where you're going to find a pickup that's a single coil, that fits into basically a 5 string rout...