Just wondering, where does everyone get all there technical knowledge??

[Jason Wilson]

You ask a basic question about sound on here and man, I get lost after a few e-mails. People start talking about measuring the resistance and inductance of their basses. Talking about their pickups being low output or low impedance. "measure DC resistance between 8k and 10k.
If you're measuring a soapbar dual coil in parallel, the DC ohms measurement will be half." ??????

What the hell? I'm a bass player and play the bass (and have been for years), I really don't know what all this stuff is or means?

Where do you guys get all this knowledge? I feel like a novice all over again.......

Is it useful to know (if so, please give me any tips on where I can study up on it) or is it just a way to TRY to win discussions?

[southpaw420]

Experience and research.

[Kmonk]

I don't know about anyone else but I find a lot of it by going to manufacturer websites.

[knumbskull]

the first 5 mins or so of adult films.

[RitchS]

^ LOL!!!

[spiritbass]

I had an electronics class the last two years of high school. Then I was trained and worked in electronics in the Coast Guard. After that I worked at a music store for a couple of years. Had fun attending a sound reinforcement seminar at the Peavey factory. Other than that, direct experience, asking questions, and internet forums...

[Mound of Sound]

Here and their....

[Fair Warning]

Some of us are just born with it

[Winemule]

Originally Posted by Jason Wilson

You ask a basic question about sound on here and man, I get lost after a few e-mails. People start talking about measuring the resistance and inductance of their basses. Talking about their pickups being low output or low impedance. "measure DC resistance between 8k and 10k.
If you're measuring a soapbar dual coil in parallel, the DC ohms measurement will be half." ??????

What the hell? I'm a bass player and play the bass (and have been for years), I really don't know what all this stuff is or means?

Where do you guys get all this knowledge? I feel like a novice all over again.......

Is it useful to know (if so, please give me any tips on where I can study up on it) or is it just a way to TRY to win discussions?

Read the stickies at the tops of the forums. There's a lot to be learned there. In any event, you're not obliged to know all this stuff. I look at it this way: I'm never gonna own a Ferrari, but I like to hear Ferrari mechanics talk about what they do. After a while, you pick things up.

[StyleOverShow]

Right here on TB...read stickies, search threads, and post if you need to.

Great place, TB!

[Swipter]

You probably know more than you think. Try teaching someone that knows less and it becomes quite evident, sometimes.

[bootsox]

little bit of experience, little bit of research, little bit of word-of-mouth

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by southpaw420

Experience and research.

This. I've spent the last 30 odd years playing as much as humanly possible, and soaking up every bit of information I could find.

[nostatic]

Judging many posts on TB - MSU

[AltGrendel]

Here

[Budbear]

More listening, less talking.

[drTSTingray]

Here's a few sources:-

Personal experience
Other people
Bass magazines
Forums

And it's like everything else - you sift the stuff you're interested in from what you're not. I personally couldn't give a f**k about resistances and impedances etc etc beyond being able to hook an amp and cab up correctly -but I am interested in how people set their Jazz basses to cut through a mix or how they set a Bongo to sound vintagy etc etc.

It's a bit like learning to play an instrument - it takes time - and you ignore the stuff that's not interesting to you. I've been playing off and on for nearly 40 yrs and I can vouch for the fact that you learn or hear something new about bass most days. You can also learn from other musicians - I'll say it very quietly...............even guitarists

Some of the guys on here can and do build their own basses - not something which interests me in the least but kudos to them - it's all part of the overall subject.

[rfslick]

Google basic electricity. Almost everything to do with a bass or guitar is covered in basic electricity. Resistance, capacitance, potentiometers, inductors and conductors. I had all this stuff in high school in the 60's. It's now even easier with on line access. PM me if I can help.

Here's one site with a start www.ia470.com/primer/electric.htm

[SquierJazz72]

I don't know some of that stuff either, but I am learning. For what I do know, I've done it just by taking an interest in how my equipment actually works and then doing a lot of research.

I can swap out my own pots and other electronics and know roughly what I'm going to get based on the values I choose. Learned to use a multi-meter as well.

I taught myself how to solder. I upgraded the pots and caps in my Squier strat some time back, and now I'm getting ready to re-wire my Jazz bass for Master volume/Pickup blend/Master tone.

For me it's just been lots of research, study, and the willingness to dig in and do it.

[bluesblaster]

I twiddle with the knobs or sliders till I get a pleasing sound, then I just go about playin and never give a thought to why or what makes it sound that way. Its worked pretty well for me the last 40 years or so.