EDIT: The answers are revealed in post 75.
Ok gang, this is a follow up test to the ultra controversial thread I posted recently, found here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=738084
This time I thought we could do things differently. The last test asked listeners to identify which clips were Ash and which were Alder. Well, that's fine and dandy, but trying to identify a specific species of wood is rather difficult. It might be more useful to ignore the names of the woods, and simply test people's ability to hear the difference between them. For practical purposes, the words "Ash" and "Alder" are completely meaningless for this test.
I did the same process this time as last. I used two Fender MIM Jazz basses, one with an Alder body and one with Ash. I recorded audio with one bass, then dismantled it and replaced only the body. I used the same neck, strings, bridge, etc. And I tried to play the parts as closely the same as possible.
To keep things more "real world", I recorded bass parts on top of songs without existing bass (for Ramble On I simply looped the intro). This makes the test more useful, since the tonal differences between wood need to stand out in a mix to be signficant. I did not apply any EQ or Compression to the bass tracks. They are raw. And I intentionally made the bass "too loud" compared to the song tracks so we would have some hope of actually hearing any details. So really, these clips make the tone differences MORE OBVIOUS than they would be in a real-life scenario.
Unlike last time, I promise not to play any sneaky tricks on you guys.
While that was useful and educational last time, this time I'll resist the temptation.
So here's the deal this time: This poll will be multiple-choice. The A and B clips were recorded with different body woods. The C clip was recorded with one of the two. Your first job is to figure out whether C matches A, or B.
The "Ramble On" clip was recorded with either one bass for both verses, or a different bass on each verse. Your second job is to figure out which it is.
(Please use good headphones or monitors for these tests)
For the record: I've always said that body wood DOES impact tone slightly, but that other factors (like strings, pickups, the player) impact tone more. I think these clips prove that. Only bassists with highly trained ears will hear these differences. 99% of your audience will never notice.
So if you're interested in tweaking your tone, your body wood should probably be the last thing you worry about.
Anyway, let's see those votes!
Ok gang, this is a follow up test to the ultra controversial thread I posted recently, found here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=738084
This time I thought we could do things differently. The last test asked listeners to identify which clips were Ash and which were Alder. Well, that's fine and dandy, but trying to identify a specific species of wood is rather difficult. It might be more useful to ignore the names of the woods, and simply test people's ability to hear the difference between them. For practical purposes, the words "Ash" and "Alder" are completely meaningless for this test.
I did the same process this time as last. I used two Fender MIM Jazz basses, one with an Alder body and one with Ash. I recorded audio with one bass, then dismantled it and replaced only the body. I used the same neck, strings, bridge, etc. And I tried to play the parts as closely the same as possible.
To keep things more "real world", I recorded bass parts on top of songs without existing bass (for Ramble On I simply looped the intro). This makes the test more useful, since the tonal differences between wood need to stand out in a mix to be signficant. I did not apply any EQ or Compression to the bass tracks. They are raw. And I intentionally made the bass "too loud" compared to the song tracks so we would have some hope of actually hearing any details. So really, these clips make the tone differences MORE OBVIOUS than they would be in a real-life scenario.
Unlike last time, I promise not to play any sneaky tricks on you guys.
While that was useful and educational last time, this time I'll resist the temptation.So here's the deal this time: This poll will be multiple-choice. The A and B clips were recorded with different body woods. The C clip was recorded with one of the two. Your first job is to figure out whether C matches A, or B.
The "Ramble On" clip was recorded with either one bass for both verses, or a different bass on each verse. Your second job is to figure out which it is.
(Please use good headphones or monitors for these tests)
DOES CLIP "C" MATCH "A" OR "B"?
Clip A
Clip B
Clip C
THERE ARE 2 VERSES ON THIS "RAMBLE ON" TRACK. WAS THE BASS RECORDED WITH THE SAME BODY WOOD FOR BOTH VERSES, OR A DIFFERENT WOOD FOR EACH VERSE?
Ramble On
Clip A
Clip B
Clip C
THERE ARE 2 VERSES ON THIS "RAMBLE ON" TRACK. WAS THE BASS RECORDED WITH THE SAME BODY WOOD FOR BOTH VERSES, OR A DIFFERENT WOOD FOR EACH VERSE?
Ramble On
For the record: I've always said that body wood DOES impact tone slightly, but that other factors (like strings, pickups, the player) impact tone more. I think these clips prove that. Only bassists with highly trained ears will hear these differences. 99% of your audience will never notice.
So if you're interested in tweaking your tone, your body wood should probably be the last thing you worry about.
Anyway, let's see those votes!
