Best Playing vs. Best Sounding

[timendous]

I don't think we really have anything to say about the whats and whys of other members' financial situation, but to some the price of even a cheap bass can be an important amount of money, especially nowadays.
If someone is trying to make ends meet and still finds ways to do something really valuable like making music, it is wise to respect and encourage, not to call bullcrap.

I genuinely appreciate you making this comment. I didn't know how to respond to the previous posters comment without feeling embarrassed. Thank you.

 

[Rib 13]

it started me thinking about the compromise between a bass which projects and records well due to higher action

That has never been my experience....as a matter of fact, for studiowork, its the exact opposite for me.

 

[micguy]

I build my basses either the same profile necks, and all but one have the same body shape. Since the physical platform that you touch is the same, they all play the same.

 

[Marko 1]

I genuinely appreciate you making this comment. I didn't know how to respond to the previous posters comment without feeling embarrassed. Thank you.

I shouldn't have said it, 'cause I don't know the situation...

I'm just a grumpy old man sometimes. Peace out.

 

[Outbush]

To me comfort is an absolute must. I will feel the wrong ergonomics for me very quickly so that would always be my deciding factor. I’m also of the opinion that a Sansamp BDDI or similar quality pre-amp pedal can make nearly anything sound good ; to my ear anyway.

 

[GreyBeard]

Can't afford to keep 2 basses? You already own them. It's not like they are charging you rent, keep them both.

 

[Pings Bass]

Playability is a combo of many factors that all need to line up just so. It's much harder to get right than tone.

Tone can be dialed in with technique and external tools, or it can be modified with different strings, pickups or electronics.

IMO if an instrument plays well, it's a keeper.

 

[G On Bass]

My best playing basses are my best sounding basses. People can make a bass sound better by swapping electronics, but it's not so easy to make an uncomfortable bass play better.

 

[sotua]

If one of my basses doesn’t play well, I work on it until it does.

All my basses play well and sound good (otherwise I wouldn't keep them) but the easiest to play is not the one I'd say sounds best of the lot.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

Best playing and sounding is my fender jazz. With that said, for some material I do prefer the hofner thump.

 

[jd56hawk]

I've yet to find a bass uncomfortable enough to play that I decided against.
Yes, some feel a little bit better than others, but the "feel vs tone" issue has never entered into the equation.
If it is a concern for you, keep the better player and do something to make the tone more pleasing...several options readily available.

 

[gln1955]

There are too many basses out there to have to compromise. Any bass I own has to play well, sound good and I might add, look good. You might have to spend a bit more to get all three, but still not a fortune.

 

[Spectrum]

A tree that Bigfoot once looked at

Oh, he did more than just look at it.

 

[TrevorG]

Never kept a bass that didn’t feel right and, though some of them didn’t sound exactly as I would have liked, none ever sounded bad. My Precision is actually more comfortable than my Jazz though the J to me sounds more classic. If I was forced to make a choice I’d keep the P.

 

[bgartist]

Is your best playing bass your best sounding bass? If not, which do you find yourself going to more often?

I've currently got a unique pawn shop bass that sounds huge (and looks pretty neat as well) but my Harley Benton 5 string plays like absolute butter. Every time I pick it up I'm shocked by how easily it says. Not that it sounds bad, I just prefer the sound of my 4 string. I find myself torn between which to keep, as I generally can't afford to keep two basses at once so one of them is probably going to be sold soon.

Anyways, I just wondered if anyone else has a situation similar, that they one one bass they love the sound of the most, and another that plays better but the sound isn't exactly where you want it.

View attachment 4856474 View attachment 4856475

I’ve read the great reviews on that Harley Benton and am considering ordering one myself.

 

[bgartist]

YMMV!

I read that Will Lee uses high action.

 

[Jefenator]

I think of "acoustic headroom" as the ability to hit harder without having fret buzz choke the note off.
When the action is super low, there just isn't as much headroom; you can only use a lighter touch. That isn't necessarily bad - it's often a more sensible way to approach bass guitar. There are certain techniques that wouldn't be practical without low action.
For better or for worse, a combination of playing upright and starting out practicing BG unplugged have trained me to have a heavier touch. Otherwise put: I like to dig in. That gets me a more pronounced attack & decay (which can be good sometimes) and more dynamic range.
I find the best instruments will take a setup that allows one to exploit the best of both approaches to a greater degree. Low action fanatics can dig in more and ham-fisted cavemen like me won't have to raise the bridge crazy high.
Strings also factor in, heavy vs light. I sometimes like those super heavy LaBella "Jameson" flats for their unique thumping impact. But they are a bear to play. (Especially when the neck has a weak truss rod. One bass I had them on was essentially unplayable above the 12th fret.)
This tradeoff isn't unique to the stringed instrument world; my saxophone buddies also balance action vs timbre. (As a listener, I definitely prefer that beefier, honking sax sound and if that means a few less notes here & there that's not a problem. The shredders don't always see it that way...)

 

[dougjwray]

I think of "acoustic headroom" as the ability to hit harder without having fret buzz choke the note off.
When the action is super low, there just isn't as much headroom; you can only use a lighter touch. That isn't necessarily bad - it's often a more sensible way to approach bass guitar. There are certain techniques that wouldn't be practical without low action.
For better or for worse, a combination of playing upright and starting out practicing BG unplugged have trained me to have a heavier touch. Otherwise put: I like to dig in. That gets me a more pronounced attack & decay (which can be good sometimes) and more dynamic range.
I find the best instruments will take a setup that allows one to exploit the best of both approaches to a greater degree. Low action fanatics can dig in more and ham-fisted cavemen like me won't have to raise the bridge crazy high.
Strings also factor in, heavy vs light. I sometimes like those super heavy LaBella "Jameson" flats for their unique thumping impact. But they are a bear to play. (Especially when the neck has a weak truss rod. One bass I had them on was essentially unplayable above the 12th fret.)
This tradeoff isn't unique to the stringed instrument world; my saxophone buddies also balance action vs timbre. (As a listener, I definitely prefer that beefier, honking sax sound and if that means a few less notes here & there that's not a problem. The shredders don't always see it that way...)

Exactly my experience, including the experience on upright and practicing electric bass unplugged.
When I used the apparently incorrect word "projection", what I meant was hearing clear notes with absolutely no fret interference. No Geddy for me, thank you very much!

 

[Lowendchamp]

This question is what infuriates me about my Am Pro 2 P bass. It is the lightest and most comfortable bass I own but because of the stock pups ( I don't care for the V2 mods) I have to change the electronics to make my best playing my best sounding as well. My Am Performer Jazz is both as my number 2 but only if I'm in the mood for a good Jazz bass tone.

 

[wiscoaster]

Seems to me "best playing" and "best sounding" are both pretty subjective and are also both trade-offs that may work for each other or work against each other depending on your own personal subjectivity criteria. For me, the best trade-off between playability and sound has been my Squire medium-scale PJ Jaguar. I have others that play better and others that sound better, but this is the one I seem to keep coming back to for the best compromises and combinations of both worlds.