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Build for maximum sustain
- Thread starter lucas303
- Start date
Neck-thru Tungsten steel. Titanium if weight is a concern. 
All aluminum neck through. Fretted. LightWave Optical Pickup System.
I have come to determine that you are the most subversive character on Talk Bass. I like it.Neck-thru Tungsten steel. Titanium if weight is a concern.
The stiffest structure between the witness points. There are a few ways of accomplishing this.
I don't think so. I rarely even venture under water.
I wouldn't. So much of our technique is based on effective muting - why would I go out of my way to make life harder?
Otherwise, I'd just install a sustainiac.
Now you've got me wondering... has anyone ever installed both a Sustainiac and a Gizmotron on the same instrument?
I see your point but I'd much rather have too much sustain vs not enough. You can add mutes and change techniques to simulate a thuddy/thumpy sound.
My synth bass sustains as long as I hold down a key. My DB sustains as long as I can bow. All of my BGs of various construction and electronics sustain as long as I need them to, and can be made to sustain longer with compression.
Long-winded way off saying: sustain on bass guitar is wildly overrated. Not many of us are getting work playing whole notes on bass guitar.
Long-winded way off saying: sustain on bass guitar is wildly overrated. Not many of us are getting work playing whole notes on bass guitar.
I think 'sustain' is a moot point, for the simple reason that dead(er) strings, poor setup, and sloppy technique can do a lot to derail it. Plus on a loud stage, just about anything is going to sustain. I think the subject is way over-valued, as I've never seen a bass yet that the notes just died that fast. Never.
In my experience, either with an attached neck (screw-on, glue-joint) or a neckthrough, you have to run a careful balance between the woods being more resonant than not, and all your connections (neck attach, bridge mount, nut, keys) has to be solid. Contrary to the usual logic, the bass I had with the highest 'sustain' was the lightest one with bargain basement parts (an 80's Yamaha BB400). On the other hand, the most sophisticated sustain and tone were the Alembics. The whole thing needs to vibrate a bit to contribute.
So I'd have to say the usual suspects most bring up may or may not be the way to get there.
In my experience, either with an attached neck (screw-on, glue-joint) or a neckthrough, you have to run a careful balance between the woods being more resonant than not, and all your connections (neck attach, bridge mount, nut, keys) has to be solid. Contrary to the usual logic, the bass I had with the highest 'sustain' was the lightest one with bargain basement parts (an 80's Yamaha BB400). On the other hand, the most sophisticated sustain and tone were the Alembics. The whole thing needs to vibrate a bit to contribute.
So I'd have to say the usual suspects most bring up may or may not be the way to get there.
Honestly, I've never had an issue with not enough sustain on a bass. The strings have so much mass that they tend to vibrate and resonate sympathetically really easily. My Rickenbacker has enough sustain to put a Les Paul to shame, and I usually spend as much time sounding notes as I do ensuring that they last only as long as I want, and that no others creep in to turn my playing into muddy soup.
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To be fair the question isn't: is maximum sustain a worthwhile goal? It's: how would you achieve maximum sustain
For maximum sustain?
Neck through, fretted, no magnetic pickup, materials that are fairly stiff in multiple directions of force.
What is your goal for maximum sustain? It might be easier to get a pedal that helps you accomplish this goal.
As others mention, max sustain isnt as useful in the real world as it is on paper. Especially when youre playing quarter notes or faster.
But a drone note could be cool in some scenarios.
Neck through, fretted, no magnetic pickup, materials that are fairly stiff in multiple directions of force.
What is your goal for maximum sustain? It might be easier to get a pedal that helps you accomplish this goal.
As others mention, max sustain isnt as useful in the real world as it is on paper. Especially when youre playing quarter notes or faster.
But a drone note could be cool in some scenarios.
Once you have the obvious: through-body construction, rigid neck materials (metal/graphite/very high-grade multi-ply hardwood) the next place you lose sustain IMO is at the fret. Therefore: ebony fretboard. Granted you'll have to meet some criminals to accomplish this, but it's essential to maintaining sustain of the metallic harmonics.
(Note: honestly? A budget for new-strings-every-week will take you much farther in every way.)
(Note: honestly? A budget for new-strings-every-week will take you much farther in every way.)
Sustain comes from pedals. Basses don’t have Sustain knobs.
Yeah, because no feature of how a bass is built has any impact on sustain
