Fact: It's not the bass

[AudioDwebe]

Okay, so it's my opinion. But my opinion is that the thread title is, in fact, a fact.

I've heard too many basses played by a as many bassists, ranging from a Squier to a Fodera and everything in between, that sounded both fantastic and awful. It's the player, period.

The better the player, the more he or she will be able to draw the quality out of the higher end basses. But that same person will still be able to bring a subpar bass to life. Either will sound fantastic.

Anything in the hands of someone like myself will all sound pretty much the same. Yes, a turd.

Can I get an Amen!

 

[mongo2]

It's a system incorporating the instrument, any electronics including the amp and PA, the player, the room and the listeners with their individual perceptions.

 

[Baird6869]

A crappy player will make a great bass sound crappy and vice versa. I agree with that.

However.... I don't care how good you are, if you are in a Red Hot Chilli Pepper or Victor Wooten cover band (as examples) you aren't making a Hofner with flats or a fretless Rob Allen with tapes sound good in that context.

 

[Ajapses]

I'll give you an Amen!! Re: check out the video of that dude playing SRV on a plastic toy guitar in Walmart. It's in the hands.

 

[shawshank72]

Amen.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Lemmy would still sound like Lemmy on a Thunderbird, but he just sounds better on a Rickenbacker.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

A crappy player will make a great bass sound crappy and vice versa. I agree with that.

Reminds me of when I got my ASAT & some guys on a bass page on FB were asking for a demo. I reluctantly posted one & then all hell broke loose, with the old timer G&L users saying things like "An ASAT should NEVER sound like that!".

I learned my lesson on posting videos.

 

[Baird6869]

Reminds me of when I got my ASAT & some guys on a bass page on FB were asking for a demo. I reluctantly posted one & then all hell broke loose, with the old timer G&L users saying things like "An ASAT should NEVER sound like that!".

I learned my lesson on posting videos.

Yeah, I don't bother posting videos either.

I really just couldn't be bothered and I sound like me on most basses. The two I mention above (and used to own) are glaring exceptions. I SHOULD have done a video of me playing Higher Ground or Tell Me Baby on the fretless Rob Allen. Not my "signature tone" to say the least.

 

[AudioDwebe]

A crappy player will make a great bass sound crappy and vice versa. I agree with that.

However.... I don't care how good you are, if you are in a Red Hot Chilli Pepper or Victor Wooten cover band (as examples) you aren't making a Hofner with flats or a fretless Rob Allen with tapes sound good in that context.

100% agree.

I was referring more to the bass(ist) solo, and not in a band context. That's whole 'nother can-oh-worms, IMO.

 

[Baird6869]

100% agree.

I was referring more to the bass(ist) solo, and not in a band context. That's whole 'nother can-oh-worms, IMO.

Ahhhh.. I totally agree then....

A good friend of mine picked up up his first bass a few months ago and he came over for drinks a couple of weeks ago and to jam. He is terrible (no suprise as he has been playing for barely 2 months) and I am pretty good (no Wooten to say the least but played for 30+ years). I played his $99 Yamaha (after setting it up properly for him) and he played my Fodera.... I sounded good on his bass and he sounded atrocious on my expensive Fodera. No suprise there but my buddy couldn't believe that I made his bass sound so good. All relative I guess as I would likely say the same thing if I watched Victor Wooten or Marcus Miller play my bass!

 

[Flaked Beans]

Yeah the tone is in your fingers, now i will sell all my expensive basses and buy a nice indonesian sunburst squier jazz bass for $120 (used).

 

[Bent77]

CV basses are better

 

[Flaked Beans]

CV basses are better

nah its all in your fingers!

 

[mongo2]

Yeah the tone is in your fingers, now i will sell all my expensive basses and buy a nice indonesian sunburst squier jazz bass for $120 (used).

You should. I did and I'm very happy with the sound I get from my inexpensive short scale.

In fact, more people and fellow musicians have complimented me on my sound since I made the switch than ever before.

 

[zontar]

All the components are important--everything in the signal path starting from the bass player (or other musician) to the listener's ears.
But the musician is perhaps the most important piece.

 

[Bent77]

nah its all in your fingers!

Yeah, took me awhile to agree with you. But there is a huge difference in the quality of the player as much as the instruments. But throwing money at good equipment might still mean you suck.

So dont take a chance, buy cheap!

 

[zontar]

Yeah, too me awhile to agree with you. But there is a huge difference in the quality of the player as much as the instruments. But throwing money at good equipment might still mean you suck.

So dont take a chance, buy cheap!

Buy the best you can realistically afford--that doesn't mean buy the highest priced bass/amp/other gear--it means the best one under your price limit--so if your limit is $500 and one bass in 495 and another is 425--you buy the one you think is better--not necessarily the 495 one.

 

[Iridescentone]

Yeah the tone is in your fingers, now i will sell all my expensive basses and buy a nice indonesian sunburst squier jazz bass for $120 (used).

You'd be wasting money just to get the Squier decal.

Don't be a snob!......all you need is an SX.

 

[SirMjac28]

Finally an original thread.

 

[Ghastly]

Okay, so it's my opinion. But my opinion is that the thread title is, in fact, a fact.

I've heard too many basses played by a as many bassists, ranging from a Squier to a Fodera and everything in between, that sounded both fantastic and awful. It's the player, period.

The better the player, the more he or she will be able to draw the quality out of the higher end basses. But that same person will still be able to bring a subpar bass to life. Either will sound fantastic.

Anything in the hands of someone like myself will all sound pretty much the same. Yes, a turd.

Can I get an Amen!

I think I generally agree.