IMO, another BS feature on some basses...

[Thir13teen]

I'd like to see people blindfolded, play a bass guitar and then just from the sound alone, tell which ones are string through body and which ones are not. I think 99% of the bassists wouldn't be able to.

This would be pretty hard though as they would have a 50/50 chance regardless.

 

[Turnaround]

Perhaps a better test would be to hear the same bass strung through the body and through the bridge. I mean who's to tell what a through-body sounds like if you only hear it through the bridge?

Still the question remains - is there an audible difference? Or is it all in the feel? Or in your head? Is it perceptible to the audience? Is the music better with thru-body stringing?

 

[TrustRod]

I'd bet it's 100%

 

[Gorn]

The bass playing community isn't interested in the results of proper double blind studies. Personal anecdotal evidence is far more compelling.

 

[superheavyfunk]

I don't think there's a tonal difference that a human ear could detect, although I suppose it could probably be measured - still wouldn't sound different though.

But string thru basses do feel different to me, at least. The string and wood feels like it vibrates somehow more deeply. It could be entirely in my head but the fact that I perceive that difference is enough to cause me to play differently, however subtly and THAT is quantifiable in recordings. I PLAY better when I feel that I'm playing on a quality instrument, and to my mind that often includes it being a string thru bass.

 

[Groove Doctor]

I've restrung E strings from bridgemount to thru-body with mixed results. Some were no different, others sounded noticeably better, mainly 'less dull' ie. the resonance matching the other strings.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Let's take it a bit further.

I'd like to see a sound test where someone has to identify the bass being played behind a wall.
How well it "sits in the mix"
So that they cannot judge the bass by it's appearance.
Or the name on the headstock.

 

[megafiddle]

I don't think there's a tonal difference that a human ear could detect, although I suppose it could probably be measured - still wouldn't sound different though.

But string thru basses do feel different to me, at least. The string and wood feels like it vibrates somehow more deeply. It could be entirely in my head but the fact that I perceive that difference is enough to cause me to play differently, however subtly and THAT is quantifiable in recordings. I PLAY better when I feel that I'm playing on a quality instrument, and to my mind that often includes it being a string thru bass.

Is that comparing two different basses, or the the same bass with two different stringing methods?

-

 

[megafiddle]

I've restrung E strings from bridgemount to thru-body with mixed results. Some were no different, others sounded noticeably better, mainly 'less dull' ie. the resonance matching the other strings.

There have been topics here about string tone problems that were corrected by simply restringing. For example, the original installation may have produced a twist in the string, or a witness point may have not been properly set the first time.

Many times an improvement is not the result of the change itself, but by the correction of some problem in the process of changing something.

-

 

[blastbass]

I think there's more attack when strung at the bridge.

 

[theduke1]

As a 5 string player I prefer string through just for the extra tension on the B string.. it really helps as we drop tune 1/2step.
I have two G&L 2500 the fretless does not string through and it is 9 years older than my fretted , but both are wired passive with full coil tapping .
Sound wise the fretless is bolder sounding
That is the only difference I hear.
My 2 cents
Duke

 

[I am Soma]

Judging by your recent threads you seem kind of bitter. Just be you man.

 

[hermetic]

The bass playing community isn't interested in the results of proper double blind studies. Personal anecdotal evidence is far more compelling.

Perhaps because personal anecdotal evidence is all most understand in todays narcissistic cultural bent. If they can get their nose outta their phones.

 

[rujulian]

There is definitely a difference. Neither is better or worse. Just different.

 

[Jazz Ad]

It's a bit embarrassing that in 2016 all basses don't offer the possibilité to top load strings.
String through body is annoying.

 

[JimiLL]

Hey my nose is in my phone now

 

[elgecko]

Judging by your recent threads you seem kind of bitter. Just be you man.

I hate turkeys. If you stand in the meat section at the grocery store long enough, you start to get mad a turkeys. There's turkey ham, turkey bologna, turkey pastrami. Some one needs to tell the turkey, "Man, just be yourself!"

- Mitch Herbert -

 

[Flaked Beans]

"In this thread, great potential I sense"

Master Yoda

 

[pedroims]

You can also add: ash/alder; vintage/new, poly/nitro, $100 bass/$10,000 bass , etc.

 

[FingerDub]

How can it not, it's science and science is absolute. A stronger connection and the instrument acts more as one.