Eventually, you want both, but if one was lacking and presented a deal-breaker to me it would be playability. I find it easier to make alterations that improve tone than alterations to correct issues (beyond basic set-up) with playability.
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Yeah, that's my take on it, as well.
If a basic setup doesn't do the trick, then there isn't much more you can do short of drastic measures. Whereas in sound there are ton of mods you can do to drastically change the tone, many of which are fully reversible.
Right.
From nut to bridge and everything in between, there are a lot of relatively simple alterations you can make to get vastly different tones from your bass. But if you're dealing with a poorly constructed neck and/or body, it could take heroic measures to straighten it out and make it play well. If it has inappropriate specs for you (nut width, neck profile, fret size, scale, etc.), you may never warm up to it.
Like someone said above, many times I have played a bass unplugged and it felt so good in my hands I bought it on the spot without even plugging it in. Putting playability first has never failed me.
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Probably if I had to choose other than both, I would say playability. But I have a Dean. Love the neck, love the bass. Hate hate hate the pick ups, just absolute mud and more mud. So the bass sits, I usually play my Spector or Fender pj. Infact Ive bought several basses in the mean time. One of these days I will switch the pups out and add an active eq to the dean.
One of the reasons I modded my first bass (a Peavey) quite a bit is that it actually does have a really comfortable neck. So it was nice playing, in addition to sentimental value. Changed the tone considerably, but I'm not sure I would have bothered if it hadn't been fun to play.
On my T-bird, I had new pickups and a series push/pull pot added, which gives it a lot more tone options. Fully reversible, too (though I doubt I ever will).
It's definitely not an either/or thing, as in "I don't care what it sounds like as long as it feels like it was custom made for ME!" or "I don't care what it feels like as long as it sounds PERFECT!". Either of those statements would be ridiculous. 
An instrument has to both be playable and sound good.
However, I ultimately sold two really nice basses that sounded amazing because they weren't comfortable to me and I wasn't playing them (a Lakland 55-02 and a Warwick FNA Jazzman 5). So, for me, I go for playability first, then sound. But if a bass doesn't give me both - or if I eventually find a bass that does both better - I sell it.
An instrument has to both be playable and sound good.However, I ultimately sold two really nice basses that sounded amazing because they weren't comfortable to me and I wasn't playing them (a Lakland 55-02 and a Warwick FNA Jazzman 5). So, for me, I go for playability first, then sound. But if a bass doesn't give me both - or if I eventually find a bass that does both better - I sell it.
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sound. always sound.
Show me a bass produced these days that is not "playable". yes, you may prefer one neck profile to another, but both are playable.
Show me a bass produced these days that is not "playable". yes, you may prefer one neck profile to another, but both are playable.
Ric5
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What he said!
"Sound" can be greatly altered in many, fairly easy ways. "Feel" is a bit more difficult to alter in such dramatic ways without significantly altering the bare-bones of an instrument. If it doesn't feel good to my hands, I move on. No sense compromising that aspect when there are others that can sound and feel good with little-to-no effort.
These, plus any more who stated something similar down the line. If it doesn't feel good to my hands I won't play like me. So playability trumps tone and looks to me. I can paint it and I can totally rebuild the electronics.
Go back and edit your OP to add a poll. It's easy to do and will provide a quick snapshot of the data you seek.
Playability...Like others have said, you can change the sound by changing pickups, strings etc.
I inherited a Pbass that felt great but I hated the sound. So, I changed the pickups to Seymore Duncan and a fresh set of S.I.T. strings and I love playing it now...Best of both worlds!
I inherited a Pbass that felt great but I hated the sound. So, I changed the pickups to Seymore Duncan and a fresh set of S.I.T. strings and I love playing it now...Best of both worlds!
for me, it is hard. i used to be able to play anything; the first bass i played was an extra long scale 5. but then i injured both shoulders in a way that won't heal all the way, restricting extension and angle of extension, and at 5' 3", that means short scale or super short scale only - one one of the very few basses with a lower bout that doesn't protrude in a certain way, usually needs an offset waist (although mikros don't need one) and can't be too heavy (shoulders again). and then i don't like D or U necks profiles and the neck has to feel right for me - luckily i'm not that picky about that part.
There is no reason to compromise one factor for another. If a bass cannot be made playable, it is junk. If it can't be made to sound good, guess what? It is junk.
Depends on what it is lacking and if I can or would want to fix it.
I can adjust a setup to my liking but if the neck is too thick or round to feel comfortable to me why bother?
Pickups and electronics are easy to swap, but a lot of tone comes from the rigidity and density of the neck.
I've already built a bass with phenomenal (for me) playability AND tone.
So.... carrots.
I can adjust a setup to my liking but if the neck is too thick or round to feel comfortable to me why bother?
Pickups and electronics are easy to swap, but a lot of tone comes from the rigidity and density of the neck.
I've already built a bass with phenomenal (for me) playability AND tone.
So.... carrots.
