Rate things in order of impact on your tone at a GIG

imo / ime comfortable socks (that fit right ) should be above typeof cables, provided the cables are at least the correct type (instrument, speaker, etc)

 

The one thing that has the biggest effect on my final tone is how many drinks I've had before going on stage.

 

1. Socks, closely followed by undies.

2. Poweramp - This ranks above player. Why? The bass must first be heard.

3. Player - This needs no explaination

Now it gets hard

4. Preamp/effects - More emphasis on effects. This is what really distinguishes your actual sound once the audience hears it.

5. & 6. Bass and Speakers - Having already established that your sound is audible this is focusing souly on tonal characteristics of the speakers. With these two the nuances are too small for most audiences to really notice...they'll just know it sounds more appealing(maybe, not always)

7. Cables - This only matters to the person using them

 

Player
Bass
Speakers
Amp
Socks
Cables

The End

 

I'm the player, so:

amp
bass
eq
cabs

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned "the room". I've played some rooms that were so awful sounding that the only thing I could do was set the EQ flat and hope for the best. For example, I played an event last year in DC called "ArtOMatic". It was a very artsy multi media scene, set inside of a large complex that was formerly a convent. There was so much room ambience that nothing could save the sound.

 

PA Supported gig -
You
Bass
your engineer.

Stage mix gig
You
Bass
Cabinet
Pre amp

Everthing else is lost in the mix and the noise floor.

 

You beat me to it. I find the room has a huge effect on my sound. I can't rate the room in order of importance because it varies so much, but it certainly plays a role.

Bass
Preamp
Power amp
Cabs
Room
How my bandmates use dynamics; if the drummer is playing harder than normal or if the twang-player is blaring or sets his EQ a certain way it affects how I set my volume and EQ.

As far as cables are concerned I can't hear a noticeable difference between one brand of good quality cable to another. At this time I use George L cable for my instruments and patch cords because I find them easy to repair.

 

Power amp and cables - interchangeable commodities that have very little affect on tone (unless you use something really cheap)

Other players
Preamp
Strings
Cab
Bass
Power Amplifier
Cables

 

Keep in mind I run all tube:
That hot chick in the audience
The player
FX/Signal Chain
Power Amp
Bass
Cabs
Preamp

Cables don't make it onto the list, unless we are recording.

 

Being well rehersed and relaxed.
Not playing too loud.
Having a loud enough amp so you're not pushing it too hard.
Good setup and fresh strings on your bass.
No crazy brick wall slapback, no wierd resonances in the room.
Good monitors and mix.
Good crowd.
Brands of amps and basses are way down here, but do matter.

 

What affects me most is position. I mainly play with pick-up bands or as part of the house band at open stages. In this role, NOTHING affects me more than "can I hear the lead". If I can't hear properly, I can't play properly, period. Equipment, as long as it is working and is loud enough, is unimportant.

So I guess I am the weak link

 

Yeah, player (obviously), bass, age of strings, EQ etc all important. But also...

On stage - cab position makes a huge difference to the sound YOU hear. I've been using just a 210 recently on most gigs on stage and angling it up towards me on a stand has really helped me to hear myself properly without blasting out the rest of the band.

Out front, the sound guy is the biggest factor on what the audience hear if you're going through the PA. It doesn't matter what bass/rig/strings you're using, the soundman can make or destroy your tone. Better buy him a drink

 

+1
Without a doubt, the most influential aspect of trying to get your sound. Its the reason you go through all the changes in equipment, just to battle this beast.

 

+1

for me, it'd be bass, strings, cable from bass, then the DI.

hate to be a wet blanket, but in the end, that's all that really matters. *shrug*

 

meh.. I could take this to the max and place the cables before the poweramp. I had this very old cable and replaced it with a better one, guess what? There was the treble and clarity! So they do matter.. but only to a certain level. I'm using Hotline cables for a year now and they cost like 15 and never seem to break, although I abuse them a lot.


I won't make a list, I tried to. But then I came to the conclusion that when I put pre-amp at the third place, you can always adjust the pre-amp so that it sounds different. :scowl: Definitly the player at number one though, because he or she can use a pick or pluck somewhere else and harder or softer etc. At two come the strings, they can make a bass sound totally different. And then it is guesswork for me.

 

Player
Bass
Amp
Cabs



Not to forget: the audience, the room-ambience, the stage-mix, how many beers I had before the shows, how many chicks I had before the show ;-) ...

 

1. Speakers
2. Bass/strings
3. EQ/amp

IME a bad room trumps everything, while a good room is neutral (very little effect). So that's why I didn't place room acoustics in the list.


As for the player:

To emphasize Munji's point: you asked about what impacts "your tone", and in my case, that's my tone. So, the player is always going to be me. Not that I'm perfectly consistent (I'm not), but I still sound like me on bad nights as well as good. All the other variables can change dramatically from gig to gig, including the gear I use.