hey guys, as stated this is probbolly well know by the people on this forum. And i wasnt really sure what key words to search. So can anyone tell me/ give me a article to read about how wood affects tone of the instrument? I would understand how a acoustic instrument would obviously take the characteristics of the wood. But as far as i know... the tone generally comes from the pickup which is just a magnetic field which sends singals based upon the string vibrations in the field. SOOO how do the housing of this electronic affect anything? I can see why the neck and fingerboard would affect it, because it directly affects the vibration of the string. Is it due to the vibrations carried through the bridge? Sorry about the question adn eagerly awaiting your responses.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
the newbiest question
- Thread starter tremor100
- Start date
A vibrating string has a very complex signature with all sorts of harmonics, overtones, or whatever you want to call it.
The body is part of the structure of the instrument. It represents mass, density, rigidity and all sorts of physical properties, all of which contribute to how certain frequencies, overtones, etc. are dampened and to what extent as the string vibrates.
The pickup can only capture what is present. So, because different kinds of woods have very different physical properties, they will dampen a vibrating string in very different ways.
The body is part of the structure of the instrument. It represents mass, density, rigidity and all sorts of physical properties, all of which contribute to how certain frequencies, overtones, etc. are dampened and to what extent as the string vibrates.
The pickup can only capture what is present. So, because different kinds of woods have very different physical properties, they will dampen a vibrating string in very different ways.
Yes, this is one of the most rerun and contentious discussions on this site.
I've seen and heard too many variances from the ash/maple = brighter, alder/rosewood = mellower school of thought.
Here goes: electronics (active vs. passive)/srings/pups/pup placement/amp/fingers > wood.
IMHO!!!
If the entire bass was made of a very rigid material, when you plucked the string, the vibration, or the sound, would begin and continue at a fairly high volume for a fairly long time. Because the bass would be rigid, all of the energy of the pluck would go into vibrating the string, and the string would slowly stop vibrating only due to the friction of the air and the string itself.
If components of the bass was made out of materials that were less rigid, and had joints that were less rigid, there would be friction in the joints and in the material itself that would take energy away from the vibration of the string and the vibration, or the sound, would fade away quicker.
Passive pickups only "pickup" the vibration of the string as influenced not only by the pluck itself, but of how the string vibrates within the system that includes the bass materials and joint construciton.
An active pickup has more going on inside of it and will not be as influenced by differences in the bass materials and construction. Please note I said "will not be influenced as much".
So we blend different materials together to create a bass that vibrates in a way that we personally like. Some people like a brighter sound with more sustain. Some pepople like a darker sound with less sustain.
So we look for, or should I say constantly look for, the perfect mix of materials and pickups and preamps and strings to find the tone that we personally like today. And then we hear something different and want to change the way our bass sounds. So we change out pickups and preamps and strings, and then go buy a different bass.
If components of the bass was made out of materials that were less rigid, and had joints that were less rigid, there would be friction in the joints and in the material itself that would take energy away from the vibration of the string and the vibration, or the sound, would fade away quicker.
Passive pickups only "pickup" the vibration of the string as influenced not only by the pluck itself, but of how the string vibrates within the system that includes the bass materials and joint construciton.
An active pickup has more going on inside of it and will not be as influenced by differences in the bass materials and construction. Please note I said "will not be influenced as much".
So we blend different materials together to create a bass that vibrates in a way that we personally like. Some people like a brighter sound with more sustain. Some pepople like a darker sound with less sustain.
So we look for, or should I say constantly look for, the perfect mix of materials and pickups and preamps and strings to find the tone that we personally like today. And then we hear something different and want to change the way our bass sounds. So we change out pickups and preamps and strings, and then go buy a different bass.
You know, if you have a golf lesson today, you will be taught the exact same things Tiger Woods works on everyday. Grip, stance, alignment, timing.
Your question is not dumb, it is fundamental.
Your question is not dumb, it is fundamental.
