To knob or not to knob?

[Vodyanoi]

I love the knobs on mine, even if i don't always make use of them. What i don't usually like are these mini-toggle selectors, especially when there are more than one of them present. I was going to install a dummy mini-toggle when I removed the original pre from my SR600 (the replacement pre came with push/pull switches), but eventually i changed my mind and left the hole as it is. Now it serves as a ventilation hole... and a great conversation starter for everyone who notices it.

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[Pings Bass]

If you only use one instrument and an amp, and you're a "set it and forget it" player, it makes sense to dial in your sound on the amp.

If you use more than one instrument on the same amp, or if you go passive DI from instrument to mix desk, it's nice to have onboard eq. I prefer DI and I double (DB/BG), so I like knobs on bass guitars.

 

[dr doofie]

Hey everyone! Hope the pandemic isn't too harsh on all of you

There has been something brewing in my head for a little bit, brought on by my own Jackson CBX V.

I've been looking at her, playing and thinking to myself "All these knobs on the body, I don't need those."

My bass has a a very typical set of knobs such as volume/tone/high/mid/bass and the more I see them, the more I realize how of little use they are to me. The only one I use is the tone to roll it off a bit because it makes the sound a bit more punchy to my ears,
otherwise all I use is the amp knobs.

I do understand that this might be different if you're on a stage but come on, I've never even played her outside of the apartment, let alone any stages.

Suddenly all these classical fender Ps and Js look way more inticing, which I find really funny because when I started playing bass I absolutely hated the look of fenders, I thought they looked "generic".

But, alas... The more my playstyle and outlook on bass playing evolves the more I start to realize what I like/dislike about different instruments and my taste is evolving, accordingly.

A year ago the thought of owning a fender was so bad it felt almost insulting and now I start thinking to myself "... what if I owned one?".

Slippery slope.

What do you make out of it? Do knobs on basses annoy you, do you use them, do you care?

Thanks

Knobs on basses to me are annoying on just about every level... esthetics, functionality (as in, I don’t understand what they do ), etc
I have an Ibanez Talman that I love to play but couldn’t deal with the stackable knobs and myriad of choices... so I took off the knobs, set the tones/whatevers where I wanted them, and shoved the lot of it under the pickguard
I use a cable with a volume/kill switch knob at the input, and the bass is now just strings and pickups on the top.
Yeah it’s not a resell and it’s not pretty to most but it gets played, so...

 

[lomo]

I prefer my basses as simple as possible, and I loathe unnecessary batteries, mainly for the sake of the environment. My main bass is a '98 Fender J....I had the preamp removed and its' 2 pickups are hard wired in series....leaving 1 knob....volume=everything I want and nothing I don't

 

[dr doofie]

I love the knobs on mine, even if i don't always make use of them. What i don't usually like are these mini-toggle selectors, especially when there are more than one of them present. I was going to install a dummy mini-toggle when I removed the original pre from my SR600 (the replacement pre came with push/pull switches), but eventually i changed my mind and left the hole as it is. Now it serves as a ventilation hole... and a great conversation starter for everyone who notices it.

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That input jack is just wood with no chrome around it? It looks awesome

 

[bassdude51]

Well, you are a Swede. It's kind of in your culture that "less is more", "simplicity". Right? (Sorry to generalize and stereo type.)

My most complicated bass is a Stingray, 4 knobs with V, B, M, T (active eq/preamp). I don't find that too bad. The Stingray has kind of a "clanky" sound because of where the pickup sits so it's good that I can use the Bass, Mid and Treble to level off it's normal sound.

But as I've gotten older...............P BASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Volume and Tone (actually only treble roll off). What more do I need?

Get one! Sounds like you need it!

Simple is best!

 

[RedMoses]

I have a Tomkins PJ, it came with 2 knobs for volume only, i had it retrofitted with a single volume knob and a stacked tone/blend knob but i never use the Vol or tone knob. Over the years I have distilled my approach, since I use passive basses and pedals I never use the volume or tone knob on any of my basses, IMO all you need is the blend knob if you have 2 pickups but you can get away with just an on/off switch. If you dont use pedals and or you rely on active for tone or recording sessions this may not work but otherwise cutting down on nice to have knobs will get rid of critical points of failure for live performance.

 

[HolmeBass]

I like knobs, I like control over my tone right at my fingertips.

I play a number of different genres, in one band the genre can change from song to song. It is really handy to be able to quickly tweak pickup balance, treble boost or cut, bass boost, and mid cut (and rarely mid boost).

But if you don’t need that then you don’t need that. I used to play a Jazz for years and it had a lot less tweakbility, and I made do with pickup balance, treble cut, and plucking hand position and technique. The active EQ just enhances those approaches.

 

[Matty Koff]

Both of these have active preamps.. but one has two stacked knobs and the other is like "I have many knobs and I like how you turn them." I tend to pick up one of these before I pick up my passive P. Part of it's because I'm partial to 5 strings. Part of it is because I like tone shaping wherever I'm currently standing/sitting. I noodle on my passive bass at least once or twice a week, but I break it out for learning material as often the material itself is geared towards a 4 string. IMO, these are bass guitars, not the Highlander. There can be more than one.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

You need some sparkle in your knobs. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I am going to do purple glow in the dark.

 

[TerribleTim68]

So this is a no then?

 

[Ricky Rioli]

... The Fender Permission.

"That Fender is HOW MUCH!!! Ridiculous, you're not spending that. What about that one two rows down, it looks exactly the same, but it's a quarter of the price, what's that?"

"It's a Squier Grudging Acquiescence."

"Well, that'll do you. Come along."

 

[Bass Blender]

Hey, sometimes less is more.

Back on topic:
In my opinion every extra knob on appliances, is one extra knob or function that can brake down.
Just keep it stupid and simple.

 

[1bassplayinfool]

 

[WillyW]

I prefer 2 pickup basses.

My favorite controls are volume and blend.

I have some with vol/blend/tone, but I don't use the tone other than all the way on.

 

[CosmicRay]

Don't really mind a knob or two or five....and a switch.....

 

[CosmicRay]

Don't really mind a knob or two or five....and a switch.....

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and then again, two will do....

 

[dr doofie]

So this is a no then?
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If it comes in a lefty model I’ll take it

 

[pie_man_25]

I had a parts P-bass with only a volume knob. It was a good bass, but I kept my jazz.

If you want a bass with minimal knobs, I don't see why not Different strokes, different folks.

 

[Ostie]

My first bass was a T40. Too many knobs and switches. Give me VVT and I’m happy.