What are some unique features in a bass? I.e. string mutes, two outputs, trem etc.

[sebastianseeker]

I’m trying to come up a list of unique features in different basses.

It doesn’t have to be on just one brand but something that is not on a standard regular bass. You used to be able to say active electronics or fretless but these are fairly common now.

String mutes - old musicmans
Two outputs - old rickenbackers
Sliding pickup - Gibson grabber
LEDs - alembics
Graphite neck - modulus
Aluminum neck - old Kramer
Composite body - ibanez
Silicone strings - kala ubass
Built in speaker
8 or 12 course strings
Bass trem
Varitone (switchable capacitors)

Any other features that differentiate basses?

 

[lordradish]

Wals have an XLR out in addition to the 1/4".

 

[who]

I don't think they're the only ones to have done this, but Ibanez has made several different fretted/fretless basses:

 

[zombywoof5050]

Some Alembics have that 5-pin jack which provides a separate output for each pickup and also supplies external power to the electronics. Adjustable nut is cool too.

 

[wjcstp]

Some RIcs also have a string mute built into the bridge

 

[Prodigus Filius]

Countersunk bridge

 

[ajkula66]

Bridges equipped with mutes were common on Gibson EB/LP series basses, early Fender Mustang, Ovation Magnum I/II.

Stereo output, also Ovation Magnum I

Aluminum neck was originally a Travis Bean thing, the company was later bought by Kramer.

Sliding pickup - although of a different design - was seen on Dan Armstrong London bass several years before Gibson released the Grabber.

My point being, there are very few things that are unique to a specific model or maker, not counting extravaganza such as Dan Armstrong's Plexi instruments or Alembic's external power supplies.

 

[JonathanPDX]

The Zon Hyperbass that Michael Manring plays has a number of unique features, primarily the detuning bridge and pickups within chambers in the body. As far as I can tell the model Zon sells today does not include any of those unusual features.

One of my custom basses has a piezo pickup with it's own preamp and balance (in addition to the normal magnetic pickups), which is a feature you don't see on most non-acoustic basses.

The Gary Willis Ramp is a feature you see on some high-end models, I've seen them on F-basses and Foderas but those aren't the only ones who offer it.

 

[N4860]

The Music Man pickup on/off switches on their Reflex and Big Al models are pretty unique and not something I've seen on many other basses.

 

[Jefenator]

My Ovation ABG has a bypassable graphic EQ and a volume knob that clicks in & out. (I like the way I can set my level, then tuck it out of the way.)

The Dingwall has a 4-way rotary pickup switch: neck / series / parallel / bridge. It's awesome; I wish more basses had that! (It also has a locking output jack which I could take or leave.)

Both Gretsches I've owned had a pickup selector switch on the upper bout. It's actually a very handy spot and on those basses it's the only control I ever use. (All the knobs at least look badass – especially the master volume on the lower horn.)

My Warwick Streamer Stage I has 20mm spacing, which almost no one else ever does on a 5-string and it's freaking beautiful.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Fuzz circuit in many Gibsons and John Birches

I personally am a fan of the unique-ness of the original spring mutes on jazz basses.

Wal and Alembic just have unique everything, especially in the electronics department.

Ovation magnums have cool electronics too.

 

[monsterthompson]

Not terribly uncommon but
Fanned frets
Single cut body

Some basses are coming with aux in and headphone out jacks now. MüB has also offered those features for several years.

 

[Spectrum]

String mutes - old musicmans
Two outputs - old rickenbackers

Rickenbacker 4003 still comes with 2 output jacks, a mono and a stereo. And they still come with built-in string mutes. And they come with a strangle switch for the bridge pickup high-pass capacitor.

 

[farace]

Early Burns basses (and guitars) had a little gearbox embedded in the heel of the neck for adjusting the truss rod. They also had a useless “Wild Dog” tone switch setting.

Mid-‘60s Ampeg scroll basses had a “mystery pickup,” wherein the coils sat below and picked up the vibration of a metal plate under the bridge.

Guild Ashbory ultra-short scale with silicone strings and piezo pickup.

Hagstrom instruments had an H-shaped truss rod, extremely stable.

The pickup in the Dan Armstrong/Ampeg “See Through” is actually two pickups sandwiched together, one with a bassier tone, one trebly, and the tone knob panned between them.

 

[Spectrum]

My old Matsumoku-built 1985 Westone Spectrum GT has a push-pull switch that phase-reverses the pickups to make a really scooped, thin sound. I don't recall seeing that in other basses.

 

[Dynacord]

This '65 Meazzi Jupiter has original active preamp and, uniquely, a mercury kill switch to disconnect the battery when placed on a stand. Still functions today and works well. Have never had it cut out inappropriately. Also pickup polepieces are height adjustable as on some Hagstroms, etc. And, of course, the volume and balance sliders are unusual. Zero fret is not that unusual for the era. It also has rosewood binding to hide the fret ends which I've not seen elsewhere - and brass inserts for screws which I've only seen decades later on more boutique instruments.

 

[Von R]

Rickenbacker 4003 still comes with 2 output jacks, a mono and a stereo. And they still come with built-in string mutes. And they come with a strangle switch for the bridge pickup high-pass capacitor.

the 'Ric-O-Sound' outputs are awesome, and apparently that capacitor trick unleashes a unique sound.

the through-neck with wings design is fairly unique i believe.

and the 4001 truss rod design that required adjustment only while under string tension, lest the fretboard pop from the neck.

 

[Von R]

This '65 Meazzi Jupiter has original active preamp and, uniquely, a mercury kill switch to disconnect the battery when placed on a stand. Still functions today and works well. Have never had it cut out inappropriately. Also pickup polepieces are height adjustable as on some Hagstroms, etc. And, of course, the volume and balance sliders are unusual.


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my christ that's lovely

 

[darwin-bass]

Kubicki - Low D clasp, multi lam neck

 

[Azari]

Aria SB-1000 has a 6 position chickenhead switch and a power LED