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What does "bad tone" sound like?

Yes, this question is subjective to the individual.
So, I'm asking what you personally consider to be "bad tone".

I'm not entirely sure myself, other than that it would sound thin or muddy.

What is "bad" bass tone to you?
In contrast, what is "good" bass tone to you?

Post examples if need be!
To me, the model bass tone comes from a good jazz bass. Like John Paul Jones got from his.
 
Bad tone is a little too subjective here. It really depends on the genre and the band itself.

Bad tone to me is when a bass's notes sound completely off, the bass sounds hollow, the definition of the notes is not coming through at all, sustain is cutting off unnaturally, and so on. Usually bad tone originates with the bass guitar itself.
 
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This:

and this:

Hahaha


You need to be punished for your sins.

Your sentence shall be to play "Brown Eyed Girl" 100 times in a row at a jam session( the bass break will be drug out to at least 40 measures each time), with drunken patrons screaming "Freebird" at the top of their lungs standing three feet from you. You will bearly be able to hear them because the bartender forgot to shut off the jukebox when the band started. Someone will throw a 100 dollar bill in the tip bucket, and one of the drunk patrons with immediately throw up in the same bucket after winning a chili dog eating contest.

Your short scale "Taylor Swift approved" bass will be equipped with worn out strings and the action set way too high. It will also have a strange sticky substance on the back of the neck. Your strap locks will come undone at various times, and the strap will be set much too short for you. You will play through an underpowered farting out practice amp, and your cord shall short out intermittently, especially when you go for a tasty run or two.

You will be required to wear cargo shorts, socks with sandals, and a Hawaiian shirt, unbuttoned.

after this is finished you will be required to build a Jaco shrine in your man cave to worship for the next 30 days.

You are just lucky we like you here.

;)

This was all said in good natured fun, and not an actual or real experience.

We all know Taylor Swift would never approve of a bass guitar...
 
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As the player, bad tone is whatever doesn't sound good to you. I can't really define bad tone, but I know it when I hear it.

As others have mentioned, it probably depends, to a large degree, on how good the bass sounds in supporting the song.

I generally prefer clean, articulate bass tone, but there are some songs where highly distorted fuzz tone makes a powerful impact.
 
Like someone having a constipation, sure.

Anyway it's subjective, some bad tones more objectively than others though.

Oh, you ask subjectively, yeah Jaco's tone, as some has already mentioned, to me is pretty bad, although I don't deny his talent.

Korn's tone as well definitely.

But more so Jaco's to me, I can't stand bland tones, and by that I mean tones that lack substance, more specifically bite, growl and punch.

Also I agree with Sattori, although I would refrain from calling most Hi-Fi bass tones outright bad, many does seem to lack personality, like in the sense of sterile.
 
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