What makes a really great electric bass?

[Willie5String]

1. playability
2. Tone, especially as it applies to the genre the bass is used for
3. And a distant last, flexibility of tone

 

[stringthrough]

I had a few lessons with a professional upright jazz bassist. Needing to eat, he played the occasional electric gig. His one and only electric bass, an old Precision Bass. That should give you a clue.

 

[bullshark]

For me it's all in the neck. Give me any bass with a properly cut nut, well polished and rounded frets with no sprout, rounded fretboard edge and low action without buzz(so, a straight neck with good fret work), and I'll work with the rest.

Strangely enough, that's something that is very hard to find, most basses off the rack have problems in that area.

 

[Gervais Cote]

A luthier.

THIS is the right answer to both WHAT and WHO…………...when you know exactly what you want in terms of sound and features.

 

[retslock]

I’ve never thought about individual characteristics but I go by how the bass feels to play. I can’t really be much more specific than that. Some basses, and also guitars for that matter just seem to want to be played - they seem to be livelier than others. I know that sounds lame but that’s how it is. They just feel good or they don’t. Some feel dull and lifeless, others have life in them.

 

[Gervais Cote]

For me it's all in the neck. Give me any bass with a properly cut nut, well polished and rounded frets with no sprout, rounded fretboard edge and low action without buzz(so, a straight neck with good fret work), and I'll work with the rest.

Strangely enough, that's something that is very hard to find, most basses off the rack have problems in that area.

I'm in the Montréal area as well and it also seems to me that about 8/10 basses are either improperly setup or have a defect neck in music stores. Kind of a nightmare for me and that’s the main reason why my basses are actually custom made rather than off the shelf products.
Insane !

 

[bullshark]

I'm in the Montréal area as well and it also seems to me that about 8/10 basses are either improperly setup or have a defect neck in music stores. Kind of a nightmare for me and that’s the main reason why my basses are actually custom made rather than off the shelf products.
Insane !

I've tried 20 to 25 brand new basses off the rack, in different music instrument stores, in the last 3 months, only 1 of those had a decent neck( no, not spectacular, just decent)(also, not counting Fender custom shop stuff which do have spectacular necks).
My own bass(Fender american performer)is currently at Montreal guitar having its neck replaced under warranty.
Don't know if it's the weather here, or manufacturers using wood that isn't seasoned enough, but it is definitely a problem.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I've tried 20 to 25 brand new basses off the rack, in different music instrument stores, in the last 3 months, only 1 of those had a decent neck( no, not spectacular, just decent)(also, not counting Fender custom shop stuff which do have spectacular necks).
My own bass(Fender american performer)is currently at Montreal guitar having its neck replaced under warranty.
Don't know if it's the weather here, or manufacturers using wood that isn't seasoned enough, but it is definitely a problem.

Eh, when I was shopping, I tried more than 40 basses across the province.
The best overall was a red passive Squier Contemporary jazz that was just perfect and a sound to die for, the only downside was a tarnished bridge but who cares ! I should have bought it !
The second best was a Fender jazz American performer (penny color) that sounded awesome but the finish on it was crap and all the chromed parts were also tarnished.

 

[bassliner50]

Are P basses immune to fluorescent lights?

Precision pickups are humbuckers. Yes almost 100% quiet. Plug in your Jazz next to the Precision. Do not touch the strings you will hear the Jazz pickup ambient electromagnetic noise. Almost nothing from the simple P. Oh you could fart around trying to balance the Jazz pickups to minimalize hum or if you stand just right the hum will minimize, but who wants to do that? Then again, my Jazz is probably 25 years old and I have no experience with so called "noiseless" J pickups. Maybe someone else can enlighten us on noiseless pickup efficacy.

 

[Polfuste]

For the player: playability (neck profile, fingerboard feeling), comfort when playing ( good balance, low weight)
For the sound: perfect joint between neck and body (for bolt on basses), quality pickups (bartolini for me), good nut material, strings ( Exl220 for me)

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Sounds good
Feels good
Looks good
Feel free to re-arrange these to your preference.

 

[G On Bass]

IMHO: things that make a great bass
- Comfortable fit and the right feel for the player
- Can be set up and intonated as desired and stays in tune
- Can generate the tones desired and needed
- Is in the players price range

IMHO: Things that do not automatically make a bass great
- Brand/headstock decal
- Color or cosmetics
- Weight
- Wood/fingerboard material
- Age (of instrument)
- Price
- My opinion
- Anyone else's opinion

 

[Egg250]

Firstly, the bass needs to look good to you.

Just as important, it needs to fit you. It needs to feel good.

Quality of materials, fit and finish come next.

Natural tone, is secondary to everything else. There are so many tone shaping options. Strings, effects, preamp, eq and the speaker are all fairly easy to change out to get the tone you are looking for.

Of course, this is only one man's opinion...

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

Hey gang,

Upright bassist experimenting again with electric bass after a 10 year hiatus here.

Wondering: what makes a truly exceptional electric bass? What makes one mass produced fender, for example, stand out from others? — assuming the setup is right.

In the upright world, it seems you generally commit to a scale length and then from there you’re going for the loudest, beefiest acoustic tone you can find with the most comfortable neck for what you like (+ again, pro setup is implied prerequisite).

With electric basses, it seems like everything, at least on Fenders, is pretty much interchangeable. If you don’t like the pickups, but love the neck, for example - easy fix. Almost too easy?

This is not a visual aesthetics question - I know some just look cooler than others with gnarlier or more stripped exotic wood, etc, but I am thinking strictly about tone/feel.

To say it another way: if you blindly played 100 P or J basses (whichever your preference) all setup the same and well, how would/could you go about identifying your favorites? Conversely, what would identify the underdogs and duds?

fun question my criteria for “great”

balances well

plays well across the entire neck

sounds great to me

stays in tune

has a stable neck

accurate intonation

has no ergonomic issues

has no noise or electronic issues

is solidly made and roadworthy

is inspiring to play

has a great feel to it

Looks don’t come into play for me when judging if a bass is great or not. It can be a great bass and be oogly Though the ideal is a great bass that is also beautiful.

 

[Geri O]

According to an increasing number of folks here it's having more than 4 strings these days. Ive seen statements go as far as to suggest the inate action of playing a 5 makes you a superior musician (LOL) If it seems like I'm salty, it's because I am. The extended range community used to be the chillest bunch on here back in the day, to see how far it's fallen from grace truly saddens me to the core.

Please point to some posts where the ER guys have belittled the less-than-five players. I don't mean rebutting someone's anti-4 comments. I mean insulted the 4-string players, their instruments, their music, whatever....

As much as I pursue this forum, I haven't seen this.

As opposed to "I think I'm done with 5-string basses" and the like. They exist.

 

[Geri O]

My boutique J ( Lull MV4) is clearly superior to my P bass. The only obvious criteria I can name that is different is the weight. 7.5 lbs is way more comfortable than the 8+ lbs of the Pbass.

But it’s more than the weight that makes my Lull whisper “play me”. I can’t say what exactly makes the neck feel so much more playable. It’s the sum of all the craftsmanship that went into it.

So I guess it’s weight plus “playability”.

And I can't really put my finger why my Lulls feel just so right in my hands. I wish I could!

I'm not a "dissect the details of a bass" kinda guy. I pick 'em up, play 'em, and think yeah, this will work "well, decently, get by, for now, etc". I think less about the neck width, electronics, etc and more about "can I play music on this bass?" (However, in my old age, I give the weight a hefty consideration. Sorry all you he-men with a 12-lb whatever hanging from each shoulder. Just can't do it. Any more.

But the first time I was handed another player's Mike Lull, I played it for 3-4 minutes and just knew..."The stars have aligned with these basses for me". And every Lull I pick up feels the same. They just fit.

Now, it doesn't have to be a Lull. I believe and well-built and well-set-up bass can offer this feeling to any player. It may be a long search. But they are out there.

And Lulls are a good place to start.... (not cheap, though, I'm afraid....)

 

[Tom Bomb]

The Funk Machine wood do me — has the runs on the board — but its setup was less than perfect. One one could get used to, nonetheless. On the money, no doubt. And then there's the ideal other, from that realm where the grass is always greener. I don't have the formula but it should essentially be in the right proportions, with the classiest attributes possible, put together by a loving, skillful, diligent individual, and indisputably on the money, sound-wise. And, while beauty and comfort is all and good, production's the biggie. Making all the right noises seals the deal, as long as you can swing it. If it gets you there, nothing else matters.
​

 

[Killing Floor]

Never knew you played violin. I bet your intonation on a fretless is way better than mine (even with lines)!

I wouldn’t say “better”.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

The name on the headstock and nothing under $2000
(This is bass humor for those who are about to make a ugly reply)

 

[fdeck]

I have never loved a bass plugged that I didn't love unplugged first. It must resonate to feel right and sound right. Ergonomics matter, of course.

I think, coming from the upright side, this makes sense. A lot of what we do is by feel. By the time we hear a note, it's too late. Also, we're not always the loudest instrument in the band, and our ears are often paying attention to the other instruments in the mix.

It's like being more comfortable in a house if you can find your way around in the dark, even if there are plenty of lights that can be turned on. A bass that I can play by feel is going to seem more comfortable and natural.

Also, you have to dig in to a bass, to get its acoustic sound, and though this isn't necessarily the best way to play, it's a way to find out if a bass can be played dynamically.

Now, regarding other comments about whether the bass has to look good. Darn right it has to look good. I don't show up at a gig to not look good.