What sound would you choose?

[kodiakblair]

Imagine you already have a 4-string with two EMG humbuckers.

I'd rather not, have no desire to revisit late 80's me

 

[M-Mittlesteadt]

"What sound would I choose?"

I didn't see a sound listed. Some different basses, but no sounds to choose from.

 

[Scottgun]

Been on a modern Latin-music kick lately, and they luvs them some extended low range, so low B for me.

 

[SC Bassboy]

I miss voted and picked based on what I currently do not have (semi hollow). If I was sitting here with a nice EMG equipped 4 string, I would pick a fretless. The jazz or P would probably be more useful but I can no longer live without the warm growl of a good fretless.

 

[grubdumpling]

I beleive this is the only TalkBass approved answer

Don't forget the tort!

 

[J Wilson]

P/J Five, all day. EMG's in that would be just fine as well.

 

[Doctor Roberts]

Oddly specific poll - waitaminute - that's YOU, right? YOU'VE got the two EMG humbuckers, right?

Doh!

Seriously, each choice is a different flavor that's going to reflect the respondent's personal preferences in bass styles and tones.

More expressive players may lean more into a fretless, pop players may lean more into an active 5'er.

But really? Those nuances will be lost on a lot of the audience - not all - but a lot. Get what YOU'D like to play.

Yeahh, I believe that most of us here are attracted to low frequencies in a way that other musicians are not, so I wondered what the desires were after that need for low frequencies had been fulfilled.

I concur about the nuances 100%!

 

[Doctor Roberts]

I'd rather not, have no desire to revisit late 80's me

Watch out for your head!

The sound is so clear! And look so cool! Here one of my favorites (by Guy Pratt):

 

[Dabndug]

Do both the low B and high C and get a six-string. This will be a challenge, but it opens up a massive range of possibilities.

 

[GIBrat51]

Imagine you already have a 4-string with two EMG humbuckers.

If you could pick one, what other sound would you add to your repertoire? Maybe don't think of a specific bass, but of a sound that you, as a bass player, would really crave.

Well...
Actually, I do have a 4-string bass with dual EMG humbuckers. It's my left handed Schecter Stiletto Studio-4FL lined fretless bass. It's just one bass in my 30 bass strong Herd. I probably have just about any type of 4-string bass you could think of; that's the way I set my herd up. "Short scale set-neck"? Got one... "Long scale semi-hollow body"? Got two of those, actually... The pickups? Single coils, traditional and "silent"; all kinds of humbuckers; split coil, Gibsons, Gretsch Filtertrons, soap bars... I even have a bass with a Schaller "Twin-J" pickup; my '82 Kramer "Duke Deluxe"... I also have one with "P-J" pickups. Which I personally consider a waste of time; but, that's what '80s MIJ Kramer Forum basses had, so...
However... Do I have a favorite? Well... as far as sound goes? Not really, I guess. The bass that's my "Favorite" - in that it's always next to the amp in my living room - is a '73 Rick 4001, with the first year, low output and laughably named "Hi-Gain" noisy single-coil pickups. I do like the sound - especially with flats that sound a lot like the factory Maxima 4440 Flats that it had when it was new. But... I can get that tone from my '01 Rick 4003, too. The reason that the 4001's my "favorite", is that it's just so much more... satisfying... to have in my hands - and play. I do like all the other basses - and I do play all of them - in monthly rotation, in groups of 3. To me, they simply are what they are; but, as nice as some of them are? They're not going to replace the 4001 any time soon...

 

[Brad Maestas]

Absolutely a J or a P. Not the biggest fan of the EMG sound myself. There's nothing like single coil tone. For me the sweet spot is a Jazz-type bass. Two pickups to blend for a wide variety of tones. Tone for days if you've got the touch.