Where Does the Magic Happen for You? Neck, Body, or Guts (electronics)

[Bass Ape]

What makes a bass playable and sound good? Since there are many components and everyone will have their own opinion and more than likely probably a combination of a few things. For the sake of bringing a bass down to it's common denominators, it's best to narrow the choices to 3 items.

IMHO, the Magic is in the neck. If the neck is bad, then the other components will not matter because of the lack of playability.

Also, most manufacturers add the serial number to the neck and not the body.

 

[Jebberz]

I Agree

Neck First - Then Body - Then electronics, since when the body and neck are good, you can throw (almost) anything you like there.

 

[2saddleslab]

Neck is first for me as well.

 

[Geri O]

None of the above.

I look for tone first.

I’ll play it if I like tone, just about regardless.

 

[Bass Ape]

None of the above.

I look for tone first.

I’ll play it if I like tone, just about regardless.

So, Carrots?

 

[vindibona1]

The neck is the main thing IMO. It's the component that decides the balance, and the balance (aside from radius and spacing) decides how playable the thing is. And probably before that is the scale, string spacing and radius.

The electronics of course controls 90% of the tone as well as your amp. Important, but it's amazing what you can do with cheap electronics if you have the means to fully control the EQ. IMO the body is the least important thing as long as it provides good sustain and resonance.

 

[gln1955]

The neck and body both have to work ergonomically. If the bass is heavy or poorly balanced, it doesn't matter how nice the neck is.

Electronics are fixable with a little or sometimes a lot of effort, depending.

 

[Geri O]

So, Carrots?

No.

 

[Snert]

Overall ergonomics. A great neck on a bass that's mechanically wrong in multiple other ways is still crap.
Electronics can be fixed relatively easily and cheaply, and there's far too much cork sniffing around here about tone.

 

[JimmyM]

They’re all somewhat important, but without a neck that’s set up well, I’ll either determine if I can and want to tweak it or pass. The answer is almost always pass because I got sick of owning a lot of basses, but it was almost never the neck’s fault unless it was twisted or had uneven frets.

 

[MuseChaser]

The color and shape of the body. It's not the sound or the feel that's important.... it's what it looks like.

At least.. that's what society in general seems to be focusing on....

Serious answer? The sound. I don't know enough about electric instruments to know what influences that the most.

 

[40Hz]

The neck is the most critical factor IMO.

But for me the magic comes when every element in the equation comes together in a perfect storm to produce synergy. That’s when 1+1+1 suddenly equals 5. Magic!

 

[dbsfgyd1]

What makes a bass playable and sound good? Since there are many components and everyone will have their own opinion and more than likely probably a combination of a few things. For the sake of bringing a bass down to it's common denominators, it's best to narrow the choices to 3 items.

IMHO, the Magic is in the neck. If the neck is bad, then the other components will not matter because of the lack of playability.

Also, most manufacturers add the serial number to the neck and not the body.

For me, the magic is what I can get out of an instrument, not what the instrument presents me. Unless it is a piece of garbage, a fresh set of strings, a good set up, and played through an amp with good tone shaping capabilities, I can make magic happen.

That said, I appreciate quality & durability of more expensive options and weight that highly before making a choice of an instrument.

 

[Bass Ape]

The color and shape of the body. It's not the sound or the feel that's important.... it's what it looks like.

At least.. that's what society in general seems to be focusing on....

Serious answer? The sound. I don't know enough about electric instruments to know what influences that the most.

We all love bass porn here and it does usually focus on the body. I would think the body matters more to whomever is is watching the bass being played.

 

[Grizelda100]

I'd say fingers and strings.



Then carrots...

 

[Bass Ape]

I'd say fingers and strings.



Then carrots...

Which I could like this post 2x :carrots:

 

[vindibona1]

They’re all somewhat important, but without a neck that’s set up well, I’ll either determine if I can and want to tweak it or pass. The answer is almost always pass because I got sick of owning a lot of basses, but it was almost never the neck’s fault unless it was twisted or had uneven frets.

That's because you're an experienced bass player. When (as an adult) I started back into bass as a guitar player I didn't have a clue. I got lucky on my first bass, a Squier VM as, with a little fret work, the neck is amazing. Total luck. My first 5er I had less of a clue and ended up with a BTB675 only because I had an offer I couldn't refuse. It was a long wide, flat neck and it took me a month to grow into it. But I did and still think it's really nice. And then there is my Fender MIM Jazz 5. Still clueless at that point. But interestingly, there isn't any bass that I bought that I've hated the neck, though I had to lighten up the neck on the Jazz 5 to cure the neck dive.

Now, years later I more recently bought my Sandberg (in the Avatar). 10 years ago I couldn't possibly have appreciated it. I sure do now- nor could I have imagined spending that much on a bass. But in some regard even a near beginner can tell what a crap neck is.

Oh yeah... Carrots no. Carats... maybe.

 

[franklindayala]

"I feel very confident in saying that I have found the fingerboard to be the most important factor in relationship to wood and tone"
Roger Sadowsky

 

[Killing Floor]

Neck. 63 C P bass neck is my favorite but there’s no best. I can’t tell a P from a J when it’s on a strap so body shape is less important. I don’t anchor all the time so that isn’t important. And I have favorite pickups but those differences are subtle and not dealbreakers. Tone comes from pedals anyway.

 

[MuseChaser]

... Tone comes from pedals anyway.

Admittedly, I am very green in the world of electric basses, having come from orchestral instruments. Having said that, that statement doesn't sit right. Is that a commonly held opinion or even a fact when applied to electric basses or guitars?
Sure seems like tone, at least in my limited experience, is a factor of the instrument and the player's technique and approach primarily, and any processing downstream is for enhancement rather than creation.

Thoughts?