Where Does Tone Come From? A fun exercise

[Gravedigger Dav]

Obviously, the acoustics of the room have no impact on tone at all.
A room with wooden ceiling and floor, brick behind you and a wall of glass to look out over the bay can't possibly affect your tone.

 

[Max Bogosity]

To be pedantic, I did not pick player because the question was the *bass's* quality of tone. The player is a variable that is independent of the bass. Same argument as for the cable, the amplifier, the room, etc.

 

[DangYankee]

No option for Pedals?!

 

[BwanaDust]

I would have voted pickup location. Give Jaco a Precision and you don’t get Jaco tone.

Unless Jaco was playing a PJ. I've got a TF signature fretless and it's so much more versatile than a J bass. Flip the blade switch and turn up the tone knob and you have Jaco. Flip it the other way and turn down the tone and you've got Jameson. Stick it in between and you have a completely unique sound.

 

[diegom]

1. Tort
2. Carrots
3. Fire the drummer

I would probably put "Best for METAL" for a tie on number 3

 

[MVE]

The length and hair color of the player, duh. Also how aggressive the leopard print is on their headband.

Don’t forget tats...

I saw a hardcore band in college 20 years ago called 454 BigBlock and the singer had “Born2Die” tattooed across his back.
....cool cool.

 

[dkelley]

I posted pickups, player and other.
I wanted to put woods in there too but it wouldn't let me.

Other means i think setup makes a huge difference to tone as well... but pickups and player come first, then setup (attack, sustain, output levels, pickup balance, sustain versus attack, fret noise (desirable for some styles)), and types of woods (affecting brightness strongly)

 

[MVE]

“Other” -
SCALE LENGTH has a very measurable effect on tone. Shorter the scale, the looser the strings and the less harmonic content of the overall tone.

 

[Gorn]

lol
Where are these tone trees you speak of? Hmmm?

In the forest outside the high mass bridge factory.

 

[J_Bass]

Belly.
Cable.
Mojo.

 

[Gaolee]

No option for Pedals?!

Exactly. My tone comes from strap length, and then a talent pedal. In that order.

 

[Honkey tonk]

Talent...
A good player can make any bass sound good .
Why it's important to find your own tone
full circle thing
it's that quest for your own tone that gives one the ear to make anything sound good .

Talent, all else fails tort

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Unless Jaco was playing a PJ. I've got a TF signature fretless and it's so much more versatile than a J bass. Flip the blade switch and turn up the tone knob and you have Jaco. Flip it the other way and turn down the tone and you've got Jameson. Stick it in between and you have a completely unique sound.

My point still stands. He could get that tone with a bridge pickup.

 

[Kro]

In the forest outside the high mass bridge factory.

Oh, tone? Tone?! Why don’t I strap on my tone helmet and squeeze down into a tone cannon and fire off into tone land where tone grows on tonies?!

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Please read this before making your poll choices:

First and foremost, this poll is to be 100% based on opinions. Let's not let facts get in the way of our fun.

The details: So, what do you believe are the top three contributors to a bass's overall tone? Sure, it could be hard, if not impossible to prioritize, but let's have a good time with it anyway. Let's assume that amplification, room acoustics, and any other factors outside of the instrument itself are to be considered outside of this exercise. Let's see how the poll unfolds....

ALL OF THE ABOVE AND EXTRATERRESTRIALS!

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Oh, tone? Tone?! Why don’t I strap on my tone helmet and squeeze down into a tone cannon and fire off into tone land where tone grows on tonies?!

That would take Tojones!

 

[EatS1stBassist]

The length and hair color of the player, duh. Also how aggressive the leopard print is on their headband.

LOL!

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Considering how many posts on TB are devoted to color (of bodies and pick guards), I'm amazed that no one has (yet) voted for "Paint/finishing method."

Everybody already knows that red is the best color ever for tone... as long as you scratch it up real good for a relicy Tone, LOL just kidding TB’ers don’t get mad

 

[EatS1stBassist]

Obviously, the acoustics of the room have no impact on tone at all.
A room with wooden ceiling and floor, brick behind you and a wall of glass to look out over the bay can't possibly affect your tone.

Lol!

 

[Chrome Dome]

Someone,already said the question is the bass for tone? Disagree it is always the PLAYER!