When it Hertz so good you have to doublestop it some more...
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When it Hertz so good you have to doublestop it some more...
I voted pickups, but by that I mean the type AND the placement. Hard to make a Stingray sound like a P-Bass or vice versa regardless of what pickups you put in it solely because of the location of the pickup.
Anyone who says air density doesn’t affect your tone has never tried playing their bass in outer space.
1. Player's technique. Plucking at the bridge doesn't sound like plucking at the neck, tapping doesn't sound like plucking, picking doesn't sound like fingerstyle which doesn't sound like slapping. If your fretting technique is not good, you won't sound very good. I don't believe tone is 99% in the fingers, but it is a big portion.
2. Strings. Aside from the cost and ease of replacement, there's a good reason why many bassists make the habit of regularly changing strings, rather than any other component in the bass. It makes a huge difference in the tone. These are literally where the sound of a bass comes from.
3. Controls. I guess if you compare and active with EQ set to the middle and a passive with the tone all the way up, there might not be a huge difference (or maybe there is? Correct me if I'm wrong; I imagine there's at least a boost in volume, which might change how your amp reacts). But I voted for this option because an active EQ, for example, has the option to boost frequencies rather than only cutting them. I don't really know if this is the intent of this specific option, but my active bass has more tonal flexibility in the signal coming from the output jack than my passive bass (specifically because of the active EQ).
If that's cheating, then I say pickups for number 3.
2. Strings. Aside from the cost and ease of replacement, there's a good reason why many bassists make the habit of regularly changing strings, rather than any other component in the bass. It makes a huge difference in the tone. These are literally where the sound of a bass comes from.
3. Controls. I guess if you compare and active with EQ set to the middle and a passive with the tone all the way up, there might not be a huge difference (or maybe there is? Correct me if I'm wrong; I imagine there's at least a boost in volume, which might change how your amp reacts). But I voted for this option because an active EQ, for example, has the option to boost frequencies rather than only cutting them. I don't really know if this is the intent of this specific option, but my active bass has more tonal flexibility in the signal coming from the output jack than my passive bass (specifically because of the active EQ).
If that's cheating, then I say pickups for number 3.
i think you forgot the real reason: the tone that the player wants to get. if a player has a certain idea of what he wants to sound like, he can achieve that (or at least get into the ballpark) by using all of the factors above. And that is the main reason, why players tend to sound like they do. If you gave Marcus Miller a non Jazz Bass but he had to play his standard gig, i´m sure he could pull it off sounding like MArcus Miller. From the above mentioned things i´d say the biggest difference comes from pickup/pickup location and playing style/plucking location.
Ears.
If you don’t believe me do a good yawn enough to make your ears pop whilst playing bass the difference in tone is greater than any of the above.
If you don’t believe me do a good yawn enough to make your ears pop whilst playing bass the difference in tone is greater than any of the above.
I think the discussion blurs sound vs inherent tone of an instrument. Tone I guess comes from instruments, sound comes from the player.
My first instinct upon reading that is that I might be tempted to flip that.
But of course in reality tone comes both from the instrument and the player. Take the exact same bass, and give it to somebody with a naturally gentle attack style and then to a bassist with a naturally aggressive attack style - no changes whatsoever gear/settings-wise between them and see how the tone changes. Same for one bassist who plays up by the neck, and one who plays down by the bridge.
Now imagine that instead of two bassists, it's the same bassist changing his technique similarly. Technique changes tone.
But so do amps, effects, rooms, and weather, among many other things. It seems like the OP interestingly focused on a specific segment of the tonal origination spectrum that goes from player to bass, and no further - which makes sense given which forum it's in.
How many of you have seen similar posts in the amps forum: "Poll: Which is more important in terms of tone: Amp or Cab?"
Or in effects: "Poll: Which is more important in terms of tone: Comp, OD, DI, Fuzz, Chorus, Octave, Delay?"
Or how about theweatherforums.com: "Poll: Which is more important in terms of tone: High Pressure, Low Pressure, Sunlight, or Rain?"
I voted to see what the others think. I was rewarded with knowledge that we sure don't let facts get in the way of our fun
- Jul 7, 2010
- 3,383
- 2,311
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist for: Duncan Pickups; Line6, Hipshot, GHS Strings, Somnium Guitars
I selected Overall construction, BUT that was actually (i my mind) the body wood, neck and controls. This plus pickups and strings and PLAYERS Technique.
So to me tone is ALL of the above.
Just my 1-1/2 cents.
So to me tone is ALL of the above.
Just my 1-1/2 cents.
D
I feel it's a combination of all the used materials: strings, woods used, electronics, hardware,... to give the bass it base-tone/base-sound. This is then complemented by the user's technique.
My post was based on a true incident. I played that room in the early 70s. It was a yacht club on Chesapeake Bay.
This is not a serious thread. I purposely chose not to define tone. Tone can be whatever you choose it to be for this discussion. Have fun!
