Which variables have the biggest impact on tone?

[Bassist30]

Hands

 

[Doug4321]

I guess you mean this video:



My answer regarding these P basses is that I don't know. It's even possible that a different part dominates in each of these basses: the neck with one of them, the body with another, etc. All types of bass combined, I would say pickup type and placement first and foremost, string type/material, then player technique.

But since you offer these choices in your poll, I'm pretty sure they'll be the most answered, because it's obvious to most of us. In a mix I can tell the difference between a P-bass with flats, a J-bass with nickel rounds and a Stingray with stainless rounds (or any other combination of these), but that's about it.

It’s seems like with these, since the techniques, strings, and pickup placement are about the same, the differences are probably some baked in eq in the pickups and electronics. Some sound more muffled than others etc, and the black Kawaii has some sort of scoop/comb filter thing going. Would be interesting to see if the differences show up along the same lines when they are unplugged, that would tell you something.

 

[Vinny_G]

It’s seems like with these, since the techniques, strings, and pickup placement are about the same, the differences are probably some baked in eq in the pickups and electronics. Some sound more muffled than others etc, and the black Kawaii has some sort of scoop/comb filter thing going. Would be interesting to see if the differences show up along the same lines when they are unplugged, that would tell you something.

Yes, absolutely, that would be interesting.

 

[thabassmon]

I think the results of the poll are showing the truth.

IMO
It has to be how a player interacts with a string (technique), what tonal properties are inherent in the string (type), where along a string length is the signal is heard (pickup position).

Pickup type and electronics would be after that.

 

[HalfManHalfBass]

An impossible question because the player and the bass are separate.
A good player can make round wounds sound like flats or play a fretted as in tune as a fretted etc.
Fretless can also be played in a way to exaggerate its lack of frets - so in that context, fretted / fretless would be the most obvious and biggest influence on tone.

0) Player technique

1) Fretted vs fretless
2) Pickup type
3) Pickup location

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Theres no option for bridge material, presumably because no one would want to attempt to find alternatives ... which kind of indicates how important the bridge material is ...

 

[Valvehead]

The person playing it.

 

[JakobT]

I'm surprised that amps/cabs aren't on the list.

 

[two fingers]

My best friend is a guitarist, and has a great ear. He always crushes my excitement when I get a new bass. I have all kinds of basses from traditional P basses, to an 80s hot pink PJ with active EMGs, to a crazy looking LeCompte SSTS loaded with all kinds kf modern electronics. Every time I get a new bass I'll play it for him. He'll say "Yep. It sounds like you playing bass."

The point of all that is that, in my case, player technique is, apparently, the single most important factor.

Strings and pickup location are next in line in my view. An alder, bolt-on, P bass and a maple neck through P bass will have differences for sure. But they'll sound like a P bass. Move that P bass pickup 2 inches in either direction and it's a different animal. Put dead flats on one and new steel rounds on the other and they're different animals. One guy plays with the soft side of his thumb near the fretboard and another guy uses a pick near the bridge and they're different animals.

 

[TreySonagras]

Hands. It’s always the hands.

Seriously, I believe the signal chain from player to listener is:
Hands
Strings
Pickups
Cables
Effects
Amp
Cabinets
Room Acoustics.

 

[brianrost]

Not meaning to risk restarting the Tonewood debate, but the cold hard truth is, they can't tell and nobody can.

If you unplug the bass and play you can hear it.

BTW in shootouts where one player does all the playing, you actually get to hear how much the player contributes. If you had one bass and 12 players instead of the other way around the results would be a lot different

 

[monkeyfinger]

Lots of great responses. I always find it interesting how each person interprets the meaning of the word 'tone'. For me, 'tone' means the identifiable elements of the sound other than the fundamental pitch. In this context, your personal style, approach, sense of what is musical, interpretation, feeling, etc, is going to be the most important element. (Who you are is how you play.) How you translate that through your fingers, is going to be second.

If we took the influence of the player on tone out of the picture, and focused exclusively on the instrument, then we factors matter most? I think of this in terms of what elements of the instrument 'tone' can I change through technique, eq, amp or cab choice, etc, vs what elements are really unique to that instrument and hard to change/hide?

1. Fretted vs fretless -- they sound so different, and more importantly, they make me play differently
2. Pickups
3. electronics
4. Strings

 

[Vinny_G]

30% of you are just wrong. If you look at Johnny Long's videos there is a great example of the fact that playing is mostly in technique. While there are minor differences in each bass, everytime that dude plays if you are blindfolded you can tell it is all him. The way he hits the strings and the way he sounds is virtually uniform across the board. Of course there are some tona differences when he switches between pickups, but aside from that, his ears, hands and amp setup show that which bass he is playing is almost a non factor. There are subtle differences in everything, but I will never sound like Ox or Geddy or whoever if I play like me.

I am convinced that the tone of Johnny Long comes from his wooden owl.

 

[InNoRush]

Normally I play with fingers, but I tried playing with a carrot instead and it made a HUGE difference in tone. I'm really surprised it's not higher on the list...