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Your bass, your sound... why?

#21
I try to dial in a different tone every time I start playing. I have a $$ wick so there are plenty to use. My tone is easily accessible but I have fun discovering sounds I wouldn't normally use.
 
#22
Over the past 30 years of playing in typical bar/cover bands, I've gone through an embarrasing amount basses. I currently own 10. The ones that have managed to stick around are basses that have a classic, modern, or particularly desirable tone, or have some sentimental value associated with them. These include my Ric 4003 & 4004Cii models, my Geddy Jazz, my EBMM Stingray & my 3 Spectors. The other thing I've learned during that time is that your choice of amplifier is just as important (or even more so) as what bass you play. I think there are many people who buy nice basses, only to end up dissatisfied because their amp is not up to snuff.
Now that I'm playing only original hard rock & metal music, my main basses are my Spectors - especially my USA Spector NS-4. The Spectors just have the right combination of comfort, playability, and most importantly, tone, for the music my band plays these days, and my Phil Jones amp brings the best sound possible out of them.

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#23
I think it's great there are people that enjoy using lower end basses. A lot of us have been playing many years I've had lower end basses that sound GREAT but don't you have a dream bass and after playing 30 years wouldn't you save up and buy one. I have a Mexican made jazz 5 that sounds great but I just bought an American deluxe 5 I waited 4 months for. I'm sorry to say guys and gals it BLOWS AWAY THE MEXICAN MADE ONE.
I play for the love of it And dont be jealous save your money :-).

I'm joking its all about what your happy playing.
So if it's a Hondo more power to you!!
 
#24
I've always loved Motorhead, not any real hope that I'd ever sound like that but katie Lynn Campbell, dude from wolfmother, om, electric wizard, death from above 1979 and mister loveless all look awesome playing those rics and I had to have one. YouTube c'Mon - feeding off the dirt. Love how she's going nuts on that bass. So yeah, just heard/saw all that and was like I wanna do that!!
 
#25
I've got 4 Fenders that are all different.

My 84 USA P Elite II is strung with 105,085,070,050 nickel rounds. Sounds very punchy, aggressive, perfect for metal, rock.

My 90 USA HM is strung with 100,080,065,045 nickel rounds. The 3 jazz pickups with the 5 way switch make this bass very versatile. Might put tapes on this one.

My 00 MIM P Special Deluxe has 105,085,070,050 flats on it. Very full and warm.

My 04 MIM Dimension has 100,080,065,045 nickel rounds. It's very playable and has a great natural timbre - my new favorite bass. Been doing a lot of slapping on this one.
 
#28
My Squier MB-4 I originally picked up just because it was cheap and I was in Iraq, turns out that bass on the P pickup strung with DR Hi-Beams is completely my sound for most songs that I like to play. Plus the skull and crossbones paint job is totally me.

My Crafter 5-string is just to have a 5-string, it is strung with Chromes so it's super versatile with the active electronics.

I have a Schecter Stiletto Custom-6 that I got to delve into the 6-string world. Great tone versatility when strung with Hi-Beams, very playable, and gets absolutely crazy when I want to.

Finally I just picked up a Sterling SB14, amazing tone and playability as well plus it is absolutely gorgeous!!

I've had many others including several P basses; played G&Ls, ESPs, Jazzes but right now I think I'm super happy with my stable as it is, got pretty much any tone I could need out of one bass or another.

Peace,
Greg
 
#29
So after 25 years of playing I've combined old school Fender J bass styling with the high tech Moses graphite neck. She has a figured Redwood top on an Alder body built and finished by Warmoth and she is chambered. Dimarzio Model J pickups wired V/B/T round out the sound. Gets thick P bass tones out of the neck pickup with a bit of a mid rage boost and does burpy mwah for days on the bridge pickup.

Been through MANY basses........4s, 5s, fretted, fretless, high tech and low ~ I've found the Fender either P or J works about 99% of the time.
 
#30
In order of acquisition:
Rouge- Because it was my dads bass and I cut my teeth on it

Ibanez ATK- Because it looked cool, it was cheap, and had a decent sound

Stingray Classic- I absolutely love the tone of a MM way more than fenders. Feels great, sounds great. everythings great about it

Ibanez AEB- I needed an acoustic bass so i could play with the guitards unplugged

Ibanez Gio 206 6 string- Wanted to try out the 6 string realm.

Warwick Corvette Active RB 5 string- I love that Warwick bottom. And I wanted a 5 string

Rickenbacker 4003- Rics are my 2nd love. Ever since I picked one up in sam ash, I had to have that sound, feel, and look.

Cigar Box bass- Never had anything with a P pickup. Really, I wanted to see how little I could spend in making a bass. $36 in quarters got me that p bass sound.
 
#32
Well, let's see (all of the following IMO, IME, YMMV...):

- Ernie Ball Music Man Bongo: The overall best mass-produced bass ever.

- Rickenbacker 4003: The most "rocker" bass ever.

- Steinberger XL2: The most revolutionary and effective innovation in the bass guitar world, not to mention its unique tone and feel.

- Peavey T-40: My first bass. The fattest-sounding passive bass ever (also the heaviest single neck, 4-string bass ever).

- Cort GS Axe: A teenage dream come true.

- Kubicki Ex Factor: Instant jawdrop when I saw it for the first time 21 years ago in Invalid Link Removed. The most beautiful-sounding bass ever. Very innovative as well.

- Höfner Ignition (a.k.a. Icon): Bought it for a Beatles tribute band. Never thought of owning one of these, and never thought I was going to enjoy this little (but big-sounding) bass so much.

- Custom Stambaugh 5-string: Well, it's MY instrument. All the things I've liked to hear, feel and see joined in one single bass guitar.
 
#34
My Jaguar I bought mainly for ease of playing, because at the time I was still recovering from tendinitis issues in my left hand. It was later when I started messing with the controls that I discovered what a keeper it really was.

My fretless P bass I bought because it had great sound and feel, was such a cool hot rod, and the exact configuration of something I was going to build myself through Warmoth parts. I also loved the vintage platform on which it was done, and the fact that whoever did the project left the original headstock decal. Oh, and it was dirt cheap, considering the value of its components.
 
#35
Currently my main lady friend is a Nordstrand VJ5.
I got it because I had previously owned 2 nordstrand and absolutely love the necks! Plus it has brazilian rosewood which I love and a classic sunburst/block & binding look.
Tonal reasons for it were the PJ pickups with sadowsky pre. It sounds amazing!
 
#37
a few things: Needed to replace my good old Peavey which I had stupidly sold a few years before. I knew I wanted a versatile bass, because I knew I'd have to play as many styles as possible. I basically found the same abilities on a MIJ Fender Jaguar (ability to switch betwixt passive and active, different tonal colors available with that many switches).

From a comfort standpoint, the thinner J-bass neck felt so good, and with a J-bass pickup configuration, I had places to put my thumbs (this is a big deal to me, and a p-bass configuration doesn't allow me to comfortably play near the bridge).

Lookswise, I didn't think I'd *ever* get a sunburst, but I think my bass is really pretty.
 
#38
I walked into a music shop on a moderate budget and while I was trying out a few basses within that budget, I picked up a Warwick, thinking of a potential "down the road" purchase. It was a 4 string FNA Jazzman and it just spoke to me. Felt right, sounded great and had a real versatility. I was pretty crestfallen that I couldn't take it, but I couldn't go that high and really needed a 5er. I decided to just save the extra cash up and get them to order the 5, but while i was saving (before I asked the shop to order it in), I spotted a classified ad for a lightly used one, exactly what I was looking for, exact finish I wanted. I called the guy, met him the next day and went home with it that evening. It felt like fate.
 
#39
My Fender jazz basses (one 4 fretless with SD QP P/Ups, one five with bart p/ups and aguilar active, both mim) I just bought because "bass=fender," (yeah I was ~13-15) and I thought two pickups were better than one. Still feel that way generally, but I know there are exceptions.
Then I just wanted more from them and started putting the upgrades I listed. In a lot of ways I bought based on circumstance and the bass dictated my sound. I now know what I look for, but back then, when I bought the 4, I liked that as a cheap bass it had no fret rattle. Haha, silly 13 year old me.
Then I got the 5er, because the music store was having a sale. IT was between the MIM jazz 5 and a peavey 5 of some sort. Looking back haha the peavey was a better deal. BUt I have no regrets. I love fender looks, and while I still regret that peavey smooth punch tone, I would never have fallen in love with the agressive J tone unless I owned a bass that did it. In this case my bass dictated my tone.
Later in my playing I bought a Wick passive vette, and a flea bass. Both circumstantial but with more discretion by me. Basically stole them both but I knew what I wanted to steal.
For me circumstances chose my tone until I knew enough to chose my circumstance.
 

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