TheLowDown

I thought it was usually just root notes in punk. Because punk is so busy for the bass to be audible, it doesn't benefit from having anything more than that, and could probably do away with the bass altogether and just have down tuned guitars.

Velvet Underground were toying with distortion and feedback in 1964/65, but their album wasn't released until 67 due to legal issues. Arguably, they could have been the first. For "Equipment shaping music, or music shaping equipment?", it's very much a 2 way process feeding into each other. I don't think either can be claimed to be the major driver.

That's why I mentioned that "elsewhere it's been reported....". I've always found that there's often a large range of weights reported even for the same bass.

An inexpensive comfortable to hold lightweight bass with no neck dive and where the neck is joined firmly to the body.

I've just Googled the alder version and it's 4kg (8.8lbs). Elsewhere it's been reported at 4.3 - 4.5kg (9.5 - 9.9lbs). That's the Harley Benton Enhanced MP-5EB alder version.

I would have the HB without doubt. As mentioned by ribbetingfrog, the neck and body are good, and that's all that matters because I consider them to be the chassis and the framework of the bass. A bass is after all a collection of parts put together such as the neck, body, bridge, tuners, pickup, preamp and so forth. The electronics are just bolt ons, and you can change them out like replacing the sound card in a PC. As long as the motherboard(ahem, body and neck) is good and you're getting it for a great price, just add the bits you want to improve and save some money. I would much rather have that than paying 3 times the price for a PC with a graphics card, sound card, and slow RAM, none of which I would have wanted. In this case, the Sandberg but it could be a Fender or some other bass whose pickups or tuners I wouldn't have wanted.

Telekinesis. I think "F# E string" to myself and it just happens.

I use an app called Metronomics for the drum rhythms.

Doesn't that mean less control? That's what i mean - the fingers alone can do it a lot more effectively. On a 5 or 6 string it would become a nightmare if I have to phrase the notes with the pick while keeping the lower strings muted, and is making unnecessary hard work of the situation. Fingers of fretting hand are for the higher strings.

No, how could I effectively mute the lower strings when using a pick? Fingers do a much better job.

Never bothered with a pick. Fingers for maximum control.

My ego saves me a lot of money then.

Well, yes that's possible. But given the sales it would be improbable.

Much of the reason will be ego. I don't there will be many practical reasons. Because of their focus on performance, a great many of those German cars are well known for being some of the least reliable on the road, and notoriously expensive to repair. I'll stick to my Harley Benton.

As well as a 5 and 6 string, I have a 4 string Harley Benton that cost around £128(with 20% VAT). What features or qualities is it lacking that a £700 or £3000 bass will provide that will add value to my bass playing? And the answer is exactly why I bought it rather than a much more expensive bass.

I recently read on another forum an interesting viewpoint based on one luthier's long term experience of tone-woods, and it is most likely the best interpretation of tone-woods I've heard so far. You can read the much longer version in the link above, but to summarise: -the stronger/stiffer the structure of the bass, the less the choice of woods matter to the tone. In most neck-thru solid bodies, the wood has zero effect on the tone. In most bolt-on solid bodies, the wood has almost zero effect on the tone. Only the strings and pickups matter to tone. -the more structural weaknesses in the bass - such as cavities in hollow bodies, semi hollow, and acoustic guitars, and relatively soft wood - the more the woods matter to the tone. This is where you can hear the character between different woods and which is what luthiers work with. -even in basses where there are structural weaknesses, you can't say that if it has X wood then it will sound any different to Y wood. It's possible to get a maple body/neck bass to sound exactly the same as what people perceive a mahogany body/neck bass to sound like, and vice versa, by shaping the weaknesses. -for those that believe that woods matter to the tone and those that believe that woods don't matter to the tone, you're both half correct. Discuss.

Well if you think you're getting a better bass, then that's all that matters, eh. If you're more than happy with it, then there is no issue for you.

Often it's about perception regarding how much people paid for their item. "Nicer to play" "and "better made" are highly subjective. Scientists have have many times conducted real world experiments and found that people consistently perceive a higher priced item as being "better", even when it was the same.

With a lot of basses you're going to be paying for the name of the brand, player associations for signature basses, and gimmicks. Some *cough* Fender *cough* will hike their prices up enormously for just a mediocre product. It's about what the brand believes that they can rip you off with reasonably charge you, and for a brand name like Fender how could anyone possibly think they won't get anything other than a top notch quality product given their history. Fender, for just one instance of a large number of similar brands who play the same tricks, charge that much because people will pay it. Not because it's worth that much or you're getting a quality product. It's really that simple! Another reason for high price is custom made. Some people like that human, personal, one-of-a-kind touch. But in a contest for accuracy and precision between a robot and a human, I know who I have my bets on. This is why I have bought inexpensive basses. I know how business works and I'm not taken in by brand names, marketing tricks("tonewoods" on solid bodies instruments, anyone?), or other tomfoolery. I know that many people believe that the more they pay the better quality they will get, and that basses that are cheap(ie reasonably prices) will be made by some sort of slave labour by workers getting whipped if they work less than 23 hours a day. If a bass costs you above £400 and isn't diamond studded or laced with gold, you should question what you're getting for your money.

New order - Blue Monday

This is why American English was designed to be greatly simplified for you over the pond

I sometimes hear of bassists like that who only play the 5 string because they honestly believe that they're making their bass life "easier". Their rationale being the economy of movement and that learning one type of bass can cover all ground. Many do, however, eventually realise where they're going wrong. There are some notable disadvantages: -it encourages a lazy box-squatting approach to the bass. No need to be creative or explore their instrument, just stay in the same box and play there every night. -some go to great lengths to torture their poor instrument to make full use of the B string on every song, even though it doesn't call for it most of the time. -many don't appreciate that the rumbling unmuted B string doesn't make a good recording or live sound, even when they're using it as a thumb rest 90% of the time. Both 5 string and 6 strings and even 7 strings have their rightful place, but it's best to use the right bass for the job.

I would go the 5 string route, but don't go torturing your 5 string to play songs that can be played much more effectively and efficiently on the 4 string, though. Best practice is to use a 4 string as standard because that's all that most songs require, and only use the 5 string when you absolutely have to. It's about using the best tool for the job.

I don't believe in effects for bass.

Incidentally, depression frequently leads to shopping to give people that dopamine hit. A bass arrives in the post and they will feel good, but only for a moment. This is a slippery slope because it means that people will keep hitting the BUY button to feel good, and the more they buy the more they go into debt or worsen their finances. The worse they feel, the more they hit the BUY button. Goto 10. A much better and long term way of getting that dopamine hit is to practice on the gear that one already has, improving skills, learning new theory, feel more important as a bassist and musician, and selling the gear that you no longer need.