The next "big thing" in bass development?

[Ghosts Over Japan]

The title might sound odd I know, but to have electric basses is incredible.
But since then we've had so many developments on improving the bass I.E;

[size=4]Dual, Graphite, or advanced metal truss rods[/size]

[size=4]arguably headless basses (I think they are a leap forward for basses BUT I'm not starting to cause a war so try not to argue about this here please!)[/size]

Through body bridges

Varied scale lengths

Push/Pull Active pots

And the one that I really like is a Zero Fret, after having a Sandberg for so long it's something I've very much got used to and I'm very glad my new HumanBase has this too

I know there are quite a few that I've missed out but my question to you is, what do you think we will start to see a lot more on basses in the next 10-20 years?
I'm not a designer or luthier and I know most of us are not, I'm interested to see what people think has been beneficial or will be beneficial.

And here we go!

Cai

Edited September 4, 2013 by Ghosts Over Japan

[Freddy Le Cragg]

I have had a few guitars with zero frets and ended up pulling them out on all of them. What advantage do they present?

[deanovw]

The music man game changer bass, maybe.

http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/MM_Gamechanger.html

[Ghosts Over Japan]

Well in my days of playing a lot of open notes (terrible metal bands) I can here the difference of playing an open note on a zero fret to hearing an open note on a plastic/bone nut, I find the sound is a lot more consistent with playing a fretted note.

As I say, just my preference but quite a few builders have seemed to start using them.

[Ghosts Over Japan]

[quote name='deanovw' timestamp='1378331496' post='2198898']
The music man game changer bass, maybe.

[url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/MM_Gamechanger.html"]http://www.bassdirec...amechanger.html[/url]
[/quote]

Yes, very good call, always found the game changer an interesting idea, I'll have to throw the Enfield Super 8 pickup out there then, [url="http://www.enfieldguitars.com/super8.html"]http://www.enfieldgu...com/super8.html[/url], I don't think other brands will copy it too much but it certainly makes for an interesting design and from my experience they do sound very good!

Edited September 4, 2013 by Ghosts Over Japan

[Myke]

I think it'll be something to do with synth bass or something.. Seems things are heading that way.

[Roland Rock]

Midi/multi FX bass, controlled wirelessly by your phone which clips onto the bass. Or something.

[xilddx]

It won't be anything visual of any use or ornament. I reckon it might, in fact SHOULD be, adjustable neck relief along the LENGTH of the neck so you can set the apex and profile of the neck curvature between about the 9th to the 16th frets. I think that would make it possible to set up the bass in a much more comfortable way to suit the string gauges, scale length and tuning. Necks bend at different places so a new truss rod system to control that bend could mean better feel and playability and above all, consistency. It may have been done already, never heard of it though. Not convinced I've explained it well either

[paul_5]

Ex-relic basses that have been relic'ed and then restored...

[Delberthot]

[quote name='Ghosts Over Japan' timestamp='1378331299' post='2198891']

Through body bridges

[/quote]

Er

[URL=http://s927.photobucket.com/user/Delberthot/media/-53PRECISIONBASS005_zps588ba57e.jpg.html][IMG]http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/Delberthot/-53PRECISIONBASS005_zps588ba57e.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[throwoff]

The next big thing WILL be 3d printing.

Most if not all the big players (Fender, Gibbo etc) are investing in it for RnD.

Within a few years you will be able to download and print a bass as quick as we use itunes etc now.

[Mr. Foxen]

CNC routing already covers what 3d printing can do for basses, the advantages are all cosmetics.

[Ghosts Over Japan]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1378332960' post='2198936']
It won't be anything visual of any use or ornament. I reckon it might, in fact SHOULD be, adjustable neck relief along the LENGTH of the neck so you can set the apex and profile of the neck curvature between about the 9th to the 16th frets. I think that would make it possible to set up the bass in a much more comfortable way to suit the string gauges, scale length and tuning. Necks bend at different places so a new truss rod system to control that bend could mean better feel and playability and above all, consistency. It may have been done already, never heard of it though. Not convinced I've explained it well either
[/quote]

This sounds like great idea (And I understand your explanation )

As for the Through Body Bridges Delbethot, They've come a long way now with Hi-mass bridges being added, and some bridges giving you the option of through body and standard bridge set up but yes they certainly have been around for a long time, they just seem to be improving quite a lot.

This third printing idea seems interesting, I'll have a read into that this afternoon

Cai

[LukeFRC]

the bass stopped evolving with the Peavey T40. It's all been downhill since then!

[wateroftyne]

How many of the developments mentioned in this thread have *really* changed the face of bass?

I can't think of many, if any, that are a permanent fixture on all new basses....

[Ghosts Over Japan]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1378362093' post='2199042']
How many of the developments mentioned in this thread have *really* changed the face of bass?

I can't think of many, if any, that are a permanent fixture on all new basses....
[/quote]
A good point, but as mentioned earlier [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=4]adjustable neck relief along the length of the neck would certainly be a good addition IMO
Cai[/size][/font][/color]

[Woodinblack]

Any new progress in a bass will just be widely derided for not being used on the original P-Bass, therefore not worth having!

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Freddy Le Cragg' timestamp='1378331406' post='2198897']
I have had a few guitars with zero frets and ended up pulling them out on all of them. What advantage do they present?
[/quote]
They set string height at the nut and help with keeping intonation.

I don't think there are significant design advances to be had any more, instead I think it's just a question of taste. Headless was about as radical as it got and look how today'[size=4]s market reflects back on those ground breaking ideas. The sliding pickup idea has been around for a while but again, no elegant way to execute it yet. The only significant changes I can anticipate are in the use of new woods given that so many traditional woods are becoming increasingly scarce - Warwick did that with their use of bubinga and wenge. Dingwall have explored pairing cedar and alder with each other in bodies too. [/size]

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1378364931' post='2199059']
Any new progress in a bass will just be widely derided for not being used on the original P-Bass, therefore not worth having!
[/quote]

Like the 5-string?

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1378364931' post='2199059']
Any new progress in a bass will just be widely derided for not being used on the original P-Bass, therefore not worth having!
[/quote]

If I had to sum up Basschat in a single sentence this would be it...

[Lfalex v1.1]

Real "progress" will continue to come from amplification and cabinets, on board eq, and perhaps pickups.

Something like real-time analysis of room modes/reverb by your amp, which then corrects them by applying the relevant eq to give you your desired response.

Some good work has come from the folks who produce Q tuner pickups and Lightwave systems.

One day, we won't have amps, cabs and PA.
It'll either be vibrating force fields to generate the sound or we'll directly transmit it to our audience's brain, missing out ears entirely.

© both of those ideas, BTW!

[Ghosts Over Japan]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1378365739' post='2199072']
Real "progress" will continue to come from amplification and cabinets, on board eq, and perhaps pickups.

Something like real-time analysis of room modes/reverb by your amp, which then corrects them by applying the relevant eq to give you your desired response.

Some good work has come from the folks who produce Q tuner pickups and Lightwave systems.

One day, we won't have amps, cabs and PA.
It'll either be vibrating force fields to generate the sound or we'll directly transmit it to our audience's brain, missing out ears entirely.

© both of those ideas, BTW!
[/quote]

[size=4] Get in early, enjoy the profits later haha! Some really interesting stuff here, I agree with the different woods being used a lot more often!
Cai[/size]

[1970]

I think more of the bigger names will get into lightweight cabs - not just neo loaded, but overall lightweight design like Barefaced.

[Dr M]

[quote name='Ghosts Over Japan' timestamp='1378331299' post='2198891']
The title might sound odd I know, but to have electric basses is incredible.
But since then we've had so many developments on improving the bass I.E;

Dual, Graphite, or advanced metal truss rods

arguably headless basses (I think they are a leap forward for basses BUT I'm not starting to cause a war so try not to argue about this here please!)

Through body bridges

Varied scale lengths

Push/Pull Active pots

And the one that I really like is a Zero Fret, after having a Sandberg for so long it's something I've very much got used to and I'm very glad my new HumanBase has this too

I know there are quite a few that I've missed out but my question to you is, what do you think we will start to see a lot more on basses in the next 10-20 years?
I'm not a designer or luthier and I know most of us are not, I'm interested to see what people think has been beneficial or will be beneficial.

And here we go!

Cai
[/quote]

I'm surprised you didn't mention active electronics in that list - possibly (arguably) the most significant change to the face of the electric bass since, well, the Precision.

Unfortunately, as has been pointed out, dwindling wood stocks are one of the drivers for innovation at the moment. Synthetic / composite materials might increase in popularity.

Otherwise, many of the new innovations are in amplification. You could argue that the current 'big thing' in bass development is Class D power amplifiers.

[Kiwi]

Class D have been around and mass produced since Peavey made the DPC line of amps and the 450w Databass combo in the 80's. They're not new tech!!