An Epiphany About Basses

[Lowender]

Since playing bass since the early 1800's , I've come to the realization that there are essentially 5 distinct bass guitar sounds -- not variables of tone, but inherent sounds to an instrument brand and which sound like nothing else.

They are...

A Precision.

A Jazz.

A Music Man (Yes, there are several versions but they all have a similar quality).

Ibanez (Same deal -- many versions but all pretty much all higher end Ibbys have a distinct tonality).


Rickenbacker


I guess we can include semi hollowbodies in this group as well. I guess a Stein berger has a sound but does anybody still play those?

Anyway...


I've owned many basses over the years but a guitar player friend of mine said something that opened my eyes. He said; You never hear anyone talk about the "Fodera" sound. He's right. And the more I though about it, the more I realized that the same goes for Sadowsky, Lakeland, Warwick and others. They're basses built for bass players but they're either souped up copies of traditional sound or a unique sound (like Alembic) which nobody wants to hear! lol

I have nothing against anyone using a bass because they like the way they feel. But what are your thoughts on different sounds and their practical application?

[EssentialTension]

I know nothing about Ibanezes or Music Men but I'd say the Precision and the Jazz and the Rickenbacker are quite capable of more than one sound. For example:

Precision: James Jamerson is very different from JJ Burnel.
Jazz: Joe Osborn is very different from Jaco Pastorius.
Rickenbacker: Paul McCartney is very different from Chris Squire.

And anyway sometimees McCartney is playing a Hofner or even a Fender Jazz but still manages to sound like McCartney. Strangely, or perhaps not so strange, when Chris Squire plays a Fender Jazz he still sounds like Chris Squire.

[bagsieblue]

Broadly agree, not all that different as people like to think as well, even more so in a live mix.

That said, I'd replace Ibanez with Warwick in your list though.

[LukeFRC]

so which one on that list does a warwick thumb sound like?

[gjones]

Gibson EBO basses were popular in the 70s and had a very particular sound. He manages to make it work but personally I think it's a pretty horrible sound.......as bass sounds go.

But it's definitely a 'sound'.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpc1EtEODbk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpc1EtEODbk[/url]

[gjones]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1381067645' post='2233923']
so which one on that list does a warwick thumb sound like?
[/quote]

A Jazz bass with a knackered neck pickup!

Edit: to insert smiley.

Edited October 6, 2013 by gjones

[Coilte]

....and what about the G&L's ?

[xilddx]

I don't agree. All basses sound different. It depends what you do with them and what you put them through.

The sh*t that gets done to any recorded bass sound bears little resemblance to the original tracking, so are you talking about the basses you've played over the years yourself? On their own or with your various bands?

Maybe it's blinkered bassists thinking that certain basses are best for certain applications, I don't believe that.

[chriswareham]

I've always assumed that the type and placement of pickups are the only thing intrinsic to how a particular bass sounds. Strings have a impact on the sound, as flkatwounds clearly sound different to round wounds, but that isn't an intrinsic part if the bass itself. All the stuff about different woods or body shapes sounding noticably different is bollocks in my humble opinion, at least on solid body basses. For example, my Hondo Rick clone sounds indistinguishable from the real Rick I played in a shop last week, and the Hondo is plywood!

[jakenewmanbass]

I took up the bayse (ancient spelling) in AD 27 and can confirm without a shadow of doubt there is only one sound...
The player.

[Painy]

I'd say that's over simplifying it a bit to be honest. Wal basses for example have a pretty distinctive and individual sound and I'm sure we could all name others too.
As far as the list goes though, and just my opinion of course, if I had to describe the Ibanez sound in one word then the word I'd probably use would be generic! Thats not a criticism of Ibanez by the way, there's nothing wrong with versatility.
Have to say too that the suggestion that Warwick should replace Ibanez in the list only works as far as you use Fender rather than Ps and Js. There's at least as much difference tonally between a Streamer and a Thumb as there is between a P and a J!
Personnally, if I wanted to simplify things this much I'd actually go a step further and say there are just 3 main ones indicated by the pup type - P, J and Humbucker. After that you can often find as much difference between individual basses of the same make/model as you can between brands!
As it is though I'd just rather not simplify it that much

[discreet]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1381068357' post='2233936']
....certain basses are best for certain applications, I don't believe that.
[/quote][size=4][quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1381073581' post='2234004'][/size]...without a shadow of doubt there is only one sound... the player.
[/quote]

+1 to both.

Edited October 6, 2013 by discreet

[BigRedX]

IME every bass sounds different (and so they should otherwise there wouldn't be any point in having so many!)

Also unless you're strictly a bedroom player how the bass sounds in the context of the band is far more important than how it sounds on its own.

[jakenewmanbass]

To be serious for a moment,
my main concern with sound is how something records, given that I spend part of my working life trying to sound any good on recordings, then i am actually making a serious point, I want to sound like ME on a recording, so the sound is as much to do with my musicality and note choice as it is tone, I would strive to achieve my sound whatever instrument I were playing.

[Spike Vincent]

Shurely that should be an Epiphoney about basses?

Edited October 6, 2013 by Spike Vincent

[chris_b]

50 years ago maybe, but I don't believe that basses can be grouped by sound any more.

[Zenitram]

They all sound the bloody same!

[lowdown]

They all sound an octave lower than written.

The player for me.

Edited October 6, 2013 by lowdown

[John Cellario]

'He manages to make it work but personally I think it's a pretty horrible sound.......as bass sounds go.'

Can't agree with this...I love Andy Frasers sound and have spent the last thirty years trying to get somewhere near it!

[Roger2611]

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1381073440' post='2234002']
I've always assumed that the type and placement of pickups are the only thing intrinsic to how a particular bass sounds. Strings have a impact on the sound, as flkatwounds clearly sound different to round wounds, but that isn't an intrinsic part if the bass itself. All the stuff about different woods or body shapes sounding noticably different is bollocks in my humble opinion, at least on solid body basses. For example, my Hondo Rick clone sounds indistinguishable from the real Rick I played in a shop last week, and the Hondo is plywood!
[/quote]

I would have to disagree, the bass you sold me has a sound that I cannot get out of any of my other basses a real glassy piano type sound, it just seems to have a "different" sound which I think has to be down to the construction, the size and mass of the bridge and the size of the bass itself, when I tried the genuine article I think it had a less pronounced version of the same sound

[neepheid]

I suppose people will always try to relate unmeasurable things like timbre back to familiar things. Reminds me of the Volkswagen advert a while back where the car salesman shuts the car door with a thunk and says "Just like a Golf". As far as I'm concerned (or care), any reasonably well made car door these days will close with a satisfying thunk. The doors on my first Mk2 Fiesta used to clang! Similarly, all a bass has to do is sound "good" - and that's my personal definition of "good" which I doubt even I can explain in enough detail to be meaningful or useful.

[discreet]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1381084406' post='2234214']
...all a bass has to do is sound "good"...
[/quote]

Yes! Makes you wonder why anyone would buy anything more expensive than a Squier CV, really. *Hides in wardrobe*

[Dingus]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1381084406' post='2234214']
I suppose people will always try to relate unmeasurable things like timbre back to familiar things. Reminds me of the Volkswagen advert a while back where the car salesman shuts the car door with a thunk and says "Just like a Golf".
[/quote]

I remember that advert . I always thought it would have been better if he had said " Just like a Panzer." , but maybe that's just me being cynical.

[AntLockyer]

Timbre differences per guitar are very obvious to me and I'm no golden ear. My P bass with Labellas on it is absolutely amazing sounding, sounds like a great big wooden instrument. It's not the last word in anything other than sound. It plays pretty nicely, it's put together in an OK fashion but the sound is awesome.

My Aria makes the Fender feel like a toy, and sounds nowhere near as good.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1381084406' post='2234214']
...The doors on my first Mk2 Fiesta used to clang! ...
[/quote]
A band I was in had a Bedford van with sliding doors. The driver's door would sometimes fall off as we were going along. That made a clang and a clunk.