What features should all bass guitars have?

[josie]

I seem to remember there was a thread about this a while back, but I thought it might be interesting to float it again: 

What design features have you seen on a bass guitar that you think they should all have?

I'll open with three:

-- Safety catch on the jack input so the cable can't be pulled out accidentally. I've had this on my Jazz+V and Ibanez 6. 

-- (Active only) Active / passive / standby control options. I used the standby a lot when I had it, on the J+V. 

-- (Active only) Easily opened battery compartment separate from the rest of the electronics. The first time I've seen this is on my Ibby 6. I do check batteries regularly, but it's so much easier to do when you don't have to faff about with a screwdriver, and then carefully avoid deranging the rest of the more or less carefully installed wiring, and losing the very small screws. 

Interested to hear anyone else's views on this (including any luthiers here!)

[AndyTravis]

Basses with 20 frets should always have a 21st...

Always made sense to me to have the last available note on a 4 string the same as the first (Standard tuning) available note.

Two of my basses have 21 frets, my main jazz has 20, and it’s the only “flaw” as such - but it’s based on a 1964 so I’ll forgive it.

Quick access batteries I agree with - I think some recent Yamaha’s have had a battery indicator on - I know GB’s have this.

The locking jacks I’ve had on basses (one ibanez and one custom jobbie) did my head in.

I like basses with two endpins - G&L ASAT, Hohner B Bass - means you can lean them against the wall if you’ve no stand - doesn’t work for every body shape.

In Built tuners would be cool...Epiphone did Guitars with tuners built into the pickup surround for a while (Les Paul ultra 2 I think...)

[fretmeister]

I can’t stand locking jack sockets. If anything they give a higher load on the wood possibly causing cracking - especially on front mounted sockets. At least putting the lead through the strap moves that stress to the strap and strap button area where the wood is thicker.

 

All basses should have slot load bridges. I hate having to feed the strings through the bridge, especially if taking strings off but wanting to keep them for future use.

[CameronJ]

If active with a passive option, a SEPARATE passive tone knob.

The best implementation of this I’ve seen is the MTD Kingston Saratoga Deluxe preamp. Only the 3 band EQ works in active mode and when you switch to passive the EQ is bypassed and only the tone knob works. So at the flick of a switch you can instantly go from bright HiFi modern tones to subby tone-down thump.

This system works better IMO than what a lot of other brands do, which is have the treble knob become the tone knob when switched to passive, meaning you have to keep changing the position of that knob if you want a really bright active sound vs a really dark passive sound, or vice versa.

[Al Krow]

Gotta depend on what your priorities are right?

If you want something all singing and all dancing then you need to be prepared to pay £££ e.g. Status offer (at great expense) a semi-parametric EQ option.

If you want something that works fine and you can play a great bass line on, then something as simple as a Yammy BB 434 (or indeed a Squier) has everything you need from a bass to make a great sound already. 

Around £250 used but in mint condition. Job done.

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by Al Krow

[Lozz196]

Strings.

Four of them.

[PaulWarning]

I've always thought a zero fret instead of relying on the nut for string height was a good idea

[Al Krow]

14 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Strings.

Four of them.

Haha. Thought I'd be told off if I said that! 😂

Sometimes good to have a spare. Take five. 

[ead]

Always liked a zero fret plus at least 21 others.  That being said playing live I can't hear much of a difference between a nut and a zero fret playing the odd open string.

Definitely a separate tone control of active basses.

Personally I like a flat/zero radius board

Pickups with nicely radiussed covers rather than razor sharp edges.

[Woodinblack]

Any bass with a locking bass socket is likely to be changed. Although I use wireless most of the time, if I am using a cable and someone trips over it, something on the cable has to give, or the bass gets dragged across the floor. The other option is the plug comes off the cable or the socket comes out the bass. Or the socket comes out of the amp, which is harder to quickly fix!

other than that, the normal.

24 frets

active

5 string

battery compartment

luminay side dots (if not leds)

[AndyTravis]

Seems like everyone has different features they think basses ‘should’ have...

Does that mean Excalibur doesn’t exist?

 

[therealting]

Tuners. 

[Al Krow]

For me my "must haves" are:

1) great pups

2) playable neck

3) well balanced body

4) if active, a high quality 3 band EQ

Was just playing my Yammy BB 1025 this morning and loving the tone. I found myself thinking: "Yup that totally hits the spot. They absolutely nailed it with that one."

It has a nickel silver nut which is akin to a zero fret; a three piece spline jointed body for greater strength and diagonal body through stringing. They're all really nice touches and the first two good reasons for upgrading from the cheaper BB 425, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if it didn't have these - it would still be a great bass and still sound delicious. 

Edited November 4, 2018 by Al Krow

[naxos10]

Knobs

[Marvin]

Good neck

Quality tuners

Top loading bridge

If active, an active passive switch + no discernible difference in output or basic tone between active and passive.

If active, a quality 3 band eq with sweepable mids. 2 band is almost pointless.

I wouldn’t be interested in locking jacks, I’ve never trodden on my lead and pulled it out. I always tuck it through my strap.

[Shaggy]

12 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

Quick access batteries I agree with - I think some recent Yamaha’s have had a battery indicator on - I know GB’s have this.

I like basses with two endpins - G&L ASAT, Hohner B Bass - means you can lean them against the wall if you’ve no stand - 

 

11 hours ago, fretmeister said:

All basses should have slot load bridges. I hate having to feed the strings through the bridge, especially if taking strings off but wanting to keep them for future use.

These......

Also bridge saddles that don't fall out when there's no string tension on them when changing strings, and personally I prefer master vol / balance pan for 2 p/up basses rather than vol / vol.

Some of these features go way back - loads of '60's instruments were zero-fret, and my mid-60's Vox teardrop (active) had a built-in tuner in the sense that pulling out the treble control produced a E tone that you could tune to

[Bridgehouse]

3 hours ago, CameronJ said:

If active with a passive option, a SEPARATE passive tone knob.

The best implementation of this I’ve seen is the MTD Kingston Saratoga Deluxe preamp. Only the 3 band EQ works in active mode and when you switch to passive the EQ is bypassed and only the tone knob works. So at the flick of a switch you can instantly go from bright HiFi modern tones to subby tone-down thump.

This system works better IMO than what a lot of other brands do, which is have the treble knob become the tone knob when switched to passive, meaning you have to keep changing the position of that knob if you want a really bright active sound vs a really dark passive sound, or vice versa.

Does that system work if the battery fails? I’d want a failover - battery failure means passive mode with working passive tone control. John East’s work like that and have a separate passive tone knob - but for it to do failover (in case of battery failure) the passive tone works all the time 

[Marvin]

25 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

 

These......

Also bridge saddles that don't fall out when there's no string tension on them when changing strings 

I’ve never understood how anyone would think that those types of bridges are a good design, it’s complete bobbins 

[No. 8 Wire]

54 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

my mid-60's Vox teardrop (active) had a built-in tuner

Why do most acoustic bass guitars have  tuners built into the preamp but not active electric basses?

[2elliot]

Strap locks

[Bridgehouse]

4 minutes ago, No. 8 Wire said:

Why do most acoustic bass guitars have  tuners built into the preamp but not active electric basses?

Getting a simple and effective unit on a solid body in a position that’s viewable when playing is hard - acoustics have the big slab side to fit them in easily and they are viewable when playing

[AndyTravis]

46 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

Getting a simple and effective unit on a solid body in a position that’s viewable when playing is hard - acoustics have the big slab side to fit them in easily and they are viewable when playing

This is what Martin have on their performing artist series.

just a little window - maybe a little limpet on the back of the headstock, imagine a miniaturised reversed Stratocaster jack socket with this fella looking at you.

would work off vibration like a clip on tuner...

for reference these circles are about as big as a 1p coin.

Edited November 4, 2018 by AndyTravis

[Bridgehouse]

6 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

This is what Martin have on their performing artist series.

just a little window - maybe a little limpet on the back of the headstock, imagine a miniaturised reversed Stratocaster jack socket with this fella looking at you.

would work off vibration like a clip on tuner...

for reference these circles are about as big as a 1p coin.

I wonder how deep they are and how easy it would be to route them in a solid body with curvy sides?

It’s a great concept but I’d Probly end up forgetting to change the battery 🤣

[AndyTravis]

14 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

I wonder how deep they are and how easy it would be to route them in a solid body with curvy sides?

It’s a great concept but I’d Probly end up forgetting to change the battery 🤣

Think the unit itself is about 10mm but obviously would need a blob of solder and a power source.

[alyctes]

Slot-load bridge.  (Hat tip:  fretmeister.)  All other "features" are optional, IMO.