# Tell me about bass stuff!



## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

I've been into guitar gear for long time and I've made a lot of guitar designs with a lot of different pups, woods, shapes and stuff but I seem to know almost nothing about basses.

Could you guys tell me stuff like: This type of pickup is for this kind of tone, these woods are for that.

Guitar equivalent example: Active pickups are used for very high output, they sound sterile compared to passives, mostly used for metal because of their aggressiveness and they suck with cleans compared to passives.
Example 2: Mahagony body is good for meaty sound with some reduced highs, good paired with brighter pickups.
Example 3: Main guitar frequencies are mid, scooped guitars sound massive and deep but they get lost in the mix.

Tell me anything you know about basses.


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## ericsleepless (Apr 3, 2012)

Considering that they are virtually the same thing. The string gauge and the scale size are the main difference. Both instruments have bolt on and neck-thru and body styles. Basses have active pickups as well. There are 7 and 8 string basses and they can be fretless. 

Any questions...? 

Hope this helped.


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## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

Atleast you tried  I kinda wanted details, not obvious things like scale and neck style.


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## Tyghor (Apr 3, 2012)

There is enough details to write a book... be more specific on what you want and you might get some answers


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## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

J vs P vs Soapbar, which is for which tone type?
Which woods are good for what when it comes to bass.
How do string gauge scale with bass for 34" scale? (for guitar it's like +.1 for -1 full step, 9 for e, 10 for d, 11 for c, etc)
Which are some of the highest quality pickups? (I'm kinda guessing Bartolini there)
Active electronic + passive pickup vs active electronic + active pickup?
Tone purely from Bass (with active electronics) + DI to mixer, vs bass+pedals+bass amp?
Typical woods combinations for different styles?
15" vs 10" speakers and why do most use 4x10 or 8x10 if bass should have good <100Hz response? Shouldn't 15" give better deep, ground moving bass?
Which are the most popular bass amps for different styles? (For guitars it's like Roland JC120/Fender Twins for super cleans, Rectifiers/6505/Uberschall/Powerball/... for high gain, etc...)
Amp power ratings? (for guitars: around 15/30W for home practice, 60/100/120/150W for gigging)
Which frequencies are for what? (again, guitar analogy: <100 boom, 350-500 meat, ~5k presence, etc...) Example: typical Funk bass sound is this EQ: (insert important frequencies here)
What to look at when buying a bass?
Fret sizes? (example: bigger frets on guitar are more suited for shredding while smaller are good for chords and stuff) What's the bass analogy?
Average bass weight?
What's concidered thin and what a thick bass neck? (I've seen 19.5-22.5 on Ibanez site and knowing them, I'd say that really thin for bass)
Typical bass radiuses? (Guitar analogy: 7.5", 9.5", 12", 14", 16", 20") Is flat fretboard valid for bass?
Typical bass action? What is concidered low and what is average?


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## Dionysian (Apr 3, 2012)

This thread is very relevant to my interests.

Just getting into bass again, here are my thoughts on pickups:

J-pups are really good, versatile pickups with a lot of brightness and lows and somewhat "hollow" mids. Can sound a bit thin sometimes, but they fit almost any genre because they stay out of the guitars' and the vocals' frequency ranges. Surprisingly good for metal as well.

P-pickups are fatter, more rock-oriented pickups with a thick midrange and deeper lows. Haven't played them a lot though, so can't say any more.

MM-style pickups are your classical guitar humbuckers. Super thick midrange, a bit honky and nasal. Very aggressive. I had a Sandberg with a single MM-style pickup in the sweet spot position (bridge position, but somewhat closer to the neck) and it really created a stir in the mix with a lack of low end and treble but more mids. Just recently got hold of a Sandberg JM with a MM bridge and J neck and it's amazing. The J pickup in the neck really adds a ton of sizzle and lows to the fatness of the bridge MM. 

Soapbar I don't really know. The ones I have tried (Bartolinis in an Ibanez SR505) sounded really nice and woody.

As for bass amps you'll want something at least over 250 watts for band practices, but it varies a lot. Wattage of an amp is an "estimate" from the company - meaning they all set their wattages far higher than what the amps actually produce. Especially Behringer, haha.

EBS amps are super clean, super hi-fi amps with a very big frequency range - especially on the treble side, which means they are good for slap stuff. They're said to be very transparent and really the the bass and the fingers do the talking and walking.

Ampeg are the classic amps with a shit ton of mids and a more oldschool rock tone. The SVT series are the go to amps for metal due to their tube distortion thing which really helps the bass cut through in a metal mix. 

There's a lot to say and I could go on, but like you I'm just trying to understand this second world of gear.


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## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

Please do add anything else you know.

I'm mostly interested in full, deep, ground moving, sustained bass sound with no fret slap (thicker strings I guess). With some "Jamiroquaish" flavor.
I don't really like Iron Maiden type of bass tone. Sounds too middy/trebly for "bass purpose". My philosophy is that bass should groove/pump/move ground, but not in "I can't hear any bass here because of guitars" way.

I kinda dig this bass tone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVq-fiW1wTU Especially from 0:19 to 0:35


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## Bevo (Apr 3, 2012)

You sir need to get a big beer, a comfy seat and have a long read over at Talkbass.com..

That vid didn't help me but I kinda get what your after.

Thick deep tone is by moving lots of air and an amp that is not working to hard. So a 8-10 or 2-15 with a big power amp and a light touch on the strings will give you a great round tone like this 

I think tighter strings and a light touch gives a great tone from a passive bass but its all in the fingers.
The fingers do make a huge difference as well as where on the body you play, moving between neck and bridge makes a huge difference.

Some amps are also known for a smoother sound others have a natural grind to them that can't be eq'd out.

The Sansamp I keep hearing about is getting more and more intersting for me, that and a poweramp sounds pretty slick for every style..


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## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

I was just watching that vid 1h ago. I just love that sound I'd just add just a bit more deep lows  Thanks for Talkbass site <3
I kinda think Sansamp misses 2 mid knobs :\ Otherwise I've heard it sounds good.
I'd like answers on other stuff I've asked if ya know some.


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## HaMMerHeD (Apr 3, 2012)

Pickup form factor in bass is deceptive.

Soapbar describes nothing more than the molded casing. You can have virtually any pickup configuration in a soapbar case, including split-coil precision (P) pickups, single coil jazz (J) pickups, music-man style humbuckers (MM), piece humbuckers, stacked humbuckers, triple-coil humbuckers, quad-coil humbuckers, etc.

It's more important to know the coil layout of the pickup than just the form factor.

For quality tone, basses want lots of power. You don't necessarily want to go extremely loud, but for quality in your deep tones, you need to move a lot of air at a very low speed. A high-wattage power amp gets that job done nicely. I would start at 500W for a giggable rig, if you have front-of-house sound reinforcement.

As for tonewood...meh. Strings, pickups and pre-amps are vastly more important for tone than having a specific species of wood. If you play without a pick, right-hand technique also has a big influence on tone.

Active pickups are not the devil. They can sound nice, big, fat, and round. They can also sound sterile. It has more to do with the player than the pickup. Bassists like on-board pre-amps with lots of tone controls. A 3-band eq with master volume and pickup blend isn't uncommon. The less we have to twiddle with amp settings, the better.


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## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

HaMMerHeD said:


> The less we have to twiddle with amp settings, the better.



I'm a perfectionist, but a minimalist also, so everything, starting from wood have to be perfect 
I like to fiddle around. I'd gladly just run passive pickups thru rack compressor and 31 band graphic EQ. straight to DI>PA

Do you think you could get all the tone only from bass with active electronics and blend pot? Fingerstyle played. Could Bass > DI > 15" 550W powered speaker do the thing? 
Something like Bass with active electronics>Behringer DI 100>Behringer EUROLIVE B215D (or should that be poweramp and bass cabinet rather than PA)

EDIT: When I said soapbar I ment MM style. Sry. My mistake.


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 3, 2012)

I always play the stock bass pups. Not really sure why that doesn't matter to me. Also, fretless =  if you aren't slapping.

What I've noticed most: As my right hand fimgers callous up my sound seems to improve but I assume that has to do with an increase in pluck consistency. I think I may subconsciously adjust my right hand technique to suit the bass I'm playing. I played w a pick once or twice and didn't dig it.


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## ericsleepless (Apr 3, 2012)

Wanna know about bass?

FACT: Sansamp is GOD.

Trust me, I use one EVERYTIME I play.


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## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

Okay, can we get back to other questions now?


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 3, 2012)

Like what? Tonewoods? Overrated. Ash and alder are very common however. Both of which are brigjt sounding for guitars thus lending themselves--I assume--to good articulation in a bass. But again, I find the tonewood thing to be a bit overblown.


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## xeonblade (Apr 3, 2012)

Like THIS

Anyways, if saying woods are overrated try putting Warpigs or Invaders in Mahagony body, mahagony neck + rosewood fretboard guitar and see if that makes a difference


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 3, 2012)

Oh... Never looked into that. I'm afraid you'll find me to be no help. My tone is in my fingers.


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## ZEBOV (Apr 3, 2012)

Stay away from Behringer gear.
IMO, The type of wood particularly matters if the bass is passive or is switchable to passive. I like being selective about my tonewoods. The quality of the wood is a must though, especially since I tune WAY the fuck down.


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Apr 3, 2012)

Firstly, Bass is nothing like guitar.

The mindset is totally different, in every aspect.

_Equipment_
Bass is highly physically demanding. Not only is the instrument much heavier, the strings are much heavier, coarser and of much greater tension. Stamina is crucial and so equipment choice reflects this. 

When choosing a bass, genre requirements excepted, the most comfortable instrument is always the best long term investment. 6 and 5 string basses put much greater strain on the player's body, despite the musical possibilities being greater.

In short, a comfortable bass is best and a very powerful amp, so you can have a light touch. Bassists benefit more from high quality amplification and speakers as guitarist's tones are usually compromised (sliced to bits) in mixes for better overall clarity. I owned a Mesa/Boogie walkabout head and Powerhouse cab. It changed my my bands sound in a much more dramatic way (audio quality) than when I lent the guitarist my Dual Rectifier. A really great bass amp is really important to live performance and the feeling of satisfaction for the listeners, bass player included.

_Performance
The role is so different from guitar, it's another world. Bass players perform a translation between rythmn and harmony, controlling the arrangement of music by punctuating the changes. When playing with confident musicians the bass player is in complete control of the performance, especially when everyone is wearing ear protection, as the subs are all that everyone can hear as bass is non directional, unlike higher frequencies.

As an accompanist to the other performers, knowledge of the arrangement, groove, tone and professionalism are the highest aspirations.

It's also a role with high responsibility. A bad bass player is much worse than a bad guitarist, after all, most material only has a very brief guitar solo to suffer through. 


Anyway, I play both instruments (guitar & bass - Warwick thumb 6) and I can say that playing both makes you much better at both and gives a greater appreciation of theory, tone and groove. Theory is much more accessible on bass as the instrument is traditionally tuned in 4ths, so has more consistancy than guitar. It's also much harder than guitar, as it is so much more physically demanding.







Oh yeah, and most (dedicated, professional standard) bass players I know are not gear addicts like guitarists, much less interested in that sort of thing. Although bass players in general are weird in a different way to guitarists. I often find them more spiritual, guitarists material and drummers physical.

Spiritual bass playing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY4Ra2KOyas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxrZFpmRNlc_


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## xeonblade (Apr 4, 2012)

Great stuff and thnx, but not really what I was asking. Could I get my other questions answered? 




ZEBOV said:


> Stay away from Behringer gear.
> IMO, The type of wood particularly matters if the bass is passive or is switchable to passive. I like being selective about my tonewoods. The quality of the wood is a must though, especially since I tune WAY the fuck down.



I was just giving an example with those stuff. So you're saying that bass actives act like guitar actives? Wood almost doesn't matter with bass actives like it does with guitar actives?


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## Dionysian (Apr 4, 2012)

xeonblade said:


> Great stuff and thnx, but not really what I was asking. Could I get my other questions answered?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



With an active bass you typically have a 3-band EQ to change the tone greatly. Aka if the natural sound of the bass is too middy and lacks treble, you just have to turn a knob to compensate. On a passive bass you'll have to change the pickups. That's why tone woods matter so much more on a passive.

95% of all active basses actually have passive pickups. They just have a 3-band EQ slapped onto them.


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## xeonblade (Apr 4, 2012)

Eskil Rask said:


> With an active bass you typically have a 3-band EQ to change the tone greatly. Aka if the natural sound of the bass is too middy and lacks treble, you just have to turn a knob to compensate. On a passive bass you'll have to change the pickups. That's why tone woods matter so much more on a passive.
> 
> 95% of all active basses actually have passive pickups. They just have a 3-band EQ slapped onto them.



This was helpful. I was always thinking that atleast over 50% basses have active pickups and electronics... Dunno why.

What do you think about DI (bass>compressor>EQ>DI>split: 1 to poweramp+cab and 2 to mixer) vs miced amp (bass>amp>cab>mic)?


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## Dionysian (Apr 4, 2012)

xeonblade said:


> This was helpful. I was always thinking that atleast over 50% basses have active pickups and electronics... Dunno why.
> 
> What do you think about DI (bass>compressor>EQ>DI>split: 1 to poweramp+cab and 2 to mixer) vs miced amp (bass>amp>cab>mic)?



Usually DI works just fine. Especially if the sound guy knows his stuff. And if you're only using your bass amp for onstage monitoring since you've got the DI going to to PA, you'll have no need to bring a huge goddamn bass stack.

Of course, if you're the kind of guy who likes to lug around your 8x10 fridge and 300w tube head, feel free.  DI is just way easier and cheaper with bass than with guitar. I'm really looking into getting my hands on a SansAmp Bass Driver, since that's basically a DI box with an EQ and Overdrive from what I've heard.


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## xeonblade (Apr 4, 2012)

If it was up to me I'd just try to get all tone from bass... If there only were active bass electronics with compressor and eq on one board...


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## Varcolac (Apr 4, 2012)

xeonblade said:


> What do you think about DI (bass>compressor>EQ>DI>split: 1 to poweramp+cab and 2 to mixer) vs miced amp (bass>amp>cab>mic)?



Micing a bass amp is a bit "meh", I've always found. Something about the speaker + microphone combo not being as good as picking up low-frequency sound as it is with the mid-range guitar stuff. Or it could just be because they mic them up with SM57s, which tail off considerably in the frequencies that basses get the most "meat" from. 

The option I've always used is to get a DI from the amp. Many bass preamps have an XLR line out included. My signal path goes like this:

Bass>Pedalboard (Compressor, EQ, OD)>Amp>DI>Cab

I find this gets a far better FOH bass sound, without adding the unnecessary step of the microphone in the signal chain. 

Other options are to simply go Bass>SansAmp Bass Driver>PA. Many people speak incredibly highly of the SansAmp, though I've never used one myself. 

As for pickups, I'm a big fan of humbucker soapbars and active EQs. I can dial a lot of different tones from my 5-string, just by using the 3-band EQ on the bass itself. Add two further EQ stages on my pedalboard and amp, and I can get a staggering variety of tones from one beat-up fretless 5.


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## xeonblade (Apr 4, 2012)

Are there bass compressors (either rack or stompbox) that have attack, release and threshold options or is that limited to digital compressors only?

EDIT: I'm retarded. There are.... http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/bass-compressor

Again these questions: 

J vs P vs Soapbar, which is for which tone type?
Which woods are good for what when it comes to bass.
How do string gauge scale with bass for 34" scale? (for guitar it's like +.1 for -1 full step, 9 for e, 10 for d, 11 for c, etc)
Which are some of the highest quality pickups? (I'm kinda guessing Bartolini there)
Active electronic + passive pickup vs active electronic + active pickup?
Tone purely from Bass (with active electronics) + DI to mixer, vs bass+pedals+bass amp?
Typical woods combinations for different styles?
15" vs 10" speakers and why do most use 4x10 or 8x10 if bass should have good <100Hz response? Shouldn't 15" give better deep, ground moving bass?
Which are the most popular bass amps for different styles? (For guitars it's like Roland JC120/Fender Twins for super cleans, Rectifiers/6505/Uberschall/Powerball/... for high gain, etc...)
Amp power ratings? (for guitars: around 15/30W for home practice, 60/100/120/150W for gigging)
Which frequencies are for what? (again, guitar analogy: <100 boom, 350-500 meat, ~5k presence, etc...) Example: typical Funk bass sound is this EQ: (insert important frequencies here)
What to look at when buying a bass?
Fret sizes? (example: bigger frets on guitar are more suited for shredding while smaller are good for chords and stuff) What's the bass analogy?
Average bass weight?
What's concidered thin and what a thick bass neck? (I've seen 19.5-22.5 on Ibanez site and knowing them, I'd say that really thin for bass)
Typical bass radiuses? (Guitar analogy: 7.5", 9.5", 12", 14", 16", 20") Is flat fretboard valid for bass?
Typical bass action? What is concidered low and what is average?


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## Dionysian (Apr 4, 2012)

It's hard to answer all these questions at once, especially as there are no real answers to what is right and wrong. I'm myself to new the bass gear world as well and I'm trying to understand it all, but the only real way to learn it is the way you learned your guitar gear knowledge - playing, trying, reading. It takes time, and you won't be able to learn it all at once. 

Imagine how you would react if some guy posted a thread on the guitar forums basically saying "tell me all about guitar gear". It's not that easy, is it?


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## xeonblade (Apr 4, 2012)

Eskil Rask said:


> It's hard to answer all these questions at once, especially as there are no real answers to what is right and wrong. I'm myself to new the bass gear world as well and I'm trying to understand it all, but the only real way to learn it is the way you learned your guitar gear knowledge - playing, trying, reading. It takes time, and you won't be able to learn it all at once.
> 
> Imagine how you would react if some guy posted a thread on the guitar forums basically saying "tell me all about guitar gear". It's not that easy, is it?



I'd type everything I know


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 4, 2012)

Seems to me everyone IS telling you everything they know. Have you tried TalkBass? I have noticed bass players as a whole don't seem to overanalyze their setups as much as [diva] guitarists do--and I played guitar first before bass but have become quite proficient creating the tones I want on any bass I own w stock pickups, active onboard EQ (also stock) and--wait for it--a solid state GUITAR amplifier. Nothing wrong w being a minimalist.


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## xeonblade (Apr 4, 2012)

Ehh, thanks anyways. It's google time.


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 4, 2012)

Why didn't you do that first?


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## HaMMerHeD (Apr 4, 2012)

Seems to me like you are asking a bunch of questions with no real answers.


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## cGoEcYk (Apr 4, 2012)

_Which woods are good for what when it comes to bass._

This is often debated. For fretboards it's the same as guitar. Alder is pretty common, I avoid it. I like dense woods for the body.

_How do string gauge scale with bass for 34" scale? (for guitar it's like +.1 for -1 full step, 9 for e, 10 for d, 11 for c, etc)_

I've found there to be huge tone and other differences (feel, stiffness, life span, which matters when a set could be $35) among strings. I use a 35" scale and don't downtune so tension isn't really a worry of mine past a certain point, it's the other stuff. 

_Which are some of the highest quality pickups? (I'm kinda guessing Bartolini there)_

Pickups aren't quite the same as with guitars where there are a few dominant models that can be interchanged easily. There are a lot of proprietary pickups when it comes to basses. For example, the pickups in my bass are only sold with this specific bass model. You can't just buy them over the counter. The electronics are crucial too and the same applies.

_Active electronic + passive pickup vs active electronic + active pickup?_

There are no hard and fast rules on what you'll get with a certain configuration. You just have to try the bass.

_Tone purely from Bass (with active electronics) + DI to mixer, vs bass+pedals+bass amp?_

Are you talking about recording or live? My vote is always to have an amp.

For recording: It depends on what you like and how good your bass is. If you have a really high end bass direct can work in some situations. I almost always prefer to run it DI from my head though (I have an awesome head). A little tube grit generally sounds awesome in the mix in my experience (often used in recordings but rarely audible, yet there), you won't get that from bass to board.

_Typical woods combinations for different styles?_

No rules here. I've seen people use all flavors of bass for all styles successfully and woods aren't as important as you are implying with this question. 

_15" vs 10" speakers and why do most use 4x10 or 8x10 if bass should have good <100Hz response? Shouldn't 15" give better deep, ground moving bass?_

These days bass speaker/cab technologies have kind of moved on such that speaker size is not so relevant. Chances are that a 2x15 will be designed for low rumble and cabs with 10's for more punch, but you have to research each cab carefully because there are exceptions to every rule.

_Which are the most popular bass amps for different styles? (For guitars it's like Roland JC120/Fender Twins for super cleans, Rectifiers/6505/Uberschall/Powerball/... for high gain, etc...)_

There are no hard rules here. In the world of bass the general orientation is slightly different than for guitar. I think things are often considered on a "colored" (amp adds a lot of it's own voicing to your sound) vs "transparent/modern" (intended to preserve the natural tone of your instrument) spectrum. The cab pairing is just as important.

If you add a Sansamp to just about any rig it can add a lot of versatility (I'll leave it at that).

_Amp power ratings? (for guitars: around 15/30W for home practice, 60/100/120/150W for gigging)_

Power ratings are important, but not as important as speaker area. A 300w head pushing an 8x10 will be a lot louder than a 600w head pushing a 4x10.

_Which frequencies are for what? (again, guitar analogy: <100 boom, 350-500 meat, ~5k presence, etc...) Example: typical Funk bass sound is this EQ: (insert important frequencies here)_

I consider low mids to be around 100-200 Hz (my personal sweet spots are around 150-180). Low mids are actually the "lows" that you want, anything below them will add mud to a metal mix but in other styles where there is more sonic space available 80hz has its place. If you want quick presence/cut/honk, 500 hz. Brightness starts at 2k IMO.

In general if you are playing metal you should be aware that awesome "bedroom tone" will usually have no presence in a mix. Dial in something with as harsh of a midrange as you can stand and it'll blend in to what you actually want when the frequencies of the rest of the band are added (just my advice if you play in aggressive styles).

_What to look at when buying a bass?_

I think the feel is the most important. If you are concerned about specs- Reviews.

_Fret sizes? (example: bigger frets on guitar are more suited for shredding while smaller are good for chords and stuff) What's the bass analogy?_

I've never heard this come up in discussion, so maybe it's not super high priority.

_Average bass weight?_

I'd say 10lbs would definitely be getting heavy. I think my current bass is around 8-9 and the one before it was significantly lighter. That's all I can tell you.

_What's concidered thin and what a thick bass neck? (I've seen 19.5-22.5 on Ibanez site and knowing them, I'd say that really thin for bass)_

Not sure, you'll know when you feel it.

_Typical bass radiuses? (Guitar analogy: 7.5", 9.5", 12", 14", 16", 20") Is flat fretboard valid for bass?_

I think that bass radiuses are generally pretty flat. It's not a priority spec. However, the curvature and thickness of the back of the neck is what people really care about. Some are very thin/flat (Ibanez style) and can be almost like oars (a few Warwicks and Spector Euro stick in my mind for this). This matters a lot for comfort/playability, it's a deal breaker/maker for me on basses.

_Typical bass action? What is concidered low and what is average?_

I can't give you measurements, but it depends on a player's style and preferences. Some guys who like to "dig in" with their fingerstyle but really hate fretboard clank like higher action. I play aggressively but like it low. If you plan on doing a lot of tapping low action is a must.


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## xeonblade (Apr 5, 2012)

^ Love the guy above <3 Please have my kids.


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## xeonblade (Apr 5, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> Why didn't you do that first?



General google searches are "theory". People here have practical knowledge and can offer thoughts on the subject. I was thinking somebody would say something we'd never remember to ask or souch. That's why I said DETAILS


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## Bevo (Apr 5, 2012)

At the end of the day all the theory is out the window once you have the guitar in your hand, feel and playability not to mention tone beats brand names and wood type any day..


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## Konfyouzd (Apr 5, 2012)

Exactly. All the theory only gives you a hypothetical starting point. You still have to plug in and fiddle around. You seem to want a road map to all things bass. Tall order. Also, keep in mind you're on a GUITAR forum. TalkBass and ERB both openly accept new members. Alex won't ban you for a little bass forum fling.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Apr 5, 2012)

The reason for many bassists liking 10" speakers instead of bigger ones is that basses and bass gear puts out more low end already and often using a 15" speaker simply makes those lower frequencies overwhelm the rest of the tone as well as making the tone looser.


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## angus (Apr 5, 2012)

The only active pickups I can think of are EMGs (though MTD has some active Bartolinis in their basses, they aren't available over the counter), and only some of their bass stuff is active. Almost every pickup for basses is passive, and I would say the vast, vast majority of bassists prefer that. Active preamp versus passive tone control, though, is much more mixed. 

Frets also vary, just like guitar- though I think generally people go for medium or jumbo frets. Small frets (which I like; tall/narrow in my case) are much less common, because the large strings often result in much faster wear unless you have a light touch. I think people also always say that "slapping sounds so much better with jumbo frets". I don't think it matters that much, but I hate slapping.

Radiuses are generally compound- 12"-16" is probably the most common. Some brands, like Yamaha, use larger radiuses, like 18", 20", etc. Some go dead flat, too (infinite radius). 

Unlike clean vs. dirty amps for guitarists, bassists tend to just have one amp setup. Some people like the warmer vintage-y sound, like Ampeg, Acoustic, etc, while others go hi-fi, like SWR, Bag End, EBS, on and on. Some stuff is more middle ground, like Aguilar. There are a million brands out there these days and they all fall on different parts of the spectrum. I'm somewhere near the middle, preference-wise.


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## Bevo (Apr 6, 2012)

Last night my bud came over to show me his project, a Squire Jaguar 4 string.
This is a $200 guitar that he has been playing with.

Changes included a new bridge, tuners, pots and strings along with a setup to make it all work well.

In guitars a super cheap guitar with stock pickups has nothing on an expensive guitar that is American made.
The difference in his Jag and my Warwick is pretty small, that cheap guitar through my rig sounded amazing.

Funny thing was he sounded the same playing my wick as i was the same playing his jag, our tone did not change reguardless of the bass we used.
Your fingers and style can really be seen when going from bass to bass.

If I find one of these cheap I am going to grab it, I don't care what the name is on the headstock!


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Apr 7, 2012)

> Konfyouzd said...
> 
> _bass players_... don't seem to overanalyze their setups as much as [diva] guitarists do...



Divas = True!  

Nice thread,lot's of interesting stuff, well done all!

Over at the Serena Experiment you can get a Sansamp Bass Overdrive VSTi Plugin for free to try.

short review by Tony Maserati
TSE B.O.D, A Freeware Sansamp Bass Driver DI Emulation « Bedroom Producers Blog

Direct Link
TheSerinaExperiment.net &bull; View topic - TSE B.O.D - Final version


Overall, DI's are really important for bass guitar. Adding distortion and blending it with the pure bass signal can help with reproduction on inferior speakers with poor bass response. Parrelel compression is also important, try stillwell audio's Rocket compressor.

Metal picks can give really good percussive attack and help with note definition for aggressive music.

When checking digital synchronization in your DAW, radical EQ to accentuate the pick attack on the strings can help when time aligning waveforms.

Happy bass playing everyone!


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