Bass questions for guitarists

[Thurisarz]

Planning my Warmoth bass project and i wonder, how do you feel about 5 or more stringed bassists? Just cool having that low B or do you prefer the standard 4-string?

Should the bass be in front or be laid back? Active/Passive pickup(s)? Vintage or modern sound and look? Fretless?

I'm open to almost all music from every corner of the world and i'm not afraid to experiment with gear! :13:

 

[Im_in_Disguise]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

I'm a bass player, and this is really odd, but I like 4 and six string basses... but not 5 strings! I figure if you're going to go for the extra rumble with that B string you might as well be serious about rocking out and extend the finger board both ways.

Active electronics are incredibly versatile and sound particularly awesome for funk when you want to slap, but not entirely necessary. All of my basses are passive, and I can fill just about any genre with my jazz bass and an amp with some good equalization controls.

Fretless is a lot more specific to playing style. if you're planning on being able to slap or play with a pick, I wouldn't consider this option so much. You also need to get either a really good finishing coat on your neck or just deal with playing flatwound strings, otherwise you're going to start pitting your neck after a while.

I'm a sucker for vintage styled basses a la Ernie Ball/Music Man, Fender, Gibson, and G&L. that's just a personal preference thing.

and as for where a bass player should be in the mix, that's all about being in the pocket. Does a tight blues groove call for a tight bass line? yes? Should you be wildly running all over the neck in a punk rock song? not really.

So I dunno, If I had to suggest anything, I'd say that the most rounded bass to have would be either one with a P/J pickup configuration or a music man style humbucker, 4 strings, maybe 2 or 3 band active eq if you can afford to drop the extra money and want to add some more sophisticated options to your tone.

that's all I got. hope it helps.

 

[Thurisarz]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

Active electronics are incredibly versatile and sound particularly awesome for funk when you want to slap, but not entirely necessary. All of my basses are passive, and I can fill just about any genre with my jazz bass and an amp with some good equalization controls.

I'm like a "vintage guitarist", passive is the best and the way to go :13:

Fretless is a lot more specific to playing style. if you're planning on being able to slap or play with a pick, I wouldn't consider this option so much. You also need to get either a really good finishing coat on your neck or just deal with playing flatwound strings, otherwise you're going to start pitting your neck after a while.

I play fingerstyle and don't slap or play with a pick, but i'm afraid that it will be a "Jaco rip-off" if i get a fretless?

and as for where a bass player should be in the mix, that's all about being in the pocket. Does a tight blues groove call for a tight bass line? yes? Should you be wildly running all over the neck in a punk rock song? not really.

I maybe put the question all wrong, what i wanted to say was, how do you as a guitarist want a bassist to go out front and do a bass solo or should the bass be just the groove and the pulse? A bass solo now and then isn't wrong but should the "main charachter" in the band be a bassist?

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

I would say a bassist should understand their roll in the band sonicly. In a
3 piece band that low B helps fill in a lot ! But maybe in a blues seting it
may be some what over the top?? As a guitarist I don't like active PuPs
(Guitar or Bass). But from a bassist point of view I see the bennefit in that
you can plug into any amp (even with a bad speaker) and the active PuPs
will still give you a crisp sound. My G & L L1000 is one of the best sounding
basses IMHO, BUT ! If I plug it into anything less than a Stella bass amp
It will fart the speakers out. :smack: And YES ! I think the bassist should
get a few solo's. It's a choir holding down the groove all night !! Gotta let
him come up for air every now and then.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

If I was playing bass, I'd play a four string, but tuned like the bottom 4 of a 5 string. I guess I'm not a wild enough player that I feel the top 5 notes are inexpendable. I also prefer my tuned down 6 strings to my 7.

I've always thought the main advantage of active pickups on a bass is having a variety of tones. I don't like messing with knobs & switches, so if it was me, I'd prefer a really growlly tone, and maybe clean it up with the volume knob.

As far as the vintage or modern body style, Gibson Thunderbirds are REALLY cool, as are the Ibanez Iceman, and old-school Fender styles, so I like them all.

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

Playing a 5 string bass (B-G) or a 6 string bass (B-B) will take some getting used to if you just primarily are a 4 string (bass) player. First of all will be the neck and the wider stretches that you will have to make, however you will have within the first few frets all that you will need. It does depend on your technique and being able to adapt to play the neck - you will need to arch your left hand. But one thing you will find at first is that you will be a lot slower in getting to the notes. If you play 5 or 6 string basses you will also need to make sure that your amps can handle it and that you have suitable strings as the low B will not only feel sloppy but will also sound it as well.

On the question of passive or active pups there are lots of pros and cons - I have always found that whilst active pups do give you different tones that you can dial in - passive pups are far better for grinding out the low end/grunt going. On some active basses you will be forever trying to shape your tone and in the mix or even with playing with a group you may well find that you are treading on the same frequencies occupied by others.

For fretless basses you have to extremely precise as to where you are fingering and land on the fret (or lack of one). If you are a sloppy player and don't do this you will be so out of tune it woud be painful to you and everyone. BTW don't think that you will be a "Jaco rip off", if you get a fretless as I am sure that you will develop your own style and lets face it there was only one Jaco and no disrespect but no-one has come close.

Solos - well if you are good enough and can lay down a tasteful solo why not? I have done so on many occassions but the whole point of doing solos is to make it tuneful, tasteful and memorable, so if you can go for it. Generally you will find that bass players are the glue that is holding everything together in the band and can step out of the pocket - check out Stanley Clarke - one of my favourite players.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

been g.a.s.sing for a 5 string stingray forever!!!! but i also love my usa p-bass!

musicman or p-bass through an ampeg.........that's rock!!!

 

[Thurisarz]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

Playing a 5 string bass (B-G) or a 6 string bass (B-B) will take some getting used to if you just primarily are a 4 string (bass) player.

It's B-C

First of all will be the neck and the wider stretches that you will have to make, however you will have within the first few frets all that you will need. It does depend on your technique and being able to adapt to play the neck - you will need to arch your left hand. But one thing you will find at first is that you will be a lot slower in getting to the notes. If you play 5 or 6 string basses you will also need to make sure that your amps can handle it and that you have suitable strings as the low B will not only feel sloppy but will also sound it as well.

I've been playing different 5-stringed in our local musicstores in town and some are very hard to play and some feel very fast and easy to play, they have all different neck measures so how do i know if i'm getting the right one? I don't want to gamble with money on that without trying it out first which is kinda hard with a Warmoth.

On the question of passive or active pups there are lots of pros and cons - I have always found that whilst active pups do give you different tones that you can dial in - passive pups are far better for grinding out the low end/grunt going. On some active basses you will be forever trying to shape your tone and in the mix or even with playing with a group you may well find that you are treading on the same frequencies occupied by others.

I made up my mind on that part, i'm a "passive guy"

For fretless basses you have to extremely precise as to where you are fingering and land on the fret (or lack of one). If you are a sloppy player and don't do this you will be so out of tune it woud be painful to you and everyone. BTW don't think that you will be a "Jaco rip off", if you get a fretless as I am sure that you will develop your own style and lets face it there was only one Jaco and no disrespect but no-one has come close.

I have only played one fretless, they don't have any of that in stores to try out, only special orders. I kinda liked the sound but some practice of finding the notes is a must. When i think about it, it would be cool having one :cool2:

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

It's B-C

5 string (B-G) ; 6 string (B-C)

I've been playing different 5-stringed in our local musicstores in town and some are very hard to play and some feel very fast and easy to play, they have all different neck measures so how do i know if i'm getting the right one? I don't want to gamble with money on that without trying it out first which is kinda hard with a Warmoth.

Just checked my 5 string basses - on my fretted it's 1-3/4" (approx 42mm) @ the first fret, on my fretless 1-7/8" (approx 45mm) @ 1st fret - very hard for me to advise but there is a noticeable difference - but usually 1-7/8" is the most popular one and that would be the one I would go for.

I have only played one fretless, they don't have any of that in stores to try out, only special orders. I kinda liked the sound but some practice of finding the notes is a must. When i think about it, it would be cool having one :cool2:

As my previous advice its not easy and many players find it very difficult and have to concentrate really hard to do this. It does become easier after a while but you have to be careful. Try and track one down and see how you get on with it. Another possibility is you level the frets down on the bass that you have to the board for the 1st & 2nd strings and leave your 3 & 4th strings fretted. This will make it easier to hit those notes (on the low strings) and give you the ability to have a fretless on the same bass. This is something I did to one of my basses a number of years ago. Oh this is my custom built fretless:

 

[Thurisarz]

Re: Bass questions for guitarists

5 string (B-G) ; 6 string (B-C)

:smack:

Just checked my 5 string basses - on my fretted it's 1-3/4" (approx 42mm) @ the first fret, on my fretless 1-7/8" (approx 45mm) @ 1st fret - very hard for me to advise but there is a noticeable difference - but usually 1-7/8" is the most popular one and that would be the one I would go for.

Some basses have the same measures but one feels great and one suck, kinda strange, it's maybe the finish?

As my previous advice its not easy and many players find it very difficult and have to concentrate really hard to do this. It does become easier after a while but you have to be careful. Try and track one down and see how you get on with it. Another possibility is you level the frets down on the bass that you have to the board for the 1st & 2nd strings and leave your 3 & 4th strings fretted. This will make it easier to hit those notes (on the low strings) and give you the ability to have a fretless on the same bass. This is something I did to one of my basses a number of years ago. Oh this is my custom built fretless:

Dang, what is that body wood, Swamp ash? It looks gorgeous!
And what are those pickups? Did you build it yourself or is it from Warmoth or some other company?

A classmate has the fretless i talked about before, gonna check with him next week if he can bring it to school someday so i can try it and get a better picture if this is something for me