Members VengefulTikiGod Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 I've been playing guitar for 5 years, bass for 1... I've got a super cheap rogue bass I bought off my friend and I was wondering, for when the day comes when it's time to replace it, do basses kinda categorize the way guitars do? What I mean to say is, for guitars, you got your Fenders for your bright tones, your Gibsons for your warm tones, your hardcore jazz boxes, and your hardcore metal-only axes. Do basses kinda fit into groups like that based on pickups, construction, etc? My understanding of basses so far: Fender P and J basses: Bright, good for slap/pop, jack of all trades Hofner Violin bass: warm, round, jazzy Basses with active electronics: Heavier sound for stronger slap/pop? Basses with humbuckers: ??? Warwick basses: Well known for something, but I don't know what... Heavy Metal basses: Hot pickups and that's about it? So if someone could edit/consolidate/add to my categories, that would be great I'm basically just trying to figure out what basses tend to be used for what types of music/playing styles/tones. Is there even that much differentiation? In other words, is there as much difference between various basses as there is between Fenders and Gibsons? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 There is more and less variety. Even among classic basses, a Ric, T-Bird, J, and P are all very different animals. You can get great slap tones out of a J. Or a Stingray. Or a Status. Or... Generally, I think its better to get an idea of the type of sound you want, and then find some basses that fit that style. Active electronics aren't just for slappers, for instance; watch a country music video and you'll sometimes see a bassist with a Lakland or similar, with 3-band EQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xOriginalNinjax Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 Good luck with that. Especially with basses. You'll find it's more what a bassist finds as comfortable/usable in a situation over what's in it or it's labeled as. And trust me when I say that you can use lots of different basses for different scenarios. I'm gonna even try using an upright with metal when I get an upright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BEAD Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 I'm gonna even try using an upright with metal when I get an upright. To get into the proper mindset, you should practice threading needles while wearing boxing gloves, or eating soup with chopsticks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emprov Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 There are a ton of categories when it comes to basses. The first two start out with ones you like and ones you don't. You've got to classify everything else from there. And I'm not a big fan of "x bass for x style" type things, find a bass that you can commit to and adapt your playing with it to whichever style you happen to be playing. A lot of players like this bass or that bass but, what it all comes down to, is what feels good in your hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roguetitan Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 I have a cheap Rogue that I installed a couple of darkstars and new pots in. it is not such a cheap bass anymore which sounds just as good as or better than any thousand dollar fender out thereas a matter of fact I would not take a thousand for it. bass guitars have their own distinct sound just like different guitar makes and models doit is just a matter of finding the tone you like most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mark7171 Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 i play a 2x GK MB heads, 2x mbx cabinets. gives 4x 10" paragon low suspension @ 300 watts total. for about $3k. bass "X" goes to a guyatone micro tuner to guyatone HD2(better than the Muff) then to the BBE tube MAX pre with padded integrated BBE optical compression. IMO you always want a soft knee compressor last on a bass running harmonic distortion. this makes every bass sound awesome. i own a $59 rogue i loaded/wired with SD a $20 Sledgehammer. i could fart on it and it sounds incredible. the bass rig is key. the main usa Jazz Bass with EMG actives at 18 Volts (hence the pad -15db) sounds pro. set up is super important. by the way this way you can grab just one combo amp for a great lil 150 watts bass practice amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Thumper Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 It's a bit easier to pigeon-hole guitars than basses. Most electric guitars have passive electronics and are strung with round-wound strings. Many basses have active electronics, which really open up the sonic spectrum. Also, bassists can choose between round wounds, half-rounds, flats, tape wound etc. Bassists simply have more options, so any attempt at a hard and fast taxonomy is an exercise in futility. My two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xOriginalNinjax Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 To get into the proper mindset, you should practice threading needles while wearing boxing gloves, or eating soup with chopsticks. Hehe...you saying it can't be done? Gimme time to get an upright and I'll show you how to rock an upright. Heck, my playing is already swing/big-band enough that throwing an upright will just give it the tone of it....I'm pushing a kilowatt, so my only fear is feedback...and I have a compressor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BEAD Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 Hehe...you saying it can't be done? Gimme time to get an upright and I'll show you how to rock an upright. Heck, my playing is already swing/big-band enough that throwing an upright will just give it the tone of it....I'm pushing a kilowatt, so my only fear is feedback...and I have a compressor... I wouldn't say it can't be done. Assuming you're playing traditional fast metal stuff the upright is gonna be a pretty big abstacle though. As far as feedback goes, it's a pain in the ass to get an upright loud enough to play with a relatively quiet band, let alone a metal band. I look forward to you showing me how it's done though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xOriginalNinjax Posted July 13, 2007 Members Share Posted July 13, 2007 I wouldn't say it can't be done. Assuming you're playing traditional fast metal stuff the upright is gonna be a pretty big abstacle though. As far as feedback goes, it's a pain in the ass to get an upright loud enough to play with a relatively quiet band, let alone a metal band.I look forward to you showing me how it's done though. I totally plan on trying...and I don't play a ton of speed metal as much as hardcore type stuff. Basically cookie monster type. If all else fails...pickups in the neck? ahhaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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