Welcome to the Bass FAQ section in soft.com.sg.

This little article hopes to answer

some of the common questions asked by beginner bassists and those who are
considering to pick up this instrument. If you have an unanswered question, first
use the forum's search function to check if someone else asked it. Let's keep this
forum clutter free and post new topics only when necessary.

1. Bass? The four string guitar?

2. So what does bass do?
3. What's this thing about P and J basses?
4. Are there other differences between the two bass types?
5. What about other basses?
6. What are extended range basses?
7. What about fretless basses?
8. What else affects the sound/tone of a bass?
9. Can you recommend me a bass to get as a beginner?

[COLOR="Red"][B][U]1. Bass? The four string guitar?[/U][/B][/COLOR]

Yes, and no. The electric bass you see nowadays is actually an offspring of, and
replacement for, the double bass. Back then, bassists were still using double
basses to cover the lower frequencies in band settings, and found it increasing
hard to cut through the mix (of all the instruments and vocals) to be heard, as the
electric guitar with its amplifier was far louder than what a double bass can
naturally provide.

Leo Fender invented the first electric bass guitar in 1951 to replace the double
bass in bands, with features borrowed from his earlier success, the Telecaster
guitar, such as electric pickups with amplifiers for the eventual output of sound.
Frets were also introduced so that bassists could intonate precisely, thus giving
birth to the Precision Bass.

The most basic form of the bass is a four string instrument (just like the double
bass) tuned from low to high E A D G (just like the double bass). This tuning is
coincidentally just like the last four strings of a guitar (E A D G B E), but one
octave lower. Compared to a guitar, the bass is physically larger, owing to its
longer scale length (in layman's terms, the length of the vibrating string). This
is necessitated by its lower tuning, as a shorter scale length wouldn't sound as
good tonally. Consequently, a bass guitar tends to weigh heavier.

To differentiate between the different incarnations of the bass, we refer to basses

as such:

-Upright/double bass: The traditional double bass still used in orchestras and some
jazz bands
-Electric bass: Basses that require amplification to produce any audible sounds
-Acoustic bass: Like classical guitars, these basses do not require external
amplification, instead the sound board (not the hole) vibrates to amplify the
string vibrations. Hybrids exisit with pickups that can allow external
amplification, while the bass will still be able to fall back on its own without
external amplification.

[COLOR="red"][B][U]2. So what does bass do?[/U][/B][/COLOR]

The bass is very verstatile, being able to:

-Provide the rhythmic backbone in a band, influencing the harmony while helping to
keep time
-Being a lead instrument
-As a solo instrument
-Anything else you can think of. I use mine as eye candy sometimes.
[COLOR="red"][B][U]3. What's this thing about P and J basses?[/U][/B][/COLOR]
Ah, the most common question. When new bassists appear on the forum asking for
virgin gear recommendations, the first question we tend to ask is the tone they're
looking for, whether it's the P or J tone. P actually stands for Precision
(mentioned above) while J stands for Jazz. The Jazz bass is actually the second
model introduced by Leo Fender, originally as a Deluxe model. The most important
difference between the two is that the Precision bass has a split-humbucking pickup
while the Jazz bass has 2 single coil pickups.

[IMG]http://bp1.blogger.com/_2SWA7wJpp9Y/R9jkb31Yb5I/AAAAAAAAAAM/Puz3Oy1VS-g/s1600-
h/comparison.JPG[/IMG]

The humbucking pickups (so named because they buck the hum, more on this later)
give a more punchy sound with more low end, and are noiseless. The single coil
pickups have more prominent mids and are described as growly. If these don't make
sense, please listen to some sample clips below.

Jazz Bass samples:

[URL="http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0209.wav"]http://
images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0209.wav[/URL]
[URL="http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0300.wav"]http://
images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0300.wav[/URL]

Precision Bass samples:

[URL="http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0116.wav"]http://
images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0116.wav[/URL]
[URL="http://images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0115.wav"]http://
images.misupply.com/downloads/Fender/019_0115.wav[/URL]

The magic word that emcompasses all these funny words (like punchy and growly and
throaty and singing) is 'timbre'. Simply put, timbre is the 'colour' of the sound,
and describes its musical quality. As an illustration, a flute and a guitar may
both be playing the same note at the exact same frequency and loudness, but you'll
be able to tell the two apart, because the timbre of the notes are different.

The single coils in a Jazz bass and the split humbuckers in a Precision bass
produce different timbres due to their location relative to the string's vibrating
length and their circuitary. Jazz basses are capable of a wider tonal range, as
there are two pickups to blend and play around with, while the Precision bass'
humbucker only has a volume control and a tone control. However, single coil
pickups also pick up (hur hur pun there) the 60Hz cycle of your power supply, so if
you dial up one pickup louder than the other you'll get an audible hummmmmmm even
when you're not playing anything. The humbucker on the Precision Bass bucks the hum
and the two split sections are wired in series, with opposite polarity and wire
windings. The hum these 2 sections pick up thus cancel each other. (Physics 101.
It's okay if you don't understand, the tonal differences are more important here.)
You cannot judge whether one is better than the other, but you can come to a
decision as to which you prefer.

Pros and cons exist for these 2 basic bass types. Of course, compromises exist as
well. For example, the Warwick Streamer Stage II bass has both P and J pickups, so
you can get the best of both worlds. In addition, the traditional single coil sound
can now be reached without the hummmmmm as it can be wired to be a humbucker while
emulating the tone of a single coil pickup. You can buy both basses in time, to
cover both bases (hur hur pun there) and use each accordingly. There are many
workarounds for this age old question.

[COLOR="red"][B][U]4. Are there other differences between the two bass types?[/U]
[/B][/COLOR]
Of course! Visually, you'll notice that the Jazz bass has an oh-so-sexy off-set
waist, meaning that its body isn't quite symmetrical. In addition, the nut at the
Precision bass is wider, thus making it feel chunkier. Whether this is a pro/con is
entirely personal, so you must try both to find out which you prefer.

[COLOR="red"][U][B]5. What about other basses?[/B][/U][/COLOR]

Other basses exist, of course, and many have arguably grown to be as popular as the
two classics. Some other basses to read up on include:

-Musicman Stingray (Also by Leo Fender, albeit in a different company. This model
is the 'third twin' to the Precision and Jazz.)
-Gibson/Epiphone Thunderbird (With its reverse bodystyle, this bass is a sight to
behold.)
-Warwick Thumb (Arguably one of the most popular models from Warwick, a company
famous for alternative body shapes, exotics woods and unique tones.)
-Hofner Violin (Made famous by Paul McCartney, a Beatle.)
-Rickenbacker 4001 (Another model famous by association, also to Paul McCartney.)
-Steinberger Spirit (One of the iconic headless basses still popular today. They
pop up for sale in the used section from time to time.)

[COLOR="red"][B][U]6. What are extended range basses?[/U][/B][/COLOR]

Extended range basses are basses that play beyond the notes allowed on a typical
bass guitar.

Taking a classic Fender Jazz bass, the lowest note you can play is the open E
string, sounding an E1, while the highest note you can play is a D# 3 semitones
above C3, by fretting on the 20th fret on the G (first/thinnest) string. Some songs
call for a drop tuning, sometimes up to two half steps. By tuning down 2 steps, the
lowest note played reaches D1, which is an extension of a step. Not a lot,
actually.

Extended range basses can go lower and higher in a few ways. 5 string basses, for
example, typically have an added B string (B0) to increase the lowest note reached
by 2 steps. You can't go lower than a low B string because you're already hitting
the floor of the audible human range of frequencies. Going higher can either mean
you add frets, up to 24 typically, or you add another high string above your G
string. 4 extra frets add two steps to your range as well, while a high C string
increase your range by two and a half steps.

Luthiers typically stop at 24 frets, as increasing the frets will make little sense
since the frets get so close together to make them unplayable. Instead, extreme
forms of extended basses take on the form of even more strings, beyond the 6
strings you get by adding a high and a low string. Monsters can include up to 12 or
more strings that are played in atypical ways, such as bass tapping.

[COLOR="red"][B][U]7. What about fretless basses?[/U][/B][/COLOR]

Fretless basses/guitars are, to quote Michael Vick, "like having sex without a
condom. It is more dangerous and just feels better". Tonally, fretless basses are
definitely less agressive sounding, as the 'attack' (the initial part of the note)
decays very quickly and mellows out. This is because a fretless bass' vibrating
string length is now anchored on one end by the bridge, and on the other by the
fretboard and your finger. Being made of flesh, the finger pad absorbs the string
vibrations more quickly than a fret, thus causing a quick dampening effect.
Tonally, this translates into a mwah sound frequently, but is often affected by
other factors discussed below. In addition, the sustain of a note is decreased from
the high loss of string energy.

The dis/advantages of fretless basses are:

Advantages:
-Slides are smoother as you do not raise/drop a semitone everytime you slide pass a
fret.
-The lack of frets just feels better, like drawing on blank paper instead of lined
paper.
-You are not restricted to traditional Western tunings. But if you're reading an
FAQ like this, this is probably beyond you and me.
-An unfretted, unlined fingerboard is just oh-so-sexy.

Disadvantages:
Without the precision offered by precisely placed frets, your intonation must be
spot on or you sound off tune even if you bass is tuned properly. You may use a
fretboard that has lines, like me, to learn where to place your fingers first.
However, it becomes impossible to play visually if you're on a dark stage, so the
skill must be trained to play without looking eventually. This is compounded by
chords and the bass' scale length. Some chords may be near impossible to play
without frets as your fingers may not be able to stretch adequately to intonate
individual notes in the chord.

[COLOR="red"][U][B]8. What else affects the sound/tone of a bass?[/B][/U][/COLOR]

We have covered pickups and fretted/fretless so far. There are other factors
including:

-Neck, body and fretboard woods

To oversimplify, woods that are denser end up being heavier and sound brighter,
like hard maple. Less dense woods are lighter and sound warmer in comparison. Check
out http://www.warmoth.com/bass/options/options_bodywoods.cfm and
http://www.warmoth.com/bass/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=guitar_neckwoods for a more
in depth coverage.

-String core, string winding, string material

Bass strings are constructed by winding a material over a core, as shown below. As
can be expected, all the factors involve will change the tone of the bass. String
cores are either hex or round in cross section, while string winding can either be
round (where the wrap material is round), flat (where the wrap material is flat
like a ribbon) or ground (which is an average of the two, as round wounds are
grounded down to make the string grooves shallower). The basic string materials
used are either nickel or stainless steel.

To simplify again, hex core strings are brighter sounding than round core strings,
have higher tension (thus feeling less flexible) and are generally cheaper as they
are easier to produce. Roundwounds are brighter than flatwounds, with flatwounds
giving a sound that's closer to that of a double bass. Ground wounds may seem the
best of both worlds, but are the least popular as they're...neither here nor there.
Lastly, nickel can be describes as bright, and steel as extra bright. Of importance
is the fact that some people are allergic to nickel and cannot play nickel strings
for extended periods of time. Nickel is also said to deteriorate slowly, while
steel is said to deaden suddenly pass a certain point.

[IMG]http://bp2.blogger.com/_2SWA7wJpp9Y/R9jkcH1Yb6I/AAAAAAAAAAU/U-Tlsb4gQR0/s1600-
h/stringwinding.JPG[/IMG]

-Construction (bolt-on, neck through or set neck)

The way the body is attached to the neck is supposed to influence the tone produced
by the bass eventually, with some claiming that neck through construction offers
better sustain and note response across the neck, while bolt ons have better
attack. I think if you're reading this for information, you should ignore this
debate for now and concentrate on getting better. I certainly think that the skill
of the player would matter more than the construction to a large extent.
-Fingerstyle, plucking with nails, using a pick, or ebow etc
Bass players adopt different methods of sounding the strings. Using fingers creates
a more mellow sound, while nails and a pick sound more percussive. (I used to use
nails when playing classical guitar, but bass strings are of much higher guages and
prove near impossible, although I have read of people doing it.) Where you play
affects the timbre of the note as well. Playing close to the bridge yields a
harsher and brighter sound, while playing near the neck gives a warmer sound. Slap
and pop is yet another way of playing, whereby the strings are struck against the
fretboard in a very percussive manner. Check out Larry Graham on youtube to see its
inventor at work.

-Effects used to alter the tone of the bass

Bassists generally use far less effects than guitarists, as our primary role in
providing the music's rhythmic backbone is compromised when overly fanciful effects
are used. Still, subtle effects always go a long way, while there is always a time
and place for extremes. For an example of a subtle effect, check out Nirvana's Come
As You Are for a slight chorus effect in the bass line. Arguably, the most
essential effect a bassist needs is a compressor. It works by limiting the range of
the bass's volume, to ensure that excessively loud notes are moderated. This is
important in keeping the rhythm steady (imagine a loud thundercrack in the midst of
steady rainfall) and moderates the peak volumes when players are playing using slap
and pop.

-The bass amplifier wattage, cone material, cone diameter, etc etc
Errrr. This really isn't necessary if you're a beginner. If you aim to jam in
studios, get the cheapest amp you can find to practise at home, then use the proper
ones in a studio when playing in a band.

-Cables
Surprise! Cables do matter as they're part of the signal chain from your bass
pickups all the way to your amplifier. Quality cables needn't be expensive anyway.
I'm currently using RDM cables handmade by Cherns. You can check them out at
www.rdmgear.com. Other suggestions include Monster Cables and those from
Planetwaves. I'm not being paid for this, but RDM cables really sound better than
these, as I've tried my friend's cables from these brands. In addition, one way to
ensure good tone is to limit the length of cables. Excessive lengths like 20ft and
above tend to attenuate the treble of your tone, as the resistance caused by the
cable length filters out the higher frequencies.

[COLOR="red"][B][U]9. Can you recommend me a bass to get as a

beginner?[/U][/B][/COLOR]
Of course. This forum has always recommended a few staples:
-Yamaha BB414/BB614: These are really underated basses, the former being passive
while the latter is active (i.e. it needs a battery and gives a "hotter" output to
rest of the signal chain, with options for tone shaping on the bass itself)
-Squier basses: The little brother of Fender, Squier offers the traditional
Precision and Jazz basses at lower prices to their Fender counterparts
-TGM basses: TGM is to Musicman what Squier is to Fender. You can get budget models
of the Stingray from them
-SX basses: Extremely cheap, with a full set (amp included) coming to no more than
$250. These are usually P or J style copies, and have decent quality.

As a beginner, your concern shouldn't be about the brand, but more on the tone and
feel of the bass. If a bass feels and sounds good to you, you'll be more inclined
to practise on it, instead of leaving it in a corner. If you're unsure about your
assessment of the bass, it will be good to bring someone you know along. If no one
you know plays bass, give a shout out on the forum, and I'm sure a helpful soul
will help you for nothing more than a kopi-o after your bass is bought.