the future of bass

[Basscake]

Yes we know what it is that makes our sound and we never forget when designing a new bass or guitar

I love to hear that. At least something to rely on in this universe...

For years the Germans would only buy two band. Im not saying that Germans are resistant to change...Ok Im hinting at it.

Hint what you want.

But i can confirm that.
I am german and a few years ago I was still living there. Hardly any 3Bd 4strings in the shops. If you did ask for a 3bd the reply was usually the are-u-sure? look.
Never understood why...

 

[patobrujo]

options are never wrong. you will still sound like yourself

MrM

+1 on this too, i really think is up the musicians needs. There's people who prefer a Line 6 equipment, you got all of this emulations of classic sounds, in one package. Obviously a digital emulation will only sound similar to the original, but for some people that's what they need.

In the other hand are people who prefer to use the distinctive sound of a certain instrument and trough it get to their own sound. I love the sound of my bongo, but if this sound can expand even further and i can get new choices to work on my sound, i'm happy to explore them. I'm 32 and i don't like to think that all the work is done about the sonic possibilities of the bass

 

[Musicman Nut]

Ernie Ball Music Man Basses

I Just want a Bass I can Plug In and Play, and Ernie Ball Basses allow me to do just that, If I have to spend 3 hours trying to dial my tone in then that bass isn't for me.
With any EB Bass including the big Al, with in seconds I'm ready to go, Just remember the Bass is just the tool for it's really about the Music.
Ernie Ball Just Makes The Best Tools, They are the Snap-on of our business.

 

[oli@bass]

The Ultimate Bass To Fit Everyone? IMO, it will not happen. Just look at the huge amount of different synthesizers. Some companies bring out several new models a year. And each of them claims to be the ultimate synthesizer. However, Moog's are still sought after, and so is every old beat up B3. And those guys don't have to deal with the ever changing characteristics of wood...

Acutally, the variety is part of the fun... if I pick up a different ...um... StingRay, it makes me play differently! Each instrument has its own voice. And that is great in itself.

 

[LoEnd]

Yes we know what it is that makes our sound and we never forget when designing a new bass or guitar

You know, I truely have to agree with that. Every single MM bass that I have ever played stays true to EB's unique sound, so its comforting to know that the sound that I love will always be there.

 

[darkblack]

I've been playing for almost 30 years, and in my opinion new sounds come from the head, heart, and hands - I hope that more young musicians take the time to develop and make them, so as to move the idea of 'music' away from a public conception of it as wallpaper for the purchase of chic lifestyle accessories...No one instrument can provide all the sounds, but a well-rounded and confident player might draw great pleasure from a life-long attempt.

All the instrument used needs to provide is reliable quality and breadth of tone, which EBMM certainly does.

 

[Colin]

For years the Germans would only buy two band. Im not saying that Germans are resistant to change...Ok Im hinting at it.

but they do have a great sense of humor right?

 

[Basscake]

but they do have a great sense of humor right?

The 3 shortest books of all times:

-Delicious English Cooking
-The American History
-The German Sense of Humor

 

[Musicman Nut]

The Ultimate Bass To Fit Everyone? IMO, it will not happen. Just look at the huge amount of different synthesizers. Some companies bring out several new models a year. And each of them claims to be the ultimate synthesizer. However, Moog's are still sought after, and so is every old beat up B3. And those guys don't have to deal with the ever changing characteristics of wood...

Acutally, the variety is part of the fun... if I pick up a different ...um... StingRay, it makes me play differently! Each instrument has its own voice. And that is great in itself.

I agree 100%, Not every Bass is for everyone, For me and I'm saying just me Ernie Ball has Nailed it, I've owned dang near every Bass on the market at least once along with 200 Vintage Fender Basses P's and J's and for my Sound the New Ernie Ball Music Man basses are all I need, and yes I've had several Leo Music Mans and The Ernie Ball ones have done a Million times better on all improvements, these you can play.

 

[TheAntMan]

two band sales are as common as me winning a bikini contest....

Wow!!! I didn't realize your got so many orders for two bands!!

ROFL

-- Ant

 

[TheAntMan]

What I find totally interesting is how EBMM have made so many options available with some of the same configurations.

For example; the HH on a Stingray, Stirling and Bongo all present different combinations of coils and preamp (check out schematics of each). This means that each HH bass type will give you their own tonalities. This is a very positive thing. Just listen to various artist and you will hear different tones, so there is not a single 'perfect' tone that will fit all. It use to be just the 'classic' P or J tones and even those would vary bassed on settings and amps.

Let's switch this around for a second. What if these were cars, glasses, coffee, clothing or any other products out there that we need or want to make our lives better? Choice is a major factor in these markets. There is no reason EBMM should limit their market or limit options for those looking to find their own personal tones to make their musical lives better.

-- Ant

 

[drTStingray]

This is a really interesting thread - here is my ten pence/cents worth............if you'd asked this question in 1985 I guess everyone was surrounded by contemporary music with keyboard bass, Musicman, WAL, and boutique basses - oh and Marcus playing modded Fender on laods of records. So people would have probably said the normal Fender bass was dead in the water then, if not all sorts of bass guitar - this couldn't be further from the truth and thankfully, since then keyboard players have gone back to what they are best at, generally!! Fashions change and there are revivals of music from different eras all calling for different bass sounds. Some bright spark (well semi-deity!!) decided to produce a really nice 5 string back in the 80s to allow us bass guitarists to play the keyboard bass parts, with all the tone and charcteristics of its 4 string predecessor plus some, and hey presto, it becomes an industry standard. Mainly because it's very good and bassists love the sound and flexibility of tones.

I think the answer to the question 'what's the future of bass' is whichever way music moves and evolves, and which bass players influence etc. These will determine what people will want and expect from their basses - what that is, who knows. However, I guess that as well as new stuff, there will be people doing revivals of any sort of music from the last 50 to 60 years and more, and they will probably be looking for bass sounds which sound reasonably authentic to the original - so my best guess is there is a place for the traditional instruments, the more hi-fi ones, the versatile all rounders and the cutting edge/'modelling' type of thing - I think EBMM is well placed because its instruments can cover all of this (adding the gamechanger in).

The MM bass sound is present one way or another in most music genres since 76, and can do the earlier stuff well also, especially in multi-pick up format - so I think it will always be in there.

 

[Jimmyb]

The 3 shortest books of all times:

-Delicious English Cooking
-The American History
-The German Sense of Humor

You missed Australian Culture!

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Is it just me that care more about the present of bass than the future of it?

With EBMM the present is bright!!! Bongo, 25th Anniversary, Big Al, SLO Stringray, "game changer", Dargie Delight II with ebony board?

I rest my case

 

[Basscake]

You missed Australian Culture!

And of course the Chinese Guide to Individualism


Ok. On topic again:

Development is one thing.
But music is also a fashion thing. And fashion is known to repeat itself...

I even daresay that the "classics" are stronger than ever these days.

My carefull guess is that if you turn on the radio and listen to recent productions, there's a probability of roundabout 90% that you'll hear a simple P, J, or a MM.
Maybe even higher.

 

[adouglas]

I even daresay that the "classics" are stronger than ever these days.

+1.

I'm in a soul, funk, motown, old-school R&B band for that very reason. We're increasingly busy and people love us.

Playing what's trendy doesn't necessarily get you work, and it doesn't necessarily age well.

Playing evergreen classics is a blast and you'll have an appreciative audience forever.

Yesterday's gig was really gratifying. We play a very high-energy segue from The Temptations "Can't Get Next to You" to Sly and the Family Stone's "Want to Take You Higher" (which was played at Woodstock 69!) and we had people who were fist-pumping and REALLY digging it.

 

[Aussie Mark]

You missed Australian Culture!

and "Great British Dentists"

 

[ZiggyDude]

If I was asked this question in the 70s - I would have said that bass was where it needed to be and changes would be small. If I was asked in the 80s after the "Explosion of Tone" that happened I would have said that versatility from traditional to active gnarl was the direction. In the late 90s I was thinking that the 5 string would eventually become standard - yet 4 strings are still more popular today.

So, what is my 2009 answer? I almost wonder if there is an answer. I was talking to a couple of custom guitar makers (small shop stuff) and they mentioned most guitar players seem to be in the Fender/Gibson headset - it is the bass players that want custom woods, shapes, sounds, brands. And when that happens the human variance of opinion is unlimited. I was stunned to hear guys who like the deadest flat wounds they can find on a passive bolt on bass. Then there is the neck through active steel round wound crowd.

So, my answer is that the future of bass will be great variety of equipment with more and more players getting fussy on what will kill a sale or not.

 

[Sting]

In my bass arsenal I like to maintain 4 basses:

- 1 Active 5 string - For this I have a Stingray 5 HH. This is my main bass and I use it 95% of the time.
- 1 Passive 4 string - Currently a Japanese Fender Precision. Sometimes I get the urge to go simple, plus I play with a singer/songwriter who prefers the P bass. I plan to ween him off it though at the next studio session.
- 1 Fretless - Currently a Yamaha BB300 defretted. I rarely need a fretless and don't play it often enough to justify purchasing an Ernie Ball solution. Doesn't stop me from GASsing for one. Hmmm... Sterling or Bongo?
1 Acoustic Bass Guitar - Cheap Dean that I use for living room jams, camping trips and some coffee house gigs.

Until the day comes when a bass comes out that can physically morf into these configurations at the flip of the switch then there will not be a one bass solution for me.

I will say though, that my Stingray 5 HH has made my Fender Jazz 5 obsolete. I never have a reason to use it anymore and thus have sold it. With the tone options that are available on the Stingray 5 HH I have no need to own another active fiver. Doesn't stop me from GASsing for a Bongo 5, or maybe a Sterling, then theres the Big Al and 25th Anniversary Stingrays to contend with... So many Music Man Basses, so little $$...

 

[TheAntMan]

Basses are like footwear; one can not do it all. That is the great thing about what EBMM is doing. Giving us choices and variances from a quality and trusted company that is in close touch with us.

Can't ask for more

-- Ant