Variations on sound
Dude,
The bass sound is made by the player!!!!!!!!!
Seriously!
played a T40 while playing in a country band in Afton Wyoming.
It was great bass.. Full, rich sound.
HEAVY!!
Didn't keep it. Too heavy to play all night.
That being said......
the instrument that feels right is right....
I have played
RIC's
Fenders
Yamaha's
Musicman's
Washbuns
Warwicks
etc....
What I have found over many years of playing is that my hands/body feel really comfortable with a couple of distinct different neck/body designs. Go play the basses at your local store. Don't buy anything. Go back again two days later. Play them again. Don't buy anything. Go back two days later. Play them again. ETC!!!! One of the basses you play will stand out. It will just feel right.
All of this of course depends on you playing reasonably equal quality basses. If you play some cheapo and then play a Ken Smith then you are going to choose the Ken Smith.
Find your price range, and then play lots of basses.
What you usually find is that the sound that someone you admire produces is due to their style. Not their bass. Heavy pluckers can get a lot of punch. Pick players get the the scape of the high end with low end (e'qed properly of course) etc. Listen to Gary Willis for example. All that punch and his clean sound come from his technique. Not his bass. He sounds the same now as he did 20 years ago, yet he has played many different types of basses.
I'll say it again; The bass sound is made by the player
Good luck.
