The Bass Guitar FAQ
Everything you ever wanted to know about basses, but were afraid to ask
Hello! And welcome to Emptyeye's Bass Guitar FAQ. This HTML document is intended to give all those who don't play bass guitar an education into the many intricacies behind the instrument, from its anatomy, to its tone, to the different kinds of basses. It is my hope that one day this will become the one-stop source for bass guitar information. For now, though, it's still rather heavily under construction.
This is designed to be a document for those who know nothing about bass guitar; who couldn't tell a nut from a tuning knob. However, advanced bassists may learn a bit too. Not that I claim to be an expert bassist.
You can get where you want to go by clicking the number next to the question you want answered. Or, if you like, browse the whole document, top to bottom.
Oh! Before I forget, this document is copyright 2001 by Emptyeye. All quoted sections are copyrighted their respective authors, listed (eventually) at the end of this FAQ.
Table of Contents
Section I: Bass Guitar Anatomy
1. What is a bass guitar?
2. What is a body?
3. What is a bridge?
4. What is a neck?
5. What are frets?
6. What is scale length?
7. What is a pickguard?
8. What are pickups?
9. What's the difference between Active and Passive Pickups?
10. What is a nut?
11. What is a headstock?
12. What are tuning knobs?
13. What is a truss rod?
Section II: Bass Guitar Musical Bassics (Har har)
14. What are the typical notes on a bass guitar?
15. What types of strings are there?
16. Can I "change notes", E.G. put B-E-A-D strings on an ordinary 4-string bass?
17. What are the basic methods of actually playing the bass?
18. What are some more advanced playing techniques?
Section III: Maintaining Your Bass Guitar
19. What is intonation?
20. How can I tell if my intonation is off?
21. Great. Now how do I adjust this "Intonation"?
22. What is action?
23. How do I adjust action?
24. What is fret buzz?
25. How do I change my strings?
26. How often should I change my strings?
27. But strings are expensive! What else can I do?
28. Can any other things that I don't know about happen to my bass?
Section IV: Advanced Bass Guitar Concepts
29. How do strings affect bass tone?
30. Can anything else affect my tone?
31. What woods are basses typically made out of?
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Section V: Special Thanks
32. Who helped you make this guide anyway?
Section I: Bass Guitar Anatomy
1. What is a bass guitar?
A bass guitar is a musical instrument in the string grouping of instruments. Typically it consists of 4 strings, though it doesn't have to. The bass generally plays a rhythm while a guitar (Or depending on what type of band you happen to play in, flutes, pianos, etc.) takes the melody of a song. Though on the surface the bass looks pretty simple, it is actually made up of many parts, which will be discussed later in this FAQ. It can be acoustic (Doesn't need to be plugged in) or electric (Needs to be plugged in), and may or may not have frets.
2. What is a body?
The body is the "bottom" part of the bass, where you see the bridge, pickups, Volume and Tone knobs, and (sometimes) a pickguard.
3. What is a bridge?
The bridge is the bottom part of the bass through which the strings are strung. You can also make adjustments to the intonation and action from the bridge.
4. What is a neck?
The neck is where the bass is actually played. It's the long slender part between the body and the headstock, where you "fret" the notes. Necks have a variety of scale lengths.
5. What are frets?
Actually, "fret" is both a noun and a verb. In the noun sense, it's the little metallic things on the neck whose purpose is to make sure you're playing the right note. Verb-wise, it's basically to place one of the fingers of your left hand down, thus making a note which the right hand can play. For this reason, the front of the neck is sometimes called a fretboard or (Typically on fretless basses) a fingerboard.
6. What is scale length?
Scale length simply refers to the length between the nut and the adjustable part of the bridge. There are a variety of lengths, ranging from approximately 30" to 36". The "default" or most common length is 34", though alot of 5 and 6-string basses have 35" lengths (sparing the highly technical stuff, that extra inch helps the low-B string sound alot better).
7. What is a pickguard?
This is kind of difficult to explain in words, but I'll try. A pickguard is basically a cosmetic addition put on the bodies of some basses to make it look cool. For a visual aid, check out Fender's website, and look at any bass on the page. See how, just above the volume and tone knobs starts a piece that's a different color than the rest of the bass (Unless you happen to be looking at the arctic white color, in which case it's a "more pronounced" white)? That's a pickguard.
8. What are pickups?
On electric and acoustic/electric basses, pickups are the (usually) black things on the body, underneath the strings. Their purpose is just what the name would imply; to "Pick up" and amplify the sound made when you play the strings.
There are basically two kinds of pickups: Single Coil and Humbucking, known in the old days as Hum Cancelling. The difference lies in the way they're wired. Single Coil pickups are wired in proper phase, while Humbuckers are wired in "reverse phase". As a general rule, Single Coil pickups sound a little better than Humbuckers, but they tend to hum when you're not actually playing the bass (And the power is on, of course). Humbuckers "cancel out" this hum (Hence their earlier name, Hum Cancellers) at the price of some tone quality. Despite what's written here, preference between the two is basically subjective.
For a more in depth explanation of the difference between the two, I turn to John, AKA Datsgor from the ElectricBass.com Message Board, who says thus:
"Picture a single coil pickup as a single wire "coiled" (wraped
many times)around a pole piece. A magnetic bar or individual pole pieces can be used. This creates
a single coil pickup. It also creates a great antenna for radio signals, 60cycle hum, whatever.....
Now, a humbucker is two single coil pu's with magnetically opposite polarity. these are wired "out of
phase" cancelling half the output of the pickup....the hum half. Its bucking the hum."
And there you have it.
There's also another way of distinguishing between pickups: Whether they're "Active" or "Passive".
9. What's the difference between Active and Passive pickups?
Active pickups--not to be confused with active electronics, though they basically do the same thing--operate on a 9-volt battery. This battery powers a "Pre-Amp" inside the bass, which basically enhances the sound a bit, and possibly gives you greater control over it. Passive pickups lack this battery.
If anyone can give me a better explanation than what I have here, E-Mail Me and I'll give you credit for it.
10. What is a nut?
The nut is the piece right at the top of the neck, usually made of plastic (Though it doesn't have to be), that has grooves where the strings can be ran through. The reason for its being there is to prevent the strings from rubbing against the neck of the bass. Note that the grooves are roughly the size of the intended string, so you can place thinner strings in them (Note that this does not mean I recommend you do so), but thicker strings will be a problem. For information as to why, see question 16.
11. What is a headstock?
The headstock is the top of the bass, where the strings are finally inserted and tuned. There are a wide variety of headstocks, but they basically break down into two types--"sloped", like a Fender bass, or "symmetric", like most Ibanez basses. Most headstocks have the company's name and sometimes the model of the bass written on them.
12. What are tuning knobs?
Tuning knobs are the knobs sticking out of the headstock. You turn these in order to loosed or tighten the strings on the bass, which in turn changes the pitch.
13. What is a truss rod?
Actually, you can't see a truss rod under normal circumstances. A truss rod is a rod inside the neck of the bass that you turn in order to make adjustments to the neck. This is done by using an allen wrench to turn the rod 1/4 to 1/2 a turn, then letting it sit for a few hours and see what happens. Generally, the neck should have a SMALL amount of bend in it, which is what the truss rod adjusts. If all this sounds intimidating, you're probably better off having a professional at your local music store play around with this if you think something's wrong; Still, it can be helpful to them if you at least know enough to say, "I think the truss rod needs an adjustment.".
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Section II: Bass Guitar Musical Bassics (Har Har)
14. What are the typical notes on a bass guitar?
On a typical 4-string bass, your lowest note will be a low E, and you can go up to either E-Flat (35 half-steps, or notes, above that E, on a 20-fret bass) or G (39 half-steps above the E, on a 24-fret bass). On a 5-string bass, you add a Low-B string, giving you an extra 5 half-steps below the E, while 6-string basses slap an extra, high-C string on above the G, giving you up to either G-Sharp (A-Flat) on a 20-fret bass, or C on the 24-fretter. Oh yeah, your typical tuning from string to string is E-A-D-G on a 4-string bass, B-E-A-D-G-C on a 6-string. 5-strings can be either B-E-A-D-G or E-A-D-G-C; I, however, have never actually seen the latter.
As far as the music staff goes, bassists read bass clef (No great surprise there. :) ). Basically, the notes on the clef are (From lowest to highest lines) G-B-D-F-A, and (The spaces) A-C-E-G. As this isn't a FAQ about music theory, however, I'll just stop here and commence answering more string questions.
15. What types of strings are there?
There are many "Gauges" of string, which just refers to the thickness. I'll talk more about that later. But there are really only two types of strings, roundwound and flatwound. Roundwound strings sound "brighter", but they tend to "eat" frets and (especially) fingerboards, the latter especially on a fretless bass. This is because roundwound strings act almost like little saw teeth, vibrating back and forth over the frets and fingerboard. Flatwound strings sound more "thuddy", kind of like an upright bass. However, they don't eat your frets.
There are also "hybrid" string types, such as quarterwounds, halfwounds, taperwounds, and the like. These are basically strings that claim to combine the properties of the two basic types of strings--brightness of rounds and fingerboard prservation of flats.
As I mentioned earlier, there are many gauges of strings. Basically, here they are, from thickest to thinnest:
| String | Gauge |
| B | .135-.115 |
| *E | .110-.095 |
| *A | .090-.075 |
| *D | .070-.055 |
| *G | .050-.040 |
| C | .035-.025 |
* denotes the most common strings
There are more strings than this, but you're very unlikely to run into them.
16. Can I "change notes", E.G. put B-E-A-D strings on an ordinary 4-string bass?
Yes, but it's really more trouble than it's worth. The main reason for this is that the neck of the bass is really only designed to handle a certain amount of tension exerted by the strings. With different strings comes different tension being exerted. If you're not careful, this can put a big-time warp or bend in the neck of the bass.
Additionally, the nut at the top of the bass is only designed to handle a certain amount of thickness on the strings. For that reason, trying to put, say, a B-String in a nut intended for an E-string isn't happening, unless you can somehow make the nut grooves bigger. Even still, the radically different tensions you'll be exerting can really mess a bass up.
What about alternate tunings, or putting thinner strings than were intended for the nutholes? Well you can do this, sure. First, alternate tunings. Basically, you can go one or two half-steps either way without much of a problem. Any more than that, though, and you're asking for trouble. If you go too low with your tuning, E.G. tuning an E-string to B, your intonation will be radically off by the time you get down to the 9th or 10th fret (I don't claim to be a bass encyclopedia, as I said earlier, but I know from experience on this one). Tune more than 2 half-steps higher than the string was intended to go, and you're basically begging the string to snap in your face (Thankfully, my cousin stopped me from actually trying this. Not sure if he knows this from experience, but I'm not going to be the one to tempt fate). This in addition to the already documented neck tension problems.
It's also for this reason that I recommend against putting different, even thinner strings, than were intended to be put on. In truth, you should probably have the bass looked at when making ANY sort of adjustment, down to putting .110 strings on instead of .105. I don't know anyone that vigilent, however :)
Final note: In an absolute emergency, my cousin has said that putting thinner strings on (E.G. tuning an A-String to E) works in a short-term pinch, I.E. you break a string during a show and, silly you, don't have another string of that note. I wouldn't use it as a long-term solution, however.
17. What are the basic methods of actually playing the bass?
As with many things in the bass world, there are two basic methods. The first is "plucking" the strings with a fingerpads of your right hand fingers. How many fingers to use differs from player to player, but most agree on at least two--index and middle. The second is just like a guitar, using a pick to stroke the strings up and down. As with pickups, preference is subjective.
There is a stereotype that those who use a pick are not "real" bass players. I don't really know why, but it's probably because a lot of "Alternative" or "Punk" players use a pick. Regardless, they're just as much a bass player as their finger-using breatheren. :) For the record, picks produce a slightly different sound than fingers, kind of like if you were to play fingerstyle with your hand right near the bridge.
18. What are some more advanced playing techniques?
There are basically three, all done with the fingers:
Slapping- At its most basic, slapping is just whacking a string with the side of your right thumb. Of course, it's not that easy. Slapping requires a high degree of precision, or else you'll hit about 3 strings with that thumb you only intended to hit one with. When done correctly, slapping makes a nice, satisfying percussive sound.
Popping- Popping is basically "plucking" the string with your right hand with a bit more force than normal. You pretty much put your finger under the string, and pull up and slide it off, making it whack against the frets. Makes a percussive noise of a different nature than the slap (NOTE: On a fretless bass, a slap and a pop sound the same.).
Finger Tapping- Now this is a little strange. You may have noticed that if you fret a note with your left hand hard enough, it makes a noise as if you'd played the note with both hands. You can also do this with your right hand--"fret" a note and get a sound out of it. This is the same principle on which hammering on and pulling off are based--a hammer on is just fretting a note without playing it, while pulling off is just the opposite--taking your finger off a note, leaving another note (Which again, you don't actually play) in its place.
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Section III: Maintaining Your Bass Guitar
19. What is intonation?
Pretty much, intonation is what determines if your bass is playing the notes it should, regardless of the tuning you're in. Just because your bass is tuned properly doesn't mean it's playing all the right notes. Really.
20. How can I tell if my intonation is off?
Plug your bass into a tuner. Play an open string, record the reading. Then play a note at the 12th fret. If the two aren't exactly the same, your intonation is off.
21. Great. Now how do I adjust this "Intonation"?
Well, on the bridge, on the back of each saddle (The place you first put strings through), there should be a screw. You twist this screw using a small screwdriver to adjust intonation. Unfortunately, I can't recall which way turns the intonation in which direction.
Datsgor steps up again, providing the following information:
"When intonating, you Increase the distance between the nut and bridge saddle to
FLAT the pitch. Likewise you decrese the distance between the nut and saddle to SHARP the
pitch. Or, you move the saddle the oposite direction that you want the needle on the tuner to go."
22. What is action?
Action is what you....never mind. Actually, action merely refers to the distance between the string and the fingerboard. Though how this is set is somewhat subjective, there is a certain "Comfort Zone" that you want to be within. Set the action too high and the bass becomes uncomfortable and difficult to play. What if you set it too low? You get fret buzz.
23. How do I adjust my action?
Again, on the bridge, where you actually put the string through, there should be two very small screws, one on each side of the saddle. You twist these to raise and lower it. Unfortunately, as with question 21, I can't recall which way raises action, and which way lowers it.
24. What is fret buzz?
Fret buzz is just what the name implies. Fret buzz is, literally, the strings buzzing against the frets. This is not desired by any means. A variety of things can cause fret buzz--your action could be set too low, your playing technique could be off, or your bass could just suck. Of course, it could be any combination of the three as well.
25. How do I change my strings?
You'll probably want to take the strings off first, so here's how to do that. You'll have to loosen the strings first. Turn the tuning knob, probably toward you (Though I can't say for sure), so that the pitch of the string lowers. After getting that really loose, take the string out of the peg by pulling it out right near there. Then you just slide the string down through the hole where it's inserted in the bridge.
Putting the strings back on basically involves doing this process in reverse. First, you take a wire cutter and cut off part of the string at the top. If you don't do this, you'll be wrapping the string around the peg 10-15 times (Again, I know from experience). Take the tip of the string that you just cut off and string it through the hole at the back of the bridge. Thread it through and put the tip into the center of the tuning peg. Tighten the string until it creates the note you desire--note that the string should wrap around the peg about 3 times in order to retain its tuning best, and that the string should go "through" the nut.
Also note that new strings will have kind of a "metallic" sound to them. This goes away after time and playing.
26. How often should I change my strings?
This varies, but professional players should probably change them once a month or so. "Professional" is defined in this case as playing for several hours 3-4 times a week.
27. But strings are expensive! What else can I do?
Yeah, I know. Thankfully, there is something you can do to prolong the life of your strings. There are two basic steps.
The first step is to take the strings off the bass, obviously. Now grab an old toothbrush, one you don't use anymore. Take a string and the toothbrush, and wet the latter. Now just scrub the string thoroughly, rewetting the brush every so often. Do this for all the strings. What this does is to remove all the microscopic dirt and dead skin from the string.
Then, get a fairly large pot, and boil a quantity of water in it, large enough to cover all the strings (The reason you want a large pot is to make sure the strings don't pop out. They tend to want to "unwind" and you have to keep them coiled in the pot.). Add a little bit of dishwashing detergent to the water, then place the strings in the water. Make sure they're completely submerged, and let them sit in the water for 15-20 minutes. Then wait for the water to cool off (After turning off the boiler, obviously), and remove the strings. Let them sit overnight, and put them back on your bass. Notice how they almost sound like new! Again, you're cleaning the strings. You can probably do this 3 or 4 times before you really need a new set, though some people have just done this for years and years with one set. I would expect, however, that the string would just wear away eventually.
28. Can any other things I don't know about happen to my bass?
Yes, several things. Your neck could warp. Your bass could fall down and the nut could crack. Wires could come detached from the volume knob, rendering the bass useless until you reattach the wires (It happened to my friend's guitar), though that's rare. Your battery could run out. And so on.
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Section IV: Advanced Bass Guitar Concepts
29. How do strings affect bass tone?
I actually addressed this question without really realizing it, in question 15. However, the longer strings stay on a bass, the more "dead" they sound. Eventually they sound like yarn, if you leave them on long enough.
30. Can anything else affect my tone?
Yes. Some things are fairly obvious, others you probably would never think of. Obviously, your technique makes a big different in the type of tone you get from the bass. Also, where on the bass you play with your right hand can affect tone. The way you have your knobs on your bass turned is another big one. Same goes for the setting on your amps.
In the lesser-thought-of category, there's what type of wood your bass is made out of. Seriously. Type and age of the strings on your bass is also a big affector of tone. There are probably more that I haven't listed here...if you think of them, E-mail me and I'll put them in here.
31. What woods are basses typically made out of?
As usual, there are multiple kinds. The most common are probably maple, ash, alder and basswood for the body, maple or rosewood for the fretboard, and maple for the neck. Of course, there are many others, which I will eventually cover.
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Section V: Special Thanks
32. Who helped you make this guide anyway?
Right now, the list is rather short, but I have had some help.
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Conclusion: The "To-Do" list
Well, though this answers many questions, I have a long way to go in order to consider the FAQ "Complete". On my to-do list:
- Add some sort of history, or at least the beginnings of the bass guitar
- Clear up how to adjust action and intonation
- Maybe some other things...
But until then, I'm taking a rest. I hope you enjoyed this document and now have your fill of bass guitar knowledge, because this is the end. Goodbye!
-Emptyeye
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