Many bass players argue that the one true way to obtain tone is through the fingers, or rather, which playing technique is employed with both the plucking and fretting hands. Certain tones inherent in certain genres of music are because of the technique employed. For instance, the warm, full tones found in reggae records, especially those involving Bob Marley’s bassist Aston Barrett, are achieved by playing exclusively with the outside arch of the plucking hand thumb. The biting tone of punk rock is nearly always played with a pick, usually down-strokes, that give the bass sound a crisp attack. Hand placement on the bass also plays a role in tone: playing closer to the bridge produces a nasally, more pronounced tone while plucking closer to the neck creates tone with more bottom end.
Naturally, the setting dialed in on the amp head’s controls play a large part in how the bass is presented both live and on record. Amp controls vary between manufacturers, but generally speaking, all feature some control over bass, treble, mid-range and high frequencies. Heavy rock and metal players usually prefer tones with more bass to create thick tones found in that genre of music, leading many to boost their bass controls on the plus side while dialing down, or “rolling off,” mid-range and highs. Jazz players usually prefer the opposite: since jazz features prominent soloing, bassists boost their highs, add some treble and dial down bass and mid-range.
The very construction of the instrument plays a part in tonal character as well. Some basses are known to produce certain tones based solely on their build materials and pickup placement. For instance, vintage Jazz basses are typically made from maple, ash or alder woods, creating a somewhat brighter tone. Warwick basses are made from exotic dark woods, thus making their tones “darker." Switching your bass neck out from a wooden one to a carbon-fiber neck creates a more biting, pronounced tone. Pickup placement and type factor in tone, the latter of which can change the tone of your bass without having to buy another instrument. Swapping your bridge to a higher mass bridge contributes to creating more defined tones with longer note sustain.