Bass strings can have a substantial effect on the way a recorded bass guitar sounds. Putting new strings on a bass guitar before recording will provide increased presence and allow the bass guitar to better cut through a dense mix. However, new strings may sound metallic in a less dense mix. Old strings, on the other hand, will have a more dull sound, which is suitable for many types of music. However, old strings often will sound muddy in a dense mix.
Bass guitar is often recorded direct through a DI box because of the ease in which it can be recorded--no amplifier or speaker cabinet is needed. Simply plug the bass guitar into the DI box and then patch the DI box into your recording console. Recording directly through a DI box usually obtains a clean bass sound with a controlled low end.
When the sound of a bass amplifier is desired, bass guitar is recorded by miking the speaker cabinet of a bass amplifier. In most cases, a bass amplifier is miked with a dynamic microphone. This is because dynamic microphones can withstand the high sound pressure levels generated by bass amplifiers. They also body to the captured bass sound, as well as de-emphasize the high frequencies generated by the bass amp. This results in a warm, realistic bass tone. In many cases, the miked signal of a bass amp is combined with the clean sound of a DI box to achieve a blend of the two bass signals.
When recording bass guitar, compression is commonly used to level out the recorded performance. Compressing the bass guitar smooths out the recorded performance and tends to enhance its presence and allows it to more easily cut through a mix.