Why I like a versatile bass

[Muzz]

Two words sum up the versatility of all my (two pickup) basses: John East. I can do pretty much everything (as close as I need) with his EQs.

[TrevorR]

[quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1459248326' post='3014684']
I'd take a versatile bassist with a jazz bass over a versatile bass with a player that is relying mostly on the pickup/tone options to get a versatile sound.
[/quote]

Fortunately it isn't a binary choice...

[quote name='keefbaker' timestamp='1459249440' post='3014699']


With a forum name of "sunburstjazz1967" that's not the biggest surprise. But you're completely right that if your playing, hand position etc isn't versatile then a range of pickups and tones is going to do pretty much nothing for you.
[/quote]

Interesting that in a thread not a million miles away from here there has been(to quote Mrs Merton) a heated debate on the merits of basses which are sympathetic to changes in plucking style and position and provide the sonic rewards of doing so. I'd lump that in with pickup choices and tone circuits as one of the characteristics of a versatile bass.

It's a truism that a creative player will sound creative whether they're playing a crappy single pickup bass or a bass with a gazillion EQ options. Nice to have a whole range of options though, whether pick up choice or plucking hand placement or tonal settings... For me anyway.