Want to have complete control of your bass tone? In this bass lesson, I’ll explain bass guitar knobs so you can possess that control.
Let’s take a look at them!
Table of Contents
Bass Guitar Knobs: Volume And Tone
Volume and tone knobs are standard on every bass guitar, and they affect all pickups equally. Unlike some active basses that have multiple knobs, which may apply to specific pickups, these controls work consistently across your instrument. Knowing how they interact with your pickups helps you craft your ideal bass tone.
The volume knob
The volume knob controls the volume of the bass.
Turning the volume knob up will make it louder. Turning the volume knob down will make it quieter.
The tone knob
The tone knob controls the bass frequencies.
A bass with passive pickups usually has one tone knob, and it controls the treble frequencies.
A bass with active pickups usually has more tone knobs, allowing you to control both treble and bass frequencies.
Get a feel for the tone knob by playing and testing it in both directions. Rolling the tone knob up will give your bass a bright, impactful sound useful for rock and fast-paced slap bass. Rolling it down will give your bass a soft, smooth sound useful for smooth jazz and other styles that require a soft tone.
Pickup Blend And EQ Knobs
Pickup blend knob
If your bass has two pickups, you might have a pickup blend knob. This lets you mix the sound from your neck and bridge pickups.
The neck pickup gives you a warm, deep sound, great for laying down thick grooves.
The bridge pickup is sharper and more defined, perfect for cutting through a mix. Blending these gives you tons of tonal options, so experiment and find what works for your bass-playing style!
EQ knob
Now, if you’ve got an active bass, meaning it has a built-in preamp powered by a battery, you might see extra knobs for bass, mid, and treble. These work like an equalizer.
Boost the bass knob, and you get a fatter low end.
Boost the mids for more punch.
Boost the treble for extra clarity.
But be careful, too much boosting can make your tone harsh or muddy. A good rule of thumb? Start with everything in the middle position and adjust based on the sound you want.
Other Bass Controls And Knobs
Some basses come with extra features, like a passive/active switch, a mid-frequency selector, or even a tone shaping switch.
If you see extra controls, take a few minutes to research what they do. Your specific bass most likely has an instruction manual, either physically or online, that tells you what your electronics do.
Bass Knobs Meaning(s) Infographic
Using Bass Guitar Knobs
Pull out your bass, plug it into your amp, and test out your bass knobs. The better you know it, the better you’ll be able to craft your ideal tone.
Start by working with the volume knob. The best bassists are in complete control of their volume, and messing around with the volume knob is the best way to learn and acquire a high level of control.
Work with the tone knob after you find a good volume position. Keep the knob turned up high if you want to rock, and keep the knob turned low if you want that lovely, smooth bass sound that will rumble your house down.
Experiment with your basses other knobs after you’ve set your initial foundation by dialing in your volume and tone knobs.
Continue to experiment with your bass’s knobs, switches, and electronics, and you’ll discover your ideal bass sound before you know it!