bass sustain...do you really need it

[nofi]

in my quest to put forth  obvious questions i ask you this. why do some electric bass plyers want tons of sustain and why do various mfgs push their latest hardware with the hopeful promise of more sustain. i understand sustain from a guitarists point of view but as a bass player i don't get. maybe to cover up a hole when you can't come up with a clever fill? in at least my situation sustain is a non issue. i like a big thump and rapid decay...just like sex.

[rockinrayduke]

Different strokes. I hate having a note fade dead away. One of the reasons I use a compressor. I like thump as well but like sex I want it to last a while. 

[gweimer]

Different strokes. I hate having a note fade dead away. One of the reasons I use a compressor. I like thump as well but like sex I want it to last a while. 

Excellent answer!  Just for kicks once, I let the open A on my Hamer Cruise 2Tek ring out for the full 8 bars of a verse on a blues tune.

[ramone57]

having enough sustain has never been an issue for me.  if less sustain is needed, then use a mute.

[nofi]

i guess i should amend this to say any "extra" sustain over what your bass normally provides.

[TBird1958]

"I like thump as well but like sex I want it to last a while. "

Yup! What Rockin Ray said.............

[Basvarken]

having enough sustain has never been an issue for me. if less sustain is needed, then use a mute.

+1

[Dave W]

I don't like rapid decay in general. If a particular song needs it, I'll mute.

OTOH the natural sustain of a typical solid body bass along with a little tube compression is all I need.

[sniper]

a little tube compression is all I need.

i like a little tube compression some times!

[nofi]

i knew i shoulda' left the sex stuff out .

[TBird1958]

And you guys want to have *real* girls on this forum.........at least I'm not offended   

[rockinrayduke]

i knew i shoulda' left the sex stuff out .Mr. Green

You should know us by now!

[Freuds_Cat]

I love big sustain ......er... in both   I just use the right pad of my palm if I want to dampen or control the decay.



...OK, now I just read that again and....... ahhhh whatever!  /me sighs   

[TBird1958]

And you guys think real women are gonna want to read this stuff?   

[exiledarchangel]

Size does matter, even on sustain.