The Anatomy of the Electric Bass
The electric bass is essentially comprised of a body, a neck, a headstock, a tailpiece, and electronics. It's important to know the names of these individual parts because each component contributes to the bass's overall sound. Every bass is different; however, three basic systems can be organized out of the individual components:
Neck and body system
Tuning system
Electronic system
See Figure 2-1 for a comprehensive list of the most important parts on the bass. Included in this pictorial are components of all three systems.
Figure 2-1
The anatomy of the bass
The neck and body system contribute to the overall aesthetic of the instrument. The shape, weight, and materials that comprise this system also influence its natural or unamplified tone. Since the components that comprise this system are primarily manufactured from carved wood, body and neck contours vary from company to company and model to model.
The second system deals with tuning. From the tuning mechanism on the headstock to the bridge and tailpiece, these components make it possible for the strings of the bass to change pitch and hold its tune. Additionally, the nut, truss rod (not shown), and machine heads contribute to the tuning of the instrument (see Figure 2-1).
Lastly, the electric system is defined by windings around a magnet and an electrical current that is outputted to an amplifier. The components that transduce, conduct, and, attenuate this signal are the basis for the electrical system. The pickups (essentially electromagnets — magnets wrapped by coils of wire) capture the initial sound as electrical energy. This energy is then transferred through wires to volume potentiometers and tone controls. In the last stage, this energy is sent to the output jack and sent through the guitar cable to your amp. Toggle switches determine which pickups or combinations of them are employed (although many bass guitars do not have toggle switches). Different types of pickups, together with toggle switch positions and the tone knob, determine the overall tonal quality.
