Yes you can tell. It takes a while, but you can tell. If you hear and play basses with similar and different woods, you can learn to tell the difference. If you have a good ear, you can even tell what bass, and even an amp (though that's tougher), someone is using a recording
I, too, initially thought that the electronics (pickups and amps) were everything, but once I started researching and experimenting with good equipment, I realized I was wrong. Think about it this way: the sound originates from the strings/bass/wood and is amplified via the electronics. While the pickups, amps, and cabinets do color the sound, they can't add something that's not there. If that were the case, then shit, I'd just built myself a million basses out of cheap wood, slap on some good pickups, and play it through my Mesa rig and call it a great bass. But that's not how it works. In fact, it's far from it.
One of the easiest, most differentiable tones, IMO, lie in the fretboard wood. If you get a chance, play a bass with a rosewood board. Then right after that, play one, preferably a similar bass, with maple. Unless your amp really really sucks, you should be able to tell that the rosewood is warmer, while the maple has more attack/bite. Sure, you can boost the high mids around 1.2-3kHz on your amp EQ to get the rosewood board some more attack, but it's still not going to sound exactly like the maple. Amps are great for shaping your tone, especially cutting unwanted frequencies and adding a bit more color/flavor to the tone of the bass, but when it comes to boosting frequencies that aren't there in the bass to begin with, you're not going to get very far. I didn't realize how much of a difference woods made until I tried several basses in a row with pretty much the same electronics played through the same amp.
The best way to tell how the different components sound, set your onboard control knobs on the bass to flat, as well as the settings on the amp to flat (every thing in the neutral position). Now plug in a bass and play it. Then try a different bass. You should be able to tell a difference, especially if they are different. You may be thinking "well what's the point, i have EQ, so I'll use it." Well just because you have something, doesn't mean you have to use it. Sure, if you need to shape your tone, you will, but here's how it really matters: the combination of woods AND pickups (you can't leave them out of the equation) will get you closer to your intended goals. Use the knobs on you bass and/or amp to fine tune it. The way I look at it, the less EQ I have to use on my amp, the better. I want my instruments to sound good from the get go. If they don't, what's the point? I don't want to sit around and spend time getting my tone to sound right. I just want to plug it in get my sound asap, and spend more time playing.
Still skeptical?
To give you a more mainstream scenario, take any bass you want, and pair it with any amp/cab/combo you want, and try to get Flea's tone on, say, "Give it Away" on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. I guarantee you that without the Wal he used on the recording, you'll never get there. Some tones are easier to copy than others, but how close you get to what you want depends on what kind of tools you have.
You probably still don't believe me, but trust me on this one. Once you've played/heard a variety of instruments, you'll figure it out. Plus, I guarantee you that all those virtuoso bass players who get custom made basses with particular woods, or all the different luthiers who make high end basses with different woods don't do it just for shits and giggles! (Well maybe some who want furniture-esque instruments and can afford them)
I, too, initially thought that the electronics (pickups and amps) were everything, but once I started researching and experimenting with good equipment, I realized I was wrong. Think about it this way: the sound originates from the strings/bass/wood and is amplified via the electronics. While the pickups, amps, and cabinets do color the sound, they can't add something that's not there. If that were the case, then shit, I'd just built myself a million basses out of cheap wood, slap on some good pickups, and play it through my Mesa rig and call it a great bass. But that's not how it works. In fact, it's far from it.
One of the easiest, most differentiable tones, IMO, lie in the fretboard wood. If you get a chance, play a bass with a rosewood board. Then right after that, play one, preferably a similar bass, with maple. Unless your amp really really sucks, you should be able to tell that the rosewood is warmer, while the maple has more attack/bite. Sure, you can boost the high mids around 1.2-3kHz on your amp EQ to get the rosewood board some more attack, but it's still not going to sound exactly like the maple. Amps are great for shaping your tone, especially cutting unwanted frequencies and adding a bit more color/flavor to the tone of the bass, but when it comes to boosting frequencies that aren't there in the bass to begin with, you're not going to get very far. I didn't realize how much of a difference woods made until I tried several basses in a row with pretty much the same electronics played through the same amp.
The best way to tell how the different components sound, set your onboard control knobs on the bass to flat, as well as the settings on the amp to flat (every thing in the neutral position). Now plug in a bass and play it. Then try a different bass. You should be able to tell a difference, especially if they are different. You may be thinking "well what's the point, i have EQ, so I'll use it." Well just because you have something, doesn't mean you have to use it. Sure, if you need to shape your tone, you will, but here's how it really matters: the combination of woods AND pickups (you can't leave them out of the equation) will get you closer to your intended goals. Use the knobs on you bass and/or amp to fine tune it. The way I look at it, the less EQ I have to use on my amp, the better. I want my instruments to sound good from the get go. If they don't, what's the point? I don't want to sit around and spend time getting my tone to sound right. I just want to plug it in get my sound asap, and spend more time playing.
Still skeptical?
To give you a more mainstream scenario, take any bass you want, and pair it with any amp/cab/combo you want, and try to get Flea's tone on, say, "Give it Away" on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. I guarantee you that without the Wal he used on the recording, you'll never get there. Some tones are easier to copy than others, but how close you get to what you want depends on what kind of tools you have.
You probably still don't believe me, but trust me on this one. Once you've played/heard a variety of instruments, you'll figure it out. Plus, I guarantee you that all those virtuoso bass players who get custom made basses with particular woods, or all the different luthiers who make high end basses with different woods don't do it just for shits and giggles! (Well maybe some who want furniture-esque instruments and can afford them)
