How to get a better bass tone

I've had over 24 years to develop my bass tone and it has been a long and expensive journey. There are many theories about how to build a great bass tone and what is all involved in tone as a whole. One thing stands out as the unwritten rule and is greatly overlooked is that it's really all in the player. Maybe you've heard people say things such as, " You could have Eric Clapton's gear, all his settings and knowledge and you still wouldn't sound like Eric Clapton." It's true, tone starts with you. It's your inner musical voice which is the very building block of what your end tone or tones will eventually become.
Well that's great, but how do I know what my tone really is?
It's simple really, I discovered this quite by accident. Take your bass, plug it in to an amplifier and set all equalizer settings to flat. This includes the one on your bass. Use no effects whatsoever and play. Listen to what you are playing and guess what? It's the raw sound of you. It is important to understand the fundamentals of your tone before you can build it into what you are searching for. It is not important if the sound you receive is overly awesome, but it is important to realize that this is the very first building block on your journey and you should recognize your own voice.
Everything you will build from here depends on many factors. Remember, there is no wrong way to play your instrument. If Larry Graham stuck to the rules, there would have not been the creation of the slap and pop technique and therefore we might not have a Victor Wooten as we know and love him today. So relax and be creative.
Do you use a pick, play with your fingers or pluck with your thumb? There is no wrong way, but these simple factors affect your tone. Unsure yet as to which way is right for you? Use them all and you'll find what is most comfortable and pleasant for you. Picks tend to have a harder attack sound and the thicker the pick, the harder that attack. They offer a unique tick/tack sound to your tone that many players enjoy. Using your fingers has a more pronounced bloom to the note, but you can still get a great attack sound out of how hard you strike the string. Using the thumb brings a full rounded boom to the note and is much softer in attack unless you are slapping. You don't have to stick to just one approach either, many accomplished bassists use a variety of these techniques to accomplish the task at hand.
Where do you strike the strings? This also has an affect on your tone. Striking closer to the end of the fret board creates a softer sound which has a greater depth to the note, whereas striking close to the bridge is more attack oriented with less bottom and more treble. The tone will vary greatly on all points in between. Try this with the flat settings I told you about earlier and experiment with where you strike, the sound you get and determine what's most comfortable and pleasing to you. I might vary my position several times within a single song as to compliment the song's structure, it is a great technique and one you should master rather than sticking stringently to just one finger position.
Strings, strings,strings. If there is a widely debated topic with so many variations to choose from it's strings. Which type to buy? Which brand? Which gauge? Strings affect your tone and this is a search in which the style of music you predominately play can help you in your string choice. There are flat wounds, round wounds, grind wounds, round core, hex core, coated, different alloys and different manufacturing techniques. Don't stress, it's a journey and try to enjoy it. Besides, I'm here to help. Flat wound strings offer a smooth feel as well as a smooth bass tone. Generally found on fret-less basses they have been used to great success on fretted basses as well. Motown great James Jamerson used them to help create the Motown sound. Paul McCartney used them with The Beatles. If you are playing Blues, Jazz or Beach Music for example they are a great choice. Grind wound strings offer more attack than traditional flat-wounds without chewing up the neck on a fret-less bass as much as round wound strings would. Round wound strings are the workhorse of the industry and can be found everywhere from jazz to blues, rock, metal, pop, funk and all points in between. They are a great place to start.
What gauge to use? This is purely a personal choice. Lighter gauge strings are great for a beginning bassist as they are easier to fret, or press down to get that note out. If you are going to down-tune your bass to a drop-D or lower, you may really want a heavier gauge string. Some manufacturers market a string for just such tuning. If you change your string's gauge from what came on your bass from the manufacturer you will need a set-up to ensure the proper relief on the neck and proper intonation. If you haven't done this before, there will more than likely be a trained technician at your local music store who will do this for you for a small fee.
The bass guitar, so many types to chose from, so many styles, what do I do? This seems intimidating, but really it's not. Choosing the right bass for you is a very important step and should be done with some research. The hands on approach is always the best. Unless you are seriously going to dedicate yourself to Jazz or Classical music, get a fretted bass. That's the one with the metal frets on the fret-board. You want a bass that is comfortable, fits your hands and has what you like to hear from you. Play as many as you can and do it on the same amplifier and at the flat settings to get that true voicing. A word of caution, save your money and buy a decent bass guitar. While you might be tempted to grab that new and shiny XYZ brand bass for $149.99 or $199.99, resist the urge for the impulse buy. Lesser quality instruments have a tendency to not keep in tune as well and due to the cheaper components, tend to let the player down at the most inopportune time, like a gig. Do some research on bass guitars and ask other bassists if possible. Salesmen might sell you anything, so keep that in mind, they live off commission. I am a huge fan of Fender Bass Guitars. They have a standard model Precision Bass and Jazz Bass which are manufactured in Mexico (M.I.M.) and play extremely well. As a matter of fact, I still have a 1992 model Precision Bass in service that has been a staple in my arsenal and it is an M.I.M. model. Ibanez has some great offerings around $400.00 dollars and Dean has come out with some very playable instruments at very attractive prices. Disheartened? Don't be, there are the joys of what I call "Pawn Shop Hopping" and e-bay and amazon where you can purchase used instruments for much less. Be informed, know what you are looking for and research the market values before you buy, or you could lose out on a great deal of money or pass up a great bargain. Your bass is the extension of your musical self and where you will translate your emotion and passion to your audience, don't sell yourself short.
Didn't answer all your questions? Worry not, this is a journey and we'll travel together. I'll be your guide. Each lens I write here will be a continuation on how to build a better bass tone. Next time, amplifiers!