What I read at the music store...

[nukebass]

My brother and I went to Guitar Center and Sam Ash yesterday and, at Guitar Center, I found this book: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... hould+know

Being curious, I began thumbing through it and found a section on necks. I don't know anything about the author, but he says, quite bluntly, that bolt on neck basses sound better than neck through basses because of "coupling" at the neck joint. He then goes on to relate a story of receiving a nicely made neck through bass from a manufacturer (doesn't specify) who wanted him to endorse their basses. He played it and couldnt' get the tone he wanted, claiming it was too thin. Another fellow he was with told him he needed to play his fender bass and throw that thing away.

I just thought, "wow."

[Clint]

Different, yes. Better, simply opinion.

[jingle_jangle]

An acoustic study done a few years back (I don't have the link, sorry), showed that bolt-on necks generally have greater sustain than set necks or neck-throughs. This was on electric guitars, not basses, although I would think that whatever principles are in effect would apply across the board.

However, this sounds like the player had a specific sound in mind, and found it in a Fender.