The bass player's wristwear of choice is usually a wristband. For an ordinary person, it might just seem like the latest fashion fad used by high-school hipsters, but for bass players it actually serves quite a bit of purpose. One reason for wearing one is to avoid getting their hands too sweaty when they play. Depending on the song, bass players can be beating it out for quite some time. It's important that they don't lose their grip on the strings because keeping them clean and dry prevents slipping. Some bassists like to wear wristbands to make sure sweat doesn't get in their eyes either. Wristbands also help keep bass players from accidentally bumping their volume and tone knobs. This oversight isn't as much of a problem with an electric bass since there aren't any strings to catch on the knobs, but still happens from time to time, so it's good practice to keep them covered up. Lastly, some people just like wearing wristbands for fashion purposes or as accessories. Regardless of what they're used for, bassists will continue sporting them as long as they rock.