Is bass easier than guitar?

I hear this question disturbingly often. As a professional bass player I find it kind of insulting, even though most folks who ask this aren't trying to be disrespectful. Here's how I answered this query in an About.com forum:

If you already play guitar, you do have some advantages when it comes to bass guitar. The strings on a 4-string bass correspond to the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th strings on the guitar (G, D, A and E) but one octave lower. If you can find individual notes on a guitar fretboard, you can find them on a bass.
Beyond that, playing technique on a bass can differ A LOT from guitar.
Playing bass badly is easier than playing guitar well.
Playing bass well is as hard as playing guitar well.

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http://www.andrewpfaff.com