You are right the term "keeper" is used a lot, i have an 82 squire jazz i bought it when i was 19 so ive had it 18 years next month, ive used it everywhere, mind you it did spend a few years under my bed at my mums while i travelled and gigged away as i was using various yamahas and warwicks, but these days its gettin plenty of use, it is a "keeper" i will never sell it and ive never even thought of selling it!!
It must ba a basschat GAS term as i never suffered too much from gas while i was a pro player i had what i liked and used them for quite a while till something interesting came along(not that often), as soon as i got a normal job 4 years ago i had evenings to myself and joined basschat and ive been through loads of basses not as many as some mind , but my faves have been a musicman sterling (a keeper) until a ken smith came along and that definately was a keeper, i only sold it due to financial bother, if i didnt need to i would have used it for a very long time. now i have a very lovely spector. a keeper? im not sure the jurys still out but i doubt it, too much GAS!!!!!!. very happy at the moment though!!
Ido know where my sterling and smith are though and i will have them back