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Thanks dmccombe , I sold the fretless 72 Pbass , still have the rest. There’s a Dano 59 Dolphin Nose that isn’t pictured , that I plan to sell. And my old upright that I plan to keep. There’s a number I sold that are not pictured. I tend to just pick one or two up a year. I’ve been at it for a while and still manage a couple of gigs every week. So I like to think they pay for themselves. Usually play the mid sized rooms downtown , no big star , I don’t like to travel. I load the car , drive the stuff downtown , set it up , and later drive it home. It’s routine. I seem to know quite a few that have acquired a bunch of classic stuff over the years , but are far from being real collectors and yet fairly nerdy about gear. I am a self confessed amp nerd.

The recents , I picked up the orange 5123 last December. They are no longer in production and getting hard to find. It’s been my primary bass since … some had suggested getting a 6128 too. Another out of production and not easy to find. So at the moment these two are my main players.

I started a fresh thread rather than clutter up the how was your gig thread , here’s many but not all , the Gretsch pair are still missing. And several others , but it’s a good selection of the stuff I’ve dragged home. Thankfully Herself looks upon most instruments as art , but she’s not crazy about speaker cabinets.

late 60’s Hofner Ashbory and uke faithful old Ray Eastwood Classic IV

Yamaha Samurai reissues LP DC Jr and SG (two absolute favourites today) samurai and Unicorn UniVox HiFlier and slightly modded Ibanez Talman Dano Longhorn and short scale DC Gretsch baritone and Squier Bass VI

Looking over the stuff I’ve accumulated I realize that I seem to go for things in pairs. For years I just had one Pbass , and thought it was everything I needed. I was an idiot and passed on some unbelievably good deals on what is called vintage gear today. So now , if I see something I really like , I just might buy it. I love having different instruments. 72 Pbasses , bought the fretted one in the mid 70’s. It was pristine. 51 MIJ Reissue US built P 80 4001 , 76 4000 Epi Flying V and Rumblekat

There are tons of Longhorns around , sometimes they can be found for a song. These are tiny , and weigh nothing. They have lipstick pickups that can be a bit noisy. You learn to live with that. New prices are getting more expensive , but these really are fun little things to play. So if you see one for a good price I would suggest getting it. Despite playing one for over 25 years now I still can’t decide if they’re butt ugly or cool as heck. This completely changed my concept of just what it is that made a bass good.

I have an Eastwood hollow body that has some features that look very similar to the Harley Bentons. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn they are built in the same factory. The Eastwood is not noisy , to be honest I was quite surprised at the build quality. It sounds good , but my hollow body Gretsch is a much , much nicer instrument. There’s simply no comparison. The Eastwood popped up on kijiji for a really great price and I couldn’t resist. Years before I had an Epi Rivoli with a Dimarzio Model 1 humbucker. Sold that and missed it , so I jumped on the Eastwood.

Most hollow bodies have humbucking pickups , so they are not as noisy. And the repair guys get accustomed to working on them. I’m sure they have specific tools to make things a bit easier when your only access is through the pickup routes and the f holes

I’ve been dragging a little Barefaced One10 to rehearsals and use the same amp and preamp I like to gig with. I usually use a Bergantino 112 cab for gigs. The Berg sounds so much richer , deeper and fuller. The tiny Barefaced is certainly loud enough for many of the rooms I play , but it’s well worth the difference to bring the larger speaker.

Here’s the new Jet , and me shortly after buying that big orange one. I guess I’m becoming a Gretsch guy , didn’t see that coming. I was originally a Pbass guy and for years that was all I had. Then I got into Rics , and somehow into Danos after that. Then it was Gibson short scales , now Gretsches.

I took delivery of a new bass yesterday , and had the chance to hear it at room levels in my favourite downtown dive last night. I bought a big orange Gretsch hollow body last December and have been mostly using that. Some Gretsch fans mentioned that the ThunderJet would pair nicely with it so I’ve been looking for one. They were from the Pro Series that were made in Japan. Pricey and only made in small batches , no longer in production. I finally managed to find one. And I like it. Fairly quiet night at the gig , still an enjoyable night. I was able to switch basses a fair bit and compare the two. Some of my favourite nights have been quiet ones. Small but appreciative crowd. I’m back there Sunday night for the jam and will hear it again.

Welcome. You’ve made an interesting thing. I’d suggest flat wound bass strings for blues , they have a better thump.

I traded a Nikon F2 with an 85/1.8 lens for my 72. It was the mid 70’s and it was a relatively new bass.

We never had a tip jar until things opened up again after the Covid closures. There usually is a cover charge at the door , and people are now encouraged to tip as well. It can make quite a difference.

Welcome G.

Is that a 30 in ?

I picked up a Gretsch hollow body last December. It’s become my go to. I spend a lot of my practice time playing it. It does have a big body. It’s the G5123B model , a Korean made bass with TVJones pickups. Wonderful woody tone.

Playing mostly shortscales so I have some classics that are not getting played much.

I was going to mention the Longhorn too. light , sound great , serious fun to play

They’re up to $949 Cdn at L&M today , when they first were reissued in 98 they were $399. I just advise people to pick one up if you see it for a good price. If you don’t like it you can easily sell for what you paid. But most I know that have picked them up hang on to them.

Shortly after the Gretsch arrived , last December. My favourite dive downtown.

My Longhorn has the original factory strings , it’s from the early Korean run when they were introduced. So since sometime around 98. The Shinkos do not have serial numbers anywhere. The strings are dead. But do have a wonderful woody old school thump. I remember how zingy they were when I was first playing it , but that’s long gone. I have a LaBella Dano set ready in case I lose a string. Until then , the factory rounds are staying on. I have two other short scale Dano basses , a Chinese 56 Dolphin Nose , and a recent Korean short scale DC. They both have LaBella Deep Talking flats. The Longhorn is still my favourite.

Fine looking Pbass Beedster. the classic

It takes a little time for flats to really break in.