I ONLY HAVE ONE BASS!!

[wotnwhy]

Although i actually have 4 basses, 2 of them are in bits and have been for a number of years (my first 2 gigging basses, both Yamaha RBX range) and the 3rd is a home-made short-scale fretless-acoustic for noodling on the sofa. So i count myself as being a 1 bass man.

And my 1 bass is a custom Shuker, built in 2004. It is my own design that i started working on when i first picked up bass (1998), commisioned the work with Jon the week i got my first full time job, we had been talking about and planning the bass for over a year previous to this! I wanted quite extensive electronics (as this was planned to be my only bass i wanted versatility), so Jon started a project with some Sheffield uni students and an amp tech (name escapes me, made amps for Van Halen?), and the resulting circuit was the protoype for his current 3-band eq.

In the 6 years i've had this bass i've played all styles from jazz to trash metal, folk to funk, in all maner of places through all maner of different rigs (both my own and others). And i have never had any trouble getting a sound that works in the context of the gig.

These days i only GAS for basses based purely on looks. There is no sound that i think me and my bass can't equal. And having it all in one instrument makes your connection to it even stronger, especially once a few years have passed. And in turn i think that has a direct effect on your playing experience and inspiration.

[JTUK]

I have 3 5's and I like the Fender vibe I get from 2 of them That is why I bought them.
One sounded great in the shop so was an instant must have, the other was aquired from here and I knew it was on the right lines.
It is now my favourite..
The 2 J5's are my staple basses and I take them to all gigs. I set them up for the room and choose which bass to start the set with on that basis. Whether I change through the set, depends on a whim.

Both sound very good to me, IMV, and the nuances can bring on a new style for each song sometimes..which helps shake the set up a bit for me personally. I try and play songs in my style anyway... but there are one or two songs that I have learned really work much better with a certain bass so I can't ignore that..but sure I could do the gig with either or, depends on my mood.

The third is surplus which is why it is probably going to go.

[luckman67]

I would love to be happy with 1 bass,but 2 of my basses were bought by my girlfriend. The daft thing is that until I saw this forum & TB I only had 2 basses, in the last 2 years it went up to 7 basses now it's down to 5.

[Musicman20]

My absolute limit is 8...and thats being ridiculous I realise! I have 7 (well some on order still) so room for one more Fender

[ezbass]

[quote name='luckman67' post='1058696' date='Dec 14 2010, 04:26 PM']I would love to be happy with 1 bass,but 2 of my basses were bought by my girlfriend. The daft thing is that until I saw this forum & TB I only had 2 basses, in the last 2 years it went up to 7 basses now it's down to 5.[/quote]
Nice collection, add a Jazz and a Gibson EB3 or similar and you'll have aperfect set (an additional Alembic and Wal seems extravagant).

I could drop to just 1 but I'd definitely miss my fretless at the very least. I've got 5 at the moment which will should shortly drop to 4 (watch out in the for sale section when I finally build up my courage to downsize)

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='JTUK' post='1058236' date='Dec 14 2010, 09:50 AM']I have 3 and play 2 of them all the time... so I will probably sell the 3rd in the NY..but I have been saying that for 18 months now.
IF I get the right price for it, then it will go, I am pretty sure...but I'll not give it away.[/quote]

Stop teasing and tell what the 'NY Sale' bass is then!

[luckman67]

Thank you ezbass I've had a few Jazz basses,but never owned a Gibson bass.

[Fullmetal]

I have owned 6 basses in 4 years, but I've never had more than 3. And even then, 3 seems too many. I have wittled my collection down to 2, each one has a different sound and a different purpose. Plus, if one of my basses breaks, I have the other as backup.

I could justify having just the one bass, however I can't decide which of the 2 to sell so It's easier to keep them both ^_^

[jezzaboy]

From a maximun of 9, I now have 3 and have managed to keep it that way for a few months. Sometimes I felt that I had too many choices and I felt as if I was neglecting the un-chosen ones.

Now, it`s a choice of 2, either my VMJ or G&L as my P bass bitsa is a live back up only. I feel much better now.

I would really like to get down to 1 but can`t seem to manage it. I would have to stop looking on here for a start.

Jez

Edited December 14, 2010 by jezzaboy

[Lfalex v1.1]

Just sold a couple of basses, but I can't see me selling many more.
Perhaps the acoustic could go, and maybe the Hohner B2A (V), then there's the OLP MM3...
Couple of fence-sitters, but I can't see the Streamline, Attitude, MIA Jazz or Vigier ever going. That seems like a minimum of 4 for me, then!

[Blademan_98]

I am fairly new to the bass but already own three.......

The Rogue fretless I got for my 45th birthday has just got me into playing all the time!

I have since sold two guitars (a strat and one of my Parkers) to fund a bass rig.

I have three guitars out in the living room 1 bass 1 acoustic 6 string and 1 electric 6 string.

The rest are in their cases and tend to stay there

There is something about collecting guitars that is compelling!

[lee4]

I'm down to one bass,but I may sell that and just keep a set of strings!
Dead minimalist,like

[Cat Burrito]

I only own two electric basses - a Jazz &, um, five Precisions. Hey, works for me

[Lozz196]

That kind of logic makes me feel much better about owning only one bass, Burrito.

Which is four Precisions

[JTUK]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='1058778' date='Dec 14 2010, 06:01 PM']Stop teasing and tell what the 'NY Sale' bass is then! [/quote]


ha ha..I've banged on about it for long enough, I guess.. do I want to, do I have to, sort of thing..

But it will be my Sei Flam5.

[martthebass]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1058578' date='Dec 14 2010, 02:40 PM']Since us single-owners seem to be in the tiny minority here, can someone explain how they manage with multiple basses? What I mean is, how do you choose which one to use. I imagine that one of them would turn out to be the favourite, so that would be the one to always play. In which case, why keep all the others?

I'm not talking about having different 'types' of basses, e.g. different string numbers or maybe an upright, but just the basic 4-stringer.[/quote]

I can (in my head) justify my 3 4stringers:

Streamline: Cramped room gig or long sets

MM Ray: Lots of space to move - shorter sets, rock sets

EB0: Crap holes (gigs where the bass may end up being used as a bassball bat) and jam nights

Wifey doesn't see it the same way tho...

[flyfisher]

[quote name='luckman67' post='1058696' date='Dec 14 2010, 04:26 PM'][/quote]

Nice. I'm starting to understand the attraction of more than one bass.

[OliverBlackman]

I think you must have a minimum of 6:

1X Fender P bass (My preference would be a 60's example)
2X Fender Jazz Bass (1X60's, 1X70's)
1X Musicman Stingray (obvs a 70's)
1X5 string fretless
1X5 string fretted (Fodera, Alembic, Ken Smith??? Happy dreams)

If you had all these what gig couldn't you do?

[McCat]

I've only got one working bass (EB0).
Got a non-working 70's Aria (fubar wiring) and a Stingray copy (fubar fretboard), an unfinished project which probably wouldn't have worked very well even it was finished.

You do need more that one bass though. Bare minimum of two. It's the law.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1058578' date='Dec 14 2010, 02:40 PM']Since us single-owners seem to be in the tiny minority here, can someone explain how they manage with multiple basses?[/quote]
Owning half a dozen I tend to have one main gigging bass and I use the rest recording and playing around the house - usually on some sort of rota (in my head - I'm not sad enough to actually put pen to paper on this!).

I admire those who do have one or two basses as I have for most of my playing career - it's only been since 2004 which coincidentally was when I discovered the original Bassworld site that the collection grew. I could always sell a couple if I had too but it's nice to have nice things and over the last 18 months I had some pretty rotten things happen so it's good to have things that cheer you up.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='blackmn90' post='1059673' date='Dec 15 2010, 03:54 PM']I think you must have a minimum of 6:

1X Fender P bass (My preference would be a 60's example)
2X Fender Jazz Bass (1X60's, 1X70's)
1X Musicman Stingray (obvs a 70's)
1X5 string fretless
1X5 string fretted (Fodera, Alembic, Ken Smith??? Happy dreams)

If you had all these what gig couldn't you do?[/quote]
Drummer?

[luckman67]

Thank you flyfisher the truth is though,that I have gone through at least 20 basses to get to the 5 you see. And even now looking back at the money I've wasted on basses which I got rid of (at a loss) anoy's me. I really like the idea of one bass,remember the line 6 bass advert 24 basses in one.

[Marvin]

Just the one for me. And I don't know but I might sell it (and not replace it).

[ShergoldSnickers]

[quote name='Marvin' post='1059819' date='Dec 15 2010, 06:15 PM']Just the one for me. And I don't know but I might sell it (and not replace it).[/quote]
[b]Dover – 1940.[/b]
The Admiralty rooms deep underneath the cliffs are getting increasingly worried about Luftwaffe attacks on our shipping. There seems to be an increasing tendency for nuisance raids and worse on South Coast towns. The top brass and Churchill convene a meeting to discuss the perilous situation.

"You see Prime Minister, we can keep sending out patrols to intercept these raids, but we think something much bigger is going to happen. We need to husband our resources."

"Indeed. I can fully see your point. If we respond in full to the shipping attacks, we get drawn in to battles over the Channel, meantime Jerry sends more bombers to our ports. Yes, I see it all......... however, I just can't be arsed. Nope - no petrol in the system, the tank has run dry. No, it's no good chaps, I say let's do naff all, and I'll send a delegation over to France with the terms of our surrender. Now pass the brandy I'm parched."

Is this the attitude of true Devonians? Is this the mettle that braced the backbone of a fine seafaring nation in centuries gone? Is this the the model for the surrender of a fine Basschatter? You'll keep that bass and practice like a mad man - or you'll have all of us to answer to. I shall personally supervise deployment of Mrs T's Spankatron. Take heed, gird your loins, don your armour and fight for bass-kind Marvin - the enemy of despondancy will be broken into a thousand shards, and Devon will once again bathe in the warm tones of your instrument. We are with you. Hoorahhhhh......

Edited December 15, 2010 by ShergoldSnickers