Owning Multiple Basses...

[4 Strings]

Just had a run through this thread over a coffee and I fell into the same trap, starting with short sentence on opinion followed by 'I use...' list of basses owned.

Oh, how we like to type the names on our basses!

Isn't multiple basses a modern thing? Years ago bass players would have but one, it would end up looking very tatty due to the songs it had delivered and practice endured. Nowadays, with the relative cost much lower, we are strangely more precious about our basses but are able to have more of them.

My conjecture is that we are merely more materialistic than before.

In over 30 years of playing I have had one bass at a time apart from the last 3-4 years and now I have 5. What changed?

[subsong]

I've got 10 of them. This is somewhat excessive, especially as I'm a purely amateur player. It's certainly true that they're all a bit (and in some cases, a lot) different to each other. I know I don't need this many though. Still, they're special things as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad I'm in a position to have a collection.

[krysh]

I reduced/upgraded succesfully from 7 to 4.
two custom jazz basses: one 4-string, one 5-string, one 4-string fretless, and one shortscale semi-acoustic which is my main bass in my band. now I probably can deliver most sounds that I like best.
so far no need 4 more.

Edited June 20, 2012 by the_krysh

[Earbrass]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340208250' post='1701099']
In over 30 years of playing I have had one bass at a time apart from the last 3-4 years and now I have 5. What changed?
[/quote]

[quote]
[b] 4 Strings[/b]

Member Since 19 Oct 2009
[/quote]

[GregBass]

I need one bass but have nine. They are all played, either at home or on gigs. I like them. 'Nuff said

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Earbrass' [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]In over 30 years of playing I have had one bass at a time apart from the last 3-4 years and now I have 5. What changed?[/size][/font][/color]timestamp='1340209988' post='1701147']
[/quote][quote name='Earbrass' [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]Member Since 19 Oct 2009[/size][/font][/color] timestamp='1340209988' post='1701147']
[/quote]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Whoops! Didn't realise I was so shallow! Not proud of that.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Right, I need to lose weight: Jazz for sale - East preamp, Di-Marzio pickups, unmarked with case and candy..![/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I can justify three basses; two, really; need one; don't want five. [/font][/color]

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340215196' post='1701260']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Whoops! Didn't realise I was so shallow! Not proud of that.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Right, I need to lose weight: Jazz for sale - East preamp, Di-Marzio pickups, unmarked with case and candy..![/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I can justify three basses; two, really; need one; don't want five. [/font][/color]
[/quote]

I can help with weight loss. My weight loss programme- you can have the first session for free!

[Wolverinebass]

I'm doing 2 bands at the moment and I'm alternating between all 4 basses in my sig. In one I'm exclusively using the 8 string and the Hamer Chaparral with the odd toe into 4 string if the song needs it or it's impossible to play with those 2 for generalistic sound reasons. That project is kind of progressive rock with some electronica twists.

In the other, I'm alternating between the buzzard and my alembic. Since the material sounds somewhat like Cream or Live at Leeds I need to be able to use the fluidity that a 4 string offers for the "random jam" sections rather than the out and out brutality and harmonic denseness of the 8 or the 12.

I do have a 5th bass which I don't play. It's a white Fenix by Young Chang with a soapbar in the musicman position which is the only passive instrument I own or ever will own. It's what I learned on and it's a stupidly short scale bass with 24 frets. I think it's about a 28 inch scale. Some may argue it's "Japcrap" (or "korean crap" if one were to split hairs) but it does hold some sentimental value for me. On the other hand I doubt I'd get that much for it if I ever tried to flog it.

[Wayne Firefly]

Im single, no kids, live alone, no vices, dont smoke, dont do drugs, dont really drink too much.......Im a complete gearhead.... I love basses.... I see a bass I want, I save up, I buy it. I have a few, Im going to have more. Its that simple !!!!!

[Booooooom]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1340195415' post='1700759']
Then I joined BassChat
[/quote]

^this!

For nearly thirty years BC (pre basschat!) I owned (and played) only one or two basses at any given time, always strung with rotosounds and the acquisition rate was extremely slow.
My stingray had been a long term goal and is my main gigging and recording bass but rarely comes out of it's case at home. The flatwound precision (bought in New York) was my main bass before the stingray but now is my main home bass. A pointy headstocked Aria which I've had since '83 (my second bass) was my only bass until the early 90's.Its now strung with DR DDTs in drop C and still occasionally gets gigged for the odd song.

Since discovering basschat I now have five!

I've now got a 5 string OLP MM copy and a Squire VM fretless jazz just to see what the fuss about fives and fretless was about and very happy I am with all five.
If it wasn't for the drop tuning making use of the Aria it would probably be retired but I wouldn't get rid of it after all this time. If I was brave enough to put flats on the stingray (except I like the zing) I'm pretty sure that I could make do with just one bass for what I normally play... But then life would be less interesting...
I'd say that I only NEED one bass but in terms of WANT - at the moment I feel I've got all my bases covered! (sorry!)

Edited June 20, 2012 by Booooooom

[4 Strings]

So, is it Basschat, the times or both (or neither) the reason a lot of us have more than the necessary number of basses?

(I would say the necessary being one!)

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340225715' post='1701516']
So, is it Basschat, the times or both (or neither) the reason a lot of us have more than the necessary number of basses?

(I would say the necessary being one!)
[/quote]

bit of both, until very recently we were in one of the most prosperous time we've ever had, and at the same time the relative cost of basses has dropped. Basschat then exists where people talk about their basses and talk about the sort of brands that you just wouldn't have in the local music shop 30 years back. Secondhand market puts some of these basses within peoples reach, both financially and practically with a outlet to sell again if needed. I can buy a bass to try and know I can probably sell it on at the same price if I don't get on with it.


I think also if you have this massive range available secondhand to try out then the temptation to think that 'your tone' needs a certain bass... when in reality no one in your band can tell.
It's not a bad thing, I've had some amazing basses that I just would never have had without basschat.

[Truckstop]

I have two so I always have a spare in case sh*t happens! Technically they're the same, but they feel different. I use one for effects and another for normal practice. Switching them just feels weird!

Truckstop

[BottomE]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340208250' post='1701099']
Just had a run through this thread over a coffee and I fell into the same trap, starting with short sentence on opinion followed by 'I use...' list of basses owned.

Oh, how we like to type the names on our basses!

Isn't multiple basses a modern thing? Years ago bass players would have but one, it would end up looking very tatty due to the songs it had delivered and practice endured. Nowadays, with the relative cost much lower, we are strangely more precious about our basses but are able to have more of them.

My conjecture is that we are merely more materialistic than before.

In over 30 years of playing I have had one bass at a time apart from the last 3-4 years and now I have 5. What changed?
[/quote]

Your experience mirrors my own. Whats changed? Disposable income and Basschat.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Wayne Firefly' timestamp='1340218698' post='1701340']
Im single, no kids, live alone, no vices, dont smoke, dont do drugs, dont really drink too much.......Im a complete gearhead.... I love basses.... I see a bass I want, I save up, I buy it. I have a few, Im going to have more. Its that simple !!!!!
[/quote]

Same here, aside from I don`t drink at all. I may buy a £600 bass every now and then, but I used to drink more than that in a couple of months, so not too fussed. My collection goes anywhere between 2 & 5, depending on, well just depending really.

It was joining Basschat that started it all - I`ve bought/sold more basses in the 3 years I`ve been on here, than in the previous 27 years of playing. But it`s been great fun.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Booooooom' timestamp='1340223291' post='1701453']
I've got all my bases covered![/quote]

See? There's really no need for them to gather dust! If only more people would realise.

[Earbrass]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340215196' post='1701260']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Whoops! Didn't realise I was so shallow! Not proud of that.[/font][/color]
[/quote]

Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel bad - I think we've all felt the "basschat effect". When I first joined I went through a little phase of bass acquisition / swapping, but I'm all better now and back down to the one old faithful.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1340233197' post='1701661']
See? There's really no need for them to gather dust! If only more people would realise.
[/quote]

[jezzaboy]

I have 4 at the mo but had 9 at one time which was mental as I wasn`t in a band at that point! They all have their uses.

Thunderbird. Was going to sell but will be used as a live backup.
VMJ. Converted to fretless and used at home.
P bass. Well you`ve gotta have a P please Bob!

And my latest purchase, a Sterling Ray 34 ca. I have recently joined an ac/dc tribute band and not having 2000+ to buy a 79 Ray ala Cliff williams, this one looks the biz and is top notch apart from the tuners which will be replaced by a set of Schallers this week.

I would relly like to be the type of guy who owns 2 basses but it ain`t gonna happen.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1340271231' post='1701917']
Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel bad - I think we've all felt the "basschat effect". When I first joined I went through a little phase of bass acquisition / swapping, but I'm all better now and back down to the one old faithful.
[/quote]
Trouble is, like everyone else, they all had their reasons.[list]
[*]Jaydee was my bass for >25 years now unused. Sad.
[*]Did some recording, only half the tracks used as they said the bass was too thin, needed body. Shunning the thought that it was actually my playing I reacted and bought the most powerful bass I could find, a '79 Stingray which I love, justified as first bass for >25years.
[*]Now this is where the Basschatitus kicks in as I hadn't previously thought of the Jaydee as anything precious, it was just my bass, but I now think of it as a handmade, solid mahogany instrument of some vintage. Can't practice/rehearse with such treasures so I bought a bitsa P to knock about with. This is now a half finished Fenderbird.
[*]At an auction I found a '76 P for a bargain price. Its beautiful and has now funded itself and the next bass by performing perfectly with flats with the Motown Sisters.
[*]To knock about and for a foreign gig I bought a US Jazz Deluxe, couldn't buy a MIM could I, not now due to BC I know there's some sort of perceived difference? Didn't get on with it, put up for swap for another Stingray but of less value than the '79.
[*]No takers so bought a US Standard Jazz and the Deluxe put up for sale only. Well, in the end I thought it pointless having two Stingrays anyway.
[*]Someone eventually offered the Stingray swap so the Deluxe has gone. I now have two black/black/maple Stingrays and a superfluous Jazz. Its all gone wrong!
[/list]
Trouble is, I can't just be bold and get rid as my two lads (one a bass player and one a drummer) have their eye on certain inheritance items.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1340184349' post='1700439']
let me guess... its a stratocaster?
[/quote]
[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1340185932' post='1700496']
I bet it's a BC Rich Warlock.
[/quote]

Nope it's a....


I bought it on a whim because ever since Gibson guru Neepheid took a Tokai T-bird around to mine for a jam one time, and despite me thinking they look a bit showy and vulgar and the fact that the indie kids have taken them over... I quite fancied having my own one. It was a good choice - I honestly would never have thought a bloody Epiphone could sound this brilliant.

The strange thing is that since this thread started I have been asked to join another band. The music is a bit more mainstream than I'm normally associated with and the guitarist plays a Gibson Explorer. This bass wouldn't look too out of place in that band.

None the less I've chosen a bass from my old armoury that suits this band's music better - it's my homemade Surf Green '51 P (Betty, for those who've met her). I chose her because of her super fast neck and hot SD pup with it's the gritty, biting tone... but who knows, maybe one day I might actually bring myself to play the T-bird in public.

So there you go, that's another bass of mine about to get some action.... just as well I have so many to choose from.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1340326869' post='1702997']
Nope it's a....


I bought it on a whim because ever since Gibson guru Neepheid took a Tokai T-bird around to mine for a jam one time, and despite me thinking they look a bit showy and vulgar and the fact that the indie kids have taken them over... I quite fancied having my own one. It was a good choice - I honestly would never have thought a bloody Epiphone could sound this brilliant.

The strange thing is that since this thread started I have been asked to join another band. The music is a bit more mainstream than I'm normally associated with and the guitarist plays a Gibson Explorer. This bass wouldn't look too out of place in that band.

None the less I've chosen a bass from my old armoury that suits this band's music better - it's my homemade Surf Green '51 P (Betty, for those who've met her). I chose her because of her super fast neck and hot SD pup with it's the gritty, biting tone... but who knows, maybe one day I might actually bring myself to play the T-bird in public.

So there you go, that's another bass of mine about to get some action.... just as well I have so many to choose from.
[/quote]

I'm not a fan of the Thunderbird, but... I think that one looks quite cool!

[Telebass]

I always have three. You should never really go to a gig with only one bass, just in case...then if one DOES fail, you still have two to gig with.
Having three is, to me, a matter of musical neccessity in that context. But three is also enough!

[GregBass]

Telebass - can you explain this concept of "enough" please? I still have rooms in my house without a bass

[discreet]

[quote name='GregBass' timestamp='1340360338' post='1703237']
I still have rooms in my house without a bass [/quote]

Someone should start a new thread - 'Owning Multiple Rooms...'
Should be a nice, lively debate - [b]IBTL![/b]

Edited June 22, 2012 by discreet