I am emotionally attached to a bass that's taking up space and I don't want any more

[kwmlondon]

5 hours ago, W1_Pro said:

I'd have kept it. Then again I've only ever sold one bass.  An Aria PB500 Precise and I regret it to this day.  I'm up to about ninety now. I know that folks have this 'it deserves to be played' thing going and I absolutely think that is a very cool way to deal with the issue of too many basses. However, for me, getting rid of a bass would be like selling one of the kids. Unthinkable. 

I can relate and I am envious to some extent… but I know this is going to be pure heresy … I recon I only need one bass. My owning  three is sheer indulgence. I will feel sad when the ‘ray goes tomorrow but I think it will be liberating.

[Geek99]

At a mere three you are a comparative miser

i have three but they are all different (honest)

one acoustic, one active four, one five string 

 

[Geek99]

5 hours ago, W1_Pro said:

I'd have kept it. Then again I've only ever sold one bass.  An Aria PB500 Precise and I regret it to this day.  I'm up to about ninety now. I know that folks have this 'it deserves to be played' thing going and I absolutely think that is a very cool way to deal with the issue of too many basses. However, for me, getting rid of a bass would be like selling one of the kids. Unthinkable. 

I’m hugely impressed that you've actually lost count 

[kwmlondon]

6 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

At a mere three you are a comparative miser

i have three but they are all different (honest)

one acoustic, one active four, one five string 

 

I did spend the budget on the Canadian Dingwall.  The other two are cheap as chips!

[W1_Pro]

7 hours ago, Geek99 said:

I’m hugely impressed that you've actually lost count 

I do have a spreadsheet...and most of them live at my work (we supply equipment for events) so I'm very fortunate there. The biggest problem I find when you have a slightly silly number of basses is what you do with the cases. They take up a lot of room!

[kwmlondon]

22 minutes ago, W1_Pro said:

I do have a spreadsheet...and most of them live at my work (we supply equipment for events) so I'm very fortunate there. The biggest problem I find when you have a slightly silly number of basses is what you do with the cases. They take up a lot of room!

I have a friend who is a very successful musician and he collects guitars. He has special things that look like giant filing cabinets. 

[Geek99]

3 hours ago, W1_Pro said:

I do have a spreadsheet...and most of them live at my work (we supply equipment for events) so I'm very fortunate there. The biggest problem I find when you have a slightly silly number of basses is what you do with the cases. They take up a lot of room!

Watch the John entwhistke vid 

[Jack]

3 hours ago, W1_Pro said:

I do have a spreadsheet...and most of them live at my work (we supply equipment for events) so I'm very fortunate there. The biggest problem I find when you have a slightly silly number of basses is what you do with the cases. They take up a lot of room!

I just get rid of the cases. If I know I'm keeping a bass "forever" then I sell the case and it lives in the thinnest of Thomann gig bags as essentially a dust cover. That way you can really cram them in.

 

When something leaves the house it goes in one of my two Mono bags.

[basexperience]

I've still got the parts from my original bass (1988) - a Hohner Arbor, which was originally in a flake metallic white. Humbucker at the bridge and a split coil on the front. Wasn't a bad bass, did well with it for a couple of years while I started trying to crank out Iron Maiden 😄 I recontoured the body because I was obsessed with Ibanez's (which I couldn't afford) and it didn't come out too bad, but I didn't seal the body that well and it is a laminate body, so it's got plenty of cracks. Haven't looked at it in years - it's in the loft with the neck(!). The body got a fretless totally flat Warmoth neck on it (a beauty, now lives on a nice allparts body) and it didn't do the neck justice at all for a very long time.

 

Next bass (which is still in one piece) is a beautiful, extremely light 4 string Aria GTB-2J (secondhand from a friend in 1990, IIRC) - ironically also in metallic white. I still have it and it's strung very very light (30-90) for ridiculous slap and tap stuff. Early 90s, I got a Hohner B-bass V, which I put an OBP-3 in several years ago. I still have that too... bought with inheritance from a wonderful grandfather. I couldn't part with it, although I don't play it much at all now: it is wonderfully playable, though.

 

After that, things got a little out of hand (I think I have 15 now...) - but I know it'd be some kind of world-ending event before I sold the Aria or the Hohner.

[kwmlondon]

Bye bye....

[kwmlondon]

1 hour ago, basexperience said:

I've still got the parts from my original bass (1988) - a Hohner Arbor, which was originally in a flake metallic white. Humbucker at the bridge and a split coil on the front. Wasn't a bad bass, did well with it for a couple of years while I started trying to crank out Iron Maiden 😄 I recontoured the body because I was obsessed with Ibanez's (which I couldn't afford) and it didn't come out too bad, but I didn't seal the body that well and it is a laminate body, so it's got plenty of cracks. Haven't looked at it in years - it's in the loft with the neck(!). The body got a fretless totally flat Warmoth neck on it (a beauty, now lives on a nice allparts body) and it didn't do the neck justice at all for a very long time.

 

Next bass (which is still in one piece) is a beautiful, extremely light 4 string Aria GTB-2J (secondhand from a friend in 1990, IIRC) - ironically also in metallic white. I still have it and it's strung very very light (30-90) for ridiculous slap and tap stuff. Early 90s, I got a Hohner B-bass V, which I put an OBP-3 in several years ago. I still have that too... bought with inheritance from a wonderful grandfather. I couldn't part with it, although I don't play it much at all now: it is wonderfully playable, though.

 

After that, things got a little out of hand (I think I have 15 now...) - but I know it'd be some kind of world-ending event before I sold the Aria or the Hohner.

Like this? https://reverb.com/item/4330836-hohner-professional-b-bass-v-guitar-5-string-neck-thru-through-active-pickups-preamp-electronics

Yummy!

[kwmlondon]

Just thought I'd give a quick update as the 'Ray left a couple of months ago now. Do I miss it? No, but when I see a Stingray on this site I get a momentary flutter and the part of my brain that says "I've got one of them" has a bit of a moment and what I do miss is being able to say "I've got one of them!"

 

I play my Dingwall every day and I just get on with it so well I think this does for almost all my needs. I've also got a lovely old OLP Tony Levin 5 string that I use when I need to leave the bass at the office overnight or something and it really scratches that Stingray itch!

 

Would I prefer a MusicMan 5 string, yes, but then I'd be wary of walking around at night with it or leaving it places so this is great for my needs. I'm tempted to change the preamp in it though, but I'm not sure it's worth it for something I only play every now and then.

Edited yesterday at 19:06 by kwmlondon

[Jack]

Many have gone from casa del Jack but only one is missed. Pleased you're happy man. 

[NancyJohnson]

I've got a couple of basses that I adore but will never get played in anger ever again.  I've no idea why I'm still holing onto them, especially considering I've been offered ridiculous money for one of them.  Emotional attachment.

 

The Hamer FBIV  hasn't been out of its case in a couple of years and even then it was only for a few minutes to fit a new jack plate.

 

 

[kwmlondon]

17 hours ago, Jack said:

Many have gone from casa del Jack but only one is missed. Pleased you're happy man. 

I know that if I ever undertake a project again that I need a 4-string for I'll just get one and it'll be fun to find something that fits the brief. As it is, it's good to know it's somewhere that it may get the use it deserves.

[kwmlondon]

8 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I've got a couple of basses that I adore but will never get played in anger ever again.  I've no idea why I'm still holing onto them, especially considering I've been offered ridiculous money for one of them.  Emotional attachment.

 

The Hamer FBIV  hasn't been out of its case in a couple of years and even then it was only for a few minutes to fit a new jack plate.

 

 

My situation is that I have very limited space. And... I have hoarding tendencies (other people can collect and do so with intent and discenment, but I tend to hold on to things in case they come in handy!) so I really put effort into keeping on top of my environment and for me and the way I live I'm way, way better off with a couple of really appropriate instruments that I'll use than many more I just like owning. But as this thread has shown, it's really personal. I'm very grateful for everyone's input, though - it's been really helpful to think things through and come to a considered decision.

[Bassman1974]

That's the custom Precision and the Aerodyne Jazz away. Didn't see the point in keeping them to look at. I never really gelled with either of them, so I've zero regrets. I can say for sure that I'm 100% not a Precision guy. They both paid for some nice wheels for my old car, so I'm happy.

 

I've still three Jazzes, a Hofner and the Ric, and I've no desire to change anything out just now. If it came to it and I could only keep say two, I'd hold on to the Vintera and Ric.

[kwmlondon]

2 minutes ago, Bassman1974 said:

That's the custom Precision and the Aerodyne Jazz away. Didn't see the point in keeping them to look at. I never really gelled with either of them, so I've zero regrets. I can say for sure that I'm 100% not a Precision guy. They both paid for some nice wheels for my old car, so I'm happy.

 

I've still three Jazzes, a Hofner and the Ric, and I've no desire to change anything out just now. If it came to it and I could only keep say two, I'd hold on to the Vintera and Ric.

I've never had a P-bass. I spent some time with a mate's battered and badly set up '75 precision and that was like being behind the wheel of a classic car and I could see how I'd use one for a project, but I had no desire to actually own one. It's a bass I'd use for a purpose, but not one I'd pick up to play out of choice, if that makes sense? I did fall head-over-heels in love with an early 80s Ibanez Blazer which was their version of a Precision. Good grief, that thing played and sounded like nothing else, but I just don't play 4-strings now.

[Terry M.]

23 hours ago, kwmlondon said:

I play my Dingwall every day and I just get on with it so well I think this does for almost all my needs. I've also got a lovely old OLP Tony Levin 5 string that I use when I need to leave the bass at the office overnight or something and it really scratches that Stingray itch! 

I have to say I was browsing in Anderton's last week and tried a 5 string Dingwall Combustion Nashville Edition. Call me mad but I totally fell for the banjo sized frets it had. My hands just glided over the fretboard with barely any effort. Playability for days...

[kwmlondon]

10 minutes ago, Terry M. said:

I have to say I was browsing in Anderton's last week and tried a 5 string Dingwall Combustion Nashville Edition. Call me mad but I totally fell for the banjo sized frets it had. My hands just glided over the fretboard with barely any effort. Playability for days...

I'm not for one mad moment going to say that Dingwalls are for everyone... but... if you pick one up with an open mind you may be very surprised by how easy they are to play and they are good for pretty much any genre, sound wise.