Who's got nice basses but gravitates towards a cheapy old friend?

[leschirons]

I recently sold my Spector 6 thru-neck as it wasn't getting out of the house much, have a KSD705 and Custom shop Fender jazz but for some reason I keep going back to an old Far Eastern Aria Pro 6 string for gigs / rehearsals and practice. It's just like an old pal, stays in tune, sounds nice for a passive cheapy and is so easy to play. I paid about £150 for it secondhand and it's covered in scratches.

Same when I had the Fbass, kept using the Aria!! Really starting to think about being happy with what works for me rather than wasting more money on "nice" basses.

[paul torch]

Don't know if it would be classed as a really "nice bass" but I have a Washburn Status though I actually prefer to play my modded Epiphone EB0. The neck is so nice and now that I've replaced the neck pickup and added one at the bridge to tone is sweet.

[Mr. Foxen]

I've got a top end US BS Rich and a domestic Japanese one, but my frankenbass gets plenty of play. They are all nice basses though, just some could sell for more than others.

[Silvia Bluejay]

Doing most of my non-upright playing on the sub-£150 Corvette fretless 5, and loving it. Having said that, all my basses are cheap, except for the NS 5 upright...

[KennysFord]

I keep going back to my £150 1980 Ibby Blazer, just love it to bits.

[mike257]

My Squier P is my go to bass when I'm playing at home, and gets a fair share of gig use too. Have spent so long playing it that it just feels like home!

[JTUK]

I've got nice basses and I don't gravitate towards a cheapie..
If I found one that I really liked I would own it....but...

so my next bass will be a commission :lol;

[Kiwi]

I'm kind of the same way. Main bass cost six hundred quid but my other basses vary between 1800 and 6000 quid in value.

[Pinball]

I have two basses I bought 2nd hand. A Scector Custom 4 and a Spector Legend. I was falling into the trap of lusting after lots of basses I saw on here. I got the schecter pretty cheap so didn't really value it that highly. I was planning on selling upgrading but I have a feeling that I would miss it so I'm sticking with it for a while at least. It is light, well made and sounds great for live play. Why change?

[Fat Rich]

My Japanese 62 reissue Jazz is getting played the most, I paid about £150 for it over 20 years ago. My 70s Jazzes sound and play like junk by comparison.

Play the Status S2s a fair bit too, wouldn't be without them.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1336463103' post='1645813']
I'm kind of the same way. Main bass cost six hundred quid but my other basses vary between 1800 and 6000 quid in value.
[/quote]

Hmm. My most expensive bass cost £670...

[LukeFRC]

my wick and the JV together cost me about £1000- average of £500 each init? not sure that counts as cheap but i would have to spend a lot more to replace with similar.

[johnDeereJack]

For ages I was gigging my Squier VM fretless instead of my custom Larkin Reacter fretless (see avatar)
Don't get me wrong - the VM is a great bass but having picked up my Larkin again it just KILLS the Squier dead.
I've totally fallen in love with it all over again.

[steve-bbb]

well unless i get a major gig (highly unlikely i know) my main is my TRB and very close second is Squier J (both bought 2nd hand at 380 and 150 respectively and both were absolutley pristine)

I like looking at pics of shiney but i dont feel any need to go out indulge in GAS unless i actually had that elusive major gig to justify it - the only thing on my wish list at moment is to upgrade my 2500 head to a hartke LH500/1000

edit - come to think of it even if i did get that elusive major gig i would still use the TRB cos its luvverly

Edited May 8, 2012 by steve-bbb

[neepheid]

Nope, I love playing all my basses and any that I don't love playing get sold. I don't gravitate towards any particular one, in fact I love playing a different bass every gig or practice.

[mononick]

I have a rickenbacker and a stingray my main gigging bass is mim P bass. It sounds great and plays really well. Its had a couple of mods but is still a lot cheaper than my other basses. Might just be that Im a P bass man though!

[steve-bbb]

are we still allowed to say R********ker ?

[police squad]

I have a mid 70's P bass. Paid bugger all for it in 1990. It's done over a thousand gigs with me, I had it set up when I got it and the guitar tech found Jimmy Page's phone number in the neck pocket , he phoned it and Jimmy got the arse!!
I have used all sorts over the years but keep coming back to it.
However, in my police tribute band I use a 70's re-issue Jap fretless P bass , The Fender Sting bass and now a Stagg EDB.
None of them expensive or complicated.
I used to have a Jaydee Mark King. I couldn't get a single usable tone from it. Lovely to play and to look at, but no soul.

[chrismuzz]

Never owned an expensive bass. I've tried specimens in all different price brackets. Vintage stuff, modern stuff, boutique stuff, budget stuff... Nothing has ever pleased me like my Peaveys though so they're the only basses I have at the moment!

Stingray's I just can't get on with. Warwicks feel to big and are way too sensitive to touch. Ibanez's feel good but they sound a bit artificial to my ears, same goes for Yamaha! All great basses and sound amazing in the right hands and paired with the right equipment... but not for me!

[LiamPodmore]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1336466904' post='1645867']
Hmm. My most expensive bass cost £670...
[/quote]

Mine cost £380... I gig my most expensive bass frequently, but that's because it's a damn good bass and leaves my shoulder intact unlike my 5 string.

Liam

[chrismuzz]

You're all so bloody extravagant! My 4 string cost me £50, the 5 was £100, and the 6 was a whopping £250!

[Earbrass]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1336470935' post='1645947']
You're all so bloody extravagant! My 4 string cost me £50, the 5 was £100, and the 6 was a whopping £250!
[/quote]

My 4 string cost me £50 (including gigbag). That's the only bass I have. The rest of my bass-related kit consists of a Behringer BDI21 and a Korg Pitchblack tuner, making the tuner the most expensive item in my "rig".

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='Earbrass' timestamp='1336472500' post='1645977']
My 4 string cost me £50 (including gigbag). That's the only bass I have. The rest of my bass-related kit consists of a Behringer BDI21 and a Korg Pitchblack tuner, making the tuner the most expensive item in my "rig".
[/quote]

Damn I think we have a winner!

[achknalligewelt]

This thread is inspiring. 2nd hand Squier P-Bass here I come!

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='achknalligewelt' timestamp='1336472684' post='1645986']
This thread is inspiring. 2nd hand Squier P-Bass here I come!
[/quote]


You won't regret it!

Actually it's my battered mid 80's Tokai that gets the most use.