Owning Multiple Basses...

[discreet]

I'm sorry... 'wadgery' isn't a word. However, I [i]do[/i] know what you mean by it.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Ben Jamin' timestamp='1340832668' post='1710387']
[size=6]2![/size]

Warwick 5-string - active/coil-split - roundwounds - does everything 'modern'
Sue Ryder - passive/back-up for when my back's broken - solely for the P-bass and flatwounds sound

Sorted.

Apart from...
A Dingwall (intriguing)
A proper vintage Fender (just because)
A single-cut six-string (for self-indulgent guitar territory)
A fretless (for staying in tune with the guitarist)
A cricket-bat headless (for that 80s band I haven't joined yet but might do at some point in the future/epic mirror-posing)
A short-scale (just for giggles)
A Fodera (bling)
A custom bass built to render the entire collection obsolete
And so on and so forth
[/quote]

You are privileged.

[4 Strings]

Of the 5 I own I use 1 90% of the time.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1340837238' post='1710474']
I'm sorry... 'wadgery' isn't a word. However, I [i]do[/i] know what you mean by it.
[/quote]
Shakespeare made stuff up all the time and got away with it...are you saying I'm not as good as Shakespeare?

[discreet]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1340873011' post='1710693']
Shakespeare made stuff up all the time and got away with it...are you saying I'm not as good as Shakespeare? [/quote]

I reserve judgement. Interestingly, among the 1700 English words Shakespeare invented is 'barefaced'.
Another is 'deafening'. Perhaps A. Claber could mention this in his 'advertising' (another one).

[Kiwi]

Would pay to see some Barefaced Wadgery.

[Bass-Thing]

Sorry if I'm repeating what somebody's already said (tried reading all the posts but went cross-eyed on page 3). I regularly play all my basses but I have to admit to being a collector as well (I have a small collection of 6 string guitars as well but I'm not much of a guitarist and not interested in playing 6 string....but they look awesome and I actually hang them on the wall!). Nothing wrong with collections.

It all comes from not being able to afford a decent bass when I was at school and having to play a sh*t one (Avon SG copy... let's not go there). 25 years later now I can afford several decent basses, I'm not holding back. I keep 3 basses in my office so I can practice during the day. When I'm learning something with my teacher, I like to use a bass that's appropriate IE fretless jazz for Jaco stuff, Stingray for Bernie Edwards, 51 p-bass for blues, 5-string for JS Bach etc.

I would like a Gibson SG bass just to exorcise the ghost of the Avon and I really want a Ricky, but apart from that I'm very happy with what I've got and feel I've got all basses covered..... sorry

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1340874120' post='1710714']
Would pay to see some Barefaced Wadgery.
[/quote]

Not sure Alex Claber would do that...

[LukeFRC]

well.... my two bass rule didn't last long....

[surfinbernard]

One single solitary bass here, my beloved USA Fender jazz, I always said I love my jazz so much that the only thing I would ever replace it with is a vintage Fender jazz. I don't know though, I might get a second bass one day, the thing is it would probably be another jazz type, like a Sandberg say.

There is another bass in the house, my husband's Ibanez destroyer which is... errr... destroyed haha, he was in a psychedelic grebo band in the 80s and it has been 'customised'. It plays well though.

Different basses are different to play so in answer to the original question, yes to some degree you spread yourself a ittle bit thinner playing on more than one bass, but the payback is that you get used to different basses in case you need to play one.

[Ben Jamin]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340872465' post='1710677']


You are privileged.
[/quote]

Haha noooo, I don't actually own any of this, I was just trying to illustrate that there will always be one more thing we 'need' when in-fact, at least in my case, I'm already lucky enough to have two basses that cover everything for me

[Lozz196]

Update to my previous threads - have come to the conclusion that I`m only going to have 2 basses, a Precision for one band, and a Stingray for the other.

Any more than that is great, but in reality, I`m not going to play the backups unless I`m very unlucky, so someone else may as well benefit from them.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1340913933' post='1711564']
Update to my previous threads - have come to the conclusion that I`m only going to have 2 basses, a Precision for one band, and a Stingray for the other.

Any more than that is great, but in reality, I`m not going to play the backups unless I`m very unlucky, so someone else may as well benefit from them.
[/quote]

Amen to this, I could exactly this, P with flats for Motown and 'Ray for everything else. (Have used the Stingray for Motown perfectly well too!).

Trouble is, not sure if I'm brave enough to sell the others if I don't need to, mainly because my two boys have their eyes on inheritance basses!

[Booooooom]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1340955255' post='1711865']
P with flats for Motown and 'Ray for everything else. (Have used the Stingray for Motown perfectly well too!).
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more. Normally only gig the Stingray and use the P for recording when more of a Motown sound is desired.

The others are fun to have, cured some gas at the time but definitely not essential.

[4 Strings]

Maybe we need a class system for members of BC which is a function of the the number of basses owned in reverse order and hours played.

[Old Horse Murphy]

I have 3 "playing" Basses; P Bass strung with flatwounds, a Stringray 5 string strung with round wounds and a Stingray Fretless.

These 3 cover all musical styles I play and as said before by other BC'ers I think anything on top of these 3 would be doubling up somewhat.

I've also recently bought one of the Jubilee Hofner Violin basses more as an ornament (and hopefully an investment).

[simon1964]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1340913933' post='1711564']
Update to my previous threads - have come to the conclusion that I`m only going to have 2 basses, a Precision for one band, and a Stingray for the other.
[/quote]

+1 to that. If I'm honest, I gig with either my Stingray or '73 Precision 90% of the time.

[Bass-Thing]

[quote name='Old Horse Murphy' timestamp='1341049402' post='1713156']
I have 3 "playing" Basses; P Bass strung with flatwounds, a Stringray 5 string strung with round wounds and a Stingray Fretless.

These 3 cover all musical styles I play and as said before by other BC'ers I think anything on top of these 3 would be doubling up somewhat.

I've also recently bought one of the Jubilee Hofner Violin basses more as an ornament (and hopefully an investment).
[/quote]

Ornamental was actually the word I was looking for earlier when discussing my reasons for having way more basses than I actually need. I also think that to describe my collection as a 'Harem' of basses sums it up perfectly. They have all spent time as my favourites, though I have to say that my Geddy Lee jazz is named after my Wife because if I could only keep one, it would be her.

Enjoy the Jubilee Hofner. Beautiful bass.

[discreet]

[quote name='surfinbernard' timestamp='1340876999' post='1710788']
...my husband's Ibanez destroyer which is... errr... destroyed haha, he was in a psychedelic grebo band in the 80s and it has been 'customised'. It plays well though...[/quote]

'Grebo'! There's a word I haven't heard for thirty years!

[SimonEdward]

[quote name='deefer_dog' timestamp='1338886099' post='1680383']
I only have 4 (so far) ... They all sound different, they all play different.

In time I don't doubt that my collection will grow, and I will play them all for different things.

As I said many times, I have no high end basses, just basses I like, and that are fun to play ( The hated Fleabass is one of the fun to play ones, and I really like it )

I have NO intention in stopping at 4, and I also have no intention of spending 1000's on one bass ( personal preferences, well, unless i win the EuroMillions )

Use whatever makes you happy. Whether you have 1, or 100 basses, once you're happy[b] fu*k the [i] begrudgers!! [/i][/b]
[/quote]

SimonEdward likes this!

Also have 4 - all fun to play - and own/play them for different reasons;
I've owned 10 basses in 20 years' and most of the time, they have been sold/part-exchanged for the >next Bass..
[center][size=3][color=#0000FF][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Jaydee - Classic Series II:[/font][/color][/size][/center]

[center][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]P[/size][/font]ersonal favorite; always first out of the case; light gauge strings and fantastic tone/sustain.[/center]

[center][color=#0000FF][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]Jaydee - GA24 fret-less: [/size][/font][/color][/center]
[size=4]The older and heavier the strings (the better!); sounds best when played from the last-fret on the board with only the rear pick-up selected.[/size]
[center][color=#0000FF][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]Jaydee - Custom 4-string:[/size][/font][/color][/center]
The bass that I always wanted J.D. to make, and has elements in the design of almost every range of bass he has ever built, but unique. Four-band parametric EQ and mother-of-pearl 'figure of 8 inlays' in the fret-board. Finished in Matt opaque black color, but oddly for a JD - WILL NOT be slapped!! Just let your fingers do the walking..
[center][color=#0000FF][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]Alembic - Mark King signature: [/size][/font][/color][/center]
[center][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3][size=4]Impulse buy, not to be repeated.. cost a fortune; weighs a ton (and that's just the case!); complicated EQ and never found it easy to just plug in and get a great sound out of.. rarely played. An opportunity missed perhaps (?) or still waiting to be discovered.[/size][/size][/font][/center]


[center][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Thanks for reading. god bless.[/font][/center]

Edited July 1, 2012 by SimonEdward

[Clarky72]

I have 7, I regularly only play 3 but the others are there for other uses that crop up. I've always found that any bass I've sold I've regretted within 24h of selling, so now I just keep and buy. The best way to do it.

[GeeCee]

[quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1341180142' post='1714917']
[center][color=#0000ff][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][size=3]Jaydee - Custom 4-string:[/size][/font][/color][/center]
The bass that I always wanted J.D. to make, and has elements in the design of almost every range of bass he has ever built, but unique. Four-band parametric EQ and mother-of-pearl 'figure of 8 inlays' in the fret-board. Finished in Matt opaque black color, but oddly for a JD - WILL NOT be slapped!! Just let your fingers do the walking[/quote]

Now this one sounds interesting. Care to share pics in the Jaydee porn thread?

[CPBass]

I just love bass guitars. I love the look, the feel, the sounds and overall vibe.

I consider myself very fortunate to have my little brace and I love a trade every now n then. It's one of my main hobbies, I don't drink much, smoke or gamble. It's my little avenue of pleasure.

They earn their keep too, can't ask for more can you?

I managed perfectly well with one bass in leaner times, as long as I kept on top of maintenance and carried spare strings my old Fender J would work for centuries.

Just a lovely pastime. Love guitars too but the Bass wins out

Edited July 2, 2012 by Voodoosnake