For people with more than 1 bass...

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

.. Do you ever think that you will just end up with one bass only, whether it's custom made or your favourite etc ? If so , when do you make that decision ? When you quit gigging perhaps..

[bartelby]

nope.

I like basses as objects too.

[Jellyfish]

People tend to forget that there are a lot of teachers who purposely have more than one bass so that they are prepared for a whole range of students and their preferences.

I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable with just one bass for gigging though, or perhaps I'm waiting for the right one to come along, but it all depends on if you're doing covers or originals or dep' work and if you feel you want the versatility of switching between various sounds.

There are collector's too who like the look and feel of a various number of basses and want to own them all, and I certainly can't blame them.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Jellyfish

[Lozz196]

I like the idea of only having one bass, and, should I ever stop gigging, that`s what I`ll probably do. One bass, practice amp, home player only.

[SpaceChick]

At the moment I need my 4 string and fretless for gigging. I also have a 5 string and an electro-acoustic that I don't really need but feel they are nice to have.

To be honest, I can always see me having an Ibanez 4 string and a fretless, but as for the others I could probably let them go.

[KingBollock]

I only have more than one bass because I had to sell the one I loved the most. I didn't even consider having more than one bass when I had that one (except when someone gave me a P copy for free, but then I sold it on a few months later). I now have 4 basses, but they've accumulated while searching for the next One True Bass. I have now found that bass. The only reason I don't sell the others is because they're not worth enough to go through the hassle of selling. Mind you, I'd probably keep the 5 string anyway, just for the versatility, but I rarely bother with it to be honest and the other two just gather dust and get in the way.
Mind you, I don't gig.

[Coilte]

For gigging I'd prefer to have a back up bass.

If I was to cease with gigging then I'd be happy with just one.

[paul_5]

I play 1 bass (fretless Jazz hybrid) almost exclusively. I've got two others, acoustic and fretted, that don't really get much use other than when I specifically need them - acoustic gigs and slapping stuff - but other than that I just use the one.

Edited May 18, 2013 by paul_5

[yorick]

I own fifteen, including a pair of collectables, and gig most of the others, and still want more

[Clarky]

Right now I need a fretless in my band and I am a lot more comfortable with fretted (so I play that at home for fun/relaxation) - thus I need to have both for now.

If I stopped playing in a band, I would cut down to one bass (either my P or J) and one DB ....and flog the rest to pay for other fun outlets

[Graham]

I like the idea of one bass per project - which is what I currently have: my Lakland Duck Dunn for dep work and as my general go-to bass and my G&L L2000 tuned down to D standard for my prog rock/metal studio project.

Though the G&L does get taken out as a backup/Eb tuned bass for covers gigs.

[tonyquipment]

i have one bass.

i had a jazz bass but i sold that...never really played it

[steve-bbb]

i gig both my squier J and my TRB but im fairly sure i could use just the J as it is so versatile and if i had to make a desert island bass choice it would be the J inspite of the build quality and the cuteness factor of the TRB and its stone cladding

[chris_b]

I have 3 basses and they all need to pay their way, except for the one I bought when I was 19. I have a sentimental attachment to that one. We've been through a lot together, but it's also an appreciating asset. It's still working for me even if it never comes out of its case.

There are 2 which I play regularly.

I can cover all the gigs I'm likely to get offered with these so that's it.

But never say never.

[niceguyhomer]

I usually have two basses on the go (as now) - one I need and another for pure indulgence. Every now and then I'll sell both and buy something exotic like a US Lakland or similar thinking one 'good' bass will do. After about three months, I think to myself 'this is too good, don't need something this good' so I sell it and buy two 'lesser basses'. Then after about three months....

[Guest bassman7755]

The optimum number of basses for me is two 5-strings: one for practicing at home, and one for gigs (with the home one doing backup duty on bigger gigs).

Adding fretless the equation complicates things though.

[Mikey R]

Ive 5 at the last count - a couple of basses that just wouldnt be worth selling, another one thats still broken after 15 years and still not been fixed, and one Ive lent to Mert.

And then Ive got The One, my blue P bass I built at Jon Shukers gaff. Its not perfect, but its mine. And soon to have some home wound pickups too.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Mikey R

[ezbass]

I like the idea of just one bass (although not practical at the moment as I need fretted and fretless) but GAS and ennui are cruel mistresses so can't see it happening in the near future.

[seashell]

For me, two is the optimum number. I wouldn't want to go down to just one, as I like having a 'spare'. I hate the thought of not being able to play every day, so if anything happened to the trusty Fender P, I've got the Ibanez to fall back on.
Plus I like having an active and a passive, although I get on better with the passive.
And at the moment I've got them both tuned differently as I'm practicing songs in different tunings and it save faffing about.

But I don't yearn for more. I feel my bass family is complete! :-)

[Lowender]

Actually for gigging, one bass is usually fine. But different basses do different things and also make you play differently. That's fun for me, so I want an assortment to go to those "other places."

[Mr Lizard]

i have 5 at the moment. They all do different things... they sound, look and play different to each other. It's nice to have options.

I have :-

Classic Jazz (pasive)
Precision (passive)
Modern Jazz (active / passive)
Dual Humbucker (active)
Electro Acoustic Bass.

Could do with a fretless, an EUB and a DB so I have all bases (basses) covered (But even then will still probably want more!)

[BassBus]

I get bored playing the same bass all the time. As a result I have quite a collection which means when I do get bored with one I move onto another for a couple of months, then another and so on. And I am well aware of how lucky I am to be in that position. When I stop buying basses that's the day I give up.

Edited May 18, 2013 by BassBus

[Painy]

I currently have 4 basses but they are all different so kinda one of each;

6 string active electric - main gigging bass
5 string active electric - spare gigging bass (also has a longer strap so more comfy for the couple of songs I play with a pick)
5 string electro accoustic - home practice
4 string passive electric fretless - just because!

Can't really justify more than that right now but If money we're no object I reckon I'd still have one of each except in that case it would mean one of each model of every make ever produced
Variety is the spice of life!

[12stringbassist]

I have far too many and will part with some when I stop playing.
There are some I will always keep and one that will be buried with me.

[BigRedX]

Unless you only ever play one style of music, I don't believe a single bass can cover everything for sound and looks.

I have lots of basses and I play different ones in each of my two bands. If I really had to reduce it down to a minimum, I could get away with 4. One fretted and one fretless and an identical backup of each.