For people with more than 1 bass...

[borisbrain]

I have just two. One to gig with which stays in our rehearsals lock-up until gigs/rehearsals, and the other at home for noodling on. Trouble is, I don't do much noodling at home, so I could technically drop down to one...

BB

[BassTractor]

Nope. Maybe when I get very old, but not whilst I'm averagely old.
Though the idea of "one bass only" does charm me, I can't imagine having only one as long as I can survive economically with [s]several[/s] lots of them.

Edit:
However, I can imagine slimming down the collection. Say that I find I can't do sixers, fivers or fretlesses. Then they will have to go. In the unlikely case I can do everything on my fretless sixer, and never feel the need or wish to play any other bass, then I might consider owning only one. It's never gonna happen though.

My main concern right now is whether we can bring all our gear into the nursing home and whether we'll be allowed to do prog, jazz and classical, or must comply to the majority wish of two- and three-chord music - - preferably slow and sleep inducing.



best,
bert

Edited May 18, 2013 by BassTractor

[Shobaleader One]

I currently have 4 basses, looking to cut it down to 3:

4 string jazz
5 string precision
6 string bass doc creation (which is up for sale)
and a 4 string fretless (this bad lad: http://www.watsonguitars.net/10B038C.html)

I think 3 is enough for everything i'm interested in - the 5 string precision will be the one bass on that list ill probably never sell on, but the jazz and the fretless will give way to others eventually i expect, the fretless sooner than the jazz.

[onemanband]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1368871043' post='2082430']
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.[/quote]

+ 1

[SlapbassSteve]

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1368874284' post='2082498']
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."
[/quote]

This. Although I tend to rotate 9 of the 10 I've got for gigs depending on my mood, only bass that doesn't get out much is my 1964 Egmond as it has the most unpredictable electronics in the known universe and I've not got round to having KGB in Birkenhead sort it out once and for all yet...

[mr zed]

I had just one bass at a time for years and years. The thought of owning more than one at a time didn't even enter my head. The I discovered basschat!!!

[WalMan]

I have too many - though not as many as some - but tend to take just two into the shower, sorry gig, and will probably only use the one all night. It's just a different one depending on the gig.

Last night for prog I had the Wal 4 & the L2500 fretless, but used the Wal all night.

Tonight it'll be both L2500's but probably the fretted all night - remind me why I have/need a fretless? Probably 'cos it'll come in useful one day

[EssentialTension]

I could do what I do with one, a fretted P bass.

However, as well as the fretted P, I have a fretless acoustic bass and an upright, both of which I am actually playing more often than the P.

The Lakland Decade gets very little use at the moment. I ought to sell it.

[Maude]

I'm trying to thin down at the mo but it's hard, I end up with a reason to keep too many. I've ended up being weak and deciding to keep my Variax (in a covers band so very handy), Aria P clone (because with the mods it rivals a few Fender I've played and owes me next to nothing), it was going to be just those two but the others are all different types and come in handy, a 5 string, a fretless, an acoustic, then there's the EUB and double bass. So from ten I've only managed to agree with myself to sell three.
And our drummer has just told me there's an Aria STB Jazz in the local charity shop which after mods will be a sister for the P clone, I'm useless : )

[alyctes]

I use two to gig, for tuning reasons; at the moment I don't take a spare. Also I keep a fretted bass with flats on it. None of them is the fretless bitsa I put together, which I will never sell - though I suppose I might give it away. I have a few unique basses (none of them worth much) which I'd be very reluctant to sell.

Edited May 18, 2013 by alyctes

[krispn]

I've currently just got the one, a jazz but it does a pretty good P bass tone wth just the neck pick up. My M80 pedal does a good job of making it sound like an active when I want to so kinda covers that sound.

I do fancy a Ibanez Sr505 5 string but I think I'd stick some Nordy pick up's in it and make it passive. Guess it's off to the for sale forum

[cloudburst]

Definitely don't aspire to have just one bass:
- Splitting my time between 2 countries makes multiple basses necessary
- I use basses to keep money away from the banks
- Different basses for different purposes - inc fretless and Steinberger XL for portability
- And you DO need a backup to hand
- Familiarity breeds contempt - having basses that feel different to each other makes you appreciate all the special characteristics of each one

CB

Edited May 18, 2013 by cloudburst

[foal30]

I can't imagine gigging with only 1 Bass.

[Cat Burrito]

I don't really have a plan for next week never mind when I finally finish gigging so who knows is my answer. I've gone from 2 basses for most of my playing career to the big gas thing (2004-11) and full circle back to 2 basses plus an upright bass. I keep an open mind these days

[thisnameistaken]

No I'll always have two bass guitars - one strung with rounds and one with flats.

Similarly I think I'll always have two double basses - one nice one for recording and one for busking.

[bridge]

I have a Fender Jazz active, Fender jazz passive, Jazz copy, Fender jazz fretless, Epiphone vio bass, and old bass of unknown origin, and a Tanglewood acoustic. The idea is, I have a bass for all occasions, the reality is, I usually use the passive Jazz, with the odd foray for the active!! so in truth, I just like owning basses!!

[Geek99]

I just have two - well one right now, a vintage stingray copy, and a replica 70s p bass in maple / sunburst on order chez bass doc

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1368870669' post='2082424']
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.
[/quote] would laugh, after it all if you settled down o one bass.... and it were a jazz bass.....!


Myself.... the warwick streamer I love - that's staying.
but... you're going to want a passive option too for somethings. so two is a good number.
Three is what I'm currently on, but wouldn't mind selling one and getting something new

[jimbobothy]

Mmm, I'd ultimately like to have 2 basses, a fretted and fretless but I own 5 at the moment! Wasn't really a P bass man until recently so I needed it's fretless partner, so those two have joined the fretted and fretless Jazzes. Somehow I also managed to acquire a Thumb NT 5 along the way, hopefully that'll go soon but it's been a bit of a merry go round with basses, and really only after I joined BC !!

Edited May 19, 2013 by jimbobothy

[Conan]

[quote name='cloudburst' timestamp='1368912653' post='2083057']
Familiarity breeds contempt - having basses that feel different to each other makes you appreciate all the special characteristics of each one[/quote]

This^. Although I find that three is about right for me. Four feels like a [i]collection[/i], and I am not a collector or anything but dust.

[Stag]

Ill always have multiple basses - each one does a different job for me. Some have a certain sentimental value now as well.

[Conan]

[quote name='Stag' timestamp='1369034287' post='2084030']Some have a certain sentimental value now as well.[/quote]

Yeah, that's my Status. Had it from new since 1986. From time to time I consider selling or trading it, but then I get a twist in my soul and I can't imagine being without it. Which is odd, because I don't usually get attached to 'things'

[AntLockyer]

I don't gig but like the variety I have in my basses. P with flats, passive Jazz (in Eb) and an Aria SB give a whole world of different sounds and feels that inspire me to play and not always the same thing.

I'd happily have any of the above as my only bass.

[karlfer]

I'm currently at 4. Had bad GAS for last 3 years due to this place
I want to get down to 3, although I only need 2. I always gig with a spare on it's stand,simply to speed up a change if I break a string.
I did exactly that a month ago, first string I 've broken live for over 30 years

[BassTractor]

[quote name='AntLockyer' timestamp='1369039347' post='2084066']
give a whole world of different sounds and feels that inspire me to play [b]and not always the same thing[/b].
[/quote]

Synchronicity!
I was just about to start a thread asking folks about that.
As a keyboardist, I'd routinely choose special sounds or different instruments during preparation, to see where the differences would lead me in my playing.
So I wondered if the same goes for bassists. I guess it does then.

Is this playing different things an important argument for people to keep different basses?

b,
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