How many basses do I *need*?

[sbrag]

isnt "at least one more" the answer to this question in all circumstances?

[Maude]

I gigged for ten years only owning one bass, then the internet came along.
I think it's not how many basses you need, more a question of how many tempting websites you don't need.
I could do the whole of our next gig with a J or a P, active or passive, long or short scale, hollow or solid body, etc etc, and nobody would know any different.
If I had to sell up nearly everything I'd keep a fretted and fretless as they'd do everything I need. Oh and my doublebass but I assume we're not counting that sort of thing.

[Machines]

My Lakland does all I need. Everything else I have is superfluous just to satisfy my lust for variety.

[Number6]

I have done my last three gigs with two different shortscales and i will likely do my next gig with my 5 string.....in all reality they all make a sound that covers what i need however i still want a P and a Gibbo SG.....want and need 😐

[Maude]

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1427576978' post='2731992']
I have done my last three gigs with two different shortscales and i will likely do my next gig with my 5 string.....in all reality they all make a sound that covers what i need however i still want a P and a Gibbo SG.....want and need 😐
[/quote]

That said, wanting a P and needing a P are the same thing if you can't find anywhere to go

[Number6]

[quote name='Maude' timestamp='1427577805' post='2732005']


That said, wanting a P and needing a P are the same thing if you can't find anywhere to go
[/quote]

A sign of age i'm affraid lol 😨

[uncle psychosis]

Maybe I'm weird but I just can't be bothered owning lots and lots of different instruments. Maybe its a hangover from being a classical musician---just having one really good flute and not worrying about anything other than that.

I like to have a main one and maybe a backup and just play them. Changing between instruments all the time is irritating (to me) and I don't like having stuff lying around not being regularly used.

Don't get me wrong, I love looking at pictures of shiny new basses as much as the next guy but I don't think I'll ever own more than 2 or 3 at once.

[White Cloud]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1427588316' post='2732139']
Maybe I'm weird but I just can't be bothered owning lots and lots of different instruments. Maybe its a hangover from being a classical musician---just having one really good flute and not worrying about anything other than that.

I like to have a main one and maybe a backup and just play them. Changing between instruments all the time is irritating (to me) and I don't like having stuff lying around not being regularly used.

Don't get me wrong, I love looking at pictures of shiny new basses as much as the next guy but I don't think I'll ever own more than 2 or 3 at once.
[/quote]
I am of the exact same opinion and personally shere the same feellings on this topic

[MrWalker]

In my opinion you don't NEED more than two instruments: a good fretted and a good fretless bass. Personally, I would survive with my two main basses, which are six string fretted / fretless.

Of course, you might LIKE to have more, a backup for this, a backup for that, a beater bass for the offroad gigs, a rock'n'roll axe, a bass for the 60s gigs and a P for blues and so on.

But it is rare that two basses fail at once, and you can easily use the fretless if the fretted fails in a live situation, and vice versa.

So my answer is 2. Personally I own over 20. Most of them never get played.... And my main basses have only ever let me down once, and only one of them so I had the backup I needed... :-)