Whats the longest you've had a bass for?

[BigRedX]

I still own the first bass that I bought back in 1981. It doesn't get a lot of use these days.

The 4 basses that I do use most of the time now were bought at various times over the past 15 years. TBH since I got my first Gus back in 2002, I haven't seriously used anything else except for the Warwick StarBass I got a few years ago.

[BassApprentice]

I've still got my Squier Musicmaster that was my first bass when I was 10 (I think) so that's been around 15 years

Edited May 22, 2017 by BassApprentice

[Highfox]

Of my current stock about 9 years, but I did have the one bass a Streamer from new 89- 2006.

[gingerfish]

11-12 years for the fretted vette. Not letting that one go. Actually technically had my stag starter bass for more like 14-15 but not played that for more than 10 minutes in the last 10 years soo don't know if that counts.

[DrDrill]

'89 Streamer since new.

[The Twickerman]

I got an Eko B-02, my second bass, with my first pay packet in 1985. Still got it and play it occasionally. Wonderful instrument!

Like this, but without the thumbrest (and the toe!):- https://images.talkbass.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1180.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx408%2FIanreed99%2Fb90db26c.jpg&hash=3ed8c613a59cbeed3dd08c3e8b1431a7

I then got a 1978 4001 early in 1986 which I still have today. It doesn't get played as often as it should since I got a 4001cs - bit is also very beautiful.

[Skybone]

I had a Washburn Mercury for about 10 years, but I didn't touch it for about 5 of them.

The next longest was my old 4003, which I had for about 5-6 years before parting with it.

[TrevorR]

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1495441994' post='3303665']


Blimey that was quite an 18th birthday present Trevor! I got a bottle of champaign for mine, which I drank in one sitting and later deposited, back up the way it went down, in the Thames at Kingston. Happy Days. I was still on my fist bass I think - an awful Arbiter short scale thing.

P
[/quote]

Yes, that Aria was one heck of a present. Much badgering involved before a bass was on the agenda as a present. It was sold to us by a guy who played in a band my brother depped in fairly frequently plus he was saving up (unbeknownst to his boss/employer) to start up his own shop so was more driven by commissions than profit and my mum could haggle for Britain. Let's just say she got a healthy discount. By the time my birthday rolled round she was pretty convinced bass wasn't going to be just a passing fad so was happy to take the advice of the guy in the shop, buy once not many times as an investment. God bless her, I do miss her.

[CamdenRob]

How many here were happy with one bass until they joined BC?

When I was a kid in nu-metal bands I played a Status... that was it... never really thought about changing as it did the job. Second time around, when I started again aged 30 (and joined BC) I've tried just about everything out there It's been a great journey of discovery though and im happy with where I've ended up

... Number of people in the audience who would notice any difference if I still played the status? .. zero...

[tonyf]

I reckon I've had my Yamaha Nathan East (Mk1) since about 1995. Maybe 1996, can only remember based on the time I was working at Q Music in Brum.

Brought brand new, a ridiculous staff deal. Best business I ever did lol.

It's done hundreds of gigs over the years, every little dent and ding tells a story. Don't use it much now, only because it's doesn't suit the gig I've got and the volume control has become a bit noisy as it's worn. Play it lots at home as it's my go to practice guitar.

Has been times when I've thought about moving it on but I'm too attached to it emotionally and know they'll be a time when I get a gig where it'll shine.

Edited May 23, 2017 by tonyf

[bassbiscuits]

I've had my old P bass since 1994. I managed not to sell it when i was a student and up to my ears in debt, and then I recovered it a few years later after it was nicked along with my car.

So I've got no plans to part ways with it any time soon.

I've got a Hohner acoustic guitar which was only the second one i ever bought back in 1988 too. It doesn't get out much but its still playable and sounds decent.

[Donnyboy]

Aria SB600 ( with bolt-on neck) bought from original owner in late 1982 or early 1983.This pretty much lives in a cupboard. 34 years

Then I bought a new Squier JV Precision in early 1985.This is my favourite and most used. 32 years.

These were the only 2 basses ( excluding a couple of electro - acoustics ) I had or wanted until I joined Basschat.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1495521845' post='3304335']
How many here were happy with one bass until they joined BC?
[/quote]

I had been slowly building up my collection of basses through eBay when I discovered TalkBass and BassWorld (BassChat's forerunner) while I was looking for more information about Spalt Basses. At the time I had just got back to playing bass after about 5 years of being the guitarist in my then most recent band, and had also discovered fretless bass. In many ways, it was the other way around for me. I was interested in getting more bass guitars and in the course of looking for more information on those I like the look of, I found the bass forums.

I don't think that BassChat contributed significantly to the growth of my bass collection. I've always owned lots of instruments when finances have allowed, be they guitars, synthesisers or basses.

[Freddy Le Cragg]

Bought my Mim Jazz in 2006 when the Aria proved too noisy in the studio. Me and the guitarist jumped in the car and shot round to PMT in Oxford. I grabbed the first sunburst jazz I saw, paid for it and legged it back to record. Used it constantly ever since.

Edited May 23, 2017 by Freddy Le Cragg

[LewisK1975]

My '78 Precision is my longest serving, got it in 2006. Doesn't get out much these days, but it'll be the last one I ever sell.

[attachment=245855:78p.PNG]

And here, a later pic with a little more arm chamfer wear..

[attachment=245856:Deedee.jpg]

[Al Krow]

[attachment=245857:012.JPG]

[b]1988 Aria Pro II SLB series[/b], active / passive modes. Acquired second hand in 1994 for [i]Mrs[/i] Krow's (short lived) career as a bass player, although she did get to use it in a gig with 200+ folk in the audience!

Last outing was at the Beehive Pub, Bow E3 on 20/05/17, having not really been used in earnest for three years since being usurped by my much loved Sandberg TM4, with the Retros doing a short set preceding DF and the Alibis trio - [url="https://youtu.be/uqvwNhRhLXc"]https://youtu.be/uqvwNhRhLXc[/url] Their bass player on up-right DB was excellent, tight and self taught having made the transition from electric bass 9 years ago. I told my Retros drummer that she should think about getting him instead of me, to which she replied, but their drummer is pretty bloody good too!

Recently serviced and with a new set of strings and a good solid hard flight case, which I guess has been instrumental in keeping it in decent nick over the years. About to find a new home with a fellow BCer in exchange for him providing a bit of expert "spit and polish" (and a bit more!) on a lovely 2007 Warwick Corvette $$ 5 string, and for providing a much appreciated second opinion when buying the thing over the weekend just gone.

One in one out right? (Actually, thinking about it, that is going to mean there's space for one more bass on my rack...)

The seller of the Warwick has told me he's pretty happy as, although I managed to negotiate a fair price with him, he now has the cash to get a new amp head which was going to be a Mesa D800 but I pointed him the direction of Osiris' excellent review [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/303884-amp-test-drive%3B-aguilar-darkglass-genzler-and-mesa-boogie/"]http://basschat.co.u...nd-mesa-boogie/[/url] and he's now seriously thinking about a Genzler Magellan, which could be both better [i]and[/i] save him a lot more than the discount he had to give me. He would like to A/B the Gemzler with the Mesa; now if there was only somewhere within the M25 that actually stocks the Genzler Magellan? I'm definitely starting to ramble...

Edited May 23, 2017 by Al Krow

[Dazed]

A Warwick Dolphin Pro1 from 89. I found it listed in an advert for BEM in a Bass Magazine in 91/92. I couldn't believe it. I'd been idolising a picture of one for months!
A few years after I found a fretless Wal locally.
Those 2 kept me happy for years.
Then I joined basschat...... I think you can guess the rest.

[matski]

I bought my Aria SB brand new in 1983, so thats 34 years ago now.
I bought my JV P57 in 1984, so 33 years ago.
I bought my Stingray in 1986, so 31 years ago.
I bought my Cutlass in 1991, so 26 years ago.
Then I had a bit of a hiatus on the bass acquisition front for quite a few years. Then I joined Basschat.....

[obi 2 kenobi]

Stingray in 1989 from Sound Control in Glasgow

(far right in photo)

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:136686]

[prowla]

I bought one of mine 40 years ago

[Stuart Farquhar]

I bought my musicman stingray ( pre ernie ball ) when i was 18 amd im now 54 . It was gigged and rehearsed regularly until earlier this year when no 1 duties were taken over by my Jazz elite and back up by my mex standard jazz
Still practice with it though ....
So 54 minus 18 , multipy by the square on the hippopotamus and take off 20 quid for cash makes ermmm ..........36 years

[ambient]

110 years.

[T-Bay]

27 years, which isntbthat long but is a bit odd as I have been playing a year. I bought it age 18 to learn but messed about with it for an hour or two and gave up. It then followed me around for the next few years through uni- many houses, several countries and then ended up in a cupboard where it stayed for nearly twenty years. It's now hanging in the garage as it's utterly terrible (probably homemade - badly).

[xgsjx]

I've still got my first bass, a Vox Standard, which I bought in 1985. So that's 32 years, but it is in bits.

My main keeper that's still played to this day, is my Ibanez SR1000e. Bought it new in May 1990.

[Steve Browning]

Had my #1 bass (the '66 Precision in the pic) since 1985. It's semi retired now (I have worn two grooves into the front and there's a split in the scratchplate) and I don't want the wear to get too much worse. I tend to gig with the reissues or sometimes take the Wreck (the 72) with me - that couldn't look any worse!!

The 66 is for my eldest daughter when Jaco calls me for bass lessons.