Do you have different basses with different pickups for different things?

[ForbiddenWytch]

*pre warning, this might be a little bit of an essay and it may not all be grammatically correct*

Okay, bit of a long title but something that I was thinking about earlier. Do you have your basses loaded with completely different pick ups/electronics to do different things?

Reason is ( I'll list below what with what) I personally have all my basses loaded with totally different pickups and even though they're completely different basses so will sound completely different which (even though 2 of them have active pre-amps on board) I can get basically any sound I want to get from these basses (the exception to me being a Music Man Stingray sound but I might put a MM pick up in my next bass) which means that I can keep my number of basses reasonably low due to space restrictions and also means I can just get really used to using a small set of basses. I even have different strings on them all to give different sounds. The only things I keep consistent are Badass II bridges on all (apart from the 5, going to get a Badass V) and Hipshot Ultralites with Hipshot X-tender (apart from the P Bass which has Fender Vintage pegs and Hipshot X-tender). 

My basses are as follows:

1* Fender SH MIJ 2010 Precision Bass - Seymour Duncan SPB-3, 500k pots, switchcraft output (Rotosound BS66 43-110)

2* Jackson CMG Concert Bass - EMG 35CS(n) 35DC(b), neck/series/parallel/bridge rotary, EMG BQC, switchcraft barrel output (Ernie Ball Slinky 45-105)

3* Tobias Toby Pro IV-B - Nordstrand Big Splits, neck/series/parallel/bridge rotary, EMG BQC, switchcraft barrel output (D'addario Pro Steel 45-110)

4* Shine P/J bass (heavily customised)** - Dual blade humbucker, Dimarzio Model PJ set, mono/split outputs (Humbucker to one, P/J set to other) neck/series/parallel/bridge rotary, 100% treble cut pot on Humbucker side/Seymour Duncan stacked 2 band EQ on P/J set side, switchcraft stereo outputs on each (D'addario Pro Steel 65-130 BEAD)

5* Infinity Fretless V 5 string - ESP Passive Soapbars, ESP 3 band EQ, switchcraft output (D'addario Nickel 40-125)

** build diary coming soon

 

So yeah, it would be interesting to hear what you others on here have your basses set up for or if you prefer to have very similar instruments for the exact same tone and purpose?

[Maude]

I use a Variax 😋

I seem to like what everyone else doesn't

[gary mac]

Simplicity suits me, so I mostly gig a P bass (Fender or G&L) and rely on the the tone control if I need a different sound🙂

 

I've owned and gigged high end Dingwalls and Wals and although I loved them, I found that  what I ended up dialling in, was pretty much a P bass tone.

[Happy Jack]

I don't have a few basses with many pickup types & configurations so as to avoid having too many basses.

I just have too many basses.

Works for me.

And yes, I use very specific basses for different bands / projects. It's a luxury being able to do this, but I'm not complaining.

With my main covers band I play a Mike Lull T5. With my country band I play a Mike Lull 54 P. With my tex/mex blues-rock band I play an Ovation Magnum III. With my heavy blues-rock band I play a Chowny fretless. When I dep with a functions band I play a Status Streamline 5.

I'm on the lookout for new bands so that I can play more of my basses ...

 

[CameronJ]

The red MTD on the right has switchable coils in each pickup, so I can get a Jazz-esque sound by switching them both to single coil mode. The other two basses are self explanatory.

HOWEVER - while I’ve made a conscious decision to own basses with different pickup configurations, I’ve added to their sonic differences with my choice of strings. The aforementioned MTD is string with nickel rounds, the 4 string P with black nylon tapewounds and the 5 string PM with relatively bright flats. A diverse sonic palette at my disposal.

[chris_b]

I have a Precision and a Jazz. That's enough variety for me.

[Paul S]

I've kind of gone the other way, albeit with a bit of a detour I wasn't expecting*.  When playing 4 strings I came to the conclusion that I only needed a P bass and gradually edged towards the sound I wanted with just 2 JV Squiers.  Changing to 5 strings threw a spanner in the works as the Fender or Squier 5 string P basses were too heavy and the string spacing too wide.  So after kissing a few frogs I bought a particularly lightweight MM Sterling 5 and had an Aguilar P pickup put in it.  Then after a couple of other false starts I got a Maruszczyk Jake 5 spec'd to what I believed I wanted and it has proved to be absolutely perfect for my requirements, the Delano pickup sounding exactly spot on for me.  So much so that I have now swapped out the Aguilar and MM pickups in the Sterling for just a Delano pup.  Which has made it even lighter    So I guess that leaves me with a main bass and a back up bass, both with the same pickup.  They don't sound or play exactly the same but near enough.

*After seeing it flagged up on here I bought a Yamaha BX-5 to upgrade my Hohner B2V - used as back up for my little band - and it is so good that it has made me question my P bass only stance - often now I use the BX-5, especially in smaller spaces, for the little band.