Consolidation

[Jack_Stroud_Bass]

I am very lucky to have three basses. A Fender P, Fender J, and an EB Musicman Stingray, all US. I am considering selling the Fenders and keeping the Stingray. The Fenders are great - I've played them since 2019, but never felt at home. Every time I pick up the Ray I think "Oh yeah, that's the sh*t". I have had the 'Ray +15years, so that's probably it. 

 

I bought them thinking "Holy Trinity" and "Flexibility" for different purposes etc etc. I play in one full time original band - The Achievers - which are blues / Americana, and regularly dep for wedding & function bands around Wales and the Southwest. 

 

Is having a variety of basses necessarily better? 

 

Wanted to hear from other players who've done similar. Was it a good idea? My instinct is to sell the Fenders, and get another 'Ray for back-up.

 

I know it's subjective, and could be a sprawling, non-sensical ramble, but that's BassChat isn't it?  

 

Will try and attach some pics later. 

[Owen]

Basses come, basses go. The one there is not, the chase only there is.

 

If you will always reach for the MM then the other two are not going to be used. Flog them (or trade - better VFM) and get another MM as a backup.

 

>I know it's subjective, and could be a sprawling, non-sensical ramble, but that's BassChat isn't it?  

 

Ain't THAT the truth.

 

In 40 years of playing I have NEVER been asked "Do you have another bass to try for a different flavour" in a band or in a session. I am sure those situations exist but I have not seen it. For my personal satisfaction, yes. To the rest of the world a bass is a bass.

[Raymondo]

I love the sound of your P bass  but that's probably because I have only played a P for the last 30 years!

 

I would say do what you feel comfortable with .. The MM still sounds awesome in The Achievers setting, so go for another as a back up.

 

Mind you ,if you feel too comfortable playing you might start all that dancing around stuff again ....second thoughts ...KEEP THE P !

 

[chris_b]

I went the other way, from MM to FSO's (Fender Shaped Objects), but you are right to want to replace basses that feel "not quite right" with ones that do.

[Jack_Stroud_Bass]

Thanks @Raymondo - I like the sound of the P too and am glad you like the sound of the MM within The Achievers setting. I can't promise about the dancing though... 

 

There may well be some Fender basses on the BassChat marketplace section before too long. 

 

 

[ambient]

2 hours ago, owen said:

Basses come, basses go. The one there is not, the chase only there is.

 

If you will always reach for the MM then the other two are not going to be used. Flog them (or trade - better VFM) and get another MM as a backup.

 

>I know it's subjective, and could be a sprawling, non-sensical ramble, but that's BassChat isn't it?  

 

Ain't THAT the truth.

 

In 40 years of playing I have NEVER been asked "Do you have another bass to try for a different flavour" in a band or in a session. I am sure those situations exist but I have not seen it. For my personal satisfaction, yes. To the rest of the world a bass is a bass.

I remember a story where a top session guy was playing in a studio. The producer kept asking for a different guitar, after each request the player would bend down and make out that he was changing guitars, he’d then ask ‘is this OK?’, and play a few chords. Finally the producer was happy and the tapes began to roll. He only had one guitar with him, all he was changing was his hand position, or playing technique.

[WinterMute]

Been through a few, high end Warwicks, Wals, quit once and sold them all, then bought a Geddy Jazz and a Squire fretless to noodle on then went back and got a bunch of 5 strings again...

 

I need a 5 string fretted and fretless, that's all, I have acquired the perfect fretted 5 in the 20th anni SR5, and I'm having Alan at ACG build me what I hope to be the perfect fretless, after that I'll review the Bongo and the Frankenstein fretless see if I'll keep them, the Bongo was a 50th present so I doubt I'll ever move it on, but I currently only have wall space for 3 basses in the studio, that may well be the deciding factor...!

 

I think they are things of great attachment and beauty, if you can keep them all, you should.

 

Remember the perfect number of basses is: The number of basses you own +1 

[Dad3353]

Yes, we drummers have the same issues. Which kit to take this evening..? The Ludwig Vistalite or the Premier Oyster..? Maybe the Gretsch, for a change..? Nah, the trusty Yamaha Oak always goes down well; I'll take that (with a Slingerland as spare, just in case...). Now then, about the cymbals...

You're a funny lot, you bassists. 

 

...

 

 

[chris_b]

9 minutes ago, ambient said:

I remember a story where a top session guy was playing in a studio. . . .

 

That was Tommy Tedesco.

 

That's life, letting those who need to be in control think they are, and getting on with the job in spite of them.

[WinterMute]

1 minute ago, Dad3353 said:

You're a funny lot, you bassists. 

 

...

 

 

Only due to our close association with you drummers... 🤣

[WinterMute]

5 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

That was Tommy Tedesco.

 

That's life, letting those who need to be in control think they are, and getting on with the job in spite of them.

I expect that there was liberal use of the DFA faders and boxes on that session.

[ambient]

6 minutes ago, chris_b said:

 

That was Tommy Tedesco.

 

That's life, letting those who need to be in control think they are, and getting on with the job in spite of them.

I thought it was, I wasn’t sure though.

[police squad]

I have always gone back to my P bass. With that in mind, keep the EBMM and get rid of the fenders, as you say, get a 2nd MM.

[chris_b]

1 minute ago, ambient said:

I thought it was, I wasn’t sure though.

Chuck Rainey was on a film score session, and couldn't read ledger lines very well. There was a very busy couple of bars with a lot of ledger lines. He fluffed the first take and Tommy Tedesco stood up and apologised.  Chuck fluffed the second take as well. Tommy stood up again. This time, when he sat down, he whispered to Chuck, "Next time you're on your own, kid!".  On take 3 Chuck didn't play those bars. To his amazement, everyone on the session was playing the riff and no one in the control room noticed that he'd stopped playing.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Lozz196]

I’ve been down this route, trying to have basses for every eventuality, but have had to acknowledge that I’m a Precision player through and through. I had a lot of fun with my Jazz Bass last year but I have to accept where I’m at home, and that’s in P-Land. As such I’m doing similar and offloading my other basses. 

[Skybone]

If you play the MM more than the P & the J, then why not sell them to fund another MM.

 

However, it might be worthwhile taking your time finding a new MM, try out a few before buying another one.

 

[Bolo]

If your current 'ray is a single humbucker try a HH, if it it's a 2 band eq try a 3band... There is variety and choice available 🙂

[ped]

I think everyone needs at least a P, J and MM in their collection, as an acknowledgement of the story of our instrument over time as well as for changing things up and keeping them fresh. I very much have a ‘go to’ but sometimes play one of the others for weeks on end before getting a craving for the other. Every time it feels like getting a new bass!

 

Of course if you don’t have the space or need to free up the cash that’s a different story and it’s kind of nice just having one bass, too. 

[chris_b]

2 hours ago, Jus Lukin said:

I'd love to get down to just a couple of basses.

 

I grew up with one bass. For 25 years, I owned one bass. No one I knew had 2, not even the pro's, Chris Dreja in the Yardbirds, John McVie in Fleetwood mac, Noel Redding with Hendrix, I saw them all trying  to fix their bass before they could start the gig.

 

It wasn't until much later, when I guess CNC machines had started to lower the prices, that owning a "collection" became a thing. I still have one bass that does 99% of my gigs.

[Lozz196]

Same for me, one bass - Yamaha BB1100s - did all my gigs in two major gigging bands without any backup. As you say back then (late 80s & early 90s) even the pro bands we played with the bassists only had the one bass with them.

[Munurmunuh]

9 hours ago, ped said:

I think everyone needs at least a P, J and MM in their collection, as an acknowledgement of the story of our instrument over time as well as for changing things up and keeping them fresh

 

People have different levels of versatility: some people find making different styles of sound intriguing, enjoying the contrast; other people have a natural focus on finding the sound that gets closest to their ideal, and simply feel frustrated when playing an instrument that takes them a step away from that.

 

I would love to own a Stingray, so long as I had a Bernard Edwards to play it for me

[Lozz196]

That’s a good point Ricky, no matter what type of bass I play I’m listening for a Precision sound coming back at me. Probably why although I love the design, feel & playability of Stingrays I just don’t get on with them but love the sound when others play them.

[Waddo Soqable]

Back in the day most of us could only afford one bass, so only had one !... It was a case of flog it first and buy what you wanted to switch over to, or do a swap with someone..

I did a very good swap once, a Yamaha thing that I hated for a Stingray !

[Jack_Stroud_Bass]

16 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I’ve been down this route, trying to have basses for every eventuality, but have had to acknowledge that I’m a Precision player through and through. I had a lot of fun with my Jazz Bass last year but I have to accept where I’m at home, and that’s in P-Land. As such I’m doing similar and offloading my other basses. 

 

Yes - this summarises pretty much how I'm feeling about it - a different bass for every eventuality.

 

I think there's a video where Sean Hurley is talking about how to choose a bass for the studio. He's singing about the merits of the P. How reliable it is, how many "home runs" it's had and how it features on so many great recordings, which leads me to think then why would I get rid of it. 

 

But then I have very different needs to Sean Hurley!