How many basses are too many?

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, Reggaebass said:

It might all end in tiers if you do 🥲😁

 

Mrs B is very accommodating of my tier system. 

 

So much so that she uses it for:

 

- My chores

- My jobs in the garden

- My cooking duties

- My shopping priorities when she's on the mooch for new stuff

 

 

[theyellowcar]

4 basses, without a gig (other than YouTube/Instagram) which is maybe one too many. I feel it slightly more acutely with my 2 Mexican Deluxe Precisions which are pretty much identical basses made ten years apart.
 

The later model is the nicer bass on paper, but the earlier is/was my first ever Fender bought with my savings as a teenager so neither are going anywhere. 

 

The other two, a Mark Hoppus signature (the bass that teenage me was really trying to save for, and literally irreplaceable without spending a fortune now) and a US MusicMan SUB bought in spring last year which is more often than not the first bass I pick up when I’m learning something new. 
 

So too many, but nothing is going anywhere because there is no harm being done and they all get used. I’d love to buy more, but that feels excessive for my needs. 

[mr4stringz]

No number is too many. Personally it’s whether I think the number of them I have is just daft or, as others have said, it causes financial issues on ‘real world’ stuff. 
 

I’m at 7 and all (to me) do a sufficiently different thing to warrant me keeping them all, and also means there’s a better chance of me playing them all to some degree at times.
 

I also set myself the challenge now that if I’m buying anything I sell something to at least partly finance it. I sure don’t ‘need’ another bass so one (or more) out, one in works and helps keep me in check. It also acts as a rationalising exercise. 

[Jono Bolton]

21 hours ago, Geek99 said:

I have two 

 

I also have two, however I only play one and the other sits in a case under the bed, so for me that's too many. I still want to buy more though.

[OliverBlackman]

My lottery win bass fund will be so substantial that I will need to also budget for a separate house to store them. Is that too many?

[Ander87]

7 hours ago, theyellowcar said:

Mark Hoppus signature (the bass that teenage me was really trying to save for, and literally irreplaceable without spending a fortune now)

SHOW US YOUR HOPPUSSSSS

 

I’ve a feeling you and I would bond well with a PlayStation and Tony Hawk’s soundtrack 😂 great basses!

[ead]

23 hours ago, Velarian said:

Bounded optimisation. It’s the future 😉

 

Acutally, I think we may have a solution.  If S>n+2 and we already know that n+2 is too many, then S is also too many.  Therefore it is likely that S-1<=n+1.

 

That's all clear then 

[Velarian]

2 hours ago, ead said:

 

Acutally, I think we may have a solution.  If S>n+2 and we already know that n+2 is too many, then S is also too many.  Therefore it is likely that S-1<=n+1.

 

That's all clear then 

🙋‍♂️Surely it’s just n+1<S (assuming you’ve already met the minimum value of n=3)?

[chris_b]

I have a passive PJ5 with flats and foam and an active Jazz 5 with rounds. These cover all the sounds I want, and have ever been asked for, so I think that's the right number.

[ead]

On 29/11/2021 at 08:32, Matt P said:

 

S-1 is the correct number, where S is the number that would impact my lifestyle in an adverse way (serious trouble with my wife/ not being able to move from room to room or missing a bill or mortgage payment.)

 

 

@Velarian I think we determined early on that S might also be beyond the pail per Matt P's post so I agree that S>n+1.  I fell that my postulation that S-1<=n+1 is still valid 

Edited November 30, 2021 by ead

[theyellowcar]

9 hours ago, Ander87 said:

SHOW US YOUR HOPPUSSSSS

 

I’ve a feeling you and I would bond well with a PlayStation and Tony Hawk’s soundtrack 😂 great basses!

 

Here you go. This was a year ago when I recorded the first of what became many remote cover collaborations with friends of friends: 

 

More recently I used it for a cover of Always, which is a HUGELY underrated Hoppus bassline:

 

https://youtu.be/gRyf6F2OHJI

 

[Velarian]

34 minutes ago, ead said:

 

@Velarian I think we determined early on that S might also be beyond the pail per Matt P's post so I agree that S>n+1.  I fell that my postulation that S-1<=n+1 is still valid 

Can’t argue with that 😉

[ped]

Everyone needs at least a P, J and MM for starters

[Reggaebass]

10 minutes ago, ped said:

Everyone needs at least a P, J and MM for starters

Yeah I think that’s a nice selection , I’ve got the Ps and the Js and when the right MM comes up I’ll buy it 

[Thunderbird]

I have 12 I have 9 longscales that I don't use anymore due to injury 😭 but I just can't bring myself to sell them 

I've 3 shortscale basses that I alternate between 

I guess 2 basses would honestly be enough 1 to use and 1 for backup 

[neepheid]

18 minutes ago, ped said:

Everyone needs at least a P, J and MM for starters

 

I don't. Out of those three I may get a P, the other two can do one.

[theyellowcar]

18 minutes ago, ped said:

Everyone needs at least a P, J and MM for starters

I think if I were starting from scratch this would be where I’d land. I’ve never owned or kept a J for more than a month but there are times where the sound would be just right. My newer PJ does a reasonable job though. 

[Lozz196]

43 minutes ago, ped said:

Everyone needs at least a P, J and MM for starters

 

23 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

I don't. Out of those three I may get a P, the other two can do one.

Yep, I’ve tried the “classic trio” a few times, but once the novelty wears off I’m left with the P, until the next time..

[kingforaday]

At one point I owned a silly amount and would frequently lend things to friends and family members, just to get them out of the way! 
 

I think that’s when I realised it was getting out of hand 

[ped]

31 minutes ago, theyellowcar said:

I think if I were starting from scratch this would be where I’d land. I’ve never owned or kept a J for more than a month but there are times where the sound would be just right. My newer PJ does a reasonable job though. 

My comment was slightly tongue in cheek but as a professional bass enthusiast I do think there’s something to be said for having one of each - even from a ‘collector’ standpoint to demonstrate the evolution of the instrument. You can rehearse a quick 2hr show to bring the story to life through music and in depth technical analysis (tone woods and all) when you want party guests to leave. 
 

Also I’d like me you play a lot at home along with a vast selection of tracks then it’s great to have the holy trinity which will cover most eventualities. 
 

Then you’re free to go off script and buy something different but always have a good foundation of the classics to compare to. 
 

My own preferences change depending on my mood but currently I’m playing my stingray all the time - it just feels amazing and works in every context. It’s got the simple function and distinguishable ‘works in the mix’ poke of a P bass with the range and Hifi qualities of a jazz. And it looks amazeballs

[martin8708]

7 Precision’s  , including the 32” scale Squier .

1 Jazz - ( lives in case under bed ) 

1 Mustang 

May have a Steinberger in the airing cupboard ? 
 

I think it’s the 12 or 13 classical guitars that gets the most sniping comments from the wife .

[Stub Mandrel]

12

 

because 13 is unlucky.

 

TBH I do find myself wondering if I need a Stingray. Or an EB0.

[TheGreek]

How many basses are too many?

 

Whenever I see this question I'm inclined to think that it's posted by a bassists' wife.

 

Bassists would never asked this question themselves (unless they want to buy another).

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, TheGreek said:

How many basses are too many?

 

Whenever I see this question I'm inclined to think that it's posted by a bassists' wife.

 

Bassists would never ask this question themselves (unless they want to buy another).

Just out of interest, how do you think bass players' husbands or partners might jump in on the subject? 😉

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, Al Krow said:

Just out of interest, how do you think bass players' husbands or partners might jump in on the subject? 😉

carefully…