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Just sold the last of my electric basses......


Beedster

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Funny feeling, after more than 20 years of owning at any one time between one (rare), several (often) and at the most seven (madness), I've just sold my last electric bass, with the aim of focussing on upright from here on. It's part financial with a house move coming up, part technical in that I want to really focus on DB, and part organic in that I've found it harder and harder to play electric bass as I get more into upright. I think I'm going to miss the tinkering, setting up, swapping out components, building bitsas etc as much as the playing to be honest, but it's gonna save me a fortune :)  

 

But man, when I look back at some of those basses; all original LPB '64 Precision (i blamed @Happy Jack for that particular purchase, and @Clarkyfor a significant percentage of the remainder), '97 Modulus Flea (played itself), a Modulus Sonic Hammer (a Rottweiler in bass clothing), a '69 Jazz FL (made me feel like Jaco for a while), Takamine TB-10 (best looking bass ever), several 70's Precisions, pre-EB 'rays, numerous Rics, a couple of Sadowskys.... Man, I was lucky enough to own some awesome instruments, the sort of thing I could only dream of when I was growing up with my Satellite Bass in the late 70's. 

 

And don't get me started on some of the rigs I've owned........

 

Anyway, as you were, just thought I'd mention it :) 

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33 minutes ago, Drax said:

Interesting comment @Beedster- ‘finding it harder and harder to play electric’ , in what way? 
 

I say this looking at my rack of 7 electrics having just ordered an upright after 2 decades not playing one.. 

 

Good question. Two things I think; first I find the sheer physical challenge of DB has always motivated me more than EB, for example the fact that my hands, shoulders, back and even legs tire during a session and that this demands I'm more focussed and economic when I play. Second, I think I've found a style of playing that simply suits DB, one that while still credible on EB, sounds and feels better on DB. I guess on the basis of both factors I increasingly find DB more motivating and rewarding to play. None of this was really a conscious decision, it was odd to realise mid last year that I simply don't choose to play EB any more; in the band, when I practice, or even when I just want to play for the pleasure of playing, I now nearly always head for DB. 

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I'm experiencing a similar thing with the DB. For me it 'swings' more than a bass guitar and as I play mostly jazz groove it really suits. And the more I play it the less I play bass guitar. The thing that keeps me into my BG though is effects like the envelope filter and phaser which I can get seriously funky with and don't work quite as well with the DB.

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11 hours ago, Beedster said:

Funny feeling, after more than 20 years of owning at any one time between one (rare), several (often) and at the most seven (madness), I've just sold my last electric bass, with the aim of focussing on upright from here on. It's part financial with a house move coming up, part technical in that I want to really focus on DB, and part organic in that I've found it harder and harder to play electric bass as I get more into upright. I think I'm going to miss the tinkering, setting up, swapping out components, building bitsas etc as much as the playing to be honest, but it's gonna save me a fortune :)  

 

But man, when I look back at some of those basses; all original LPB '64 Precision (i blamed @Happy Jack for that particular purchase, and @Clarkyfor a significant percentage of the remainder), '97 Modulus Flea (played itself), a Modulus Sonic Hammer (a Rottweiler in bass clothing), a '69 Jazz FL (made me feel like Jaco for a while), Takamine TB-10 (best looking bass ever), several 70's Precisions, pre-EB 'rays, numerous Rics, a couple of Sadowskys.... Man, I was lucky enough to own some awesome instruments, the sort of thing I could only dream of when I was growing up with my Satellite Bass in the late 70's. 

 

And don't get me started on some of the rigs I've owned........

 

Anyway, as you were, just thought I'd mention it :) 

I'm going to have to wait for the report before I can comment. 🙂

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13 hours ago, Beedster said:

a Modulus Sonic Hammer (a Rottweiler in bass clothing)

 

God, aren't they just. I remember when Kiwi brought his round to my gaff. We set my rig up in the garage to give it a blast. It literally made shelves fall off the walls.

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Wow - this has surprised me @Beedster especially having seen that list of bass guitars you have owned.

I take your point about focussing on the Upright though. I suppose in a sense, the BG can be something of a distraction.
Actually, in truth I think I would like to spend more time playing upright than I currently do, and spend proportionally way more on BG.

However, I think I'd miss the comfort of sitting on the sofa, jamming along to YouTube, or my music collection. I know I'd also miss picking up a bass and taking it out to a folk jam or pub jam with my pals.
So I think I'd always keep a bass guitar just for these reasons. My only problem though..... is I couldn't limit myself to one! :) lol

Brave move sir, brave move - best of luck with it

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Aw, end of an era....... I know your list of basses in the OP wasn’t exhaustive Chris, but you missed out the 1957 Precision and a couple of Wals!

 

Good luck with the DB mate, also with the house move of course.  I was getting right back into my fiddle playing during lockdown and didn’t expect to pick up a bass guitar again, but a new band project means I’ve been sucked back into it - for a while anyway.

 

So no more trades at “The Harbourmaster”.  Maybe.  To paraphrase Carl Perkins; “You can take the boy out of bass.......”😉

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5 hours ago, Shaggy said:

I know your list of basses in the OP wasn’t exhaustive Chris, but you missed out the 1957 Precision and a couple of Wals!

 

How did I forget them. The '57 was something special wasn't it, glorious instrument. The Wals.......? I think the reality for me was that while they were good instruments, the mystique always exceeded the reality, I think I genuinely preferred my fretless Ric to any of the fretless Wals I owned, just sounded and played better. But then to my mind the £400 Warmoth bitsa I just sold would also give the Wals a run for their money (I recognise that many would disagree) :)   

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5 hours ago, Shaggy said:

Aw, end of an era....... I know your list of basses in the OP wasn’t exhaustive Chris, but you missed out the 1957 Precision and a couple of Wals!

 

Good luck with the DB mate, also with the house move of course.  I was getting right back into my fiddle playing during lockdown and didn’t expect to pick up a bass guitar again, but a new band project means I’ve been sucked back into it - for a while anyway.

 

So no more trades at “The Harbourmaster”.  Maybe.  To paraphrase Carl Perkins; “You can take the boy out of bass.......”😉

 

We'll find something else to trade mate, I've got an old 19th century German blonde fiddle after all............ :) 

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