Does anyone have just ONE bass?

[Highfox]

I did have just the one for 20 years or so, then discovered the internet and how easy it is to buy and sell and research.

Been up to about 10, now down to 6 or 7

 

They all give me a different feel and make me play different, (better or worse, can't say)

[Cato]

I only had my Washburn Status for years, then Basschat happened and I added Precision Deluxe, modded VM Jazz and a fretless Sire V7.

 

I could easily just get by with the Precision and the fretless.

 

But I don't want to.

 

 

[thebassist]

I’ve had just shy of one hundred basses since I started playing when I was fourteen (I’m forty-three now) but have had just one bass for the last five years.

 

Since meeting@ambientin 2015/16, I’ve switched to six-string bass and only had one bass at any time too. I find a six can cover virtually everything.

Edited April 17, 2022 by thebassist

[OliverBlackman]

8 hours ago, BillyHunt said:

Yes, this one. It’s a Classic 60s P. The only other bass I’d consider replacing it with would be a Pino, but at 4ish grand that’s not going to happen.

There’s now a gorgeous example at £3k in the classifieds 

[ambient]

I’ve only had one for ages. It does have 6 strings though, so does it count as 1.5? 😆

[Bassmidget209]

I have collectively owned two basses my entire life. One was a vintage (the brand) jazz bass. Was my first bass and I gave that to a friend as soon as I got my fender mim jazz. That was about 18 years ago. I have four guitars but they all predate the jazz. Two (epi acoustic and epi SG) are still in my parent's loft. The other two (Gibson SG and Yamaha Les Paul type thingy) are hung up in a cupboard in my bedroom. 

I definitely would like at least one other bass (my current one has been in a PJ setup for most of its life with a recent return to traditional jazz pickups). I just don't have the money or the space to do so. I'm in a position now that I'm not gonna get anything else until my heart tells me to go ahead with it. I'm reasonably sure I will get hold of a p bass again, bit I also want a short scale. And I love Thunderbirds. Never played one, I just love them. At the same time I feel like I wouldn't know what to do with two or more basses. I would probably just forcibly use one for a period of time then move onto another one.

In conclusion I don't know what I want. All I know is I have one, I love it but I know there is more out there 🤣. 

[Bleat]

When I was gigging I always had just one bass at a time. I played a Korean Ibanez ATK for a few years, and an Aria Pro II for quite a while when I first started playing. Both served me well. Over the last few years I've gone through loads of basses, but now currently I have just 2 with another turning up next week, so will have 3. I could absolutely just live with my Washburn only as it does everything I want it to, sounds great and just feels right with a nice low action which I like. I also fitted a bass xtender plus double stop lever so can get a low D and a Low B if I need it. It's nice to have a break and play another bass for a bit of tonal variation and a different feel every so often, but it also helps me appreciate my main bass even more when I come back to it. 

[MrDinsdale]

I built a bass when I was 16 with my dad and it was my only bass for about 12 years until I bought myself a Warwick Corvette just before lockdown.

[yorks5stringer]

In answer to the question: maybe a Guitarist who occasionally doubles on Bass? They'd probably have loads of guitars mind...

[BillyHunt]

10 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

There’s now a gorgeous example at £3k in the classifieds 

Hmmmmmm. And Hmmmmmm. That’s gonna torment me all weekend.

[Gothic]

At one point I was penniless and had none. I had to save up to get the cheapest harley benton. So, for quite some time, I had one bass. Got me through a lot of gigs and honestly, it was fine. Hell, I even got compliments. And that was a 90something euro bass. Now I've got more. Would I want to be back to one? No. I like variety.

[DubDelay]

I have an Ibanez SR800 and that my only bass. I just mess around at home recording so it covers everything really.

 

I had about ten guitars but cut that back to a Hss strat , a backup off brand japanese strat, the Ibanez bass and a Seagull S6 acoustic. That covers nearly every sound I need with the minimum of space in my home studio used. The more I get into the bass the more I want another really.

[Happy Jack]

One bass?

 

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

 

No.

 

😉

[petebassist]

1 hour ago, yorks5stringer said:

In answer to the question: maybe a Guitarist who occasionally doubles on Bass? They'd probably have loads of guitars mind...

Like this guy 🤩

[Newfoundfreedom]

I suppose technically I own 3 basses. A semi acoustic 4 string, an electric 4 string, and a six string.

 

I haven't picked either of the other two up since buying the sixer 2 years ago. 

 

So I only have one bass I actually use. 

[stewblack]

10 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

One bass?

 

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

 

No.

 

😉

I didn't understand the question

[Thump]

I only have 4 and i'm still collecting. So many basses so little time.

 

Just one? Inconceivable for now 

[garyt]

I had only one bass at a time for years, and always sold one if I upgraded. 
I eventually bought a second bass, and now I just use one of the basses for gigging and one for practice.  
I am back down to one bass now, as my old one is getting Plek’d and it’s a 4 week turnaround. 
 

[Owno]

Yes. I only have my Serek Midwestern these days. 

[Skybone]

Although I have more than one bass, they're pretty much all the same, so it sort of counts. 😀

[dclaassen]

I only had one bass for years...never had a failure, issue, broken string. Now, I have 2, and I think that will be it. If one goes into the shop, I can probably borrow one. If my fretted bass goes down during a gig, I'll use the fretless until the interval or the end of the gig, then fix whatever the issue is and go on....

 

same in reverse for jazz gigs...

[BillyBass]

I have 7 basses, though 2 will be sold.

 

I have only been playing bass for 4 years and I am still not sure just what I want, like or need.  So I have single humbucker, twin humbucker, P, PJ and Jazz basses, 4 string and 5 string basses, active and passive, with a variety of nut widths.

 

I am getting rid of a Yamaha BB, but will possibly replace this with an active PJ and will also get rid of an Ibanez...and then get a fanned fret or 35" scale fiver.

 

I believe I will have to live with a bass and play it constantly, comparing it to my others to work out what is best for me.  That's my rationale.

 

Another reason is GAS, I like new basses!

[Bassfinger]

On 17/04/2022 at 09:10, yorks5stringer said:

In answer to the question: maybe a Guitarist who occasionally doubles on Bass? They'd probably have loads of guitars mind...

Could be, although im a bassist with 14 basses who only dabbles in guitar these days so has just the one Les Paul.

Edited April 19, 2022 by Bassfinger

[NicoMcJ]

I’d could legitimately get by with this and only this, but I do tend to take a “normal” 4 string to gigs for the Drop D songs, just because it’s faster to swap basses than retune.

 

My MM/P Frankenstein is like 8lb (just over) but it feels like a boat anchor after playing this!

[Machines]

I have 4 basses that could 'do it all', but I like that there are differences between them that allow me to choose a different tone/feel/appearance depending on my mood.