Your Favorite Bass

**iriegnome** · #1 03-08-2007, 08:32 AM

I have been a member here for 6 years now. In that time I have played dozens of basses. I have my 4 or 5 that I have kept, but gotten rid of, traded or sold the rest. More of the background - I have 3 guitarists in my band. They each have been playing the same guitar for 10 years or more.
Here is my technique/playing question - What, as bass players, makes us able to play 30 basses in 2 years and be happy and guitar players stay on 1 guitar for 10 years?
I know that the 4 or 5 basses that I have kept are exception for me and how I play, but 5 basses?

Phalex · #2 03-08-2007, 09:03 AM

I've been playing my Rickenbacker for about 15 years now. I went through a few basses before I got the Ric. I think I was searching for "My sound". Once I found it, I never looked back.

trasser · #3 03-09-2007, 09:51 AM

Well, what I experience about guitar players is that they often have only one style. If they only play one style, say rock, maybe they only need one guitar to make the "perfect" sound - for that style. Plus, they often add a lot more effects than bass players, which disguises the sound of the guitar. I often experience that bass players play more than one style, therefor they need more basses to switch between styles. I dunno, maybe?

AxtoOx · #4 03-09-2007, 09:57 AM

Well as a guitar player also, I depend on my pickups and Marshall for my sound. A lot more guitar players use effects to change things up.
Basses have more personality IMO.

I play mainly PRS, I own 3, I also have a Les Paul, an SG, and 2 American Deluxe Strats, one standrad and one HSS.
Some guitar players get GAS too.

Deacon_Blues · #5 03-09-2007, 01:37 PM

That was new to me, I always thought it was the other way around; I know many bass players that have played with the same old fender JB for ages, but I don't know a single guitarist that have settled with the same guitar for 10's of years and play only that.

For instance, I'm completely satisfied if I have a good passive bass, a good amp and one good sound. The tonal variations comes mostly from the fingers, the balance and tone knobs on the bass.

Well, TBH, if I was made of money I would own more basses, but I would probably not ever bring two normal 4-string fretted basses to a gig anyway. If I ever brought any other bass than the (only) one I own (Warwick corvette std passive), I guess it would be a 5 or 6 string or a fretless version. (I would love to have a 6 string, both fretted and fretless).

T-MOST · #6 03-09-2007, 01:44 PM

[quote=trasser;3930978]Well, what I experience about guitar players is that they often have only one style. If they only play one style, say rock, maybe they only need one guitar to make the "perfect" sound - for that style. Plus, they often add a lot more effects than bass players, which disguises the sound of the guitar. I often experience that bass players play more than one style, therefor they need more basses to switch between styles. I dunno, maybe?

That sounds totally strange to me. Especially since guitar is one the most creatively versitle instruments on the planet.

doctorjazz · #7 03-09-2007, 01:51 PM

Guitarists use more effects, and guitar design generally isn't as variable as bass design. With the exception of the occasional 7 or 12 stringer, guitars are pretty much fixed at 6 strings. Most guitarists don't go for the fretless thing either, so it becomes a question of how many fretted 6-string instruments you really need. As far as guitars go, I'd really be truly happy with my LP, plus a nice Strat and a Rickenbacker 12 string, maybe a good Epiphone archtop if I start playing more jazz on guitar.

As for basses... 6 string fretted, 6 string fretless, an Ashbory, a Warwick, a Sterling, perhaps another 4 to use as a tenor bass, and maybe an 8 string for chording and tapping...

Figjam · #8 03-10-2007, 07:28 AM

In my experience, guitar players switch instruments just as much as bass players. But the comment about effects being more important in changing tone, and how bad@$$ of a tube amp you can get, is important to.

Kenny Allyn · #9 03-10-2007, 07:58 AM

Coming from playing guitar, although I owned many I usually would find one amp and guitar I liked and stuck with until I got bored with it and would switch to get a fresh perspective.

The Tele was and is still home base for guitars for me.

Of the two guitar player in our band one uses a modded Tele always and the other switches some. Both use lots of effects

Bass wise I use several ... but only rarely will switch playing any one gig.

... My #1 is my 1968 totally stock Precision

morf · #10 03-10-2007, 08:42 AM

While I've had a few basses I have one main bass which I use at every gig and practice.