Do-it-all bass or one for every occasion?
 

Kinda like the age-old *single effects vs multis* question- which way do you lean? I have a Stambaugh 6 that was meant as a Swiss Army bass: active/passive, wide-spaced for slapability, chambered for guitar-esque upper register... I love the bass but also have a few *1 1/2 trick ponies*(fretless, ABG, etc)- so I don't swear by one plan or the other. If I get time I'll add a poll

On the basis that I only own one, I have a do-it-all/one for every occasion bass... :smug:

One's enough for me.

Why not both?

I kinda do both. I have a custom with active/passive switching that can handle a lot of variety, but I have others that I keep around because they do one or two things really well. For example, none of my basses have the same warm booming lows that my fretless does.

I have a truck load and love them all , sometimes I think , hey lets take the Jazz out or maybe a P today . I like your basic tones too , nothing to extreme or "extended" but if I were to pick a one bass can do it all out of the basses I have it would be the Dingwall AB-1 .

I could get by with a good J5, and a good P5, but, there's no law says I'm limited to two good basses :D

For the kind of music I play, my P/J Fender could handle just about anything. Obviously, if there were a tune that required fretless, I'd have to break out the Carvin, but that's about it.

I'm limited to one Alembic, and I can get the sounds I want from that. Its a better bass than I am a player. And I'd rather have a happy wife than an extra bass!

If I can only take one bass,it's a Sterling 5 HH.

The Precision V has been getting it done. Strung with DR Low Rider Nickels.

Both is fine- I'm guessing most do this to some extent. This not another *desert island/you're only allowed one bass* thread, but feel free to ppst your thoughts and experiences, relative to the OP.

Different genres: seven basses, different sounds.
None of them is particularly pricey, but I'm happy this way. And could always spend some little money on some new little toy...

I have several, but since I like my Warwick thumb so much, I end up using it for most everything. Still, I gas for more basses :/

My current line-up: Stammie 6 for regular church gig, Fender J-5 for pretty much anything I'd use the 6 for- also as backup in case I decide I'm rusty on 6, MIM P(4) for jams w/old friends, 3/4 German DB for *that vibe*
I also have a defretted Washburn AB-20 ABG, but rarely play it out live- just haven't needed it's particular sound

Since I only have one for the foreseeable future, I have the do-it-all bass approach.

Jazz basses are pretty versatile anyway, but I am planning some mods that will bring a couple more options to it, without costing near what another bass would.

I can get by happily with any one of my Roscoes. I end up sounding like "me" on most any bass I play, anyway. I do plan to add a fretless in the very near future (also a Roscoe), since that's a sound I can't cop on my fretted basses. But other than that, I mainly rely on changes in right hand attack, and the bass's eq, to get pretty much whatever sound I need.

I play 5-string fretted exclusively, so I only need one. My choice is a Sadowsky P5, which I'd use for any genre, from Motown/country/blues to modern rock/funk/punk/whatever.

However I want more than one, simply for variety's sake, so I own more than one. And while I prefer rounds, it's nice to have a second Sadowsky P5 strung with flats.
:bassist:

Line 6 Variax 700 24 basses in one.

I have a fender PJ. It covers 95% of the stuff my group does. I have a fretless Jazz for the other 5%. I'm considering having a doubleneck built.