My Bass Dilemma-What would you do ?

[pinz]

I am in a pickle over my basses,even after playing for over 20 years.
My first basses were pretty rubbish,Hondo,Westone,a Gibson copy,then an Ibanez SR1000e which was a fantastic bass in most aspects.
Then I moved onto a MIM Jazz which I still have and used for a decade.Very good bass and love it.
As soon as I could afford a MIA Jazz I got one and was more happier with it than the MIM.
Then I borrowed a P bass for a while and quite liked what it had to offer in the neck,its playability especially.
Not so much its tone.
When I could afford a MIJ 70's P I got my own,light !!!! as hell, great to play,and the guys in the band loved it ! So it became my main bass even though I struggled to like the P tone.
Next I got GAS again and bought a Warwick Star Bass.....and WOW I love everything that this bass has to offer and have been using it every weekend ever since.Although I felt the Guitard and Drummer preferred the P tone.

So the last 4 gigs I went back to the P bass,It does sound good with the band and again its nice to play,but "I" like the Warwicks tone, its dead easy to play and I like how the Warwick sounds even and full anywhere on the neck and the Fenders dont achieve this at all.
Last night I started with the P ,swapped to the Warwick during the break,and went back to the P for the last half hour.The guitard said afterwards he really likes the P Bass.The Warwick is cool but the P bass is better,and has character.

My dilemma,the band likes the P but not so much the Warwick which I love it to bits.
What do I do,what would you do ? Tell the band too bad,Im using the Warwick or shut up and put up and go back to the P for gigging ??

Sorry for the novel(and hope I posted this in the correct place) but its really bugging me and I feel Im back to square one.

[xUptheIronsx]

would they allow you to suggest what they play? I think that ultimately you have to agree on the right tone for the style of the band, but if it is purely cosmetic, then you get to choose.

[BoomBoomOGTL]

They're opinion could have been based on the one night/one venue. Switch between them at a couple more gigis and see if they still think the P sounds better.

i'd be playing what I like, not what the others say I should. How did the bass sound out front? Any recordings of the show you can listen to?

[pinz]

Thanks,I should also point out I have gigged with same 2 guys for 20 years,and we all get along fine,so there is no fear of arguments breaking out or punches being thrown over it.
I will take both basses to next weekends gigs,different venues again,and try playing with some different amp settings.
I really do enjoy playing both basses but would pick up the Warwick before the P Bass.Both necks are quite similar to me.

[funkingroovin]

Play what YOU feel comfortable on. It's that simple.

[cdef]

Maybe your mates feel the P is more in style? No matter, if you prefer the Star Bass, rock on with it .

[nozkcb]

If the situation is that you work for the guitarist and drummer and they're the 'boss' play the P and keep the boss happy. If however, you're all in a band, do what makes you happy.

[Im_telling_tim]

Put the p bass pick ups in your Warwick.

[Turxile]

It's time for a Warwick with a P pup...
The Star Bass sounds great IMO. I'm at the other end of this, my current band wants me to stick to Warwick Corvette which is just great for me anyway..

[George Mann]

Originally Posted by Turxile

It's time for a Warwick with a P pup..

Yes, its called a Streamer LX. Look it up.

[Jools4001]

I have played in bands for 40 years. In all that time I have never compromised on playing the bass that I want to play. If you're sensible with it and don't show up with a pointy death metal doom bass to back a folk duo then my take is that you are the bass player, play what makes you happy. Neither of the basses you're in a dilemma about is an outrageous example of it's kind - with the P being the ultra-conservative, ubiquitous safe option, so it's not as if you are being radical or pushing the boundaries with either of them.

I recently got a new bass so that I could give my vintage Ric some time off from playing in dubious bars. I wanted a 5 string version of a particular model only to find they were no longer made, I gambled on a 6 string instead and I love it - it's pretty close to being everything I've ever wanted in a bass. I took it along to rehearsal and the guitarist asked "What band are you going to play that in then?" "This one" I replied, my attitude is that if people are going to tell me what bass I've got to play* they can find another bass player.

*Lenny Kravitz could tell me to play a Fender 4 string, but then he'd be paying a lot of money that would entitle him to call the shots

[Kmonk]

I've never had a problem with Fenders sounding full and even everywhere on the neck. Warwicks are great basses. Can you tell the guitar player (or players) not to use a Les Paul, Strat, etc.? Can you tell the drummer what brand of drums to play? Probably not. If it was me, I would play what I like as long as it sounds right for the music you are playing.

[grisezd]

Maybe ask them what they prefer about the P. It could be something as simple as them being used to hearing a strong fundamental, different attack, etc. Maybe just a small eq change on your amp will make all well with the world. I play with a drummer who I enjoy playing with but has always said he never made an attempt to lock in with the bass player, preferring to lock with guitar and keys. Fine with me, gives me a bit of freedom. Then one night I engaged my fuzz for a section of a song and he sort of fell apart for a bar or two. Later he said that when the bass dropped out (the fundamental he was used to) he got a little lost!

[Mtnman]

From a different perspective, I can say that I prefer guitarists that play a Les Paul over a Strat. To my ears, the LP just has a meatier/fuller tone. That said, I would never tell a guitarist to put his Strat away and only play his LP. But, I may tell him I prefer the sound of the LP. He can do what he wants with that information.

On the other hand, the same thing has happened to me. I have a MiM Jazz that I've modded pretty heavily that my current band has said is the bass they prefer. I personally think my Tobias sounds and feels better. I play the Tobias because it's my choice.

In the end you have to make your own decision. The tools you choose to get the job done are a reflection of you as a player. If the Warwick gives you your voice, then I say stick with it.

[Immigrant]

If you had been playing bass "B" from the beginning, the guitards would prefer that sound over bass "A", because they are used to it.

And tell that guy to quit wearing that stupid shirt and his pedalboard config stinks.