My bass gear history. What's yours?

[burl0029]

This could go in any of the forums, really, but I thought this a good place since all the other gear is kind of useless without the bass itself. I just bought a new amp and it caused me to reminisce about all the basses and amps I've owned. I'm leaving out effects because the list is way to long. Here's the bass progression:

1. Ibanez GSR190
2. 1998 Fender American Precision (currently own)
3. Fender Jaguar (currently own)

And the amps:

1. Ibanez 15 watt combo
2. Peavey 115 combo
3. Kustom 15 watt combo (currently own)
4. SWR Workingman's 2004 w/matching 115 cab
5. Tech21 Landmark 300 w/two Avatar 112 neo cabs
6. Eden WT300 w/Ampeg PortaBass 212 cab
7. GK MB212 combo (currently own)

I began in college with an Ibanez starter pack that included the bass, amp and a bunch of other accessories. After deciding that I actually enjoyed playing bass, I wanted to move up a bit. I went to a store and played a bunch of stuff, but I knew I'd found the one when I picked up an American P. Not having the cash then, I stored that in my memory and began the search for a good deal. Awhile later (maybe months or a year) I found an American P in perfect condition on eBay. Thanks to the left-overs from my student loan money, it became mine. I passed the Ibanez setup on to my youngest brother who wanted to give the bass a shot.

I then bought the Peavey combo at a pawn shop. It was the biggest cheap amp I could find at the time. I used the Peavey at church (and left it there because it was ridiculously heavy). Not having an amp for home use, I bought the Kustom practice amp since it was wicked cheap and I was living in an apartment and didn't want to be tempted to rattle the walls. The Peavey lasted awhile, but I wasn't very satisfied with the tone I was getting from it. I switched to the SWR Workingman's rig (on clearance after being discontinued). This was a definite improvement, but it still wasn't quite what I was looking for.

After doing a lot of searching at various guitar stores I found the Tech21. I had been using a SansAmp BDDI to make the cheap amps sound better and the thought of having that in amp form was very intriguing. I took the plunge and got the Tech21. I then ordered a couple Avatar 112 neo cabs to go with it. That rig lasted a couple years and saw it's share of gigs.

I was perfectly content with my entire setup for a short while (even the pedals!), but then I got the new bass itch. The Fender Jaguar caught my eye. After some buying and selling of gear I pulled together my pennies and found a Jag listed here on TB and locally on craigslist simultaneously. I had to have it. And I did. Again I was happy with my setup.

One day I found the Eden and Ampeg rig on craigslist for a crazy price, so I bought them with the intention of reselling them to make a quick buck (gotta fund the gear habit somehow). The problem, though, was I liked the sound of that rig better than my own. I promptly sold the Tech21/Avatar rig. I thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic tone of the Eden/Ampeg rig for the better part of a year, but it just wasn't quite loud enough for the places I was playing. Plus, the neurotic part of me didn't like the visually non-matching gear.

My ever-watchful eye finally found a seemingly suitable replacement: the GK MB212. It had all the things I was looking for: light weight, good looks, and, presumably, good tone. I'd played plenty of GK amps in the stores and really liked them. In fact, I nearly owned a GK 1001RB-II (bought it on eBay but it arrived damaged). My local store had an MB210 on display. I gave it a go and it sounded amazing. Being the lover of 12" speakers that I am, I went home and ordered the MB212 since it has the features I'm looking for compared to the 210.

I am once again happy with my setup. There is, however, one more thing on the wishlist that is totally unnecessary but I want so badly: an EBMM Sterling. And none of this mentions the fact that I'm building a new pedalboard to house the massive collection that just keeps on growing. It never ends.

[JAGGL3S]

Basses:
80's B.C. Rich Warlock Platnium Series.
91 Peavey Forum.
Yamaha BB 450.(REALLY Miss This One .)
Hohner B Bass VI.
Traben AP-5.
Peavey Fury.(Current Bass)
AMPS:
Fender 15b Practice Amp.
SWR Working Mans 15.( Shes Very Loud)

[Dehn]

Squier standard jazz bass.
1 year after. Music Man Sterling.
Later that year Fretless Sandberg California JJ
next year 1996 Celinder J-update 5

[zmoney682]

basses:
started with an ibanez as a kid, forget the model, then got a ephiphone, then I really started getting into bass and realized my style didn't fit either of those basses
sold em' got a vintage 78' sting ray music man
then I got a black acoustic
and finally my Fender PJ bass
Amps:
first got a tube ampeg, still have it today great practice amp
had a old, and somewhat ******, peavey, shorted out on stage a bunch didn't like the tone too much either, sold it
got a SVT
hopefully I'll be working out a deal with the fine guys at Aguilar and work out a rig from them.

[black.rose1402]

basses
yamaha trb6 2000
fender jazz bass mim white 2000
fender jazz bass marcus miller (modified in 2006 with asdowsky onboard preamp) 2000
2005 ibanez gary willis gw1 (fretless)
2006 fodera emperor II 5 strings
2006 ns design crt uprightbass
2006 fbass bn6
2007 fender jaco pastorius usa fretless
2007 musicman stingray 5 strings
2007 fender jazz bass reissue 75 usa
2007 fender marcus miller 5 strings
2007 fender precision classic 50 ( a keeper!!!)
2008 ken smith 6GN
2008 fodera monarch classic wooten 4 strings
2009 fodera imperial elite 5 strings
2009 fender jazz bass 1977.

wow, when I think of all the money involved...

[southshoreconor]

Basses
Washburn xb-200*
no name Musicman copy
MIM Fender P Bass*
MIA Fender Jazz Bass*
1984 Peavey T-40*
1978 Fender P Bass*

Amps/Cabs
Ibanez B10 combo*
Trace Elliot BLX 80*
Crate 2x15
Crate bx-200
Gallien Krueger 400rb
Ampeg 8x10*
Mesa 400+
Mesa Roadready 4x10
Mesa Roadready 1x15
Ampeg 8x10
Ampeg 8x10*
Mesa 400*

* = gear i still own

I played trumpet in school for a few years, i was OK, but could never get reading music. Frustrated, i started noodling around on my school's Hondo P bass. i was hooked. I was in 7th grade and made a deal with my dad that if i could save some money, he'd match whatever i saved to buy my first bass. I saved a whopping $75 and true to his word, we went down the street to buy the washburn for $150. another week or so goes by and i need an amp, so we make the same deal again. impatiently i only saved about $25 but that $50 was enough to get my sister's friend's ibanez combo amp. after this my mom told my dad he couldnt make any more "deals" with me haha. i loved this bass and combo amp and played for hours every day for about a year. i got hooked on the musicman humbucker sound but even as a mighty 8th grader at this point, i wasn't about to spend a thousand bucks on a new bass. i saved my allowance and did some odd jobs for money and got about $150 of my own and bought this musicman copy on ebay. i told myself it was the real deal but after a few months i went back to the washburn. that year i also bought the Trace BLX-80, a peculiar amp, but sounded great and was somewhat rehearsal/gig worthy. during my freshman year of high school i sold the bass to my band teacher for $150. no harm no foul.

around this time the band i started in middle school was playing shows pretty regularly (twice a month). i saved up some more cash and bought this crate 2x15 cab on ebay. i got it pretty cheap, but was introduced to the world of freight shipping, almost doubling my cost. i ran the BLX-80 amp into the cab. i did this for only a few gigs and learned a thing or two about wattage and ohms and that this set up wasnt doing me much good. i found a crate bx-200 head on ebay pretty cheap and snatched it up. after my birthday this year i had some money burning a hole in my pocket and bought a MIM P bass, midnight wine. this set up lasted about another year. the crate head caught on fire and i threw it out. not to fear, i had just started my first real job at a burger king and was rolling in cash! i scooped up an 80s GK 400rb on ebay. what a great amp that was. i met some new musicians and started a new band sophomore year. i knew this amp was great but after several rehearsals and gigs on the way, i knew the cab needed to go. i sold it to a friend and with a few extra bucks saved, i found an ampeg 8x10 on craigslist in the next town. the P, GK and Fridge was my set up for the next 3 years. Right after high school, all my bands had split up, but i still hung on to the giant bass rig cause i knew inevitably i'd start something. the guitarist of one of the disbanded bands and i started a new band, my current band. the band hit it off right off the bat, playing several shows a month, and soon planned our first out-of-state stint that summer. before the summer i had a problem with the 1/4 pounders i had installed on my p bass. my drummer lent me the money to go out and buy the MIA jazz bass before our summer tour. what a beauty and what a good deal we got on it, $900 right off the shelf. i paid him back in increments between the mini-tours we were doing. fast forward through a couple US tours and one EP release, a new guitar player joins the band - a former bass player. I toyed around with his Mesa 400+ at practice one day and fell in love. the Sansamp BDDI and GK combination i had at the time could not compete with the sheer balls this thing had. he refused to sell it to me, but introduced me to a friend who had the same amp who WAS looking to sell it. another good deal, 750 bucks out the door. A few more tours go by supporting the EP we released. at a local gig, while lending my cab to another band, their bassist's speaker cable broke off inside the jack. one of us managed to yank it out but apparently did some damage to it. i can't even remember what it was that broke, but it was back ordered for months through SLM music. gahhhh! we had a bunch more out-of-state shows booked and i loathe being the person who borrows a backline every night. I find out about talkbass.com, sift through the classifieds and find 3 mesa cabs for sale by poster Transverz. i buy two of them, the 4x10 and 1x15. they sounded amazing right off the bat, but the more i played them in a band setting the more i missed having the ampeg fridge behind me. i sold them to my friend Freddy to buy another fridge. which i did a few days later via craigslist. lo and behold the guy selling them was a bassist i had crossed paths with dozens of times on the road. he cuts me an even better deal than i wanted and now i had two ampegs, one functional, one on the disabled list. over the next year, my band signs with a new record label, i continue to work between gigs, bought a peavey T-40 on a hunch, and when i got my tax return back that winter, i got my 1978 P bass on ebay. a few months go by, band records a new album and gets ready to hit the touring circuit all over again. then one day a tiny package came in the mail from SLM. i tore the package apart and popped the pieces into the input jack and boom - i'm a two ampeg fridge kinda guy now. the new record gets released and my band does 4 north american tours. at the end of the 4th, a wheel broke off the SECOND fridge i bought (not the first one that i retired and brought back). i felt i got my moneys worth out of it, and sold it, again, to my friend Freddy for $250 with the broken caster and a hunk of plywood so he could repair it. my band goes out on one more tour and i bring the cab that i bought about 8 years prior. my cab was used in the backline every other night for all three bands' sets on the package and begged for more. what a champ. within days of getting home from this tour, i can help but feel a little naked without 2 fridges stacked side by side in my garage. the craigslist hunt begins again and i find this 1971 ampeg for sale in Boston. i quickly got in touch with the seller and bought the cab that night with some of the money i saved on that tour. my world is at peace once again. now a short time goes by and on a different message board i read this kid is having volume issues with his mesa 400 (non plus). i inquire because i felt that if anything my plus had nothing BUT volume, surely his non plus couldn't be considered "quiet". well he showed me his band and lets just say, they're having volume issues of their own. i a/b his non plus with my plus and i couldn't hear much of a difference. throw $100 and a new roadcase into the mix and we make the swaperoo. as always, no pics.... (i actually took this earlier today cleaning out my garage)



i enjoyed remembering all of that.

[endy_y_p]

'00 MIK Ibanez EDB500GP
'01 MII Kennelo EC Bass Mk.I
'04 MII Stephallen EB4
'03 MIK Ibanez ATK400GB
'06 MIK G&L Tribute L-2000
'01 MIA Peavey MIllenium Plus
'06 MIA Musicman Stingray Black/Maple
'07 MIA Musicman Stingray Natural/Maple

Never bought an amp, I do have one, but it's not mine, every time I have the budget to buy an amp, I alway end up buying another bass....

bass is a form of art...

amp is just a box with sound.... of course I'm just kidding..., really want an Ampeg svt or GK 700...

[BananaKing]

Squier Affinity P-bass pack
OLP MM2
Brice HXB-406
Squier VM Fretless (Jaco-ish one)
Takamine Acoustic Bass of some sort
Ampeg B2Re
Ampeg SVT-15e
Some Japanese Upright
Lakland DJ 5
Fender MIM P-bass
Fender Marcus Miller 4 Jazz Bass

[deshi00]

my short list

bass;
peavey grind bxp
ibanez artcore
building a frankin p bass

guitar;
squire acoustic (free)
woods acoustic
squire strat (free)
ibanez 12 string acoustic
parkwood acoustic

amps
fender 1x15
hartke vx3500 4x10 combo

[Kromwarp]

Basses
Ibanez GSR200T
Ironclad IV M. Allen Signature*
Ibanez Acoustic Bass (Modified with Gibson Dove pickguard)
Fender CIJ 51' P-Bass Reissue
Kramer Focus 7000
Fender MIM Jazz Bass
Peavey J-84 John Taylor Signature*
Drive Wildfire X2
Dean Metalman Z Explorer*

Amps
Ampeg SVT 200T
Ampeg 1x18 Cab
Hartke LH500*
Altec-Lansing 1202 Cab*

Effects
Electro Harmonix Small Stone
Electro Harmonix Nano Muff*
Electro Harmonix NYC Big Muff
Electro Harmonix Mole
Electro Harmonix Memory Toy
Boss SYB-3
Boss ODB-3*
Boss GEB-7
Boss AW-2
Digitech BP50
Digitech Bass Squeeze
Digitech MultiChorus (guitar version)
Digitech Bass MultiChorus*
DOD FX101 Grind Rectifying Overdrive
DOD FX52 Classic Fuzz
Sabine Fuzzstortion
Fender Flanger
Marshall Guv'nor
Hartke VXL Bass Attack*
Dunlop 105Q*
Ibanez FZ-7 Fuzz
MXR M-88 Bass Octave
Korg Pitchblack
Planet Waves Strobe Tuner*

*-still own

[A-Step-Towards]

I am 20 and my list would be probably longer then any of these, not that i am proud its kinda bad how many basses i go through.

[Time Consumer]

Lol, im only posting mine cuz its tragically short, maybe I can win the trophy for shortest bass gear history, lol.

Basses: Squire P bass with flats(in a metal band no doubt) Ibanez BTB200
Spectior Legend Custom 5
and I have a Lakland 55-01 coming friday.

Amps: Fender bassman 115 combo
Peavey TKO 115 combo
Peavey Tour 450.

Cabs: Sonic 610

[yellofury]

1998:
borrowed my roommate's CIJ 95 Fender P Bass and Crate BX-100 15" combo amp

then he asked for it back and then PAWNED it all

bought a used 1997 American Standard Fender Jazz

BBE 383 Preamp

Crest Audio v900 Stereo power amp

EDEN D212XLT 2x12" cabinet

in 2000 I went back to college and QUIT the bass completely to concentrate on
art school


time passed....



2006:
started playing again after a 6 year hiatus
sold the bass rig and bought:
2006 Spector Legend 5

and an Orange 35b combo to practice in my office


2008:
traded the Spector for a Midnight Wine MIM Fender Jazz w/upgrades
(BA II,etc,) added an Audere preamp to the MIM Jazz

bought a brand new SX P/J fretless



2009:
traded the MIM Jazz for a 1989 Washburn Status headless

bought a used Squier Precision Special to mod and added a MM neck and revamped
some of the hardware to OEM Fender


2010:
Traded the SX fretless and my new modded P bass
for a 2007-08 EBMM SUB and I upgraded the pickguard and added straplocks etc,.


my stable (for now)



*some of the earlier pics are not of my actual gear
since I didnt own a digital camera (or any camera) at the time

my 97 Jazz has been the only piece of gear that has stayed with me from the beginning

[groovaholic]

I've bought, sold, and otherwise horse-traded over 50 basses and 75 amps -- I'd be hard-pressed to remember them all.

I have a buy/sell list that I maintained up until about 6 years ago; I'll have to dig it out and update it....

Current stuff:
BASSES
-'83 Japanese Squier Precision
-Del Langejan's electric bass
-Dingwall Afterburner 5-string
-Dingwall Afterburner II 5-string

EFFECTS
-Boss GT-10B
-Line 6 Bass POD XT Live

AMPS-Rack System with Peavey MAX, dbx 166A compressor, & QSC PLX 3102 power amp.
-Peavey Classic 400 head
-Sunn 410H cabinets (2)
-Peavey 810TX cabinet

[Bassist Jay]

With my basses, I started out with a cheap piece of junk Cort bass. I think I bought it for under $100.00 at a local music store. I had some small little bass amp with it and they lasted me a few years. I think around 91', I added a Charvel bass that I was really pleased with. It was your typical rock bass and it had the extra pick up after the PJ ones so I thought I had finally got some good gear. Around the same time, I bought a Crate BX 80bass amp and the na short while later upgraded to a Crate BX 100 bass amp. I don't recall if I traded my Cort in on another bass or just sold it outright but my next bass was a black on black Epiphone bass. This was my first new bass and I really liked it. I only had it a year and then I was at Guitar Center one day and saw the bass that I fell in love with. It was an Ibanez SR 400 Soundgear bass that was metallic red. I traded my Epiphone as a down on the Ibanez and soon thereafter got it off of layaway. That bass was by far my favorite bass and I loved it. A year later I was at Guitar Center again and the new SR 500 Soundgear basses came out. I saw a black one and fell in love with it too so I put it on layaway. I think I traded in my Charvel for it. Unfortunately, work slowed down and I was about to lose the layaway and all of the money I had put down. I traded in my SR 400 to get the SR 500 off of layaway but then planned on going back and buying back my SR 400. Unfortunately, it never even hit the floor. I don't know if Guitar Center shipped it to another store or if an employee bought it or what happened? A year after that, I again was at Guitar Center when I saw an Ibanez SR 800 that I fell in love with. It was Metallic Blue and was just gorgeous. I put it on layaway and also found a used black SR 500. The used SR 500 was bought new like a day before but then returned because they guy didn't like it. So I got both basses and was set. I the traded my Crate BX 100 for Crate's new Thunderbass cab's that had just come out. I bought a Crate BXE 215 cabinet with a Crate 440 head. I actually still have this amp and cab still today. With the second SR 500, I went and had it custom painted to match the color of my old SR 400. Unfortunately, the guy didn't match the color all that well at all but he did do a quality finish I however still want to get that bass repainted sometime soon. I later on sold my SR 800 to one of my youth kids because I didn't like the tome compared to my sr 500's. I then got a Washburn bass but soon after buying it, really hated the sound of it too. I sold it to another guy at my church and pretty much kept my basses. I later on added a Guild B-4E acoustic bass but when I was on workmans comp I ended up pawning it to buy groceries for my family because my workmans comp check was over a month late. Unfortunately, by the time I got everything worked out with workmans comp, the pawn had ended and the pawn shop was asking more for the bass than it was worth so I let it go. The guy was actually trying to sell it for more than I bought it new for. Just recently I added an Ibanez 20th5 20th Anniversary Soundgear bass to my collection. I bought that one more for nostalgic sake because I have used Soundgear basses for so long but I also do use it. I don't ever let any of my gear just sit. Then a few weeks ago, I traded my Taylor acoustic guitar for a Music Man Sterling 4H bass. I still have 3 high end Ibanez guitars that are in mint condition that I am looking to trade for another Music Man but have not found any one interested yet. In the next few weeks I will also be adding an Ibanez EWB20WNENT acoustic bass as well as some more Soundgear basses. Probably at least a new SR 500 and SR 505 but I may even go with a Prestige model or a SR 700 or SR 705 model but am not sure yet?

So all of the basses that I have owned are:
Cort. Unsure of model or year?
Charvel. Unsure of model or year?
1991 or 1992 Epiphone. Unsure of specific model name?
1993 Ibanez SR 400 Soundgear bass
1994 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear bass
1995 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear bass
1995 Ibanez SR 800 Soundgear bass
1996 or 1997 Washburn bass. Unsure of specific model?
Guild B-4E acoustic bass. I can't remember what year it was? Somewhere between a 1997 to 2002 model?
2007 Ibanez SR 20th5 2oth Anniversary bass
2005 Music Man Sterling 4H.

[JayAmel]

1976 : cheap Westone bass
1977 : Rickenbacker 4001
1979 : Jacobacci fretless
1980 : Fender Telecaster Bass
1980 : Musicman Stingray
1982 : Apex Atlantis Bass
1983 : Rickenbacker 4001
1983 : Ibanez Blazer Bass
2000 : Squier P-Bass Affinity
2001 : Rickenbacker 4003
2002 : Marathon MB300
2002 : Status Energy
2002 : Musicman Stingray 5
2002 : Fender Precision Bass MIJ
2003 : Rickenbacker 4003
2004 : Fender Jazz Bass Hwy 1
2005 : Warwick Rockbass Corvette 5
2005 : Musicman SUB 5
2005 : Fender Jazz Bass Am Series S1
2005 : '00 Musicman Stingray 5
2006 : Fender Precision Bass Am Series S1
2006 : Fender BG31
2006 : Fender Jazz Bass Am Series S1
2006 : '00 Fender Jazz Bass Am Dlx 5
2006 : Tobias Killer B 5
2006 : Musicman Stingray 4
2006 : '03 Fender Jazz Bass Am Dlx 5
2007 : Guvnor GB100
2007 : Tobias Killer B 5
2007 : '03 Musicman Stingray 5
2008 : Fender Jazz Bass Am Dlx 5

[xjeremiahx]

Basses:
02' First Bass, Samick P
03' MIM J bass
04' 83 Fender P Fretless(sold)
04' MM SR5
09' Spector Legend (sold)


Amps(not listing dates...):
Randall 30w practice amp
Crate 100w combo(sold)
Ampeg 70s 2x15(sold)
Ampeg b2re(sold)
Ampeg 115svt(sold)
SWR Goliath Jr(sold)
GK Backline 2x10(sold)
GK 4x10(borrowed)
Sunn 300t
Ampeg 410HE(sold)
SWR Goliath 6x10

man, i've gone through quite a few amps in a short period of time GAS much

[mikezimmerman]

I've been playing for 30+ years and I'm a compulsive gear trader. There's really not room to describe me gear history here, provided I could even remember it all....

[mikezimmerman]

Originally Posted by groovaholic

Current stuff:
BASSES
-'83 Japanese Squier Precision
-Del Langejan's electric bass

Sorry to sidetrack, but...

You have a Langejans electric bass? I know he's built some wonderful acoustic guitars and I've seen one or two acoustic basses of his, but wasn't aware he'd ever built electrics. Cool!

[MN_Bass]

Basses
00 Silvertone P Bass
00 Ibanez 5 String
01 Epiphone TBird
03 Spector Euro 4
03 Brawley 4 String
03 Ibanez Erodyne
04 Washburn 5 String
04 Warwick BO Thumb
05 Fender Marcus Miller
05 Off Brand 5 String Fretless
05 Schecter California Jazz Type Bass, had EMG Soaps in it
05 MIM Fender Jazz
06 1997 Gibson TBird
08 Spector CRFM 4
08 75 Jazz Fender AM RI
08 2008 Fender P Bass (Current)
08 2006 EB Stingray
08 2002 Fender Jazz
08 SX 75 P Bass
08 Squire VM P
08 2001 US Lakland JO (Signed by JO) (Current)
09 2006 4003 Ric
09 Gibson Blackbird
10 Ibanez ATK
10 Yamaha "Robocop" has LED lights (Current)

Bass Amps
Marshall Bass Practice Amp
Crate 100W combo
Carvin RL 1000 with 410 x 118
Ampeg Svt Pro 4
Ampeg Svt Pro 3
Ampeg Svt Pro 2
Ampeg 810
Ampeg SVT Classic
Carvin B800
SWR 750 Pre Fender
Ampeg SVT Classic (Teal and Pink Lettering)
Ampeg B15s
Peavey VB2
Markbass LMII
Dr Bass 212
Mesa Walkabout Scout 12 (Current Rig)

Guitars
Epiphone LP Classic
Dean ML
Washburn Dime 333
ESP LTD Lawsuit Explorer & V
Washurn Acoustics (2)
Gibson 1979 LP Custom
92-93 Gibson LP Studio Lite
Gibson SG Goth
97 Fender Strat
Gibson Les Paul Supreme

Guitar Amps
Marshal MG100
Marshall VS100
Crate Blue Voodoo
Marshall JCM 900
Marshall 4x12


I might be missing a couple, brain damage from college I suppose