3 Basses to cover all.. bases?!

[dvh]

Bass 1) Fender American P or J. You can take your pick among the many models etc available; but, for many band leaders and other people you may work for, this is a standard. I would install a HipShot D-tuner and learn to use it.

Bass 2) Fretless; probably a Zon Sonus in some configuration, could be 4 or 5.

Bass 3) A "modern" 5 or 6 string. For me right now, this would be a Sadowsky 5 with either the WL configuration or a 24 fret neck. But, really, there are so many good options out there that many other cases could be made: Smith, A-C, Fodera, Nord, Spector, Roscoe, Alembic etc etc. Kind of depends here on preferences, budget, etc. I mean, if I win the lottery its a custom Alembic. But, I would still want the Sadowsky; so...

Interesting question; because a bass player should be able to cover a lot of ground with 3 basses. But, there are so many good choices with different things going on that are available now.

I think the reality is, for 90% of the posters on this site any single 4 or 5 string electric bass would do....

 

[Lee Moses]

I think a sarcasm emoticon is needed....

Uhh . . . oh.


I guess I'm still missing something?

 

[georgestrings]

I'll take a bass that I don't have to worry about catching a skin infection from...

Yeah, no offense - but that thing looks nasty...


- georgestrings

 

[Kragnorak]

Do you bow your ABG?

Every once in a while I get tempted to pick up the Bass-O-Lin because I'm curious to see if I could figure out how to get decent bow response on the middle strings...

 

[Kragnorak]

I think the reality is, for 90% of the posters on this site any single 4 or 5 string electric bass would do....

I think 90% is awful high. I know it's true for some people, but just for this month's gigs I need 4 basses and a stage piano and the tunings change so much that it would be impractical to make the audience wait while I change from standard to 'drop-cello' tuning.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this! Maybe it would be interesting to post a poll: "What is the LEAST amount of instruments you NEED?" (and keep it hidden from significant others )

 

[vin*tone]

Upright
Precision
Lakland 5594 (gives active/passive MM, J etc...)

 

[Ken J]

30"
34"
Upright
All fretless

 

[punkjazzben]

I think 90% is awful high. I know it's true for some people, but just for this month's gigs I need 4 basses and a stage piano and the tunings change so much that it would be impractical to make the audience wait while I change from standard to 'drop-cello' tuning.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this! Maybe it would be interesting to post a poll: "What is the LEAST amount of instruments you NEED?" (and keep it hidden from significant others )

I would say two: my double bass, and an active 5 stringer (with active/passive switch, a few EQ options, and a few pickup options - i.e. a G&L L2500). They would cover everything I need, and something like a G&L would tonally and aesthetically suit a whole range of music featuring electric bass.

 

[Kmonk]

Just 2 a Jazz and a Precision. However, I also won several Spectors and Alembics which hardly ever get played.

 

[BigDanT]

I went with:
Jazz with Rounds
Jazz with Half Rounds
P with Flats

But that's just me

 

[Mechanical]

If you have the

P Bass
J Bass
and

Musicman

How do you get the classic Rick sound?

 

[bucephylus]

I think the reality is, for 90% of the posters on this site any single 4 or 5 string electric bass would do....

+1

Maybe 99% of us.

But, that wasn't the question.

 

[georgestrings]

If you have the

P Bass
J Bass
and

Musicman

How do you get the classic Rick sound?

You don't - but to be honest, *I* don't care for "the classic Ric sound"... I owned a nice 4001, and it's sound was one of the reasons why I flipped it... Now, the Thunderbird sound is a different matter...

As always, to each their own...


- georgestrings

 

[jasper383]

P or J with flats or tapes.
5 string with rounds: Stingray 5, Lakland 5, etc.
Something to cop an upright sound; Rob Allen, Eminence EUB, or even a real upright.

 

[Bass Fund]

Alembic Distillate medium scale
Alembic Epic long scale
Fender JP90 fretless

all roundwounds

 

[No Coast Rider]

I think I've got it covered pretty well :

Lakland 44-02 with nickel rounds
Single coil P Bass with flats
Fretless Jazz with flats

 

[Nick303]

Didn't actually say what I have...

Squier P bass with flats
Parts-built P bass w/ Jazz pickups, with rounds on it (for now anyway,way too bright).
Squier fretless Jazz with flats

A fairly broad range with these..

 

[Digital Man]

Sandberg Basic
Sandberg California TM
Sandberg Custom 6-string Midi Bass

Yes, after getting my Basic I have become pretty much a fanboy. And of course you can replace them with same type of basses that each of listed expresses.

 

[bass geetarist]

pj
hs stingray
fancy fretless with a bunch of knobs

 

[Korladis]

If you could have 3 basses which broadly covered the spectrum of bass concepts, what would you have and why?

A regular 4003, a fretless 4003, and an 8 string 4003.