Basses You want versus basses you need.

[eastcoasteddie]

I really don’t need any basses...
I’m not a paid musician, I’m not in a musical group, I don’t teach bass guitar, I’m basically a nobody who happens to “like” playing bass guitar. I can survive if all the bass guitars of the world disappeared. It’s not a need, but a want.

However, to satisfy my “want” I “need” the ones I already have. The L2500 is king; it stays locked up most of the time. The Squier Jazz V is the one that gets played more because it’s cheaper. The Fretless Jazz V is, well... a Fretless.
The FrankenSquier is the beater I play during downtime at work.

If I ever get another USA bass, like a G&L JB5 (highly unlikely in the near or not-so-distant future), then the Squier VM will hit the road. I really don’t want more than 4 basses. But I don’t need more than 1 to satisfy a want...

 

[oren]

I need my upright and one electric bass (though maybe if I didn’t have any electrics my upright playing would be improving more rapidly). But that doesn’t stop me from owning others, and wanting even more!

 

[JtSD619]

Want:
Sadowsky (not sure what model hah)
F-bass VF4 maple neck
Warwick Stage 2

 

[SteveC]

This is the only bass I need...

I sometimes think I want a P bass but for the wrong reasons. Everyone has a P bass. Pino sounds great on his P bass. Simple is better. All the “session” guys and “pros” use a P bass.
I roll to the neck pickup and play closer to the fingerboard and I have a good enough P bass. Plus, I do make use of my B string and I’ve never thought that P basses look “right” as a 5 string.

 

[Chickenwheels]

I’d love a fretless Wal, but my fretless Yamaha is all I really need. Blast it!

 

[Pet Sounds]

I own (and have owned) far too many basses. The only one I ever really needed was the 1995 American Standard Precision Bass I bought new for, IIRC, $700. I put LaBella flatwounds on it and played it out almost exclusively for a decade, then used it as a backup for another decade.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

The term “need” is thrown around as subjective in this thread. With that aside, though, a good fretless would round out my tool box well.

I am using need in the sense that one bass was an inspiration to improve my skills. The other bass would have been great to have, but I suspect it would not have inspired me to double my efforts to be a better bassist.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

I’m of the mind that if you can afford another instrument and something about it will inspire you to both play differently than you do on your other basses AND grow yourself as a musician...you should buy the bass. We’re not on this Earth for long, so why not enjoy the little things?

 

[chris_b]

I know I'm fortunate, but the bass I needed and wanted is the bass I bought 2 years ago. Nothing else on the horizon.

 

[Mustang Surly]

"I am a big believer that a better bass won’t make you play better, but it will give you the tool to play better if you are willing to put in the time, energy and effort."

That's true, but the former can sometimes help inspire you to do the latter.

 

[mikewalker]

I have enough basses to play, so in general I want attractive wall-hangers ("playable art").
Wouldn't say no to a nice Ritter ( or dozens upon dozens of others... )
Oh, and one of these days I must too buy a Sadowsky (One of my grandparents was a Sadowsky!)

 

[Ostie]

We only NEED one bass to practice, gig or record. But we WANT more. It’s just human nature. We’re pretty shallow, aren’t we? Do we really NEED an estate, a Ferrari, or a Rolex?

I have 6 basses, 2 guitars, and 2 mandolins. I’m ashamed of myself—But not enough to thin the herd.....

 

[user362432]

When I started, I could not afford to buy any. Spent years staring in the window of different instruments (including some green Jolana, if I remember well). Then I managed to get some Aria or Greco, Elektra, Kasuga... something... J bass. I was frustrated with a pickups, strings... did not know much about things, had a lot of gigs with it to finally get a Ric 4001. It took some time to understand, it is not for me... Played a while on J copy and quit next 20 years.
I would, probably, still do well without any of the crap. But, my wife said - it's now your time to do whatever you ever wanted to do and surprised me 4 strings Yamaha for my 41th birthday.
I don't need any of them. But, I have 9 basses, 2 guitars and upright + numerous vintage and less vintage amps.
I think I am too old and intolerant for crap to play out in the bars (I did it couple of years).
I am just happy, I don't need to go to the store window anymore, to stare on them. I actually, enjoy them for myself. Sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes 1/2 day.
It's nobody's business but mine.

 

[Geri O]

I finally found the bass I wanted and needed at the same time and that I had made up my mind to special-order it someday...

2017 Mike Lull M5V

I've wanted and needed a teal Jazz bass (or Jazz-style) with a maple neck and gold hardware for years and years. I found this in a bass store online quite by accident doing a monitor gig at the first of the year. It is truly my heart & soul forever bass. I needed this bass once I saw it.

Some might nit-pick over whether I needed this bass. That's their cross to bear, not mine. I really needed it. Moved older un-used gear (including selling a very nice red Lull with rosewood fingerboard, otherwise identical to the teal one) and saved pennies to get it.

I wanted a nice Stingray SR5. I have one, but it's loaned out to a bassist friend while he gets past moving his family into a new home. So I guess I don't really need that one so much. I'll be glad to get it back, but my buddy needs it worse than I do at the moment.

And I have a fretless that I'm gonna say I need because I get an occasional call to play fretless. Or did I need it, because nowhere is it written that I need to take the few and far-between fretless gigs?

This is called "thinking too hard"... And who needs that?.....

 

[CLMSHQ]

I want another Fender PBass. In either Lake Placid Blue or Turcoise...but I may need a cheaper 5 string due to some upcoming gig opportunities.

I don't need another PBass, but I WANT one!

 

[barginkov]

I really only need 2 basses .but I want many , a lightweight early 70s p bass and jazz both maple.
A new special MM. Stingray.
A roasted maple flame sadowdky

.

 

[4001]

I want an old (late 70's/early 80's) BC Rich Eagle but I don't need it....

 

[AudioTaper]

I WANT a custom made Esh Various 4.
I would be quite satisfied with a USA Peavey Cirrus 4 maple and time to practice.
I NEED to replace the catalytic converter and timing belt on my car.

So if anyone had a USA made Cirrus 4 they would be looking to sell.....

 

[Chad Michael]

Good thoughts, Dr. C.

I will never forget the first time I picked up a Pentabuzz, I thought "Wow, talk about a motivational force!" The Penta looks, feels and sounds so delightful, yet commands respect, and attention to detail.

You practically stole one for that price, and I am happy for you.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I have 11 more basses than I need, but I want a Music Man Stingray. With a dozen basses, I don't have any with the huge humbucker in that special spot that provides that throaty growl with plenty of bottom end but still having that bridge pup definition and punch. If I keep talking here, I'll order one tonight....