• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Do you buy duplicates of things?

Alexis Duntov

Alexis Duntov

Feb 16, 2013
1,442
1,967
Brooklyn, NY
#1
I have a MIJ Fender Sting Precision bass that I absolutely adore, perhaps even more than vintage Jazz and P basses that I own that are much more valuable. I just put TI flats on it and it's a match made in heaven. Now I'm thinking I grab another "just in case something happens" to the first one. I do this sometimes with other things, usually clothes. Though I used to do it with hard-to-find vinyl records as well. It's some part pragmatism and some part pathology. To date, I have never lost a bass guitar, or had it stolen or destroyed in a fire. The chances of anything "happening" to my beloved bass are next to zero. And yet the voice in my head says "yeah but if anything did happen, it would be hard to track down another." Also, I'm generally not someone with a GAS problem, as far as I can tell. I'm not into collecting instruments or gear. My main instrument these days is acoustic bass and I'd never dream of having an identical backup. No room and I don't have several thousand extra dollars lying around. Do others suffer from this delusion that we need a backup in case lightning strikes?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Mili, Artman, lomo and 14 others
#2
Alexis Duntov said:
I have a MIJ Fender Sting Precision bass that I absolutely adore, perhaps even more than vintage Jazz and P basses that I own that are much more valuable. I just put TI flats on it and it's a match made in heaven. Now I'm thinking I grab another "just in case something happens" to the first one. I do this sometimes with other things, usually clothes. Though I used to do it with hard-to-find vinyl records as well. It's some part pragmatism and some part pathology. To date, I have never lost a bass guitar, or had it stolen or destroyed in a fire. The chances of anything "happening" to my beloved bass are next to zero. And yet the voice in my head says "yeah but if anything did happen, it would be hard to track down another." Also, I'm generally not someone with a GAS problem, as far as I can tell. I'm not into collecting instruments or gear. My main instrument these days is acoustic bass and I'd never dream of having an identical backup. No room and I don't have several thousand extra dollars lying around. Do others suffer from this delusion that we need a backup in case lightning strikes?
Click to expand...

Yeah I've been there over the years. As I got older though, less money, and realize what I have is fine. No more duplicates for me. My one Epi EB-0, and Fender Rumble 100 have worked out to be just what I need.

mTWedp4.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: LetItGrowTone, crobasster, K Marshall and 6 others
#3
Alexis Duntov said:
It's some part pragmatism and some part pathology.
Click to expand...
:laugh:

i buy (create, or otherwise get) duplicates of some things --- who wouldn't want two hammers? --- but i also recognize the uniqueness of other things --- who wants two spouses? --- so i'm in that middle, "it depends" place! :D

axes = i have a pretty good duplicate of my "main, #1" ax.
gear = not so much.
skecher shoes = yes.
certain clothes = sometimes i buy two pairs of jeans, or shirts, etc., if i need 'backup'.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bajo Clarkko, BassinCT, Dynomuttasaurus and 6 others
#4
Yes, I used to and I think it's part of a human's need to hunt and gather things!

I always had doubles (and more!) of basses and pedals etc. The idea that I have 'my sound' and if anything broke at a gig I'd just want to pick up another replacement and carry on.

Ultimately, finances and needs have changed along with a wealth of experience that has taught me never to have 2 similar basses at a gig. You will rarely (if ever) need a spare and if you do, no one is going to give a damn if it sounds slightly different. At some gigs if one bass doesn't cut it (weird acoustics in the room etc.), the spare should be something different as there isn't always time to radically find new eq settings to solve why your P bass is too boomy or if certain notes keep 'disappearing'. I've found switching to a different bass, a Jazz / Musicman etc. solves these problems way faster.

The same with pedals. No one but you and the other 2 bassists in the audience would care as to what you use or if you have several flavours of fuzz, modulation etc.

I am now in a place where I only keep one example of all the sounds I want and if I find any overlap or disuse, I get rid of things in favour of trying other new stuff or better still, saving the money and space around the apartment. IMHO etc. etc.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Nuage420, Justinian, timmo97 and 3 others
#5
Alexis Duntov said:
I have a MIJ Fender Sting Precision bass that I absolutely adore, perhaps even more than vintage Jazz and P basses that I own that are much more valuable. I just put TI flats on it and it's a match made in heaven. Now I'm thinking I grab another "just in case something happens" to the first one. I do this sometimes with other things, usually clothes. Though I used to do it with hard-to-find vinyl records as well. It's some part pragmatism and some part pathology. To date, I have never lost a bass guitar, or had it stolen or destroyed in a fire. The chances of anything "happening" to my beloved bass are next to zero. And yet the voice in my head says "yeah but if anything did happen, it would be hard to track down another." Also, I'm generally not someone with a GAS problem, as far as I can tell. I'm not into collecting instruments or gear. My main instrument these days is acoustic bass and I'd never dream of having an identical backup. No room and I don't have several thousand extra dollars lying around. Do others suffer from this delusion that we need a backup in case lightning strikes?
Click to expand...
Yes, I am obsessed with having backups -- even though I know that I could replace a lost too in just a few days. It definitely makes my hobbies a little more expensive.

Usually I do something to avoid total overlap, e.g. I have a 4-string and 5-string version of what was previously my "Number One" bass.

As a result, I've wound up with two of the same Squier CV P's. Same finish and everything. Stupid pandemic spending... :eek:

Fortunately, I don't care for expensive instruments, so it doesn't bankrupt me. It does mean that I have too many instruments in my possession, though....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alexis Duntov
#6
I have duplicates of parts - I have a spare pickup of each type that i have in any of my basses, and have extra potentiometers - the variety I use for my builds has been discontinued, so I bought quite a few of those.

Spare basses? None of my basses are anything like duplicates - they all have different pickup types, locations, schematics, etc. The necks are ( at least for the 5 strings) all the same contour, and interchangeable, but past that, my little herd was built with the idea of getting the most diversity in the least basses.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HalfManHalfBass and Alexis Duntov
#7
Alexis Duntov said:
I have a MIJ Fender Sting Precision bass that I absolutely adore, perhaps even more than vintage Jazz and P basses that I own that are much more valuable. I just put TI flats on it and it's a match made in heaven. Now I'm thinking I grab another "just in case something happens" to the first one. I do this sometimes with other things, usually clothes. Though I used to do it with hard-to-find vinyl records as well. It's some part pragmatism and some part pathology. To date, I have never lost a bass guitar, or had it stolen or destroyed in a fire. The chances of anything "happening" to my beloved bass are next to zero. And yet the voice in my head says "yeah but if anything did happen, it would be hard to track down another." Also, I'm generally not someone with a GAS problem, as far as I can tell. I'm not into collecting instruments or gear. My main instrument these days is acoustic bass and I'd never dream of having an identical backup. No room and I don't have several thousand extra dollars lying around. Do others suffer from this delusion that we need a backup in case lightning strikes?
Click to expand...
Yes, I do.
FB-IMG-1620429184285.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: B-Mac, BlueTalon, Justinian and 3 others
#9
Alexis Duntov said:
I have a MIJ Fender Sting Precision bass that I absolutely adore, perhaps even more than vintage Jazz and P basses that I own that are much more valuable. I just put TI flats on it and it's a match made in heaven. Now I'm thinking I grab another "just in case something happens" to the first one. I do this sometimes with other things, usually clothes. Though I used to do it with hard-to-find vinyl records as well. It's some part pragmatism and some part pathology. To date, I have never lost a bass guitar, or had it stolen or destroyed in a fire. The chances of anything "happening" to my beloved bass are next to zero. And yet the voice in my head says "yeah but if anything did happen, it would be hard to track down another." Also, I'm generally not someone with a GAS problem, as far as I can tell. I'm not into collecting instruments or gear. My main instrument these days is acoustic bass and I'd never dream of having an identical backup. No room and I don't have several thousand extra dollars lying around. Do others suffer from this delusion that we need a backup in case lightning strikes?
Click to expand...
Only Girlfriends




Seriously, what you do with your money and how you do it is your business.

If I buy a duplicate it's more because I'm collecting something that isn't all that popular or common that I am thrilled over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gzarruk, jd56hawk and Rabidhamster
#10
Yes, I've engaged in this kind of behaviour in the past and I will still feel the urge occasionally. The first time I remember getting a duplicate of something in the fear that something might happen to the "original" was when I was around nine years old with a G.I. Joe "action figure". I have done the duplicate thing with basses (and CDs/vinyl) but am a little more relaxed about it now. I will still do it with clothes - mostly because I hate clothes shopping and with styles changing every season I can never be sure whether something I like (and that fits me well) will be available in the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kthoward, bassb66, mikewalker and 1 other person
#16
For me:
I have backups of stuff I need for gigs. Stuff happens - even to good gear and it's a life saver to be able to just grab the other one and proceed. It's probably not the same quality as my production gear: I use a Squier as a backup for my AmPro.

I don't have extras of stuff that won't bail me out on a gig.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back