Do you have a 'Wife?'

[ljazz]

Cool thread!

I picked this up brand new in '87 while stationed at Ft. Sill, OK. A friend had picked up a '76 Fender P bass in a pawn shop for a couple hundred bucks, and I just had to have one. I canvased all of the area pawn shops, but couldn't find anything worth buying.

On a whim, I stopped by a local music store on a Sunday afternoon........ just to peer through the window, because I knew they wouldn't be open. I couldn't see a thing though, and in the back of my mind I thought, "Man, it would be sweet if someone who worked here saw me while passing by, and would let me in." Two seconds later I heard a car pull up. It was the owner.... so he let me in to take a look. He had guitars everywhere! He had just bought out another store, and didn't know what all he had. That's when I found my "wife"...... An '87 G&L SB1. I walked out with her and the case for 300 bucks! This one has ruined me for all other basses! Wide, thin profiled neck with a 7.25" radius, and low, wide frets. And the split MFD kills!

She's currently strung with well worn in set of Infeld SuperAlloys, after having sported TIJF's for several years. The SA's give me a bit more versatility than the JF's, and, unlike my real wife, the SB1 doesn't mind being slapped (don't jump on me.... I've never slapped my real wife..... I just know she wouldn't like it!).

I currently have 7 electric BG's...... all costing more than this did...... but none play as well, or are as deserving of my affections!

 

[Eric Albany]

Just FYI it's a bit patriarchal to label favorite objects "wives", "mistresses", etc. I know it's common practice but to some people it looks pretty gross. I'm one of those people.

I'll bet that you have somethin that you secretly call baby, wife, or mistress. Don ya? } ) ::grinning::

 

[Eric Albany]

+1. A lot of people name their basses too. Like ships very few of them have a boys name.

My highschool girlfriend actually coined the name Wife for my bass. I carried the damn thing everywhere and it was, and still is, my most prized possession. Several people I know call it the Wife bass as well. Its not a big deal.

This be true. My acoustic/electric bass is named Mel after my first crush. My electric bass doesn't need a name. It has one printed on it in large, bold, black lettering. It says "Tanara".

 

[carlos840]

I dont believe in monogamy!
I still own every bass i ever bought and i love them all! The oldest one has been with me 9 years, the youngest 1 year, i love them all in their special way and will never sell any of them!

 

[jfh2424]

Just FYI it's a bit patriarchal to label favorite objects "wives", "mistresses", etc. I know it's common practice but to some people it looks pretty gross. I'm one of those people.

Wow, calling your bass "wife" is patriarchal? It's a showing of appreciation and demonstrates the importance of the object in the player's life.

I find it very shortsighted to see the word "wife" only in a typical Judeo Christian, Western way as you seem to put it. Wives mean many things across the world, many cultures see "wives" very differently. Are all these people wrong and patriarchal, along with the bass players who use the word "wife" to refer to their instruments because they don't fit into a particular Western definition of the word?

I have no problem with players referring to their instruments as "wives".

John

 

[Rafael]

I've had this bass for over 30 years now...........

 

[Thudstaff]

Here's my wife. Early eighties Schecter custom with African Walnut slab body and one piece Wenge neck. Probably cut and/or assembled by Tom Anderson. (not shure). The truss hasn't been touched in 15 years. I replaced the stock pickups (boo) and replaced old w/DiMarzios and a Duncan J. I only use the p pickups though.
I spotted her in a pawn shop for $350. It was love at first sight. This was back in '93 when you could actually get a deal in a pawn shop. I've had a few other basses but have only gigged with this one. She's a big girl with a leather strap. 11.5 pounds! I'll never part with my bottom bitch!

-sorry photos are sideways.

 

[bass_lord_mutha]

This was my second bass, a '96 Ibanez SR506. Had it for about 9 years and played most of my gigs with it. Stupidly sold it about a year and a half ago.

 

[Eric Albany]

I dont believe in monogamy!
I still own every bass i ever bought and i love them all! The oldest one has been with me 9 years, the youngest 1 year, i love them all in their special way and will never sell any of them!

That's the spirit and the most complete and beautiful collection of bass I've ever seen. ::eyes widening::

 

[Handyman]

To those of you with worn looking "wives": does this make you a wife beater?

 

[Thudstaff]

Yeah, I named my wife (guitar) Tina cause I beat her like Ike.

 

[Bassist Jay]

I have 2. My 1994 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear bass and my 1995 Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear bass. I bought both brand new and up until this lat year, almost everything I have ever done in the music industry was done with both of these basses. I will never get rid of them either simply due to the sentimental value even though they are worth the least amount out of all of my basses that I own.

1994

1995

 

[Thudstaff]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Thudstaff]

Hers she is with her favorite outfit. Who's that lurking in the back?

 

[dhsierra1]

Wow, calling your bass "wife" is patriarchal? It's a showing of appreciation and demonstrates the importance of the object in the player's life.

I find it very shortsighted to see the word "wife" only in a typical Judeo Christian, Western way as you seem to put it. Wives mean many things across the world, many cultures see "wives" very differently. Are all these people wrong and patriarchal, along with the bass players who use the word "wife" to refer to their instruments because they don't fit into a particular Western definition of the word?

I have no problem with players referring to their instruments as "wives".

John

+1

The term "wife" is quite an honorific to bestow on someone significant in their life. That it's used on an instrument is justified as it's a sign of respect. No need to get politically correct w/the terminology

 

[bass_lord_mutha]

Wow, calling your bass "wife" is patriarchal? It's a showing of appreciation and demonstrates the importance of the object in the player's life.

I find it very shortsighted to see the word "wife" only in a typical Judeo Christian, Western way as you seem to put it. Wives mean many things across the world, many cultures see "wives" very differently. Are all these people wrong and patriarchal, along with the bass players who use the word "wife" to refer to their instruments because they don't fit into a particular Western definition of the word?

I have no problem with players referring to their instruments as "wives".

John

+1

Billy Sheehan calls his old modded Fender p-bass 'The Wife', because it was his main player for awhile and became the inspiration for the Yamaha Attitude bass he plays now. He may not gig with it anymore as far as I know, but I'd bet if anything bad ever happened to it, he'd be pretty upset.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

I've had the bass in my sig since 1994. Project basses have come and gone over the years, but it's going to be with me until I retire.

I started playing 5-string in the mid-80's, when it was a hassle even getting strings, and there wasn't much choice in music stores. I had some pretty defined ideas of what I wanted, but I had a young family, and couldn't afford to go to guys like Fodera or Carl Thompson.

A friend was in the early stages of setting up shop as a luthier, and offered me a chance to build my own bass in his shop. After reading everything I could, and measuring basses for about 6 months, I started the "design process". I put the word design in quotes, because I feel like what I really did, was simply steal the best ideas of the real innovators in the field. A couple of months later, I was ready to start making sawdust.

Along the way, I got some great deals on figured lumber, gained a whole new respect for professional luthiers, found out about a bunch of new suppliers, gained new skills, and learned a ton about the instrument itself.

Because it was a one-off (and a neck-through), I got to choose the dimensions of every element except the bridge and the machine heads. There's something very special about having a bass that was built from scratch, with everything designed around your needs and preferences. I finally played my first gig with it about a year after I started, and I've never looked back.

 

[GeneralElectric]

To those of you with worn looking "wives": does this make you a wife beater?

Seeing all these people with pristine looking players make me feel bad about the way I treat my bass!

 

[kcole4001]

Bought this (with parents help) in 1986 after a summer of house painting, mainly 2 story jobs up a rather rickety ladder.
To me it was well worth the many hours of hard work and risk of injury.
I still have her and gig her occasionally. I'm still impressed every time I play her.

After what seemed like an eternity playing my first POS bass and dreaming of owning a Rick, I happened to see it in the window of the local music store, for sale on consignment from the original owner, so I had to have it.

Still a great player, and I love the finish.
There were some scuffs and scrapes when I got it, but many of the little dings are mine alone, and there is a bare patch on the upper body from my arm rubbing for years.

I was also playing this bass when I met my wife (our drummer's sister).
It's been through a lot of gigs and good times with me.

1976 4000 FireGlo:

 

[KevInDaBassment]

I'm a polygamist...can't just stick with one =(