Do you own multiples of the same bass? Why?

[allotabass]

I own 5 PBasses, '66 CBS, '57 RI, '62 RI, '98 AmStd, '99 AmStd. They all sound the same. Never thought about - why.

AGREED!! I too found what works and kept going.
16 Jazz Basses and counting and only one Precision (because someone told me I had to.....btw they were wrong). All passive with mostly David Starr electronics and SME pickups. Same strings for all, same amp settings for all.

 

[jasonrp]

Right now I just have my MiM p from the 90s, when I get another bass it will be exactly like the one I have (the Mendel sig is setup the same so I'll just hunt for one of those)

 

[Chrisk-K]

Geddy said during the 80's that his red Wal sounded different from his black Wal simply because it was red. No two basses feel and sound the same.

 

[andruca]

Same thing happened to me. I had brief affairs with other bases, they all ended as soon as I went back to my Stingray5. Got a second one to have as a backup some years ago when gigging more often than nowadays. Early this year, and after looking into some other basses for versatility I decided a 2 PU thin neck EBMM was the furthest I wanted to go, so I got a Sterling5 HS, same neck profile as my SR5s but sorta P/J-ish (with added balls and playability). That's it for me.

 

[rasicci]

Same bass, different pickups and pre's.

 

[TBird1958]

But my question is, do you have multiples of the same bass for either different configurations, cosmetic reasons, fretted/fretless version, ... ?

Because Thunderbirds........................

 

[Gougedeye]

It is curious this thread came up. I was just asking myself that very question after my last purchase. I now own 3 Lakland 55-94s. I'll post pics when the 3rd shows up on Monday. the only rationalization I have for this, is they sound like what I like and they play like what I like to play...I think I may add more to the collection.

 

[Watchootognbout]

I have 6 Vantage VP710B.
Just because i love them, and learned to play on one in the eighties,View attachment 1123513 and they are dirt cheap!
I bought better and better 710's and kept them all.

I remember seeing those in Guitar Player Mag back then.
A poor man's Alembic someone called them!
Not a bad thing!
Never saw them in a store though.

 

[jcerio]

Two Fender Prophecy II four strings. One is cherry burst/active/fretted, the other is blue burst/passive/fretless. Just because I love the way they sound and play. I also own a Fender Prophecy III - mahogany/bubinga/neck through/EMG. Great bass to record with. I have a Fender Japan MB5 with EMG JAX pups and a Squier MB5 I use in rehearsal. Just like my two MTD Kingston 5 strings (Z5 and Grendel - my main basses) I'll never part with any of my family!

 

[LHbassist]

I currently have three lefty p-basses, two are Fender Japan '62 reissues. They are great basses, fit and finish second to none.. but they are not accurate in the hardware they use. One is modded to be almost exactly like it would be coming out of the factory in the early 60's. Duncan vintage pickup, allthread bridge, tin guard shield, Lake Placid Blue with mint green guard, reverse tuners, thumb rest, flats. CTS pots and .050 cap. Switchcraft jack. the other is also a Fender Japan, in Candy Red. Same except it has an EMG pickup, and it just kicks ass. I also have a Warmoth p-j, painted Dodge Viper blue with an uber-rare lefty gold anodized pick guard. Maple neck vintage tinted, early 70's Fender p-bass pickup, and a Schaller dual coil in the bridge. Pre-CBS allthread Fender bridge, CTS pots, and reverse tuners. Sounds a lot different than the other two basses. All sound like a p-bass, but the difference in tones from each, are noticeable.
I have five Jazz basses, and the same thing is true of those. Different configurations, different tones, different applications. Instead of modding one or two basses to get different tones and feels, I just set up all of them to do different things.

 

[BurnOut]

I'd like to get a second BTB 4 string. Cause I love and use mine so much. I do have a BTB 5 already. Other than all that, all my basses are very different.

 

[Lava]

Bought the Rosewood and Maple Sadowsky Metros to decide which I like the sound of better and now I can't seem to let either one go...

 

[Antisyzygy]

I already own a Bongo 5 and every time I think I'd like to have another bass, I keep coming back to mine and falling back in love with it. I started with halfwounds and then moved to flats. I keep a modest action on the bass as well. But this leaves much to be desired for a nice bright and in your face bass with low action for noodling. So I've been periodically poking around the classifieds in my area and saw another Bongo 5 for cheap. I want to grab it and put some rounds on it and lower the action as much as possible to have that diversity of tone I already know I like. I'm not sure if this sounds crazy though?

But my question is, do you have multiples of the same bass for either different configurations, cosmetic reasons, fretted/fretless version, ... ?

Not at the moment, but I have before. I used to have way more basses, but I kinda figured out that having more doesn't always translate in to having more capabilities most of the time. Often I'd settle on one or two basses and ignore the rest. So I sold a bunch.

Right now I have a G&L SB-1, a Fender Mustang PJ, a Fender Jazz Special Fretless (PJ), and a Fender Jazz. The Mustang is different enough from the Jazz Special I don't think of them as the same, fretless vs. fretted aside.

Usually I'd own more than one of the same model because of string or pickup differences. It's really the same reason you might own a P and a J. You get some tonal coverage or different use cases out of each.

I own one Fender Mustang PJ and I like the form factor and controls so much Im strongly considering a second one in a different color. I'll also swap it's pickups out for something a bit different, keeping my other Mustang stock.

This Mustang PJ also seems like a collector item, being the first bass Fender made like it and how popular it is, so I want one stock anyway. Then I can play with some upgrades, or just differences, on the other.

 

[dabbler]

OK, I happen to really, really like the necks on SX basses. That's one reason I have so many. Different pup configurations, colors (especially LPB), electronics, fretted/fretless, neck joint, neck wood, body wood, string type and number of strings. I like variety and I like comparing the impact of differences. Most of mine are J's, but I also have versions of most major bass styles except Ric. The only place I play "out" is church and I typically take a J (SX or Sire), but occasionally I take something different.

Variety is the spice of life, plus my herd has taught me much about what matters (to me) in a bass. That and allowed me to gain much experience setting up and modding basses. They are the elements of my school of Bass.

 

[Green1]

3 Nordy 5 strings and 2 MTD 535's for me. Only 2 of the Nordys have the same specs as far as wood and electronics, but because of the handmade factor they are still different. I feel that I can cover anything with these basses. For J basses I don't think anyone does it any better than Nordstrand, when I want something different than a J bass I reach for the MTD's. Its the best of both worlds for me at least.

 

[khutch]

Not exactly but at one time I did have a Deluxe Active Jazz, Standard Jazz Fretless, Standard Jazz V, and a Reggie Hamilton Standard Jazz. No real plan, no profound reason, just wanted to try them all. Currently I have the Reggie, an SR605, and a Squier VI so I have diversified quite a bit from my position of a few years ago!

 

[Antisyzygy]

OK, I happen to really, really like the necks on SX basses. That's one reason I have so many. Different pup configurations, colors (especially LPB), electronics, neck joint, neck wood, body wood, string type and number of strings. I like variety and I like comparing the impact of differences. Most of mine are J's, but I also have versions of most major bass styles except Ric. The only place I play "out" is church and I typically take a J (SX or Sire), but occasionally I take something different.

Variety is the spice of life, plus my herd has taught me much about what matters (to me) in a bass. That and allowed me to gain much experience setting up and modding basses. They are the elements of my school of Bass.

I've never played an SX. I can't get my mind past the cheap part, like I think it won't take a good setup. I know that's not true so often anymore but it's hard to shake.

Do they take a good setup? How low does the action go? Do they need some fretwork?

Anyway, I like cheap but good things though. Fender Mexico convinced me they make great stuff now over the last few years.

 

[brianrost]

In the past I had two otherwise identical Steinbergers, one fretted and one fretless.

I currently own four P-basses, but none of them are identical...different years, different electronics, one is a five string so no two sound or feel the same.

 

[Gaolee]

Because Thunderbirds........................

I was going to say the same thing. Only not quite as well.

 

[TBird1958]

I was going to say the same thing. Only not quite as well.

Good Scotch and Thunderbirds - ya need to drop by