Herd Thinning?

[bassballs27]

Not to snarky, I'm actually curious, did you really play all 300 to any degree? Or just buy and flip?

I play every bass I purchase. That’s the point for me. It’s the experience.
Figure owning a bass for about a month.
In reality, if I didn’t have much interest, I’d sell or trade it even earlier. Many of the brands I’ve owned, you can’t experience at a local music shop. I’ve travelled to the U.S. to see some of the best music shops for bass. I’ve also met a few of the top builders in person.

I stick to a short list of brands that I developed personal interest in. And on occasion tried some brands outside my norm.

I set them up too, which has improved. I’ve learned a lot.
I didn’t know nearly as much as I did when I first started on this journey.
And that’s all from experiencing many basses.

 

[Rib 13]

The last time I thinned the herd, I started with 17 basses with the intention to go down to four or five........my issue is that I play, and especially record, with all of them. Plus, I started my YouTube channel.......Still, I decided to wheel-n-deal and reduce my stable....when all was said and done, I now have 27 basses <facepalm>, although many of those are temporaries for my YouTube channel

 

[tpaul]

That's simple: One bonfire and you're done. If you're after ruthless, that's about as ruthless as it gets.

Ruth has left the room.

 

[murphy]

I only owned two for many years. Then started experimenting with fretless and active electronics by purchasing new basses accordingly. But when I retired in 2020 I discovered the joy of building parts basses. Now I have 17 basses! Every time I say I'm going to stop I find another that I just have to have. In fact I just bought another body. Which means that I am now in the market for another fretless neck. STOP ME!

I am in a similar position because the Pandemic started my building frenzy....Highly Addictive.
Hard to let them go, except the odd one, when I invested so much of myself in each build!

 

[murphy]

The last time I thinned the herd, I started with 17 basses with the intention to go down to four or five........my issue is that I play, and especially record, with all of them. Plus, I started my YouTube channel.......Still, I decided to wheel-n-deal and reduce my stable....when all was said and done, I now have 27 basses <facepalm>, although many of those are temporaries for my YouTube channel

Love your Youtube...Just subscribed

 

[VeryTallBassist]

I am in a similar position because the Pandemic started my building frenzy....Highly Addictive.
Hard to let them go, except the odd one, when I invested so much of myself in each build!

I went from owning 2 before the pandemic to owning 7 now, and all but one have had modifications to get exactly what I'm looking for tone-wise. I'll tell you what - that experience alone (plus setting them all up) has taught me more about my actual instrument than the previous 30 years combined. Now it's hard to let any of them go because they are built/modded to serve an actual purpose. And they all get played at least once a week.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Once I haven't gigged with a bass for a year it gets a for sale sign on it.

 

[Bikeguy57]

Doc, you seem to agonize over the number of basses you own. Time for a little therapy.

1) 5 is NOT a lot of basses for an active player in 2023.

2) Your collection is all nice quality, reasonably priced, excellent "bang for your buck" basses.

3) You seem to really like, and play them all.

4) You seem like a good family man who puts your family first...You deserve a few nice nice basses.

5) Where do I send the bill

 

[Pop C]

I recently gave one for silent auction at a friends benefit, along with a new gig bag, strap and straplocks. That took me down to 7 and I have 2 more up for sale. I think I'll be happy with that. Until I see one I just HAVE to buy.

 

[bassbrad]

I enjoy having a choice of basses as mood or need strikes.

 

[red_rhino]

I think my high-water mark was 10 when I realized that having too many basses around was anxiety inducing for me. These days I'm down to 4 (technically 3, since my wife "adopted" one in order to prevent me from selling it). Even that's a couple more than I really want. I think my happy place is going to be two basses, both 4's; a jazz bass and probably my Tobias Classic.

I'm pretty good with where I'm at bass-wise these days. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

 

[metron]

It’s easy to get rid of basses when you have IMO the best P Bass Leo Fender ever made (that black G&L SB-1 is from the ‘80s, right)?

Yeah it’s a late 80s.

 

[Bitterdale]

The last time I thinned the herd, I started with 17 basses with the intention to go down to four or five........my issue is that I play, and especially record, with all of them. Plus, I started my YouTube channel.......Still, I decided to wheel-n-deal and reduce my stable....when all was said and done, I now have 27 basses <facepalm>, although many of those are temporaries for my YouTube channel

Gotta say, I Love your YouTube channel. The humor, editing and playing all make your videos fun and completely rewatchable!

 

[GIBrat51]

I started the year with 26 basses, 7 guitars, a mandolin, and a manky - but rare - old banjo. As of this moment, I'm down to 4 guitars - one of which will probably only be a wall hanger, since my stubby, sausage-fingers just don't work with a 12-string; the banjo (a left handed, long scale '63 ODE); and 21 basses. But, those 21 basses are the ones that fill every spot on the list that I made, some 30 years ago, of the basses I wanted. Yes, it's taken me that long to fill all the spots; being a lefty definitely made it... difficult. Still, I finally have the basses I want, so I can live with all 21 of them. I can live with the guitars, as well (that red 12-string does look nice on the wall). I even like the banjo, too. Well, as much as it's possible to like a banjo...