You can justify buying several basses the same way you justify buying a ski boat, a hot rod, an off road vehicle, a motorcycle, a pool table, or anything else that is expensive that you buy for your own enjoyment. I want it, I can afford it, I bought it.
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How does one justify owning several basses?
- Thread starter dan.ablett
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How does one justify owning several basses?
As a multiple bass owner, I still don't know. It's just Sh$% I have. No good reason for it.
As a multiple bass owner, I still don't know. It's just Sh$% I have. No good reason for it.
+1.
As far as any justifications go, if someone asks for justification, I just A/B/C my basses and let them hear the difference.
Really? You struggle with this? That must really suck. I'd hate to hear what happens when you face a quality problem.
I justify my collection like this.
A. They're all paid for from gig money- it's either pay the taxman for the income or spend the money on legitimate equipment for the business
B. They do different things, and I could even justify having more multiples. For example, I only have one Precision bass and it's got flats on it. Having another with roundwound strings would be a good move and entirely justified for the totally different applicatons
C. I have two basses essentially the same (a pair of Lakland 4-94s) as that's my primary gig bass. Having a spare bass on stage is just smart insurance. Having one that matches the main bass as much as possible means that there won't be big differerences in gain levels nor in EQ settings if I switch. That makes my life easier and the sound guy doesn't have to tear his hair out if I were to switch to something totally different.
D. At the same time totally different can be exactly what I want. If I swap the Lakland for the fretless it's because I think the music is served by that change.
So I have-
I. A Precision with flats, it's perfect for a lot of gigs, and not really right for a lot of others.
II. Two Lakland 4-94s. Versatile and wide range of useable sounds available. My primary stage bass for the last ten years, so I have a backup of it.
III. A fretless- duh, it's fretless!
IV. A 5-string- duh, it's a fiver!
V. A Sting Precision Bass- OK, it's just a great sounding bass that feels perfect and looks pretty cool. With a set of bright roundwounds it's my ultimate rock 'n' roll bass!
VI. A Guild Pilot- OK, this was supposed to be by roundwound P bass, and I always liked them when I was selling them new. This is an indulgence, but as my buddy with 35+ guitars (those skinny stringed things...) says "Hey, I don't play golf!".
That last comment is another critical factor. I don't spend money on cars (beyond maintenance and basic transportation), motorcycles, ball games, titty bars, booze, cable TV, golf, movies, model airplanes, Lionel trains, guns, fishing, boats, travel, etc. Other than two really good bicycles (one is sixteen years old so it's cost me $75/year, or about five cents a mile), I don't spend much money on hobbies. And I've made a lot of money gigging, so it's easy to justify a stable of basses and amps.
jte
A. They're all paid for from gig money- it's either pay the taxman for the income or spend the money on legitimate equipment for the business
B. They do different things, and I could even justify having more multiples. For example, I only have one Precision bass and it's got flats on it. Having another with roundwound strings would be a good move and entirely justified for the totally different applicatons
C. I have two basses essentially the same (a pair of Lakland 4-94s) as that's my primary gig bass. Having a spare bass on stage is just smart insurance. Having one that matches the main bass as much as possible means that there won't be big differerences in gain levels nor in EQ settings if I switch. That makes my life easier and the sound guy doesn't have to tear his hair out if I were to switch to something totally different.
D. At the same time totally different can be exactly what I want. If I swap the Lakland for the fretless it's because I think the music is served by that change.
So I have-
I. A Precision with flats, it's perfect for a lot of gigs, and not really right for a lot of others.
II. Two Lakland 4-94s. Versatile and wide range of useable sounds available. My primary stage bass for the last ten years, so I have a backup of it.
III. A fretless- duh, it's fretless!
IV. A 5-string- duh, it's a fiver!
V. A Sting Precision Bass- OK, it's just a great sounding bass that feels perfect and looks pretty cool. With a set of bright roundwounds it's my ultimate rock 'n' roll bass!
VI. A Guild Pilot- OK, this was supposed to be by roundwound P bass, and I always liked them when I was selling them new. This is an indulgence, but as my buddy with 35+ guitars (those skinny stringed things...) says "Hey, I don't play golf!".
That last comment is another critical factor. I don't spend money on cars (beyond maintenance and basic transportation), motorcycles, ball games, titty bars, booze, cable TV, golf, movies, model airplanes, Lionel trains, guns, fishing, boats, travel, etc. Other than two really good bicycles (one is sixteen years old so it's cost me $75/year, or about five cents a mile), I don't spend much money on hobbies. And I've made a lot of money gigging, so it's easy to justify a stable of basses and amps.
jte
My two main basses: a Geddy jazz and a Gibson EB-3. Different as night and day! The difference is more useful with my cover band than in my originals band. But having experienced the confusion, chaos and other musicians that surround the 3-or-4-bands-per-gig originals circuit -- I'll leave the Gibson at home for them.
I also have an acoustic upright for -- acoustic gigs!
And I have a couple other basses that I got for curiosity's sake: a 6 string fretless, an Ashbory, an EUB. They didn't cost me that much to try out, and they cost me nothing to keep. I don't know if I'll ever gig out with them on a regular basis, unless it's for novelty.
As for six-stringers: well, there's gotta be a classic electric or two (strat, 335), acoustics in various body styles and woods (dreadnought, 000, folk, laminate, solid, mahogany, rosewood, ovangkol, etc. & etc.) -- you get the picture . . .
I also have an acoustic upright for -- acoustic gigs!
And I have a couple other basses that I got for curiosity's sake: a 6 string fretless, an Ashbory, an EUB. They didn't cost me that much to try out, and they cost me nothing to keep. I don't know if I'll ever gig out with them on a regular basis, unless it's for novelty.
As for six-stringers: well, there's gotta be a classic electric or two (strat, 335), acoustics in various body styles and woods (dreadnought, 000, folk, laminate, solid, mahogany, rosewood, ovangkol, etc. & etc.) -- you get the picture . . .
No disrespect intended, but were you really high when you wrote this?
Just trying to understand.................
I have 4, but have a good reason for each.
my first, my father built for me when I was wanting to learn bass. I will never get rid of that, ever. It's a piece, but the sentimental value is through the roof.
My second bass I purchased is my main bass. It's a Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass (the all black one). I use that for shows, etc.
My third is an acoustic/electric bass that I use for...well acoustic shows, and for playing places without electricity. I actually use that one quite a lot...its a lot of fun to play.
I also just bought a Schecter Hellcat VI. Completely different beast than the Aerodyne Jazz. 6 Strings with guitar-like spacing, and a shorter scale (E-e tuning). That was my guilty pleasure.
I obviously didn't need the Hellcat, but it is different enough. It's not like i have 4 electric 4 string basses. They are all different.
my first, my father built for me when I was wanting to learn bass. I will never get rid of that, ever. It's a piece, but the sentimental value is through the roof.
My second bass I purchased is my main bass. It's a Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass (the all black one). I use that for shows, etc.
My third is an acoustic/electric bass that I use for...well acoustic shows, and for playing places without electricity. I actually use that one quite a lot...its a lot of fun to play.
I also just bought a Schecter Hellcat VI. Completely different beast than the Aerodyne Jazz. 6 Strings with guitar-like spacing, and a shorter scale (E-e tuning). That was my guilty pleasure.
I obviously didn't need the Hellcat, but it is different enough. It's not like i have 4 electric 4 string basses. They are all different.
I have 13 or 14 basses. 4, 5, 6 strings, acoustic, fretless, rounds vs flats, etc. They mostly sound different and I enjoy having all of them (I play them all and tend to rotate around when I get bored.)
Some people snort coke, some gamble, some drive Harleys, some collect art, some buy really expensive stereo equipment, some have a cottage, etc.... I own lots of basses. It is my passion!
Some people snort coke, some gamble, some drive Harleys, some collect art, some buy really expensive stereo equipment, some have a cottage, etc.... I own lots of basses. It is my passion!
Dan,
That's a good question. We live in a country where we are bombarded by the message, "You can't be happy unless you have more." Some of us here are even addicted and would have a difficult time stopping the purchase of another bass in our lifetime. It's like when I was a kid and I had to have this Matchbox truck. I couldn't live without it. However after about two weeks I was bored and wanted something else. There's a hole in the human chest that can't be filled.
Personally I own more than one bass because I'm always in a situation where I need different tools to do a job. Some songs require more sustained tones because there's fewer musicians and more space to fill, whereas other times there are so many instruments playing that I need a short thumpy tone that ends quickly. In other words, if I just had a screw driver, I couldn't hammer nails very well and I need several basses that can handle different situations. Some of my basses I don't need. I purchased them because I was curious to how they sounded. However, I love basses because they are the perfect merge of art and music.
However, if you want to know how I really feel PM me.
I don't need to justify it; I'm not a socialist. Plus, the only person I need to justify anything to is God and he's not asking.
Mike
Mike
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