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How does one justify owning several basses?

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#101
And I don't get rid of guitars. I learned the hard way that I like them too much and want to come back to them from time to time.

But over 25 years, I am able from time to time to find enough money to indulge myself in a new instrument.

I've spent far less on my basses than I have on putting food on my table and a roof over my head -- over the last 20 years. It seems exorbitant but no more than any other real hobby. If you want to enjoy it you have to be willing to cough up the cash -- and I do occasionally donate to other socially responsible causes. It's not like I'm sitting on the deck of my yacht cruising past the remains of New Orleans, playing my bass.
 
#102
I own 6 basses and i plan on getting many more in the near future, for me it feels like every time i walk into my room its like im walking into a guitar store and i like being able to choose what one i feel like playing.
 
#103
I own 3 - A 1979 Ibanez Silver Series PJ for rockin (played with a plectrum), a six string for noodling about on, and a Warwick $$ 4 banger for slap/everything else.

All seem justified to me. I'd really like a fretless, but saving for a mortgage at the moment so no spare funds.
 
#105
I look at it like this. Some women have many purses. Some people own a lot of shoes. Guns televisions etc its all the same. You can only use one at a time. Some are different so then maybe a few is reasonable. But humans we do what we like not what's practicle. Same with price you can get but with less than a wal or other 5000 basses. I never played a real gig yet. I have 5 basses cause I want to and I can kinda afford it. Its my anti drug
 
#106
I have 5 basses (although one is up for sale) which I never really expected, because I always have a "number 1" that is my go-to instrument.

But I do sessions from time to time and also play with a couple of different groups of players, and having multiple instruments makes it possible to fit the bass to the gig.

I know there's a school of thought that says you can do everything with a Fender Precision, and I probably could...but I don't want to!

My basses all fill a particular niche for me:

MM Stingray HS - A modern active bass...this is my number 1 these days and my first choice for lots of music.

MIA Precision - If I need a passive instrument for the vintage, old school vibe this nails it every time.

Fretless Jazz - "And now for something completely different!" Just brings a whole different vibe to the music and makes me think and play differently too.

Active 5 string Jazz - I'm not a big fiver guy, but I play with one group that transposes keys quite a bit (after I've learned the song in a different one) and this makes it easier to deal with.

The Ray and the Precision are expensive American models, but the fretless and the 5 string are both late model Squiers (very nice quality and insane prices) so the pair of them cost me less than $600 bucks.

That doesn't seem too indulgent to me :)
 
#109
I never really considered myself much of a collector, but I do seem to have somehow accumulated way more basses than I ever really thought I would. I'm actually trying so sell a number of them.

Carvin LB70P - first 'high end' bass, for sale
Carvin AC40f - I needed a fretless, for sale because I want a different fretless
Carvin IC4 - favorite 4 string, also the reason the LB70 is for sale
Carvin IC6 - because damn it, five strings isn't enough
Mike Lull 5 string J - vintage tone, feels like an old friend
Warmoth 5 string P - Worst purchase ever, not for sale b/c it's worthless

So there's three from that list I want to get rid of to make room for my big 'final' purchase: A Conklin 6 string fretless. I say 'final' only because it's the last thing I can think of that I 'need' (read: want), and because it's really time to focus on some recording equipment.

Of course, if the right vintage Rick happens to cross my path... Well, what can you do?
 
#110
Cerpin_Taxt said:
People are free to buy whatever they want.
Click to expand...

+1.

This thread is getting silly. There is no reason to care what anyone else owns or why they own it.

I have 9 basses AND my wife has a Chanel purse that cost more than my Sadowsky NYC. Who cares? We both work our asses off in sales and nice things are how we incent and push ourselves. We aren't rich but we buy what we want with bonus and extra money.

If I want a dozen $2000 basses (even though I only make $100-200 a few times a month playing afforementioned basses), so be it. My money and my decision.

People have different priorities and spend cash differently. To each their own, I always say.

P.S. Buying that friggin' stupid purse did hurt though.:spit:
 
#111
You don't....at least in the eyes of my (fantastic) wife I cannot.....but I do own 4 and am working on number 5!

PS - to myself - I justify it based on variety of sound and feel....bass players know why you need different basses (and some other musicians understand as well), but....."normal people" cannot see the justification.
 
#113
I have them setup differently.

P-bass has a high action so i can play really aggressive with a pick or fingerstyle and not get fret buzz. Great for rock setting.

Bongo has a super low action which is perfect for slap.


And the last is fretless which shouldn't be a in the same class.
 
#115
fullrangebass said:
I own several basses in need of different sounds (no bass can provide all sounds required IMHO). I even own several (different spec-ed) basses from the same model, due to the playability and ergonomics being top notch, as well as (vastly) different tones between the same basses
Click to expand...

I guess it all depends on the variety of tone you're looking for. At this point in time, I only see a "need" for three things:

1. An aggressive 5 string - I play a ton of stuff from contemporary Christian to metal that I'd love this for, so I just bought a Dingwall AB I to do the trick.

2. A versatile 6 string. Once I bought a 6, I can't live without having at least one around. I want it to be crystal clear for the chord work I do with it.

3. A "vintage" 5 string. This would be a 4 string, but I don't ever really slap, so the extra string is no bother and only opens more possibilities. It will be a Dingwall Super PJ, so I can get the P tone and approximate a J tone - vintage tone but with modern clarity.


I may add more basses in the future, but for now these three will do. Someone like fullrange appreciates the subtleties between instruments more than I do. There's nothing wrong with either approach. I can hear the differences, but I'm not at a point where there tiniest differences matter to me. It's all a matter of personal preference.
 
#116
Phalex said:
The cardboard box bass is great for stage shtick.
Click to expand...

Plus you can carry your cables & gear home in it!

I have 4 basses. Two are frivolous, I'll admit, and I only have them because I have enough money to spend on extra basses.

1. My 1978 Fender PBass - a graduation gift from my father, he played this professionally back when I was still a gleam in his eye.
2. My upright - significantly different from anything else.
3. My G&L L2500. After I got a new job, the first thing I did, with my first check I got was to buy a bass. It sounds great & I love it.
4. I tried a couple of Pedullas in Guitar Centers around the country, and really love a friend's Tobias Killer B, so when I saw one, I went and bought it. It feels great & sounds so smooth (5 string).

I only play the Pedulla nowadays, particularly because my time is spent studying graduate thermodynamics & it is the one in the gig bag, the others are in hard cases, and tougher to get to. They all have different tones, and as I found out the other night, the same strings on the different basses sound different. Yes, I could have bought my girlfriend an engagement ring, and I could have put $2k into my car (to pay off the bank). I succumbed to consumerism / GAS fair & square, but I don't buy a new bass until the last one has earned enough money to completely pay for itself. I'll be playing a lot of $80 gigs with the Pedulla!

I also collect briar pipes. As soon as school is over, I'll upload a picture of them. I can only smoke one at a time, but it helps to have a couple in rotation, and I bought them for special occasions in my life.

The next time I have some disposable income, I think I am going to buy a late 70's Lincoln Town Car. Those things are so cool. How cool would it be to show up to a gig in a town car that's older than me, playing some funky tunes on the radio?

I make enough money, and it provides a LOT of enjoyment, so why not?

imp
 
#117
I can answer this in one word, really; versatility.

If you play one type of music with one one or two techniques, you probably only need one bass. If you are a working, professional bassplayer having one bass is definitely going to limit which gigs you can do. If you want more options chances are that one type of bass won't cover it. I doubt the average extended range bassist who plays an 8+ string bass is going to want to haul it around to play a cover gig for three hours or will impress the producer at a session gig if that is the only gig he takes, for example. On the other hand why should someone stick to just playing a 4 string? Also, obviously, fretted and fretless basses sound different. Not to mention tonal differences between different basses.
 
#118
My wife got on the computer and I had this thread up on the screen. She started reading it and she simply stated "Well if your wife ain't yelling at you then your cool".

I have different basses because I love the different tones I get from them, simply put. Sometimes I get tired of one bass and its nice to pick another bass and draw inspiration from it.
 
#119
I love my basses, some have turned out to be good investments, some sound like no other, and some I just like.
Overall I am passionate about basses, and I love owning a nice pile of them. I don't play all of them, but the ones in the lineup do get a good run.
 
#120
The more obvious reason (to me) would be fretted/fretless.
Then, adapting the sound/look of the bass to the style of the gig/band.
I don't think that one bass can do it all, but perhaps I've never played the right instrument (concerning quality and versatility).
In fact, I've never owned a "high end" instrument myself (or even "high middle end" ;) ), though I'm planning to get myself a Sandberg one day.
If I do get my hands on a good one eventually, would I need or will to get rid of my current main axe (kinda customized MIM JB) ? I'm not sure. Memories, you know ?
 
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