How many bass guitars do you need?

[Lee H]

I have three that I use primarily. They are not P basses, and they are not fenders. All three have a humbucker and a J pickup
one is a fiver, one is a 4 strung in BEAD, and one is a 4 strung in EADG

 

[JehuJava]

What is it with folks always preaching to get a P?

No crap.

I got my first p a couple years ago after 20 years or so of playing. Not impressed. Traded it away. Back to soap bars.

Well I guess that's not entirely true. My pedulla had a pj and so did my first bass...the cort. And so did my aria pro ii cat bass. But I had no idea what I was hearing back then.

 

[zsahadak]

See if you can find a Highway One, they're made in america but not as expensive as the American Standard. They have a nitro finish, Leo Quan Bridge, and different electronics than the standard. They look and sound great, I have the Jazz in sunburst.

 

[Stilettoprefer]

I have 3 electrics and two uprights. I could cut down to one bass. That would be my active Schecter. Only because that thing is a tone monster and gets the most use out of all of them.

If I did sell everything but the Schecter, id only get $1000 max though.... My uprights suck so bad it's embarrassing haha.

 

[invader3k]

I always felt a gigging bass player needed two basses. I have actually had to switch out basses mid song after breaking the E string on one of my basses (have no idea how I did that, but it broke). If I hadn't brought another bass, the song would have train-wrecked. I was able to change out just in time to nail a bass solo part in the song.

 

[georgestrings]

I don't think you need the beater, but we always seem to have one around, don't we?

I think that's a pretty comprehensive list of a bare minimum that studio guys might want to have with them. However, most of us aren't studio guys and don't need the depth. For example, I've played one gig in 5 years that I thought required a 5-string, and when I got there, they asked me not to bother with the 5-string because the writer of the chart didn't know what he was doing. And there was one time in my life I was ever asked about fretless, I said I didn't have one but I would play it if they rented me one, and they said fretted would be fine

Just goes to show how players have different situations - in my main gig, I pretty much have to play a 5er atleast half the night - in the other gig, a 4 string is just fine... Although *I* don't have any need for a fretless, I can certainly understand how some players could need one - then need a fretted bass for other stuff... Also, many P&W players need 5ers, but might play in other projects where a 4 string is a better fit...

Like most blanket statements, saying that all any player needs is one bass is pretty rediculous... You mentioned many working pros that only bring one bass to a gig - by all means, name even one working pro that actually owns only one bass???


- georgestrings

 

[timbros]

.....just retired....

You should do what you feel like doing. If that means getting a P for no other reason other than because you always wanted one then do it. That's what retirement is for!

Take Care,
Timbros.

 

[Evil Undead]

I guess I'm a bit (read: a lot) biased, as I've just sold off pretty much everything I own and bought an American Standard Precision and all I have to say is that it's worth every penny in my opinion.

I don't miss my other basses at all since this turned up in the mail on Thursday! Buy one - you won't regret it.

One thing - I would advise against going halves with the wife - whether her heart's in it or not, she will probably use it against you in an argument at some point in the future, but more importantly for me, I'd want to play a bass that I bought with my own cash.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

You mentioned many working pros that only bring one bass to a gig - by all means, name even one working pro that actually owns only one bass???

Linley Marthe.

 

[seang15]

Lol. Totally. But at the same time, you should definitely get one.

LOL Picktastic! I will keep that in mind!

 

[Ric5]

How many bass guitars do you need?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JUST ONE MORE

 

[adi77]

You really only NEED one. Everyone will chime in with this and that, but really, one.

Flame away, but deep down you know I'm right.

maybe 2 bro.. backup etc

 

[gjbassist]

Need? IMO a gigging musician needs two, a regular player and a back up.

Want? As many as my wife will let me purchase!

 

[ShowKing]

Need? IMO a gigging musician needs two, a regular player and a back up.

Want? As many as my wife will let me purchase!

+1

 

[Rip Topaz]

Need? IMO a gigging musician needs two, a regular player and a back up.

Want? As many as my wife will let me purchase!

+1

 

[1SHOT1HIT]

There's no rule to what anyone needs.

If one guy feels he needs 137 bass' then that's what he needs, because he believes he needs them, so w/o them he'd not be prepared. Therefore he needs them.

If another guy needs 4 same thing.

Or 2 or 1 or none or whatever TO EACH HIS OWN.

Get over it people, you can not dictate what others NEED just because you feel differently.

This is the same thing as the Squire vs Fodera quality thread.

You can't say that another guy isn't getting the same enjoyment out of his Squire just because you don't believe it's possible.

Again TO EACH HIS OWN. These things are subjective to each different person. And nobody is right and nobody is wrong. It is different for every person.

This goes for tone as well, and different audio applications.

 

[JoeYello]

You really just need a P-bass.....and a SVT,

 

[alfred88]

I have seven presently and my favorite is: the next new one!

 

[Peter S]

How many basses do I need??
ALL OF THEM!

I am the OP

I really love this forum. Just look at the response above for cleverness. Most of you got the answer right and I bought the new P bass. I put D'Addario Chromes ECB81 flatwounds on her and named her "Patsy" after the wife - she did go halfers. Just finished cleaning the underside of her car and only another 999 Patsy jobs to do. For information the ECB81's are not long enough to go through the body so it is strung from the bridge as normal.

There are very very few second hand instruments of any kind in Ireland. It really is a small place and Precisions, even a few years old, have a very heavy pricetag.

I don't understand the wirewound sound on bass except the way Jaco sounds. When I started around 1968 I don't even know if wirewound strings existed for bass. Anbody know if I am right about this and if so when wirewounds came out? Not knocking wirewounds - to each his own etc. I should say that one of my heroes is James Jamerson and I am sure this has something to do with the Precsion thing. On the other hand Tal Wilkenfeld is brilliant at such an early age - so lucky - and she uses a Sadowsky Jazz. I think there is something very fundamental about that Precision thump sound and once you have got it it does not go away - like herpes only in a nice way. After reading so many views and having spent the money I feel committed to practice and more practice and that can only be good for an average joe like me.

Thank you all for your input. The P bass sounds just like I wanted. At the minute I have a bit of light sponge fitted to stop the twang of new strings but I will probably be able to remove it in a few days. The bass has not left my hands since I bought it. I even fingerpick it (unplugged) when watching TV lol. I am a happy man. Rickenbackers look nice dont they Pete

 

[Basstardus]

I really need only my Stingray, but it's not bad to have a P and a J.