How many basses are too many?

[quickfix]

I only have two and I'm always confused about which one to take with me. But then, I'll bag'em both and throw them into the car.

Oh yeah. I just remembered why I bought the extra.

Getting old sucks.

 

[Watchootognbout]

You talkin' 'bout me?

And you know it's bad when I've bought two basses within the last thirty days and I'm looking for another!?!?!?!
Hope I don't find it!
And my tax refund is coming.
Help!

 

[Max Blasto]

Assuming unlimited fundage, answer is null.

As has been mentioned, some people like to collect things. Comic books, stamps, shoes. Bass guitars. If you're Jay Leno, cars and motor cycles. I figure if you love it, and you can afford it, what does it matter?

Others can't see the point of owning more than you need. That's not a collector mentality, it's a utilitarian mentality. Makes perfect sense, if making sense is important.

I'm a collector now, but spent the early part of my career with only one bass. Didn't want more. Didn't need more. But I couldn't afford more either.
Now, I'm in a funny position: I can afford more, but I actually need more too. Gigs that require more than that one bass needed back in the day. But it's the collector mentality that really drives it. For me, bass guitars are more than instruments, certainly more that just tools, they are objects d'art. They are just as cool hanging on the wall in my studio as they are hanging on my shoulder at a gig. And there's always something one of them can do that the others can't soundwise, giving each a sonic personality that affects the way I play.

So, for those of us who can do anything you want with those two identical P basses, God bless ya. It's a great approach. I'm doing something else, but I'll still be cheering at your gig.

 

[Sandman64]

I keep it under 10 to stay married. If I really want a new bass, I have to decide which one I have to part with. I've found it does help control the G.A.S. somewhat. It kind of goes like this. See a bass on Ebay or at a local store that I really like. Decide, yeah, that's my next purchase! Go home pull out all of my basses. Sit down and play them all for about a half an hour. Then go, I can't sell any of these! Problem solved. lol

 

[4001]

I keep it under 10 to stay married.

I'm at 9 and still want a P-Bass.....

 

[Nedmundo]

For me, it's too many when either I don't play or can't store them all. At one point I was up to seven, which was too many. I didn't have enough space, and some were rarely or never played, so I sold a few. After some buying and selling, I'm down to a nice, comfortable four.

As long as I'm playing gigs -- which are rare these days but should increase soon -- I don't want to go below three. That way, if one is getting repaired I still have a backup.

Meanwhile, the electric guitar collection has crept up to three, which IMO isn't entirely reasonable because I haven't played guitar on stage for over 20 years! But what the heck. I really dig them, and I do play all of them. If I were completely convinced I'd never play a guitar gig ever again, I'd probably sell my HH hardtail Strat, but it would be a phenomenal workhorse in a rock band, so it stays.

 

[Doner Designs]

When changing strings and adjusting the setup for seasonal changes becomes too much work.

 

[felis]

I'd think that when you have more basses than this guy has guitars, you've got way too many (start at 2:22):

 

[Doner Designs]

I peaked at 6 and consolidated down to 4 nicer ones (plus a fretless neck that fits them all).

 

[rogerbmiller]

The OP is asking the wrong question.

The question is not how many bass is too many.

The is how many basses are enough.

And the answer is "Just one more!"

 

[MakoMan]

No judging by me or anyone else, and this is subjective, but how do you know when you have enough?

I own two -a MIM Fender FSR Jazz and a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Precision. Both have upgraded pickups and strings but are otherwise stock. They cover as much sonic ground as I need to or want to cover. I play each of them equally -trading off just about every other week.

I enjoy following TB and have GAS as much as anyone, but every time I see something I want to buy (and that is often), I question whether it would get enough attention.

I think I have enough room in my stable for maybe one more bass, but it really has to be special - either a 1973 Precision, a nice American Standard, or even something custom (and by custom, it could be a frankenbass).

What is your cutoff?

Thanks for the rant

I'm not sure how many is enough, but 3 definitely is not
I think though as long as you play enough to give all the basses you have a decent amount of playing time, they sky's the limit. If one or several are not getting out of the case for months at a time, or you have to find a reason to play them, you may have too many basses.

 

[DirkP]

I have 4 Js, 2 Ps, two Bass VIs, 1 Ukulele-Bass, 1 Stingray. I think about selling a Jazz and definitely one of the Bass VIs.

For me the main advantage of owning two Ps and at least 2 Js (4 are too many) is very pragmatic: For me strings have the most impact on the sound of a similar(!) bass (much more than woods or pickup position or electronics). I would be far too lazy to change from roundwounds to flats on the same bass. I have roundwounds, tapewounds, lighter gauge flatwounds and the heaviest of them all: Labella 54s on one of my basses. You learn a lot about different sounds, if you have the luxury to just grab this other P or J with rounds or flats and keep on playing and listening.
The U-bass is just fun and was just 129,-, I definitely keep it. I just have to have one Stingray.
I sold two G&Ls a year ago, 'cause I simply didn't play them for years or just stopped using them after days if I tried them again.
Could imagine to maybe sell one of my Ps and get another one or two of my Js and get another one.
But I'm quite happy with what I have.

 

[twinjet]

Eh, I just buy to fill niches, as others have mentioned.

I own a fretless fiver, an L-2000 as a Swiss Army bass, and an American Standard P. I pretty much have what I need.

...and a hundred ain't enough.

OMG is that a fanned/multiscale/curved moldable graphite neck on the front? MUST BUY.

 

[Nev375]

It's different for each of us. But your wife knows the answer.

 

[ThePresident777]

Assuming unlimited fundage, answer is null.

As has been mentioned, some people like to collect things. Comic books, stamps, shoes. Bass guitars. If you're Jay Leno, cars and motor cycles. I figure if you love it, and you can afford it, what does it matter?

Others can't see the point of owning more than you need. That's not a collector mentality, it's a utilitarian mentality. Makes perfect sense, if making sense is important.

I'm a collector now, but spent the early part of my career with only one bass. Didn't want more. Didn't need more. But I couldn't afford more either.
Now, I'm in a funny position: I can afford more, but I actually need more too. Gigs that require more than that one bass needed back in the day. But it's the collector mentality that really drives it. For me, bass guitars are more than instruments, certainly more that just tools, they are objects d'art. They are just as cool hanging on the wall in my studio as they are hanging on my shoulder at a gig. And there's always something one of them can do that the others can't soundwise, giving each a sonic personality that affects the way I play.

So, for those of us who can do anything you want with those two identical P basses, God bless ya. It's a great approach. I'm doing something else, but I'll still be cheering at your gig.

So if you had enough money, you would have all the basses and we would have to play guitar?? I hate you! (/joke)

 

[Antisyzygy]

No judging by me or anyone else, and this is subjective, but how do you know when you have enough?

I own two -a MIM Fender FSR Jazz and a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Precision. Both have upgraded pickups and strings but are otherwise stock. They cover as much sonic ground as I need to or want to cover. I play each of them equally -trading off just about every other week.

I enjoy following TB and have GAS as much as anyone, but every time I see something I want to buy (and that is often), I question whether it would get enough attention.

I think I have enough room in my stable for maybe one more bass, but it really has to be special - either a 1973 Precision, a nice American Standard, or even something custom (and by custom, it could be a frankenbass).

What is your cutoff?

Thanks for the rant

I have no cutoff, it would depend on what I'm doing I guess. I could see a studio musician owning a bunch just to get different sounds for the music. You know, maybe a 5-string, a fretless, a EB-3, a P-bass, a J-bass, a Stingray, etc. Just to cover the classic tones and a little more.

I currently own 3 basses but I easily offloaded about 10 last year to upgrade to a nice core set of basses. I also did it because I'm moving out of state soon.

I think I'd be 100% content with :

1. SB-1 (got it)
2. SB-2 (got it)
3. Fender P or G&L LB100 (I got the Fender P)
4. Fretless SB-2
5. 5-string of some sort
6. An active 4 string PJ for gigging (budget model)
7. Some kind of Gibson or Epiphone Japan EB-3 just because I want one
8. An E-C bass just for experimenting just because I want one

1-6 have a purpose for me. 7 and 8 are just wants.

 

[deste]

hmmm... let me think...
Not counting my trusted DB (and a cheap, dust-collecting, EUB), I can see:

1) active J
2) fretless J
3) active fretless
4) passive J
5) shortscale hollowbody

plus:
6) first "good" bass, 30 yrs ago
7) P
8) active 5 str.
9) fretless J (soon to be sold)

plus:
10) passive J (borrowed)
11) fretless 35'' acoustic (borrowed)

They're too many, ok, I could use only 1) to 5) to cover a very wide tonal palette; but if in a blues gig I want that classical P-sound, I can have it, or a midrangy 80's japanese sound, I can have it...

Ask yourself the limit. And enjoy what you have.

 

[wintremute]

As long as it's not adversely affecting your life, then it doesn't matter how many.

 

[Groove Doctor]

It's like this: 1 bass, two basses, 4 basses, 9 basses, 15 basses.

I have 12 now, had up to 15 (lost count for a few months, hehe). Gave 2 cheapies away, sold one. I could cull to 7 as a minimum - gigging basses + collectible basses.

Great quotes below....

Assuming unlimited fundage, answer is null.

As has been mentioned, some people like to collect things. Comic books, stamps, shoes. Bass guitars. If you're Jay Leno, cars and motor cycles. I figure if you love it, and you can afford it, what does it matter?

Others can't see the point of owning more than you need. That's not a collector mentality, it's a utilitarian mentality. Makes perfect sense, if making sense is important.

I'm a collector now, but spent the early part of my career with only one bass. Didn't want more. Didn't need more. But I couldn't afford more either.
Now, I'm in a funny position: I can afford more, but I actually need more too. Gigs that require more than that one bass needed back in the day. But it's the collector mentality that really drives it. For me, bass guitars are more than instruments, certainly more that just tools, they are objects d'art. They are just as cool hanging on the wall in my studio as they are hanging on my shoulder at a gig. And there's always something one of them can do that the others can't soundwise, giving each a sonic personality that affects the way I play.

So, for those of us who can do anything you want with those two identical P basses, God bless ya. It's a great approach. I'm doing something else, but I'll still be cheering at your gig.

I have 4 Js, 2 Ps, two Bass VIs, 1 Ukulele-Bass, 1 Stingray. I think about selling a Jazz and definitely one of the Bass VIs.

For me the main advantage of owning two Ps and at least 2 Js (4 are too many) is very pragmatic: For me strings have the most impact on the sound of a similar(!) bass (much more than woods or pickup position or electronics). I would be far too lazy to change from roundwounds to flats on the same bass. I have roundwounds, tapewounds, lighter gauge flatwounds and the heaviest of them all: Labella 54s on one of my basses. You learn a lot about different sounds, if you have the luxury to just grab this other P or J with rounds or flats and keep on playing and listening.
The U-bass is just fun and was just 129,-, I definitely keep it. I just have to have one Stingray.
I sold two G&Ls a year ago, 'cause I simply didn't play them for years or just stopped using them after days if I tried them again.
Could imagine to maybe sell one of my Ps and get another one or two of my Js and get another one.
But I'm quite happy with what I have.

 

[Matthew Barrack]

No Limit. Just take some things into consideration.

- Don't go broke to feed your bass collecting habit
- Only take what you can fit in the house, storage, etc.
- Will you keep it, or will you get bored and let it build up dust in the back of the closet?