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How many basses does a pro need?

#62
I’d suggest that it’s not a matter of “how many basses does a pro need” but a question of “how many basses is a pro able to afford to keep strung with quality and properly intonated bass strings”. :laugh:

My opinion to to the OP: probably a minimum of two, a maximum of however many he/she is able to fit into the vault before the TM gets mad. :D
 
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#63
coy garcia said:
You need 2 like others have said for mechanical failure and such.....but it's much more fun to own as many as you can house. With classic ones I find i'm less of a owner and more of a caretaker.
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Basses don’t all sound the same. Having two might be okay but if you want more sounds to work with you’ll want more tools for your work.
 
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#66
Mastermold said:
Basses don’t all sound the same. Having two might be okay but if you want more sounds to work with you’ll want more tools for your work.
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I'm just a weekend weekend warrior these days but I've only been asked if I have a pbass in 36 yrs of gigging and recording. I have a couple but would only bring one as a backup to record with no intention of using it.
 
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#70
coy garcia said:
I'm just a weekend weekend warrior these days but I've only been asked if I have a pbass in 36 yrs of gigging and recording. I have a couple but would only bring one as a backup to record with no intention of using it.
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I got along with a P-bass too for many years. It can be done for sure and nothing wrong with doing so. When I could afford to try other flavors I enjoyed that too. Variety is good.:thumbsup:
 
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#72
Probably like two. A P bass (or P-style FSO) and a something else. Hell, there's definitely cats out there with two P's, one with flats and one with rounds.

There's also cats out there with just a 5-string of some kind, and I'm certain some out there with just a 6-string.

I've got six basses, seven including one that's going on the chopping block (but that does sound and look cool, so I'm slightly in doubt smh). I don't need most of them. It's fun having them though, and at that number, not too troublesome to maintain them.

But I feel like a hardcore working professional is all about minimal expenses at all times. Many a bassist out there has exactly one trusty axe.
 
#75
cxcxcx said:
I’ve seen him play at least 10 to 15 different instruments over the last 25-30 years. Pre-internet, he was on Carson, Arsenio, MTV, and Public TV backing up name artists all the time and constantly in print media advertising. Appearing with all those axes doesn’t always mean ownership, but it certainly means he tries things as his tastes change.

From what I recall I’ve seen with many various 4 and 5 string models of Yamaha basses, a Steinberger, a Hofner Beatle bass, a Sadowsky Modern 5, a number of Warwick hollowbodies, a number of Dingwalls, his Frankenstein, and a Washburn acoustic. He’s sold vintage Fenders in his collection before and likely has more in his stash, among other instruments. He also mentions still owning one of the first Jazz Basses he ever bought in the video.

He could easily do all his work on three basses but he obviously owns more than that. I don’t know if Scott’s Click Bait actually stated or inferred that, but they’ve been factually wrong many times before.
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Nowhere was it said that Lee only owned 3 or 4 basses, either by him or Scott, Scott was talking about Lee's Frankenstein possibly being the most recorded bass and Lee said he'd played it on over 2,400 albums. He also said he can cover any bass needs with 3 basses and listed them. At no point did he say, he doesn't have other basses. Presumably he's just talking about where he's at now in regard to his "tools". (As he said, all his basses are tools and if he needs a different tool, for a particular project, then he uses that tool.)

Nobody is saying that anyone with a lot more than 3 basses is overcompensating or something. If someone has the money and the desire to own one of every bass ever made, or twenty something Wal's, or whatever, go for it.
 
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#80
Apparently, some guys only need the best bass for metal.

But if you are famous and called for your sound - well, Pino plays fretted and fretless, so at least two.

Now, fretted, fretless, upright - Sting needs 3.

Tom Petersson plays 12 string, 8 string, 4 string, mandocello bass, Firebirds, Gretsches ...
 
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