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How many basses is it acceptable to have....
- Thread starter Evil Undead
- Start date
Was up to 21 at one point, probably down to about 17 now. I am always trying something different, i.e. woods, electronics, 5, 6, or 7 strings, half step tuning, low b high c, or low e to high f, fretted, fretless, etc. Its hard to guage what I might do because I am trying different stuff. I usually only take 1 on to a gig, but I play around with a few of them leading up. I play my gig at least once a week plus whatever comes up during the week. I am a Warwick kinda guy, so I love all 4 I have now. Have had as many as 7 Warwicks at one time. I think I may be more a collector for the other basses I have and have owned at some point. I would get bored with 1 or 2 basses. I see each player here has his/her own idea. people say things like "you can only play one at a time". I like to think of basses like you can only wear 1 pair of shoes at a time, but that does not stop them from owning several pairs. Each has its own purpose. 
Why does it matter if you are in a band or not???? Is owning a 30,000 0r 40,000 sports car stupid if you are not a professional Nascar driver?
I usually don't get irritated on this site ( I'm not mad at you) but I have to constantly hear form some friend and family and always the woman that I own too many instruments ( 22). Im my defense they are all different ( Nylon guitar, 8 string guitar, fretless,piccolo,fretless,12 string, etc), and about 15 of them are in the 300-700 dollar range.
I usually don't get irritated on this site ( I'm not mad at you) but I have to constantly hear form some friend and family and always the woman that I own too many instruments ( 22). Im my defense they are all different ( Nylon guitar, 8 string guitar, fretless,piccolo,fretless,12 string, etc), and about 15 of them are in the 300-700 dollar range.
Makes much more sense to spend 20-40 dollars a night on beer!!!!
People should worry about themselves and not about why we all like to purchase,collect,play, and/or enjoy musical instruments.
People should worry about themselves and not about why we all like to purchase,collect,play, and/or enjoy musical instruments.
Guy at the gym spends 250 dollars a week on steroids and overheard me discussing my instruments with a friend and told me he couldn't believe someone would spend 1000 on a guitar!! I guess I shouldn't tell him how much more you can spend!!!!!
Valid points have been posted. As for my "Bass addiction", I have no other vices. I don't drink, smoke, party, have to wear expensive clothes, etc.
I can recall when I was a hard core partier, I was having a drink with a bass playing buddy and he asked me "hey, what ever happened to that Lakland that you were gonna buy last year?", I thought about it, looked at the beer in my hand, looked at the double shot of 12 year old double malt scotch on the bar and looked back and answered "I guess I drank it"!
The point was that I spent money on things non-productive, and i can never have that money, nor time back. Now, I have no problem with my bass purchases because I have nothing else to disturb my disposable income. Sure, no one around me understands it, but I accept that its not for them to understand.
I can recall when I was a hard core partier, I was having a drink with a bass playing buddy and he asked me "hey, what ever happened to that Lakland that you were gonna buy last year?", I thought about it, looked at the beer in my hand, looked at the double shot of 12 year old double malt scotch on the bar and looked back and answered "I guess I drank it"!
The point was that I spent money on things non-productive, and i can never have that money, nor time back. Now, I have no problem with my bass purchases because I have nothing else to disturb my disposable income. Sure, no one around me understands it, but I accept that its not for them to understand.
Well said!!!!!! Billy Low you got it man!!!!
People pay 150 dollars a month for a smart phone, that's a decent bass every 12 or 18 months. Cable tv? That could be well over 150 a month!
But if I buy a 300 to 700 dollar guitar every 2 or three months I'm a maniac!
People pay 150 dollars a month for a smart phone, that's a decent bass every 12 or 18 months. Cable tv? That could be well over 150 a month!
But if I buy a 300 to 700 dollar guitar every 2 or three months I'm a maniac!
RIGHT!! LMAO!!!
I don't have cable (don't watch much television), not much of a gadget guy, so I do my thang!
I am up to 50 and just bought another out of a pawnshop the other day. The biggest problem is space. Not so much the basses, its all the damn cases! It is almost a relief now if I get one the doesn't come with a case! 
I'm entertained by the drift of the thread, but back to the OP's question...
I see that you have two Warwicks (Corvette $$ and Fortress One) and that you're thinking of alt-tunings. I'm guessing that you're not the talentless noob you suggest - or are you talking about someone else?
Just from a practical side - and focusing on just the scenario of a bassist in a once/month cover band - I'd say two basses are the MINIMUM (one backup). However, cover bands often need more sound variation (tone or key) and unless your FX & amp can deliver that, you'll want to have instruments to cover that. I can see having four or five instruments at the ready if your band is going from classic rock to contemporary pop (P-bass, J or PJ combo, alternate tuning(s), fretless).
As for total value, I think that's relative to your income from all sources (non-musical and musical) and should be a total for all instruments, regardless of the number (i.e., a couple of boutique basses vs. five or six good basses). As a starting point for discussion, how about 5% of your gross annual income? I don't mean spend that much a year; I mean total valuation of your instruments at any time. I'm also not including amps, effects and related equipment.
I have a significant investment in guitars, PA and recording equipment also, but if I only played bass, I think 5% would be a benchmark. (My estimate for all musical equipment for me is about 14-15%)
I believe I'll handle this question from a mathmatical view point:
You+more basses=more talent
I'm told Victor Wooten owns in excess of 7500 basses and Paul MaCarthy more than 7000, but Jamerson was the king (he had more than 11000!)
WHAT? Jamerson had 11,000 basses? Are you kidding me? Hey, next to the "Jaco only needed 4 strings" thing, the second most popular saw is "Jamerson only needed one bass!" These guys wouldn't lie to me, would they? Of course I already knew that was a lie (He also had/played an upright), but 11,000? I'm starting to sense smoke, heat and melted parts in my brain!
