How many basses

[verycoolname]

Stick around I'm bound to spout something memorable again

Will do!

I get first dibs on NOVAX's next witty comment.

 

[hsech]

Gibson SG Bass
Am Std Jazz
Am Std Precision
Carvin AC40F Semi Acoustic Fretless
Ric 4003 On The Way
US G&L ASAT Bass On The Way

Martin Acoustic Guitar

I use to have a bunch of guitars until I had major thumb surgery requiring a bone graft. Now I play bass with my bands and my one remaining acoustic guitar for fun.

 

[blowinblue]

The number of basses I own is not important. What is important is that none of them are Fenders.

M. M.

 

[Wagz]

OP should tell the wife she should be glad he doesn't play the drums. A proper bass 'kit' should be at least 4 basses right?

 

[lowsideonacurve]

It is interesting to se many having a mix of relatively expensive and inexpensive basses and few holding onto every dollar for the better models?

Actually I was thinking of trading up my most inexpensive one this weekend, but then I read that Fender is going to amp up their MIM 60's series soon, so I'll hold off to see what comes of that. I hope they do something like the RW, only not the worn part.

 

[hsech]

The number of basses I own is not important. What is important is that none of them are Fenders.

M. M.

Your loss. Means more Fenders available for us Fender Fan Boys.

 

[JimmyM]

You really only need one, maybe two if you're a gigging musician in case one breaks. Your wife is entirely correct.

9 for me, although I'm thinking about selling one.

 

[coyote1]

I currently own 2 basses, with a third on its way. The wife is giving me grief over number. would like average. HELP!!!!!!!

I'm not playing bass in a band. In fact, I'm the drummer in my current band, and was the keyboardist in the previous band.

Yet somehow, I possess six basses... and courtesy of my bassist, there are two others (including an acoustic upright) in my studio.

 

[lowsideonacurve]

The number of basses I own is not important. What is important is that none of them are Fenders.

M. M.

That's cool, because I'd hate to think you would deprive those of us that deserve Fenders.

 

[red_rhino]

It's threads like this that make me realize I don't have a problem. I currently have seven, and will likely reduce that to 4 over the next year.

2 Jazz basses
1 P bass
1 Tobias 4-string
1 Warwick Thumb 4
1 Roscoe SKB-3005
1 MTD 635

And while I still occasionally lust after some of the beautiful instruments I see in the For Sale section, I take a couple of deep breaths and realize that I'm pretty happy with what I have.

And yes, I play them all. And no, I don't feel guilty about owning many basses, not once, not ever.

but as a Christian I believe that man never truly deserves much. We should regard all as a gift, no matter how much we've worked for it

Oh, please. In case you're wondering later on, this is where you lost credibility. It's also reassuring to note that it's not just Americans who espouse myopic world views and morality.

-Alan

 

[fivestringgecko]

You really only need one, maybe two if you're a gigging musician in case one breaks. Your wife is entirely correct.

9 for me, although I'm thinking about selling one.

Your loss. Means more Fenders available for us Fender Fan Boys.

I was up to 9 at one point, but currently at 7. Including two Fenders.

Looking at adding a 5-string unlined fretless and electric upright in the next 6 months or so.

5sg.

 

[blowinblue]

Recently my wife and I had a discussion about how many basses I could own. I suggested that twenty would be a good number. She said five was my limit. We compromised. I own five.

M. M.

 

[zcwilkes]

Well I have 11 basses (& a tuba) that I don't feel bad about owning. It's how I choose to spend my money that I earned. And this whole time I could of been saving the world!!! Who deserves what is very subjective and it's getting thrown around in here a little too much. This a fun thread!!

 

[zcwilkes]

Recently my wife and I had a discussion about how many basses I could own. I suggested that twenty would be a good number. She said five was my limit. We compromised. I own five.

M. M.

Lol. I love the compromise!

 

[JimmyM]

Lol. I love the compromise!

Don't know if you looked at what basses he has, but 5 of his basses are equal in price to about 50 of mine. He ain't compromising.

 

[Mastermold]

I'm very grateful for the things I have, but I don't feel the slightest bit of guilt either.

+1

And no matter how many basses I own that has nothing whatsoever to do with anyone else or what they can afford. The very idea that it is somehow immoral to enjoy the fruits of one's labor is itself immoral.

 

[gjbassist]

OP, just show your wife this thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/man-cave-951996/

That ought to make your three basses look like no big deal!

 

[smperry]

I currently own 2 basses, with a third on its way. The wife is giving me grief over number. would like average. HELP!!!!!!!

I currently have 4 electric bass guitars and 1 double bass. There is a poll thread somewhere in this forum that might be better for getting a sense of the average number of basses earned, or maybe a rough median number.

Earning the money =/= deserving. However, if you can rationalize having a lot of nice gear by getting money for it through playing, that is understandable. Guys, there are street musicians who deserve far more than they have, and there are ******** on stage who don't deserve the clothes they wear (Axl Rose?) but let's not get that far. The point being is, I can understand someone has 5 bass guitars if they play 5 different styles. Or even 10 if they are really active at it. But I have no understanding for people who have really nice instruments just lying out there. The capitalist mindset of "I worked, I got money for this and I bought this therefore I deserve this" obviously doesn't hold water in any real moral sense, since in most cases people simply lucked out. We humans are completely incapable of truly deserving much, considering the circumstances. I won't go for pathos, but a child in Africa isn't starving because it didn't deserve to live, the same way pretty much none of us have truly deserved what we have, it's mostly the matter of circumstances, having the chance to work your hobby professionally, etc.

Please stick to the topic (the first thing I quoted).

Leave it up to TB to turn a "how many basses" thread into a socio-political discussion. Sigh.

I don't see how "TB" has turned the thread into a sociopolitical discussion. But, I agree with your point that this thread is not asking for that kind of discussion. Please,everyone, stick to the OP or don't post. If you disagree with someone, please just ignore.

Thanks.

 

[DComtois]

Fender P, Fender Jazz, Fender Jazz fretless, Fender Mustang, Washburn FB4, Epiphone Allen Woody, Fender AB something, Michael Kelly Dragonfly II. My wife gets it. It's what I do.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Currently down to one fretted. But I've been looking for a fretless. Personally I can see having more than one bass for couple reasons but for me it just got old buying and changing strings for a bunch of basses so I got a 7 and combined all the tunings to g#beadgc. It used to have three 5 strings one in low g#, one standard and one eadgc. The 7 covers all that. But man I'm itching for a fretless right now.