How many is too many?

[KrisH]

The "boss snobbery" thread got me to thinking about something that bothers me . . .

We all want to get the best sounds we can, and different songs demand different sounds. Well, I have three different basses that I regularly use to practice with, each with their own unique characteristics and sound palette. I could justify using all three basses at a gig, swapping out for different sounds as the songs require.

It's been my experience, though, that other musicians don't pay attention to the bassist, and especially give little consideration to the tone of the bass. For instance, in one band I'm in, we regularly share the stage and equipment with other bands. The guitarist would always take his own amp, but comment to me, "you can just use whatever amp is there." At one other rehearsal, I switched from my usual bass to a different one I've used, and that guitarist commented, "I like the other one better." (I was using my EB-3 on some Cream tunes we were running over . . .)

So, given this background, I'd feel kinda awkward setting three basses out when gigging. It somehow seems . . . ostentatious . . . if you know what I mean? I've gigged shows with other bassists who often have a second bass set up as a backup, and rarely if ever use it. So -- does the concept makes sense? Certainly, someone like Chris Squire might have a half-dozen different instruments on stage with him. But a local cover band bassist?

In the past, I just used one bass -- for years -- plugged into whatever amp I owned at the time. I suspect many or most other bassists do likewise. Now I'm paying more attention to the nuances of myself and other bassists. Hmmmm . . . thanks, TB! But, for those of you who do use several different basses on gigs -- how many? And how do you justify it, beyond the "sound" argument, which nobody pays attention to anyway?

BTW, the basses, while not budget quality instruments, aren't high-end boutique show pieces, either. Just average instruments, wildly divergent from each other.

 

[two fingers]

I have 7. I like them all and there are may differences between them. That being said, I could do ANY gig with ANY of my basses. They all sound like....me.

 

[Dad Bass]

Guilty here. I have too many. It causes me to lose sleep.

 

[lowend219]

I have 3 that I use. I have 5 string fetted and freltess basses for my band. And I have my trusty 4 string P-bass for, well...EVERYTHING ELSE.

 

[Jazzman]

I find that three is the perfect number for me - J, P, and a fretless. I have found that no matter how many basses I own, which has been up to fourteen at one time, it is really only three that get used while the others sit there until they get dusted off now and then.

 

[3fingerdemon]

I think the only way I would ever use more than one bass at a show (besides backup), would be if one was fretted and the other fretless. I think it would be too much of a hassle to change your bass every song just for a slight tone change.

 

[ExaltBass]

I have 6 and usaually have 2 at a gig. I pretty much always have my Carvin 5 at all gigs, and rotate some of the others depending on how I'm feeling (P, J or Warrior) rarely use the fretless (except at church or a jazz gig) and never gig with the AEB.

 

[HEADLE]

I have been as low as one and as high as 8 in the last six months. I currently sit at three. A P, A p-j, and an acoustic. I found that no matter what I was playing that I tried to eq the same sound out of the bass. A P sound. I don't switch unless I have to. Just my two pesos.

H

 

[Ric5]

I have 15 basses ... working my way towards 20.

There are those who think that all basses, bass amp, bass speakers, heads, cabs, sound alike. They are NOT tone freaks ... I am a tone freak ... I love having different basses to play.

 

[BartmanPDX]

I have 9 basses but only a four or five of them are regularly in the gig rotation. I always take two basses, and usually play them both, though I never switch basses during a set.

The band and audience could care less what bass I play. But it's fun for me to try out different ones on gigs, and it changes things up in a nice way. They DO sound different. No one can reasonably argue that my graphite Steinberger XL-2 sounds like my semi-hollow Reverend basses.

No such thing as too many basses, IMO. Just too little money and too little time.

 

[rappa29]

I've gotten by fine with 2 basses: Stringray and MIA Jazz. They've covered every project I've had to do in the past year I've owned them.

I recently added a five string, active\passive to cover anything I want to drop D or low B or play in Eb.

Prior to these, I had 2 P\J, 4 string basses on stage: 1 standard tuning w\a Hipshot D tuner and 1 tuned down a half step.

Going forward for live situations, my 5 is going to be my main bass and I'll have the Ray or Jazz for backup. All standard tuning.

For recording, well, I'll bring all 3 to be safe!

 

[dave64o]

I have a set of three basses that covers any possibility I'd come across:
- a Stingray 5 HH with rounds
- a Precision V with flats
- a Jazz Deluxe V fretless

If I absolutely HAD to, I could even get rid of all but the Stingray and cover almost all the tonal range I need. But I'd really hate to do that. For one thing, it's just fun plain having a few options to pick from. It's also a dang good idea to have at least one backup.

 

[Dark Horse]

I carry two to each gig in case of emergency. (I have a lot of basses...I only take two)
I try to live by the credo "spend less time worrying, more time playing".

 

[KrisH]

Two that I regularly use are my GL Jazz with High Beams and my EB-3 with rotosound flats (and a working bridge mute). I don't think I could dial in the tone of one on the other. The third is a hand-made job that I recently picked up that has 3 DiMarzio humbuckers configured J-P-J (each switchable series/off/parallel), with high beams. It has a more hi-fi sound that the others, although it can approximate (not duplicate) the jazz.

Like I said, I can justify three on a gig, but maybe that's just "snobbery" of a different kind.

 

[RexNFX79]

I have never taken more than three. In my experience that is a good number. If I am using my fretless, I usually end up taking three. If I'm not using the fretless, I usually end up with two.

 

[Count Bassie]

If you are spending a lot of time deciding which one to play, are hassling with where to put them, or always "dealing with them" on various levels (ie., being distracted), then you might have too many instruments. You should be playing- or otherwise at peace one way or another.

Gear is for a purpose, not its own sake.

 

[71Rick]

Max number I ever take to a gig is two -- one fretted and one fretless. My fretted input jack died on a rock gig a few months ago, and I had to do 3/4 of the gig on my fretless!! I got the job done, but it was frustrating to have to perform songs on a fretless bass that I had never even practiced on the fretless. Though it was nice to have a backup!

I keep a bass locked away at church so I don't have to carry one up there twice a week.

I have five total basses, but I could totally reduce it down to two and be just fine.

 

[dave64o]

If you are spending a lot of time deciding which one to play, are hassling with where to put them, or always "dealing with them" on various levels (ie., being distracted), then you might have too many instruments. You should be playing- or otherwise at peace one way or another.

Gear is for a purpose, not its own sake.

Short, sweet, right to the point, and 100% corrcet. Nicely put!






.... even though it's 180 degrees counter to the TB oath to be a greedy, nit-picking gear slut!

 

[DeluxeRed]

I almost always have both Jazzes, my EUB, and my Ashbory with me for gigs. Both of the Jazzes are similar and equally versitile, so for my cover band, either will do the trick, and one is basically backup for the other. I usually have them both at the ready and choose one at the beginning of a set, then switch for the next set. Not always--sometimes I get into the groove with one or the other and stick with it for the evening. I can play the stuff I use the EUB for on my Jazzes, too, and it doesn't sound toooo much different if I work at it, but the crowd loves the EUB, so I use it on a couple of rockabilly songs if there is enough room for it on the stage. I use the Ashbory for a couple of slow, softer tunes we sometimes do by request, just for fun. It's not versitile enough to do much with, but it does "Banana Pancakes" just fine, and people get a kick out of the "little doober", as my lead singer calls it--and, yes, people notice and comment when I switch around, and some of the regulars notice when I don't.

There are a lot of basses I could do part of our show with--"From Patsy to P!nk"--but not many I can do all of our show with. I love my Jazzes!

 

[dangorange]

I only had one bass for almost 20 years before recently adding another into the mix. I'll always only take one bass to a gig and just hope for the best. Personally though, I get a kick out of seeing a bass player change their bass for a particular song during a set. As long as it doesn't slow the energy down bring all three if you don't mind lugging them around. I'd probably appreciate it if I was in the audience.