I have one bass.

[DigitalMan]

No, but as stated previously, people overstate the "need" for extra basses, as opposed to good old GAS, which is what it is. I would be better served with a spare drummer or jeans. See the post above this (#123).

IMHO.

GAS and backup is an “and” not “or”. People buy multiple basses because they have GAS. People bring extra basses to gigs because it’s an easy way to avoid cancellation or disruption.

Evaluating risk based on one’s own experiences while excluding all the information provided about other people’s experiences, and then giving advice to other people based on such a narrow slice of reality is unhelpful. Bad things happen and there are easy ways to mitigate them. No, we don’t need a backup car. Why? Because I have a phone and can call a friend or an Uber to get to the gig. Backup drummer? No, because if the present drummer spontaneously combusts that’s a more serious event than an output jack wire coming loose. It would be ok to cancel a gig in the former case, but not the latter case.

There is nothing particularly special about your own experiences that make them more or less suitable for establishing probability. 30 years of one individual’s experience represents .000001% of the collective experience represented on TB. It just seems really odd to speak out against having a backup bass on hand when NOT having a backup bass doesn’t seem to have any demonstrable benefit.

 

[Andy Coconut]

And that is all I want.

I bought a second bass a few months ago, and ended up sending it back. The new bass was okay, but I kept looking across the room at my old favorite bass, and it felt strangely like I was cheating on an old friend. Yes, I'm that weird.

So, I've decided I am a one bass kind of guy. Probably a bit of an anomaly on this site. Not that I don't have GAS desires when I see some of the beautiful basses that are posted hereabouts, but in the end, I'm happy with what I have, and if I fell in love with and bought another bass, I'd have to put my old favorite aside, and I find that unacceptable.

Is there something wrong with me?

Theres nothing wrong with you, society is to blame!
Experience is part of the tapestry that makes us who we are.
We all have skeletons in our closet (mine being a women who went by the name of Mistress Melanie)
and like a good women or bad - e.g. Mistress Melanie, I encourage you to play a Rickenbacker 4001, short scale Gibson EB-2, etc and just keep one in the closet (again Mistress Melanie) until you put a ring on it and say your vows.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Theres nothing wrong with you, society is to blame!
Experience is part of the tapestry that makes us who we are.
We all have skeletons in our closet (mine being a women who went by the name of Mistress Melanie)
and like a good women or bad - e.g. Mistress Melanie, I encourage you to play a Rickenbacker 4001, short scale Gibson EB-2, etc and just keep one in the closet (again Mistress Melanie) until you put a ring on it and say your vows.

The lesson here, kiddies, is "Fun" doesn't necessarily hurt you physically. And while bumps, cuts and scrapes can heal, the scars it leaves on the inside can last foooooorrrrreeeeeeever!

P.S.: I love your avatar pic. Izz hilarious!

 

[Merc Montclair]

It’s very hard for me to justify having more than one bass, and for no other reason than I can only play one at a time.

I now have two, but it still feels wro

It’s very hard for me to justify having more than one bass, and for no other reason than I can only play one at a time.

This was my father’s line of reasoning when I was a kid & wanted a second bass until I asked him how many suits he owned.

 

[chris_b]

One bass is necessary.

Two basses is cool.

Three or more is boasting.

 

[Drang22]

Evaluating risk based on one’s own experiences while excluding all the information provided about other people’s experiences, and then giving advice to other people based on such a narrow slice of reality is unhelpful. Bad things happen and there are easy ways to mitigate them. No, we don’t need a backup car. Why? Because I have a phone and can call a friend or an Uber to get to the gig. Backup drummer? No, because if the present drummer spontaneously combusts that’s a more serious event than an output jack wire coming loose. It would be ok to cancel a gig in the former case, but not the latter case.

There is nothing particularly special about your own experiences that make them more or less suitable for establishing probability. 30 years of one individual’s experience represents .000001% of the collective experience represented on TB. It just seems really odd to speak out against having a backup bass on hand when NOT having a backup bass doesn’t seem to have any demonstrable benefit.

This is just silly to me- you seem to be implying some ethical or professional high ground that simply does not exist. Of all the things that can go wrong on a gig, by far the most likely are are those which occur inside our own skins. Therefore, for complete safety, musical perfection and professionalism, shouldn't we all just pre-record our parts and pretend to play along?

Seriously, as I think back on over 30 years of gigging (actually closer to 40) and dozens if not scores of bandmates, I'm hard pressed to come up with more than 2 or 3 who carried a backup axe to gigs, and I can't recall even one instance when it was really needed. I've seen all kinds of things go wrong- amps, cables, trucks, power, and many, many humans, but never, ever, a bass guitar. And when things go wrong, we deal with it as best we can, and go on with the gig. This has sometimes resulted in a less stellar performance, but more often resulted in something interesting, different and occasionally magical happening.

When you think about it, isn't this part of what makes live music "real" and mesmerizing? Knowing that so many things can and often do go wrong is what makes those elusive moments of magical musical perfection so special. This seems be something that is tragically lost on so many young people in today's world of pre-programmed live performance "perfectionism".

You are right in saying that there is nothing particularly special about one persons experiences that make them more or less suitable for establishing probability- but then neither are a handful of comments one way or another posted on this thread. But still, based on the sampling of musicians that have I seen gigging locally, most bassists are not schlepping a backup. If you feel the need to do so, you should, but please don't imply that those of us who don't feel that need are somehow less than professional. And BTW, if I ever do end up buying a second bass (or more), I cannot foresee ever carrying more than one to a local gig.

 

[DigitalMan]

This is just silly to me- you seem to be implying some ethical or professional high ground that simply does not exist. Of all the things that can go wrong on a gig, by far the most likely are are those which occur inside our own skins. Therefore, for complete safety, musical perfection and professionalism, shouldn't we all just pre-record our parts and pretend to play along?

Seriously, as I think back on over 30 years of gigging (actually closer to 40) and dozens if not scores of bandmates, I'm hard pressed to come up with more than 2 or 3 who carried a backup axe to gigs, and I can't recall even one instance when it was really needed. I've seen all kinds of things go wrong- amps, cables, trucks, power, and many, many humans, but never, ever, a bass guitar. And when things go wrong, we deal with it as best we can, and go on with the gig. This has sometimes resulted in a less stellar performance, but more often resulted in something interesting, different and occasionally magical happening.

When you think about it, isn't this part of what makes live music "real" and mesmerizing? Knowing that so many things can and often do go wrong is what makes those elusive moments of magical musical perfection so special. This seems be something that is tragically lost on so many young people in today's world of pre-programmed live performance "perfectionism".

You are right in saying that there is nothing particularly special about one persons experiences that make them more or less suitable for establishing probability- but then neither are a handful of comments one way or another posted on this thread. But still, based on the sampling of musicians that have I seen gigging locally, most bassists are not schlepping a backup. If you feel the need to do so, you should, but please don't imply that those of us who don't feel that need are somehow less than professional. And BTW, if I ever do end up buying a second bass (or more), I cannot foresee ever carrying more than one to a local gig.

No need to argue. You haven’t demonstrated any benefit to others from the advice you offer, but if it works for you that’s fine. My comments to the contrary are intended to benefit others.

 

[Andy Coconut]

This is just silly to me- you seem to be implying some ethical or professional high ground that simply does not exist. Of all the things that can go wrong on a gig, by far the most likely are are those which occur inside our own skins. Therefore, for complete safety, musical perfection and professionalism, shouldn't we all just pre-record our parts and pretend to play along?

Seriously, as I think back on over 30 years of gigging (actually closer to 40) and dozens if not scores of bandmates, I'm hard pressed to come up with more than 2 or 3 who carried a backup axe to gigs, and I can't recall even one instance when it was really needed. I've seen all kinds of things go wrong- amps, cables, trucks, power, and many, many humans, but never, ever, a bass guitar. And when things go wrong, we deal with it as best we can, and go on with the gig. This has sometimes resulted in a less stellar performance, but more often resulted in something interesting, different and occasionally magical happening.

When you think about it, isn't this part of what makes live music "real" and mesmerizing? Knowing that so many things can and often do go wrong is what makes those elusive moments of magical musical perfection so special. This seems be something that is tragically lost on so many young people in today's world of pre-programmed live performance "perfectionism".

You are right in saying that there is nothing particularly special about one persons experiences that make them more or less suitable for establishing probability- but then neither are a handful of comments one way or another posted on this thread. But still, based on the sampling of musicians that have I seen gigging locally, most bassists are not schlepping a backup. If you feel the need to do so, you should, but please don't imply that those of us who don't feel that need are somehow less than professional. And BTW, if I ever do end up buying a second bass (or more), I cannot foresee ever carrying more than one to a local gig.

I once broke a guitar strap of all things during a Bleecker street show in NYC a while back.
Luckily I caught the bass before the head stock hit the stage.
I spent the rest of the set on my knees playing it like an upright.
The crowd loved it!

 

[vvvmmm]

One reason I always have a fecund bass (assuming it's not because I need, say, a fretless and a regular) is because I tend to get excited sometimes and break a string. The "A", in particular, not sure why.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

@Drang22 do you play shows? If so, and you love your bass that much, buy another one identical to it. If I were a band mate of yours, and we had to stop a show because your electronics shorted out, I would be infuriated and you would be fired. Always have a backup.

If you just play at home, no biggie. Nice setup by the way.

You sound like an awesome bandmate.

Plus, why would you ever be be in a band with the OP if you play bass and he plays bass?!

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Fretted and fretless. Only two are needed.

One with rounds, one with flats.

 

[5StringBlues]

One reason I always have a fecund bass (assuming it's not because I need, say, a fretless and a regular) is because I tend to get excited sometimes and break a string. The "A", in particular, not sure why.

Typo of the year.



fe·cund
ˈfekənd,ˈfēkənd/
adjective

1. producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth;

Once you get the fecund bass, others will follow!

 

[Solarmist]

I once broke a guitar strap of all things during a Bleecker street show in NYC a while back.
Luckily I caught the bass before the head stock hit the stage.
I spent the rest of the set on my knees playing it like an upright.
The crowd loved it!

I wouldn't have minded seeing that at all.

 

[vvvmmm]

Typo of the year.



fe·cund
ˈfekənd,ˈfēkənd/
adjective

1. producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth;

Once you get the fecund bass, others will follow!

It's working, too. But at least I have less than 15 ...

 

[alack]

P's & J's?
Flats & rounds?
Yeah.........one won't do it.

 

[two fingers]

You sound like an awesome bandmate.

Plus, why would you ever be be in a band with the OP if you play bass and he plays bass?!

If I were in any band with any musician whose gear broke down and the show had to stop, I would lose it. If you play guitar you should have spare strings. If your amp blows up you better habe another one or be ready to shove your cable in a DI and keep playing.

Equipment failure stopping a show is not an option other than extreme cases.

 

[Manticore]

If I were in any band with any musician whose gear broke down and the show had to stop, I would lose it. If you play guitar you should have spare strings. If your amp blows up you better habe another one or be ready to shove your cable in a DI and keep playing.

Equipment failure stopping a show is not an option other than extreme cases.

Hear, hear; the voice of reason! Well said!

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

If I were in any band with any musician whose gear broke down and the show had to stop, I would lose it. If you play guitar you should have spare strings. If your amp blows up you better habe another one or be ready to shove your cable in a DI and keep playing.

Equipment failure stopping a show is not an option other than extreme cases.

So regardless of if they had a back-up or not, instead of being a team player and trying to fix, correct or resolve the issue you'd as you typed would "lose it"? Lets hope you aren't the band leader or work in any kind of management or leadership role in your day job. I'd hate to be those people who worked under you.

 

[MyTomomi]

I'm a one bass person too. As much as possible, I want my SX P bass to be my only bass. Lately though, I've been thinking of buying another bass as my secondary bass. I will leave that bass on my parents house so I don't have to carry my bass on a 60km commute during weekends.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I'm a one bass guy too... variety is for show-offs and rich people.

I also play with one band and have one Chris Isaak cowboy style shirt for gigs.