If you could only keep one forever

[Abner]

Somewhat surprised to see so many fretless basses on the first page. But a nice surprise.

For me, it would now be a 1980 Ibanez RS-940 Roadster. An absolute boat anchor, but it gets pretty much all my playing time these days.

 

[BassmanM]

If I had to: Fender Precision made at the Fujigen factory, Japan, in 1997. With me since '98.

 

[Andy R]

If I had to, then it would have to be my ‘93 Sterling fretless, that my wife bought new for me before we were married.
I’d hate to be parted from my ‘91 Palaedium though. ......

 

[MakoMan]

I could easily get by with just my Gretsch G2202. I will never in reality get by with just the Gretsch, but I could... if I had to... I guess.

 

[MarkM13]

That's an easy one for me: Muckelroy HMC, Walnut Body, Set Wenge Neck, Maple Board, Armstrong Pups, Agular Pre, Killer passive setting.

 

[Richard Martin]

This is the one. It is everything that I've ever wanted in a bass. Lightweight, good looks, great electronics and it plays great.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

if you could only keep one bass forever and never play a other bass what bass from your current arsenal would you chose. Let's see them.

‘My American Fender PJ. Strung with rounds, is a great playing instrument, and records very well. Very broad useful tone palette. My son bought it with his combat pay when he was deployed to Iraq in 2004. We worked out a trade, and it’s been my go to ever since. In the 16 years, I’ve played it for thousands of worship services, hundreds of gigs, an numerous recording session and zero complaints.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

1938 Kay C1View attachment 3843686

Not that is what I call a bass! Very nice.

 

[dalkowski]

Bury me with my Fender P:

 

[40Hz]

Despite not being my main bass or even my favorite anymore, I’d probably still go with a JB and a set of medium gauge nickel rounds. That was the bass I started with. And there really isn’t anything I’d need to do, or a tone I wanted, that I couldn’t get with a Jazz. It never ceases to amaze me how versatile such a simply designed instrument like a JB can be when paired with a really good amp.

 

[luciens]

Are they identical?

yep, they're both the same Jaco Artist model from Fender. I was so impressed with the first one, I decided to get another one as a backup-slash-kinda-sorta-investment bass that I keep in pristine shape... The first one is the player and well on its way to its own "relic" job....

L

 

[40Hz]

I'm thinking of pulling that Guild humbucker and putting in a Hagstrom Bisonic copy as that was my original intent. But at the time, I couldn't get one and put the humbucker in, instead.

You might want to check out a ThunderBucker from ThunderBucker Ranch. I keep thinking I might just add one to one of my PBs some day.

 

[Trabeen]

Sweet Jeebus, putting those MFDs in series seems like it could knock the Earth off it‘s axis.

G&L SB-2T with parallel/series and Q-filter switch mods. Strung with Labella copper white nylon tapes. That's my main player. View attachment 3843846

 

[kodiakblair]

I'll be quite happy playing this one forever.

Thick chunky neck, solid bit of pine slab. Handwound split single to 29.9k. Noll P-bass preamp.
TI jazz flats and the old 2 saddle bridge. Cost me around £220 to build.

 

[Trabeen]

The Big Al on the left, I don’t believe that there is a useable sound that it is incapable of producing.

 

[Jared Lash]

Whazzat?

It's a Stambaugh with Nordstrand pickups & preamp

 

[bassdude51]

I know you people are getting tired of me posting this over and over again. But, if only one, then this one!

 

[RumbleBot]

I would be this one for me. 2013 TUNE with paduak top. I just love everything about it.

 

[John Webb]

I would put a Jazz neck on my PJ and be happy evermore.....!

 

[HolmeBass]

View attachment 3843544

That’s a real beauty. How loud is it acoustically, un-amplified?