I'm settled: I only need 2 basses

[two fingers]

Congrats on being able to get down to two! I can't get there. I could get to (possibly) four, but not two.

 

[burgerdj]

Up until this year, I’ve only had one bass for the last couple of years…an 89 Peavey TL-Five. I’ve always wanted something ‘custom’ so I had Brady Muckelroy build me one of his basses. Took delivery at the start of this year and it’s my #1 with the TL in the backup role. I have no desire for anything else.

View attachment 4646082

View attachment 4646083

That Muck is gorgeous.

 

[ChetChetney]

I’m at two basses and couldn’t be happier. All I need is one 4 string and one 5 string - between the basses I can cover all of the styles and tones I need. It’s a good feeling to be at 2 great basses.

 

[danster]

Squier VM 70's Jazz Bass 4 string.
Eastwood Classic 4 .

 

[factory presets]

If it had to be 2, it'd be these. Heartfield with an East Uni-pre and a no name P with a Wilde p-46, flats and BEAD.

Used to do it all with the Heartfield and it's a lot more versatile with the new preamp.

 

[2F/2F]

I pretty much agree, though I would go for the L-5500 or M-2500 instead of an L-2500. While an L-2500 is versatile, these are even more so.

The rest are for fun; I have no illusions that I "need" them.

 

[staurosjohn]

The Black one (Roto rounds) & the Oly White one (GHS flats) are my ‘keepers’… others (including the 2 in this pic) have come & gone!

 

[George Dennis]

You never know.

With all the rain we've had in this part of the world I've been thinking hard about paring down my bass collection.
Then realised ... all I need is an ark!
That way I could keep them all and load them aboard in matching pairs:
Eg.
a fretted & a fretless
a four & a five
an EADG & a BEAD
a Rosewood J & a Maple P
a Maple J & a Rosewood P
a Tele single coil & a Tele humbucker
an acoustic & an electric
a Ric & a Steinberger
a PJ & a PP
a bolt-on & a neck-thru
a bass with rounds & a bass with flats
a factory & a custom
a Musicman and a G&L
a 30" shorty & a fanned fret 36"
a mudbucker and a Tbird
Etc...

 

[GroovyBaby]

I’ve been contemplating a similar question but the magic number is three. A P, a J, and a fiver. I’ve got the others going out the door.

 

[luciens]

Sacrilege! Never... But if I had to do it, there are several options. One option is my Jaco and Tony Franklin, if all my gigs were sitting down (neck dive issues, especially the TF). The Jazz bass has the lines so it's practically like having a fretted bass. But the Tony Franklin "keeps me honest" with my intonation, and has the P bass "grunt" for days if I need it.

L

 

[pepj]

I have two new additions this past year. They have become my gig basses and the one I've had for 9 months or so leads over the 4 month purchase.

I'm perservering with these 2. One I can dial up quickly and easily with no amp tweaking, the other needs thinking about, but this is necessary groundwork that you have to work through.

 

[DirtDog]

4-string active PJ with flats
5-string humbucker with rounds

Bass VI to round it out.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Frankly, I can do just one if I have to. Hopefully, I can keep a little diversity around. If I had to drop to two though, it would be my Super 5 and my Glarry Fretless. That said, I may upgrade to a Kiloton Tribute fretless in the near future.

 

[2112]

With all the rain we've had in this part of the world I've been thinking hard about paring down my bass collection.
Then realised ... all I need is an ark!
That way I could keep them all and load them aboard in matching pairs:
Eg.
a fretted & a fretless
a four & a five
an EADG & a BEAD
a Rosewood J & a Maple P
a Maple J & a Rosewood P
a Tele single coil & a Tele humbucker
an acoustic & an electric
a Ric & a Steinberger
a PJ & a PP
a bolt-on & a neck-thru
a bass with rounds & a bass with flats
a factory & a custom
a Musicman and a G&L
a 30" shorty & a fanned fret 36"
a mudbucker and a Tbird
Etc...

 

[George Dennis]

Frankly, I can do just one if I have to. Hopefully, I can keep a little diversity around. If I had to drop to two though, it would be my Super 5 and my Glarry Fretless. That said, I may upgrade to a Kiloton Tribute fretless in the near future.

 

[Geri O]

I suppose a "National Day of Declaraions of Bass Inventory Needs " day is in order.....

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I'd probably sell most of my collection and go with a NYC Sadowsky 5 string with rounds and keep an Alien Audio 5 string with flats. But I'd probably need an additional slot for a passive P bass.

 

[r_bnks]

Two fundamentals? These:

And a bonus:

 

[James Collins]

Hmmm. I can't do two.

Thumb and 4003 would seem the most liked for unique tone, but I would have a hard time going without my Dolphin. And then I may as well keep my SS1 and SS2.

I feel slightly different with my other instruments, where I and the instrument have merged to be one and the same. In that case, the only reason to have others is for practice instruments that are for example dog safe.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I'll be 49 this year. Soon 50! Time to reconsider some things...

I think I'm settled on my bass arsenal. It'll wield the 2 following weapons:
-My faithful G&L L2500, 5-string active bass. There is no finer, nor more a versatile instrument. (It emulates a Fender Jazz bass and a MusicMan pretty well too!)
-A quality Leo Fender Precision bass. Classic 4-string, split-pickup design. And such a soulful tone!

I now believe that if I own both such basses, I'll be set for life.

What are your 2 fundamental basses?

One 5 string and one 4 string. A MIA Fender PBj, and a MIG Warwick Corvette STD. PB serves 95% of the music I play however.