• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Just one single bass?

Oct 5, 2010
6,647
3,676
Perhaps something along these lines has been discussed before, but recently it had me thinking a bit about it. How many of you use just one bass? Reasons being but not limited to that you own just the one, it's your favorite, gives you all the functions and tone you are looking for, etc. Thinking about it, really in theory all you need is one (unless the obvious if you do different tunings or play in a tribute band of numerous acts and use different basses for the show or something). Now of course I never would say it's a bad thing to have at least one spare, even if it's a "lesser" bass like a Affinity Squier Jazz to your MIA Fender Jazz for example. I know you'd look silly if you have an issue and have no other bass and perhaps some may look at it as unprofessional.

But all that considered, one is really all you need and some actually do use just one. I'll say and then knock-on-wood, I have never broke a string yet nor had an issue with a bass on stage...knock-on-wood.

Maybe it's just cabin fever or boredom from having to be inside most of the day these days due to the pandemic, but thought it interesting to at least share my thoughts on and pick the brains of other bassists on here.
 
Hiya,

Not me, that's for sure. My wife says I need an intervention to stop me from acquiring more. However, I do know someone that bought a '58 P from Manny's in NYC in '60 and it was his one and only bass. Now, as instruments go, if you could only have one, I'm pretty sure that's the one you want. Me, if I had to have just one, it would be my SB-2, or maybe my Peavey Unity, or maybe my black P, or maybe...... Yep, I may yet need that intervention.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SJan3 and imabuddha
I normally only keep and play on one. Right now it's a Kramer era NS4-CRFM. I've had basses in the past that were fairly unreliable, yet never carried a back up. Trust me there's nothing worse than having to fix a bridge that dropped mid set (thankfully it happened on one of the higher strings and was able to be worked around till break). I am in the market for a second eventually, but it's going to be a different beast, IE fretless Warwick.
 
  • Like
Reactions: imabuddha
If I weren't gigging, I could see having just one. Or if I were gigging in just one project where the one bass was the bass for that project, my whole life. Maybe if I retire from gigging when I'm older, I'll sell some and just have the one to play at home for fun. But the thing is, my bass collection is not half a dozen Fender Ps. Each of the instruments I have now is unique and has a character and a history for me. It would be tough to pick just one that would stay when the others go.
 
I'll say and then knock-on-wood, I have never broke a string yet nor had an issue with a bass on stage...knock-on-wood.
My car never broke down, until it broke down.

When I used to play with a band that used opening acts, one of the opening act's bass player's bass stopped working. He took about 30 seconds to do some basic trouble shooting, then strapped on his backup bass. Total down time, less than a minute. THAT is professional.
 
Yes and no.

for variety? One bass is enough
Emergency backup? No, I have a second bass
F521FCAA-BAA2-4FFF-8277-97CB0C77D037.jpeg


The blue parts bass is my main player, does pretty much everything for me. The Squier is a backup, purchased to be as close as possible to my main bass. But even with different strings and the extra pickup, it doesn’t tickle me enough to get into regular play time.

that one bass just feels like home :)
 
Two.

If you only have a fretted,you can't play a fretless.
If you only have a fretless,you can't play a fretted.

This is EXACTLY why I returned to TB after years gone. I've been playing my (modded) GWB35 exclusively for about 5 years, and recently decided to get moving on a project that sort of requires (or at least would benefit from) a fretted bass. Don't NEED a fretted bass, but now I own exactly (2) basses, 3 if you count the EUB.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Watchootognbout
i've gone through periods where i had but one ax = great times!
i've gone through periods where i had several = great times!

you only need one. unless it's a jazz or a P: then you need two. :laugh: or, you spend $10,000 on one and discover you need another one to actually play (because you can't get a gig that isn't in a :poop: hole!). :roflmao:


PJs = one.
 
I have 9 basses, 7 are playable, and usually 2-3 are out of their cases and "in rotation" at any time.

But that's now. For about 20 years, back when I was playing regularly, I had just two, a main and a backup. My reasons were that I didn't have the money or space to be a collector, and I liked the concept of having one main bass that was "my sound". Also liked the idea of getting to know that one bass really really well. But always felt I needed a backup. So two was the magic number for me.

But now I mostly record, and for that, having a variety of basses is a lot of fun. But truth be told, I would probably be good paring the collection down to 3; a 4 with Jazz pickups, an SG and a 5 string ibanez.
 
  • Like
Reactions: comatosedragon

Latest posts