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Lakland Owners Group #58

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#481
Holdsg said:
funny man.

If you get all your joneses out with one bass, I tip my hat to you, I can't do it with one bass.
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I look at it all this way: back in the day, most professional players had one bass. That's how they got THEIR sound; by getting used to manipulating a bass for a variety of tones. That's why when people on the forum ask: I bought a P bass, why can't I sound like [fill in the blank]? Those professionals relied on technique, not gear per se.

Those professionals generally didn't have back ups. So it kills that argument as well. We're talking mainly 60's/70's.

A wise player (who probably owns dozens of bass, but you only ever see him with the one he is identified with) once said "...the most important thing is to settle on a bass then commit to it... Get to know your bass inside and out and play it in every situation you can."

These are my beliefs drawn from experience. I'd like to propagate this argument whenever I can on TB. Far too many members think you need all these unneccesary possesions. I ask you to honestly assess the question of how many hours do you spend on buying/selling/researching and how many on honest practice time? You have to start asking yourself questions like "is owning more fun than playing?"

I'm not saying owning only one bass is the way to go, I'm saying be content with few.
 
#482
Okay, I just wanna' show a picture of me playing my Skyline Duck Dunn in a concert this weekend. No deep thoughts or great insight in to the world of bass playing. Just a pic of a really fun gig. And, I'll just add, since I got this bass, my others are sitting around waiting to be played most of the time.

WoodyAtY2012.jpg
 
#483
WoodyG3 said:
Okay, I just wanna' show a picture of me playing my Skyline Duck Dunn in a concert this weekend. No deep thoughts or great insight in to the world of bass playing. Just a pic of a really fun gig. And, I'll just add, since I got this bass, my others are sitting around waiting to be played most of the time.
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Great lookin bass! I like the matching head.
 
#484
Holdsg said:
every self-respecting bassist should have, in no particular order.

something vintage - (passive P, Ric, etc.)
something jazzy - (a passive jazz, duh)
something modern - (active whatever, J, MM, MMJ, Big Al, Bongo, Modulus, etc.)
and then, if you got those covered
something unique to keep from getting bored with the other stuff - (HB, acoustic, upright, U-bass, whatever)

IMHO and YMMV, of course.
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Exactly, I'm working on my jazz and vintage p purchases
 
#486
GregC said:
I shall respectfully disagree with the gentlemen from Montreal and Utah and say that everyone needs a P bass--two, really! One with rounds and one with flats. And try to have one of them come with a Dark Star

ETA: Consider a Decade as well. Lotsa tonal flexibility with those pickup locations.
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Everyone needs a P. Agreed. I just think that everyone also needs a J-- more than anyone needs a second 44-02 :)

I live what I preach: I've pared down to my American Standard P5 (aka The Pig), my Sadowsky Standard JJ and Echo, my 55-02D. There are others that I want, but nowadays I only let myself seriously GAS for basses with pup configs that I don't have. Even then, there's not much I can't do with these three basses.

IMG_2152.jpg
 
#488
Aside from some flatulence thinking bad thoughts about one of those trans burgundy DJs at Bass Club Chicago, I am content with my current lineup (as of this moment, right ....now)

And yes, Greg, it includes a dark star P
 
#489
Lichtaffen said:
I look at it all this way: back in the day, most professional players had one bass. That's how they got THEIR sound; by getting used to manipulating a bass for a variety of tones. That's why when people on the forum ask: I bought a P bass, why can't I sound like [fill in the blank]? Those professionals relied on technique, not gear per se.

Those professionals generally didn't have back ups. So it kills that argument as well. We're talking mainly 60's/70's.

A wise player (who probably owns dozens of bass, but you only ever see him with the one he is identified with) once said "...the most important thing is to settle on a bass then commit to it... Get to know your bass inside and out and play it in every situation you can."

These are my beliefs drawn from experience. I'd like to propagate this argument whenever I can on TB. Far too many members think you need all these unneccesary possesions. I ask you to honestly assess the question of how many hours do you spend on buying/selling/researching and how many on honest practice time? You have to start asking yourself questions like "is owning more fun than playing?"

I'm not saying owning only one bass is the way to go, I'm saying be content with few.
Click to expand...
I certainly respect this point of view, although I don't think it will ever work for everybody.

I've cut back myself in the last 18 months or so. I went from 7 basses (plus my sentimental cheapie from the '80s that I don't hardly play) to 5--4, pending a sale. The main reason was time. I didn't have enough to do justice to them all and to maintain them. A nice side effect of this is that I'm spending more time with the remaining ones and really digging most of them, which has meant less buying and selling. Not that I was high-turnover in the first place, but I'm doing much less now.
 
#490
GregC said:
I certainly respect this point of view, although I don't think it will ever work for everybody.

I've cut back myself in the last 18 months or so. I went from 7 basses (plus my sentimental cheapie from the '80s that I don't hardly play) to 5--4, pending a sale. The main reason was time. I didn't have enough to do justice to them all and to maintain them. A nice side effect of this is that I'm spending more time with the remaining ones and really digging most of them, which has meant less buying and selling. Not that I was high-turnover in the first place, but I'm doing much less now.
Click to expand...

I agree, that's why I put a hard rule that I won't ever own more than 50 instruments at one time. I wouldn't have time to enjoy them.
 
#491
If you were going to have just one bass, it would be hard to top a Lakland for versitility and playability. I used to have a bunch of basses, now I am down to 2, a 55-02 freted and fretless. When I finally get my 55-94, I probally wouldn't get rid of the 02's but I don't think they would get much playing time.


Peace
Dave
 
#492
Lichtaffen said:
I look at it all this way: back in the day, most professional players had one bass. That's how they got THEIR sound; by getting used to manipulating a bass for a variety of tones. That's why when people on the forum ask: I bought a P bass, why can't I sound like [fill in the blank]? Those professionals relied on technique, not gear per se.

Those professionals generally didn't have back ups. So it kills that argument as well. We're talking mainly 60's/70's.

A wise player (who probably owns dozens of bass, but you only ever see him with the one he is identified with) once said "...the most important thing is to settle on a bass then commit to it... Get to know your bass inside and out and play it in every situation you can."

These are my beliefs drawn from experience. I'd like to propagate this argument whenever I can on TB. Far too many members think you need all these unneccesary possesions. I ask you to honestly assess the question of how many hours do you spend on buying/selling/researching and how many on honest practice time? You have to start asking yourself questions like "is owning more fun than playing?"

I'm not saying owning only one bass is the way to go, I'm saying be content with few.
Click to expand...

I like the way you think.
 
#493
Holdsg said:
every self-respecting bassist should have, in no particular order.

something vintage - (passive P, Ric, etc.)
something jazzy - (a passive jazz, duh)
something modern - (active whatever, J, MM, MMJ, Big Al, Bongo, Modulus, etc.)
and then, if you got those covered
something unique to keep from getting bored with the other stuff - (HB, acoustic, upright, U-bass, whatever)

IMHO and YMMV, of course.
Click to expand...

You have just elegantly described the unspoken goals of everyone with GAS that spends more time on TB than playing or practicing. You have provided an explanation for the syndrome, a defined target for all those who need more, and a final solution for those who have too many.

I can get down to four. I know I can. I know I can.

(Lakland content: I just played a Decade Skyline this past weekend with the lowest setup and the sweetest tone ever. Through a Markbass Jeff Berlin. I now have a goal to sell off one of my US G&Ls and an old BB300 to buy it. I love red stained mahogany in furniture and instruments!)
 
#494
Mrfstop said:
Just out of the car from vacay in cape cod. Stopping by to say helloooooo to fellow Lakland'ers :) Did not get eaten by a great White thankfully. :)
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Hey MrF. glad to see I'm not the only one that's been MIA, hope you had a good relaxing vacation.

Texan said:
Either talk me down from the ledge or push me over: I have 2 44-02D's on with the Barts and one with the LH3. I rarely play the one with the Barts because the LH3 just kills it, so my LH3 set up and my Duck Dunn are my primaries. I'm gassing for a 44-60. Do I really need a Jazz to have all of my bass Bases covered? Is there any real advantage to have the 2 44-02's? I love the thought of the P, the J and the MM/J in the stable, it just seems like the trinity would be complete...Help...
Click to expand...

Jump I say! Jump. Get a Jazz, ditch the 44-02 not being used.

Holdsg said:
every self-respecting bassist should have, in no particular order.

something vintage - (passive P, Ric, etc.)
something jazzy - (a passive jazz, duh)
something modern - (active whatever, J, MM, MMJ, Big Al, Bongo, Modulus, etc.)
and then, if you got those covered
something unique to keep from getting bored with the other stuff - (HB, acoustic, upright, U-bass, whatever)

IMHO and YMMV, of course.
Click to expand...

I have the P and Jazz covered, and they can be vintage sounding, passive or modern courtesy of John East Retro pre's.

For straight modern, I have a Modulus FU4 with a Delano pickup and Aguilar pre.

For fretless, there's the Modulus VJ with a J-Retro, so it can be passive or active as well.

Of course I have a 'custom' 44-94 that should be landing shortly. Yeah, I said the C-word, but since I ordered specifically to my specs it's custom, at least in my mind.

And lastly something unique is being built for me that should keep me from getting bored.
 
#498
roadkill2309 said:
I live what I preach: I've pared down to my American Standard P5, my Sadowsky Standard JJ and my 55-02D.
Click to expand...

Up 'til this past Saturday, my arsenal was similar to yours: a US Fender P, Sadowsky JJ (Metro WL), and a 44-02D. But I traded in the 44-02 (for the 2nd time) and used the proceeds to cure some cab GAS.

A Lakland may be in my future again, though, as I really liked the Fralin-equipped JO4 I tried before I set my hands on the Sadowsky. I just need more time to justify a 3rd bass.
 
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