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more basses = less skill?

will only 1 bass make you a better player?

  • Your playing will be the same no matter how many basses you own.

    Votes: 582 94.5%

  • Playing more than one type of bass will hinder your abilities.

    Votes: 27 4.4%

  • if you have more than one bass they should be the same brand so they feel the same.

    Votes: 7 1.1%
  • Total voters
    616
#101
There's simply no relationship between the two concepts in the original post (and note that the poll has even less to do with it!!!). I have six basses because I have commercial skills. I've been playing gigs for money since 1976. I've made good money doing it, and it came down to either buying new musical equipment or giving the money to the IRS. So, I bought basses and guitars. And over those 35 years, I've learned to keep the really good ones. So, I've got my six basses, including one I bought new in 1983 (28 years ago). The most recent purchase was about two years ago (a fretless version of my favorite bass).

I totally disagree with the poll choice that they should all be the same make so they sound the same. Just having two Fenders (or Laklands, SX, etc.) doesn't mean they'll sound anywhere near the same.

John
 
#102
funk generator said:
So I was talking to a few very skilled bassists the other day (one of them records for esperanza spalding!) and they both said you Shouldn't have more than one bass. The exception being if you play a fretless and a fretted.

The logic behind it is if you play more than one bass you'll never be amazing at playing one of them. You should get to be "best friends" per say with your main bass and the better you know it the better you'll play.

I countered this with "But victor wooten playes like a billion different fodera's including 6 strings and fretless" (I know his fretless isn't fodera) the reply was "Yes, but he only does the vic thing on his 4 string"
Another point brought up is people like Justin Raines. He has 2 basses, but there both MTD's and probably setup identically.
Click to expand...

This topic nearly proves my point on something I've pondered on lately: Being a prominent or skilled player doesn't mean they know everything about gear. I would have to call their view "misinformation" on their part. If you only learn how to play well on YOUR bass, what happens when you have to borrow another player's bass at a show or you want to branch out and try something else? That's like saying you should only drive honda civics so you can get really good at driving them and never have an accident....it's a stupid statement. You may have fewer blind spots in a civic, but knowing how to drive in a truck, suv, or even a bus is nothing but good if you ask me lol.

I've chatted with some prominent players in the past (a few I knew personally), and when I ask why they chose their go-to amp I've gotten answers like "It was the most expensive one I could afford"..all joking absent. A local guy that played pretty well (IMHO) was complaining about his SVT-CL not having enough bottom end, playing it through an the ampeg 8x10 fridge. I suggested he try a ported 8x10, possibly a Mesa or something of that sort. He had no idea what porting was and asked me why I chose Mesa, since it didn't "match the ampeg head". I explained that the voicing might be different but may be to his liking compared to the ampeg fridge.

With basses it has been similar stuff. Jacking all the pots on their active basses to max and wondering why their amp's input clip light goes like crazy or why they can't get clean signal. These dudes aren't teenagers, some people just aren't familiar with a lot of gear or how to operate it.

Sometimes I forget, but this forum has been an astronomically useful tool on countless topics for me....I nearly quote this place like gospel. Not all bassists are savvy to how great this forum really is. That having been said, sometimes all they have to go on is hype from the MFG or some guitar store salesperson. I feel they could educate themselves better, they just have to try, but to summarize...You can get some AWFUL advice from pros sometimes. Maybe it helps to play one kind of bass when you are endorsed, but since I'm not I'll play and own as much of what I like as I want lol. :bassist:
 
#104
:bassist:This might have been mentioned, but the person who plays for Esperanza Spalding should never say that a great bassist only plays one bass. Spalding always rents her double basses, sometimes she plays an electric upright. From what I can see, she has settled on a fretless Fender Jazz for her bass guitar work, but when she first came out, she was picking up whatever, and sounding delightful!
 
#108
topo morto said:
I think there's a big difference between

"you should only have one bass"

and

"many people find it helpful to have a main squeeze"

I think first is BS, second... I'm inclined to think is true!
Click to expand...

Yeah, as much as this rankles me on principle, and I am fairly certain there is no benefit to have a "main squeeze", I nonetheless have always had one bass that is my favorite to play.

For over 20 years it was my 77 Jazz, the only bass I owned. I wouldn't play other basses, only my J felt "right". Then it got stolen, and I still had to play gigs. I borrowed a low-end G&L bass and lo and behold I played just fine on the G&L. It was a very nice bass, in spite of being a relatively low-end bass in their line up, with a great set up, and it was fun to play. It opened my eyes up. But I recovered my Jazz bass, thank goodness, and it went back to being "the one".

Then 10 years ago I started gigging with a new band and the Jazz just didn't cut it sonically; something about how it blended with the BL's acoustic guitar and lead player's semi-hollow Epiphone made things muddy. I bought a used SSD 4-string that really spoke to me, sat great in the mix of this band, and now that bass is my main player. I have to force myself to play a different bass on a gig, even my Jazz.

Then just this past summer I had some technical problems at a big festival gig- I figured out later at that it was a bad cable- but at the time it seemed it was the SSD. I switched to my Warwick Streamer Stage I backup, and it worked (jiggled the cable enough during change-over) so used it for the set. It was no problem at all, and actually kind of fun playing the gig on a different bass than usual. So I think the basic premise that you'll somehow hurt your playing by playing different basses is bunk, but also see how one bass can be "the one". Just realize that "the one" can change.
 
#109
I have 3 Squier Jazzes 2 4 strings and a 5, 1 Squier P and an 8 string. No they don't make me a better player. However they give me satasfaction. I quit smoking 4 years ago and with the money I save on smokes I use to fuel my other addiction "bass guitars" I am only a bedroom player for now so I don't need any expensive gear. I just tweak and mod what I have to my tastes.

I have had more expensive basses in the past and none of them made me any better. I was concerned about being seen in public with Squiers, but you know what I play how I play and if you give me a $4000 Roscoe I will play it the same as my $200 Jazz V Affinity. But if I ever need to have a high end bass or 2, I have excellent credit with L and M and can get what ever I want. I just can't justify it as a bedroom superstar!!
 
#110
I have a number of basses and have discovered that some sound a little different than others . I like having the ability to choose what I think might be appropriate for the gig or session .

I have set them up to reflect my touch . Why would I limit myself to one bass ?

Edit

I might add that for the first twenty five or so years I spent as a gigging bassist I just had one instrument ... now I keep a bunch of them . Because I love the differences .
 
#111
gnjpowell said:
Both sides of this discussion appear to have merit. There is an old and very true saying: "Beware the man with one gun, he likely knows how to use it."
Click to expand...

Reminds me of a saying I heard from my dad about hunters: show me a man with many rifles, I'll show you a man who can shoot; show me a man with one rifle, I'll show you a marksman.

I went from having a variety of basses to two of the same type with slightly different electronics and setups.. For me personally, I sound an instrument that spoke to me more than any other that I've ever played. It's about finding your voice.

I do think there's something to familiarity - think of players like Eric Clapton or BB King whose voice is the result of so many years on a single instrument that speaks for them. Basswise, perhaps there's more variety, but Jack Bruce, Jack Casady, Phil Lesh, and a few others come to mind. Of course they've used a variety of instruments over their whole career, but which instrument's tone do people think of when speaking of that artist's "sound"? Usually it's a particular instrument.
 
#113
interesting thread .....all i can say is - on a gig i can't really play two different guitars or basses as well. i always favor the feel of one over the other and do better with the one my hands are liking ...this may change but it pretty much goes with what i'm using the most at home practicing ...

but owning several basses does not hinder you ....switching on a gig .....it usually does me a bit!

i feel it more on lead guitar than bass though!
 
#114
Strat Hater said:
I have 3 Squier Jazzes 2 4 strings and a 5, 1 Squier P and an 8 string. No they don't make me a better player. However they give me satasfaction. I quit smoking 4 years ago and with the money I save on smokes I use to fuel my other addiction "bass guitars" I am only a bedroom player for now so I don't need any expensive gear. I just tweak and mod what I have to my tastes.

I have had more expensive basses in the past and none of them made me any better. I was concerned about being seen in public with Squiers, but you know what I play how I play and if you give me a $4000 Roscoe I will play it the same as my $200 Jazz V Affinity. But if I ever need to have a high end bass or 2, I have excellent credit with L and M and can get what ever I want. I just can't justify it as a bedroom superstar!!
Click to expand...


credit at LnM is good yes!? LOL ...me too!

BTW ....i kinda hate strats now too ....somehow in the last decade i got onto teles and les pauls...
 
#116
sammyp said:
interesting thread .....all i can say is - on a gig i can't really play two different guitars or basses as well. i always favor the feel of one over the other and do better with the one my hands are liking ...this may change but it pretty much goes with what i'm using the most at home practicing ...

but owning several basses does not hinder you ....switching on a gig .....it usually does me a bit!

i feel it more on lead guitar than bass though!
Click to expand...
I don't like to switch on gigs, either. I double on upright so I do it anyway, but switching basses means new EQ's and new volumes, and once I get dialed in, I like to stay there.
 
#117
There are so many factors at play here. Are you a new player or an experienced player? What kind of music do you play, type of bands, etc? For a new/beginner player, focusing on learning how to play really well and understanding everything the bass you have can do (assuming it's the right bass to begin with) is good advice. Too often focus is on mods or constantly switching gear in hopes of getting a particular sound or sounding like a particular player instead of just getting really good at bass. Someone made the point earlier that Flea plays alot of different basses - but of course he always sounds like Flea.

If you're already a solid player and you play more than one style of music chances are you'll want more than one bass. Fortunately, a solid P or J Bass covers an awful lot of styles and territory. But even within that, there's plenty of valid differences. I have an old school P with flats that I love for jazz and blues and a new Amer Std one with rounds for more modern stuff. I have 4 string and 5 string jazz, one more vintage, one more modern that cover different ground. I also find I get inspiration from different instruments. I have them all out in home studio and often after not playing one for a while feel like I'm rediscovering it again.

There are of course always exceptions. I know a very, very good player who has an awesome collection, bought a new bass last year and plays almost nothing else. Whenever I ask, he says "I'm still trying to learn everything about it"
 
#118
randysmojo said:
That's just the thing. Jaco did not have just one bass. He had a jazz with a maple p-bass neck that he played fairly often, and some custom built scroll headstock bass that I can't recall who manufactured. He's just best known for his main bass.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the correction! I actually assumed that he must have had an other bass, but I've only seen him with his jazz.
 
#119
sethlow3 said:
This is a very interesting topic. I was thinking about this a couple of days ago.
When you think of Jaco what bass do you see in his hands? Fender Jazz
James Jamerson? Fender Precision
Paul McCartney? Hofner Violin Bass
Geddy Lee? Fender Jazz
Chris Kent? Nathan East Yamaha BBN5A
Nathan East? Yamaha
Aston Barret? Fender Jazz with flats
Bobby Vega? Fender Jazz
Victor Wooten? Fodera 4 (especially the ying yang)

A lot of these players own(ed) other basses, but 75% of them you'd see them in pictures, live etc... playing these specific models. I think it's no accident either. They usually have a tone and feel in their minds that is best to them, and while others basses can be played on, nothing stands up to the main go to bass.

I have had this happen to me in recent years after playing the same bass touring for 6 years. My Modulus FBJ5 feels and sounds unlike any other brand of 5 I have played. It has always felt like home so much that when I pick up my Fender Jazz American Standard, it feels totally different and actually effects my playing to a degree. So much that I usually play the Jazz with a pick rather than fingerstyle which brings out an entirely different character, feel, and tone in my playing. Could I play fingerstyle lines on it? of course! but the tighter spacing, feel, and B string on the Modulus brings out better fingerstyle grooves in my playing IMO.

So I suppose my Modulus will continue to be my "main bass", but I don't mind playing and adapting to other basses. I'd love to own a MMSR5 again because it was the closest thing I have been able to get that feels like the Modulus.
Click to expand...

Geddy went from a p bass to the Rick then to a jazz then to the Steinberger then to Wal then back to his jazz. When he was young/ younger he used several bass during a tour. Today as his tech man, he is older and stuck to habits, so he plays almost only his jazz bass collection.

Chris Squire's main bass is his beloved Rick Which he played all the way since The Syn days. But other the years he collected a number of basses as mentioned on his web site:
"We're using the original 1964 Rickenbacker, a new Rickenbacker (the Fish Out Of Water bass) which is used on Machine Messiah, then an MPC Electra, which is used on Tempus Fugit and Owner, then a Lakland, which is a Fender Jazz type bass, which is used on Astral Traveler.
We are also carrying in the bass traveling trunk Chris' 8-string Ranney bass which he has used on various songs since the 80's. His green Mouridian bass which has always been one of his favourites and his original Fender Jazz bass which comes out from time to time"

He also have a Lakland p bass and I've seen him with a fiver and a sixxer.

I think many players try and play different basses in order to boost creativity and motivation.
 
#120
i think it just depends on the bassist.

the only times i've had more than one bass at a gig was when the band tuned two different ways (D-A-D-G and C-G-C-F, for example). other than that, i use my trusty old Jazz. :bassist:

that being said... i'd like to own and get to know a nice old Precision.

but, if the situation calls for different basses, then use different basses.
 

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