Multiples of the same bass

[Soberglitch]

How do I reason with keeping multiples of the same bass? Especially when there are other basses I want but it would require me to sell.

I only own 2 basses, a Stingray and Stingray Special. I bought both of these for a great deal assuming I’d keep one and sell the other. Unfortunately I fell in love with both but have been wrestling with the idea of selling one and buying a MIJ Jazz or Jazz Bass Special.

I have other hobbies and activities that take priority in terms of funds and space so I’ve really been trying to keep my collection to a couple of amps and a couple of basses.

Thought this might be an interesting topic and help my decision making process.

 

[el jeffe bass]

That’s a peach of a pair but “other hobbies and activities that take priority”???? Really, more than bass?

 

[SC Bassboy]

My justification for owning multiples of what is essentially the same bass is having a back-up on stage. If you actually love both your basses keep them. Chances are high you will regret selling one of them. This is a good opportunity to hunker down, eat PBJ sandwiches for a while and buy a new bass while those two beauties stay safely in your stable.

 

[SJan3]

How do I reason with keeping multiples of the same bass? Especially when there are other basses I want but it would require me to sell.

I only own 2 basses, a Stingray and Stingray Special. I bought both of these for a great deal assuming I’d keep one and sell the other. Unfortunately I fell in love with both but have been wrestling with the idea of selling one and buying a MIJ Jazz or Jazz Bass Special.

I have other hobbies and activities that take priority in terms of funds and space so I’ve really been trying to keep my collection to a couple of amps and a couple of basses.

Thought this might be an interesting topic and help my decision making process.

View attachment 4235715

Never sell a bass you love, NEVER!
I'm sure your Stingrays sound a bit different and different strings give you even more versatility. Save your pennies for a Jazz bass but don't sacrifice something you know and love. My 2¢

 

[rockdoc11]

Here's my take on this.

Back in 1995 I bought my all-time dream bass, a Pedulla MVP. It was everything I had dreamed of and more. Playability, tone: it had it all.

After just a few gigs with it I suddenly got scared that if something happened to it, I'd have to gig with . . . something else. And it wouldn't be as good.

So I saved, sold off stuff, and bought my second MVP as backup.

I still have them both today. And #2 has gotten out to a fair number of gigs. The peace of mind #2 provided was well worth the extra money.

#1

#2

 

[shastaband]

I have multiple Precision basses. All have different strings: flats, low-tension flats, round-core nickel-plated rounds, hex-core cobalt rounds. (The ol’ ‘66 in my avatar doesn’t go out on gigs anymore. But it’s wearing flats as a tribute to its heritage.) There have been a number of recent threads discussing flats versus rounds, with many bemoaning what they’re missing with one type or the other, putting flats on, taking them off, putting on rounds, taking them off, trying to decide what sounds best on their bass and for the different types of material they play.

Multiple basses solve that dilemma. I can have flats AND rounds, not flats or rounds.

 

[Wood and Wire]

How do I reason with keeping multiples of the same bass? Especially when there are other basses I want but it would require me to sell.

I only own 2 basses, a Stingray and Stingray Special. I bought both of these for a great deal assuming I’d keep one and sell the other. Unfortunately I fell in love with both but have been wrestling with the idea of selling one and buying a MIJ Jazz or Jazz Bass Special.

I have other hobbies and activities that take priority in terms of funds and space so I’ve really been trying to keep my collection to a couple of amps and a couple of basses.

Thought this might be an interesting topic and help my decision making process.

View attachment 4235715

Those two different eras of StingRays have different voicings - that alone is sufficient justification.

You've also got nerdy justifications, like different body contours, machine heads, and bridges (from an aesthetic, and functional point of view), and the fact that you can get the classic 2 band sound from your older StingRay (by setting Bass & Treble at maximum, and leaving Middle at the centre detent), which you can't do with the Special.

Last, but not least, they both look different.


It's always good to have a backup, and useful to keep one tuned to drop D.

And never, ever, sell an instrument that you enjoy playing.

 

[JimmyM]

I have three PJ's with the same strings and same pickups on all, plus a straight-up P with flats and the same P pickup. How do I reason with it? I don't. I just do it because it's what I want.

If you want two Rays, keep two Rays. If not, sell one. Not like good Rays are impossible to find.

 

[GreyBeard]

Like dating non-identical twins lol.

 

[hypercarrots]

multiple of the same bass
Do you own multiples of the same bass? Why?
Why do folks have multiple basses from the same maker?

 

[Pings Bass]

I'm a variety guy. I think a ray and a J can cover an awful lot of ground that two rays cannot. My $.02

Of course I also don't like parting ways with instruments, so I'd end up keeping both rays and figuring out how to add a J.

 

[N4860]

As others have said, you can have multiple of the same bass but have some different strings on them to get a different tone. Also, variation in colour is nice depending on your mood and which you'd want to play for a gig. I also like to stick with an instrument that just feels right and for me, that's a stingray so I have multiples of them as well:

 

[ItsmeSantiago]

If I could make two identical copies of my P bass, I would and wouldn't want anything else. Rounds, flats and a BEAD and I'd be content.

 

[Doctor Morbius]

I'm probably the wrong guy to ask as I have two MIM Mustang PJs and four Squier VM short scale Jags.

I say if you find something(s) you like, there's nothing wrong with surrounding yourself with it/them.

 

[Deleted member 261632]

Each bass has its own characters. Plus if you like the sound of 1 bass and the other sounds just like it, you can easily swap in case of failure, breakdown or just for the fun of swapping wihtout having to tweak some knobs of any kind.

Long story short: just keep the 2 and play the heck outta them

 

[Maxdusty]

If you feel the Stingray sound defines you and your sound, then keep both. There's nothing wrong with that.
If you want to branch out and try to go for variety of tonal options then get either a third bass or sell one of the two. A passive jazz can get you a tone that's not really possible on the Ray, but the key is do you like it enough that you would use it?
It's also possible you're not yet ready to go this route, so keep the two in the meantime and when you're ready to branch out, you can address it then.

 

[jd56hawk]

How do I reason with keeping multiples of the same bass? Especially when there are other basses I want but it would require me to sell.

I only own 2 basses, a Stingray and Stingray Special. I bought both of these for a great deal assuming I’d keep one and sell the other. Unfortunately I fell in love with both but have been wrestling with the idea of selling one and buying a MIJ Jazz or Jazz Bass Special.

I have other hobbies and activities that take priority in terms of funds and space so I’ve really been trying to keep my collection to a couple of amps and a couple of basses.

Thought this might be an interesting topic and help my decision making process.

View attachment 4235715

I have three Dean Exotica acoustic basses and two G&L L2000s.
Wouldn't dream of selling any of them to buy a jazz bass....okay, I also have a very nice Jazz bass, so I guess I wouldn't sell any of them to buy a Peavy T-40.
I understand that you'd like to keep your collection to a minimum, but one more bass won't hurt.
(Have you found a jazz that's so good you have to buy it?)

 

[halcyo]

The answer is definitely based on your use. If you gig out with any regularity, it totally normal to have a backup that's close to the first string bass. If you just play/record at home, I personally would rather have more distinctly different instruments for the variety. But, I mean, you only have the pair. N4860 up there has 5 damn stingrays, so he's probably one sick puppy for dem stingrays haha

I think if you FEEL like you might want another type of bass, then go for it. Especially if the two rays sound similar enough. That said, I've hardly ever not regretted selling good gear over the years, even when I thought I didn't need it at the time. I always ended up wishing I still had the quality item years later for some reason or another.

 

[Swerve]

Since I tend to only play one bass, having an expensive identical backup that never gets played seems unnecessary. In a pinch, a Squier P will do just fine in place of my USA P.

If you love and play both basses equally I'd recommend keeping them and saving up for a Jazz. If you favor one much more than the other, sell or trade the other.

 

[beaglesandbass]

Thought this might be an interesting topic

So interesting you're not the first person to talk about it
Does it make any sense to own two of (essentially) the same bass?
Who has two of the exact same bass and why?
Owning two of the same bass

I have similar basses.. a P and a P/J. Classic Stingray, Ray 34 (3 band), Stingray 5 (3 band), but nothing the exact same. I don't think I'd want it.