my current number one bass is...

[Killing Floor]

I keep retiring but it sounds too good.
Thousands of gigs. Road warrior. 1988 Sabre 3EQ in trans blue with clear PG aka Steve Morse blue. Fun fact, the sales guy was Derek St Holmes.

 

[Wyrdlow]

View attachment 5275320 My current #1, a 2018 Spector NS-5XL (Wide5) built for Bryan Beller. The bass is technically an Alex Webster US model prototype, as Bryan had it built to most of the specs of the Euro AW model. I modded it out, put some gold hardware on there, EMG-X pickups and a SNC HAZ clone preamp. The bass is an absolute beast, plays and sounds amazing. You are a fool for selling it Beller!! (He’s into Lull’s now, I get it )

So the body's made of.... water?

 

[ctmullins]

(Since you asked....)

Currently, it's my 8 lb headless multi-scale five-string Rick-alike.

That could change next week though.

 

[ThomasTronics]

Now that i have the hipshot drop D. This is getting all the band time. 1998 44-94. Sounds as good as it looks and has a great jazz profile neck

 

[JRA]

i'm honestly not sure about which is my #1 player anymore --- it used to be so simple (edit: when there was only one)!

maybe it's this one (i don't practice with it, but i've played this one on more gigs...lately):

 

[MonetBass]

Although I love my new fretless, for my church gig I always go back to my Jazz 24. It plays and sounds so great.

 

[Wisebass]

Hi Killing Floor

1988 Sabre 3EQ in trans blue with clear PG

I do not really care about trans blue or clear PGs,

But daaaaang! That maple neck is hardcore bassporn!!!


Wise

 

[LowWay]

I’ve got a top 3 right now. All 30” scale under 7 pounds by Cliff Bordwell.

When I want flats:

When I want rounds:

When I don’t want frets:

 

[E Buzz]

99% of the last couple hundred gigs has been one of these twins...Why? they are rich, tonally perfect, easy to play and right at 8lbs.

 

[Jefenator]

This one because it's the one that got tinkered on most recently.
I never thought EMGs and my '78 P bass would mix, but they do - like peanut butter & chocolate!

 

[KRJax]

I’d say my current favorite is my ‘87 Peavey Foundation.

 

[Wyrdlow]

View attachment 5275326
Now that i have the hipshot drop D. This is getting all the band time. 1998 44-94. Sounds as good as it looks and has a great jazz profile neck

Awsome! Looks like you could swim in it!

 

[Vincent Van Low]

There are a lot of amazing basses on this thread...My #1 is a dirty American performer with Bridge and J PUP upgrades, plus custom wiring and 1 killer sticker. I put flats on it, plug it directly into my Ampeg gear and low I go..

 

[BishopHastur]

This has been my number one since I bought it.

 

[Norwegian_Wood]

Played every gig, rehearsal, jam etc with this since I got it. Use a Lakland DJ4 as a backup for 1/2 step tuning in our set but most of the time I’ll tune this down on stage

 

[fjbass78]

I have a few basses, but lately my 55-02 has been getting a lot of gig time. The Hanson preamp died a little while back, so I took the opportunity to try another preamp and went with the Aguilar OBP3. It always sounded good, but for me now it's the tops!

 

[bucephylus]

Having a “Number 1” would be great; but, I have somehow gotten into a space where I am fitting the bass to the gig. Kind of like, I wouldn’t take a BMW (if I had one) to a construction site to haul bags of concrete.

I have 3 gigs ATM. The instruments from the selection, which seem to work the best are:

Classic Rock covers band:

“Top 40” Variety band:

Blues Brothers “tribute” band:

It is certainly a luxury to have a selection of instruments to fit to the gig. I will simply mention that ID’ing the “best” instruments has been to some extent a bucket of cold water in the face as to what constitutes the “best” instrument for a given gig. I am by no means a “Fender Fanboi;” yet that name does appear on all 3 headstocks. I would note that the two Jazz Basses have Sadowsky preamps on board; and the Precision Bass goes through a Sadowsky Outboard pre at the gig.

 

[coy garcia]

Top one because it's pretty, sounds amazing, and people always want to ask about it at shows...even if it's almost always drunk dudes.

 

[scuzzy]

This has been my number one since I bought it.

View attachment 5275359

with the scenery, it appears MM has mellowed out over the years.

 

[scuzzy]

probably this one, but my emerald green 4-string euro is my favorite, I just need the low B too much.