One bass fits all?

[W.Roberts]

Am I in a minority on this one? For virtually all of my playing life I've relied on just one bass at a time. I've had a total of maybe 8 nearing 50 years. I began with a Gibson Thunderbird, single pickup in 1966. Sold it in the early 70's for a beat up Fender Precision dating to '63. Replaced that with a wonderful 1957 Precision, rosewood fingerboard, a very lightweight bass with a huge sound exactly like Jamerson, Jerry Jemmott and other players of the day and before rounds caught on. Like an idiot I damaged the truss rod and, because I was working, needed a bass the next day. Bought a used Fender P, a '72 alleged to have been used by some well know southern rock group who had a hit record out and that, ladies and gentleman, was 100% piece of garbage. I went to Bob Bobbins, the Jaco documentarian in Ft. Laud. and got a mix Fender -- '64 P with a '61 neck. I beat that thing to death. Sold that for peanuts because someone prior shaved the neck down and all the decals, too. I only cared about the sound and still do. In 1996 I whooped a deal with my younger brother for his Gibson Tobias "Killer B" 5. I use quotation marks because the finish was high gloss polyurethane and not the deep satin one. I never did get a definitive word on what this thing was. I had a love/hate relation with it -- best recording bass I've experienced, weirdest fretboard (flat in the upper octaves, impossible for grabbing chords) and it's live sound through newer tech such as this Genz Benz Contour 500 SUCKED so bad, I even had several discussions with GB's techies who tested on and came to the same conclusion. All mud. Sold that and spent for a slightly used EB Music Man Stingray Classic 4 with the birdseye neck and high gloss natural finish. IMHO this thing sounds like anything I want it to -- Jamerson's funk to McCartney's flights and phat sound; vintage P bass to snappin' crisp highs. I have monogamous relationships perhaps because of my touch? I can't put that into words beyond it's been geared toward sounds of an upright rather than what's called metal or rock. Oh. Don't use no add-on's, gizmo boxes. Straight into an amp or mixing board flat EQ, I'm old school. I mean I'm not the guy if someone want's the latest sound but can approximate almost anyone's groove and for all intents and purposes sound. Is not the sound directly related to one's style? Rather, in my case my style evolved around the sounds that turned me the Hell on which remains Jamerson, Rainey, Jemmott, Lafayette Hudson, Max Bennett -- old school, man.

 

[FlatwoundFunk]

Really interesting question. But I don't think your in the minority for players, who as you put it, "work" at this for a living.

I noticed over the years that most players that are on the grind daily, don't have the time on their hands to geek out on or about gear. They're out there hustling, recording, traveling, networking, teaching, and etc. They get them a good and dependable horse (not a stable) and they conquer the frontier til they have to put that horse down. Damn that was good. I gotta use that again . Or if they do have a stable, they get to a point where they loose the extra to get less but better for what they are doing. And that's not always basses they seek when doing so. Example: lighter rigs, better or different di, accessories, clothing (never know when you'll need a tux).

Russ Rodgers (look him up) once responded to a question I asked him that shocked me and changed my perspective for ever. I asked him what besides his Ken Smith does he have. He said, "Didn't know I was suppose to have another bass". He added, "I have one bass, one amp, and one speaker, that's all a working bassist needs". Notice he said WORKING? Talk about shocked. Here is a HIGHLY RESPECTED and revered PROFESSIONAL Musician and teacher telling me like it is but is contary to the (what I know now is bad information) stuff other cats is saying. To be honest, at first I didn't believe him. I went to his website and youtube and he was straight up. When he got the newer Ken Smith, he traded the old one in. Got a new amp, same thing.

Not that it's the only way to fly, but I see the difference in the collectors, enthusiasts, weekend warriors and grinders. And pending which one a person is, will dictate their choices.
FF

 

[MrLenny1]

I have played the same bass for 24 years.
I started collecting a few years ago but 90% of the
time now my oldie goes to the gig.

 

[W.Roberts]

Really interesting question. But I don't think your in the minority for players, who as you put it, "work" at this for a living.

I noticed over the years that most players that are on the grind daily, don't have the time on their hands to geek out on or about gear. They're out there hustling, recording, traveling, networking, teaching, and etc. They get them a good and dependable horse (not a stable) and they conquer the frontier til they have to put that horse down. Damn that was good. I gotta use that again . Or if they do have a stable, they get to a point where they loose the extra to get less but better for what they are doing. And that's not always basses they seek when doing so. Example: lighter rigs, better or different di, accessories, clothing (never know when you'll need a tux).

Russ Rodgers (look him up) once responded to a question I asked him that shocked me and changed my perspective for ever. I asked him what besides his Ken Smith does he have. He said, "Didn't know I was suppose to have another bass". He added, "I have one bass, one amp, and one speaker, that's all a working bassist needs". Notice he said WORKING? Talk about shocked. Here is a HIGHLY RESPECTED and revered PROFESSIONAL Musician and teacher telling me like it is but is contary to the (what I know now is bad information) stuff other cats is saying. To be honest, at first I didn't believe him. I went to his website and youtube and he was straight up. When he got the newer Ken Smith, he traded the old one in. Got a new amp, same thing.

Not that it's the only way to fly, but I see the difference in the collectors, enthusiasts, weekend warriors and grinders. And pending which one a person is, will dictate their choices.
FF

Hi! Yeah. Thanks for the response. Working for a living made it a drag to lug more than one bass to the gig. I had to be consistent for all these dance and show bands. One would get "that look" from the others if one was constantly f****** around with a different ax as opposed to just getting down to it. At most I had two basses -- one a wonderful Gibson Tobias Killer B 5 and a '64 P with a shaved '61 neck. I bought it that way through Bob Bobbins, the Jaco documentarian all those years ago. Now that my kind of work has pretty much vanished off the face of the Earth, I'm listening to the newer stuff all over the map and definitely the sounds of electric bass has changed for all these different bags. I've got all my personality into one approach. Some basses I've tried out don't get what I personally need to hear but they sure work for others. I have no love for MTD's. Not funky enough for me. I've tried out $100 cheap-o's at the pawn shop. Tried Sadowsky, Pedulla, Ricks, vintage Hofner's, Thunderbird (my first bass) but that old vintage sound that was Jamerson excited me so I had to do it. I was compelled. To a great degree I can still do him! The funk never dies ... but it does smell kind a' funny as of late....

Great conversing with you and hope to again soon! R. Marcus, the poorest imitation of Lafayette Hudson who might exist

 

[twinjet]

I never know what to say when a working bass player only owns one bass. Props to them for managing GAS, but what about having a spare? Someone swipes your bass while you're taking a leak, electronics go out, any number of problems could arise - and now the gig is over because of player monogamy? It doesn't make sense.

I don't dream of owning 50 basses. Heck I was down to two recently until I decided to pickup a bass for rehab purposes. But really, why only one?

 

[FlatwoundFunk]

Here's another person that from what I remember, does one bass at a time. He may own more, but he played his Fender P for many, many years all over the world before he sat her down and started gigging the Lakland P. OP I know you can dig this...



FF

 

[FlatwoundFunk]

I never know what to say when a working bass player only owns one bass. Props to them for managing GAS, but what about having a spare? Someone swipes your bass while you're taking a leak, electronics go out, any number of problems could arise - and now the gig is over because of player monogamy? It doesn't make sense.

I don't dream of owning 50 basses. Heck I was down to two recently until I decided to pickup a bass for rehab purposes. But really, why only one?

Cats like that don't have time for gas. The main reason people have gas is because they have toooo much time on their hands (my hand is raised up in admittance). Most gringing pro's I had and/or have the pleasure of knowing couldn't tell you the lastest and greastest anything on talkbass. So there's no gas problems. The main source of new gear knowledge they get is from other bass players that playing on the same bill as themselves.

The "what if's" that you mentioned, although they are possible, they are very rare. Talkbass and people like to spread the "BOOGIE MAN" effect to justify their indulgence in mass accumulation of gear. Like I said, it happens but it's more likely to happen at you home or vechile (refferring to theft) than at a gig.

With technical malfunctions, most grinders get gear that limit the "breakdown ratio". Notice how the OP kept getting P's? Then later on when he did get a MM? All of these are known for there reliability and simplicity. And like he said, he's a bass to amp player. Nothing in between. That also limits the amount of things that can go wrong. Those cats get the best that they can that's known for reliable delivery in sound and quality so they don't have to fumble around and concentrate on what they are there for.... To Play.

Could you imagine going to 2-5 different gigs to play in a day for 3-6 days a week (on average) carrying:
2-3 bass (18 plus lbs.)
2 amps (just incase 1 breaks down)
2 cabs (you heard about those woofers blowing)
1 bag with cables, xlr's, strings, straps, tools, tuners, etc. X 2 (because WHAT IF the go out too)
You get my point..

FF

 

[W.Roberts]

I never know what to say when a working bass player only owns one bass. Props to them for managing GAS, but what about having a spare? Someone swipes your bass while you're taking a leak, electronics go out, any number of problems could arise - and now the gig is over because of player monogamy? It doesn't make sense.

I don't dream of owning 50 basses. Heck I was down to two recently until I decided to pickup a bass for rehab purposes. But really, why only one?

The only problems I ever ran into was with amps. I didn't work in environments where theft was any concern. Our bosses protected our assets.

 

[W.Roberts]

One more thing. I think all of our main concerns was with contracting lung cancer from all the smoke we had to breathe. I'm talking 5-6 nights a week, 2-4 sets a night for a good decade at least. We wanted to work as musicians and that was part of the package.