One Bass to do it all?

[singlemalt]

Agreed, if it’s going to be a main squeeze, there can’t be a lot of fooling around with others.

To do the six string, all the others had to be put up in an inconvenient place. In their hard cases and tightly packed in a closet. Like I had only one bass.

Or, just own one bass. Says the guy who is back up to three.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

This will probably seem obvious but the way to make a bass your main bass is not to play others. Particularly when it gets difficult and you're not getting the desired results. Familiarity is your friend. A fretless as a main can be a bit more more difficult because your intonation comes into play... if you're sliding into notes that can ruin the auditory illusion of not playing a fretless. I gigged my Zon Legacy 5 for several years as my main bass for any and all gigs I did. It becomes second nature after a while.

Bottom line... practice. That's all. But that's alot.

There is just no way around the shed.

 

[AudioTaper]

I have the Koren Sandberg that is an active P so no direct comparison.
The 44-02 neck fits my hand better than Fender & Sandberg though.

And, about 2 minutes ago I just bought a 44-01 from a board member - 2 soap bars but the same neck!!!

Yes, the -01 and -02 are the same except for the pickups and electronics. I've played both quite a bit (used to work at a Lakland dealership) and I prefer the electronics package of the -02 (which is the same as the -94)
Both great basses!

 

[PJ Muzikmansky]

I must say I've always enjoyed playing a variety of basses for the different sounds they have to offer, though my current bass - a '59 custom shop P - sounds so good it's made my other basses [ 2012 Am standard jazz and 2004 3-band MM stingray) pretty much obsolete in terms of my current musical pursuits, and will do for the foreseeable future. For the styles I play, the tone with flat-wound strings - especially played with a pick and foam mute in the bridge - is simply the best bass tone I've commanded in my nearly 40 years of playing, and that includes Sadowsky various other 60's and 70's Fender jazz basses, a couple of Ibanez Musicians and a pair of EB stingrays.

HOWEVER,

If I had to pick one bass to cover all sounds it'd be the Yamaha BB 2024/2024x.

Completely passive and by far and away the BEST sounding bass I've ever heard for covering 'P', 'P/J' and 'J' sounds all on the one instrument.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

@Brad Johnson, you are the Dr. Spock of TB; always adding some logic where it’s needed. I should have shedded hard on Pedulla between rehearsals, and that is what I will do
For the rest of the month.

 

[filwitheneff]

Isn't that just a string thing? I use two identical Yamaha BBN5As with my cover band and last year I just fell in love with a P. Almost bought it, but in the end I took the Yamaha to the store and compared it on neck pickup with the P. Both had the same mojo, so the P stayed in the store.
Mind you, this was with rounds, so that's why I'm asking.

That’s a fair question. Yes, the strings matter. I did, however, put a set of TI Flats on the Yamaha, but I could never find that “P with flats” tone. It was always close, but it was always just a hair off of that tone that I hear in my head. Plus, I’m a simpleton, so the simplicity of a P Bass is also attractive (so maybe it’s all in my head).

 

[twc1313]

I will humbly say this, about the Bass players that have had "careers" with ONE bass...
They had a signature sound, and played ORIGINAL Music. Those of You who are not in this position, have varying tones in Your heads, and want to hear them ALL come out of ONE bass.
I think that it's honorable to pay tribute to those "career" folk, but... I don't see getting that many DIFFERENT tones/sounds out of ONE bass.

Don't be so hard on Yourself, and... keep doing what You do, My Friend.

Peace

This is the best way to put it my man. It is much much easier to settle on one bass if you are in an original band. Typically you find something that just matches the style of the band and style of the other players and then get to work with it.

I'm not a pro at all and have never had a career in music, but even when I was in an original band; I just played my Pbass and never thought about gear, tones, etc. I had what worked and what the band liked and I did my job.

Once I started with cover bands, the GAS became insufferable.

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Oh... I've had GAS for years, and... own a TON of different basses. Never got into playing covers, but... My '79 Sabre, is still my #1, since 1988.

This is the best way to put it my man. It is much much easier to settle on one bass if you are in an original band. Typically you find something that just matches the style of the band and style of the other players and then get to work with it.

I'm not a pro at all and have never had a career in music, but even when I was in an original band; I just played my Pbass and never thought about gear, tones, etc. I had what worked and what the band liked and I did my job.

Once I started with cover bands, the GAS became insufferable.

 

[chris_b]

. . . . when I was in an original band; I just played my Pbass and never thought about gear, tones, etc. I had what worked and what the band liked and I did my job.

Once I started with cover bands, the GAS became insufferable.

I don't make a distinction between playing bass in an original band or in a cover band. They both get me just playing and sounding like me.

 

[Hypercaffium]

It doesn't shred?
Tell that to Carol Kaye. LOL
btw, whats a "djent?"

That was a joke.

A P with flats and a J with rounds should cover most gigging pros.

P/J with flats and J with rounds is even better, imho.

 

[Mark A Munoz]

Recently, I found that I had a hard time getting my Pedulla to sound the way I wanted it to when rehearsing for a church concert at the end of the month. My Sire really sounds great for the music, but it is bothering me that my main bass is not working out. Now that I know the songs better, I am going to practice them at home on the Pedulla and use my Pentabuzz at the next rehearsal. I think of how many great players have had careers on one bass, and I feel that I should be able to carry out my humble take on one bass too. In fact, I really want to let some basses go. Probably just keeping my Sire, Peavey Fury, and Pedulla. I do have another bass on an extended layaway and selling off my Carvin may take care of that. Four basses is still a lot of basses, but I want to use the Pedulla at least 75% of the time. If my Peavey had not only cost me $65, I would probably sell it too.

Not really such a thing as a "do it all" with one bass. I've got 24 basses and I make sure I bring along 3-4 basses to my sessions.

 

[Bass1969]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

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Love the hairy feet. I hope these were removed before gigging. Especially the drummer. (ha)

 

[aolstudios]

I think I remember you saying the EBMM Caprice covers enough ground to be someone's only bass. It made me want to get one!

My EBMM USA sub (Stingray with a textured paint job) has become my only live bass. It's the least expensive bass I own but is rock solid, easy to play & covers every base I throw at it

 

[LowMax]

Recently, I found that I had a hard time getting my Pedulla to sound the way I wanted it to when rehearsing for a church concert at the end of the month. My Sire really sounds great for the music, but it is bothering me that my main bass is not working out. Now that I know the songs better, I am going to practice them at home on the Pedulla and use my Pentabuzz at the next rehearsal. I think of how many great players have had careers on one bass, and I feel that I should be able to carry out my humble take on one bass too. In fact, I really want to let some basses go. Probably just keeping my Sire, Peavey Fury, and Pedulla. I do have another bass on an extended layaway and selling off my Carvin may take care of that. Four basses is still a lot of basses, but I want to use the Pedulla at least 75% of the time. If my Peavey had not only cost me $65, I would probably sell it too.

I've always felt that all you really need is a quality instrument that feels GREAT in your hands. Once you have that, EQ and a great set of ears will take you a long way. (But hey, that's just my two cents)

 

[Dreamsinger]

90% of what I do is on fretless but you really need frets for the snap and pop stuff. After a successful experiment with a quasi-acoustic MIDI guitar I'm thinking a MIDI bass could cover everything. I'm thinking a chambered 5 string fretless with Ghost pickups might be the trick. Getting rid of my matched pair of Yamaha BBG5's isn't going to happen though so while I may only use one I'll never get down to owning just one.

 

[yPractice?]

USA G&L L2500

I was going to post the same recommendation. My L-2500 was the most versatile bass I ever owned out of dozens that I’ve had. I regret selling it.

 

[medievalrhyme]

Recently, I found that I had a hard time getting my Pedulla to sound the way I wanted it to when rehearsing for a church concert at the end of the month. My Sire really sounds great for the music, but it is bothering me that my main bass is not working out. Now that I know the songs better, I am going to practice them at home on the Pedulla and use my Pentabuzz at the next rehearsal. I think of how many great players have had careers on one bass, and I feel that I should be able to carry out my humble take on one bass too. In fact, I really want to let some basses go. Probably just keeping my Sire, Peavey Fury, and Pedulla. I do have another bass on an extended layaway and selling off my Carvin may take care of that. Four basses is still a lot of basses, but I want to use the Pedulla at least 75% of the time. If my Peavey had not only cost me $65, I would probably sell it too.

In other words, you're looking for a bass GAS killer, am I right?

Candidly, basses are either garbage, or, they're ridiculously overpriced.

Secondly, off the shelf stuff is almost never perfectly suited to a player's unique needs.

Find a local not big brand (or cost?) luthier to co-create your dream bass, which won't exist until you make it - good luck!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I've always felt that all you really need is a quality instrument that feels GREAT in your hands. Once you have that, EQ and a great set of ears will take you a long way. (But hey, that's just my two cents)

I agree with you! The bass that feels great and get a sound you want is the key.

 

[BassAssHat]

I would be happy to just use my wattplower for everything but always have had a backup Stingray in case of a string break. Was even considering getting a second wattplower for backup purposes so I could keep it consistent.

 

[pjmuck]

I enjoy playing different basses for different varieties as well, but 95% of the time I am using my Sire V7 vintage these days in my cover bands. With an on board active preamp + the bass mute I mounted onto it (and a Hipshot detuner), I have no problem covering anything.