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One Bass to do it all?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Just wear all three, and shove them in and out of the way as needed. 8^)
I keep thinking I would love to find "the one", and am somewhat jealous of those who have one that does it for them. I have one that I fall back on more than others; my '89 Jazz Bass Special. It is just a great balance of everything I want. Then, there is my MIM P-bass with EMG Geezer pickups and TI flats for that fat sound, my Carvin SB5000F for fretless grooving (man I love that bass when solo jamming), and my Fender P-bass Lyte, which is super light weight and a joy to play for extended periods, even with its super thin neck.
Maybe one day...
Maybe one day...
Someone may have mentioned it already but I personally think a Sting Ray can cover a lot of ground. Even my cheap Sterling SUB Series is pretty versatile.
Sorry, I guess only us old guys know this famous bassist, when you get a chance google "David Hungate" or rock band "TOTO". He is one of the founding members of one of the most famous rock bands in musical history. Rumor has it he became tired of touring after many years, and became a first call or second call bassist, along with session great Michael Rhodes in Nashville. His name is in the credits of countless Country recording artists. In that particular picture he is backing up Country artist Vince Gill, Alvin Lee and Elvis Presley's lead guitarist whose name escapes me at the moment, at a "Crossroads" guitar festival sponsored by Eric Clapton. His choice of money makers is an Alien Audio bass.
depends on your genre and personal taste. I used to let others including guitar players steer me to one bass or another. Finally reached a place after much trial and error, where I feel comfortable playing a bass that covers most tonal variations, as well as ease of play. I like passive vs active/preamp, no boxes and minimal tone controls on guitar and amp. I like the sound of my current bass. Is it 100%? No but the search for better is a narrow field at this point and maybe only a custom might fill that spot. I also like my fretless for that different sound and feel. Playing fretless makes me listen to the notes closer and tone matters. I think a more thoughtful player??
Though I've owned some quite versatile basses over the years (a Roscoe LG 4 string bass w/ Bartolini electronics and pickups & and two EBMM Bongo 4HH basses w/ 4-band EQ are the standouts) a 4-string P/J is still the first one I grab when versatility is needed.
This particular bass is one I built using USA Custom Guitars medium lightweight alder 'Dinky-J' body and flame maple / flame maple neck (built using the dimensions and profile of the Bongo 4-string necks), Nordstrand active/passive electronics with a passive master tone control, three band active EQ w/ mid frequency shift switch, and two volume controls (one for each pickup). The pickups are a custom wound late 50's type P-Bass pickup (with Nordstrand NP4 covers - those rounded edges are a welcomed improvement over the sharp edges & corner on the Fender P-Bass pickup covers) and a Nordstrand Big Single bridge pickup (instead of a traditional Jazz bass bridge pickup). The Big Single sounds offers a very similar snap, fast attack, and tight bass as a Jazz Bass bridge pickup, with a thicker tone, and a better output level match to the P-Bass pickup. It's a long ways from a traditional P/J but it does the late 50's P-Bass sound as well as any bass that cops that tone (in passive mode), Does the Jazz Bass bridge pickup sound in a way that better suits my ears, and does the P/J thing as well as any I've owned and used in the past. It's a very versatile bass even when used in passive mode only. The active preamp is icing on the cake.
This particular bass is one I built using USA Custom Guitars medium lightweight alder 'Dinky-J' body and flame maple / flame maple neck (built using the dimensions and profile of the Bongo 4-string necks), Nordstrand active/passive electronics with a passive master tone control, three band active EQ w/ mid frequency shift switch, and two volume controls (one for each pickup). The pickups are a custom wound late 50's type P-Bass pickup (with Nordstrand NP4 covers - those rounded edges are a welcomed improvement over the sharp edges & corner on the Fender P-Bass pickup covers) and a Nordstrand Big Single bridge pickup (instead of a traditional Jazz bass bridge pickup). The Big Single sounds offers a very similar snap, fast attack, and tight bass as a Jazz Bass bridge pickup, with a thicker tone, and a better output level match to the P-Bass pickup. It's a long ways from a traditional P/J but it does the late 50's P-Bass sound as well as any bass that cops that tone (in passive mode), Does the Jazz Bass bridge pickup sound in a way that better suits my ears, and does the P/J thing as well as any I've owned and used in the past. It's a very versatile bass even when used in passive mode only. The active preamp is icing on the cake.
I have several basses, but I'm getting everything I need from my trusty used $200.00 Peavey first gen Fury....
God's!!! I love that bass!!!;
God's!!! I love that bass!!!;
Basses have the added advantage of not being terribly jealous (and dangerous) if ya can't pick just one...
Word!Basses have the added advantage of not being terribly jealous (and dangerous) if ya can't pick just one...
Recently purchased the new Duff McKagan signature Deluxe P basses it looks and sounds awesome quickly become my number one Bass
Recently purchased a Duff McKagan signature Deluxe P Bass gloss black itlooks and sounds awesome she's got my number one Bass
Recently purchased a Duff mckagen signature Deluxe P bass in gloss black. It become my go-to number one Bass. Like Duff I use both pickups everything turned up balls to the wall. My Guitar player changes guitars for different songs and textures I'm good with playing one bass guitar
I wanna hear a clip of that bass.
Big singles have kinda ruined me for normal J pickups. I really like my Bigmans bc you can go mm+s or s+mm along with parallel/series for a ton of distinctly different tones.
10% overwound Fralins are what's in my go to J5 and they're crazy fun.
They wouldn't go well with a P like the nordstrand.
I have at least 7 different basses that i rotate on a regular basis. i couldn't imaging selling any of them. i sold an epiphone embassy standard IV to a friend and instantly regretted it (along with GK 400 and an Ampeg 1-15 cab that sounded great). i had to go buy another epiphone. the amp didn't bother me as much as the bass.
I had a 59 p and had to sell it during hard times. wish i had that one back.
Even funnier if you imagine Jack Black saying it, Tenacious D style!!
I think You are very right. I have 4 also. My Fender Jazz is my major one that I use 75% of the time. I use my Fender Jazz fretless 10% of the time and usually I will sometimes use it in studio recording. I also have a Gibson Thunderbird so if I need humbucker tone I'll have it and I have an acoustic electric Hofner I use primarily to play if I don't go somewhere to plug into anything. I just love playoing the one that feels tghe best in my hands and that I have set up for hearing the tones I want to hear.
