I like having more than one bass and more than one sound. Maybe I should have said that I want is to be able to use my fretless in any setting. I want to get used to hearing that sound any time I play bass even if I choose not to use it.
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One Bass to do it all?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I like having more than one bass and more than one sound. Maybe I should have said that I want is to be able to use my fretless in any setting. I want to get used to hearing that sound any time I play bass even if I choose not to use it.
Since I like to play fretted and fretless, and I have music associates who tune to standard A440 and others who tune down 1/2 step, I have 4. Cannot justify any more or any less basses as long as I enjoy doing this.
Since you have put some miles on the Carvin and the Sire, which one feels better to you?? Which one sounds better to you?
Since you have put some miles on the Carvin and the Sire, which one feels better to you?? Which one sounds better to you?
Of course, there's always the idea of changing strings, amp settings, and/or pedals to change things up with the Pedulla, Doc. Heck, with the right bass synth pedal you can make that sucker do train whistles to fog horns.
Though I have higher quality instruments in my collection, I always return to my passive 1971 Fender Jazz.
Why? Having spent years and countless hours on it, I have learned how to emphasize its strengths, minimize its weaknesses, and coax a myriad of usable tones out if it using a variety of hand positions, drop tunings and pickup combinations. Reggae, rock, country, pop, funk, jazz, ska, latin, gospel - it’s all in there with enough exploration. IMHO, it’s more about putting time into learning the intricacies of a given instrument than the make/model/features.
Why? Having spent years and countless hours on it, I have learned how to emphasize its strengths, minimize its weaknesses, and coax a myriad of usable tones out if it using a variety of hand positions, drop tunings and pickup combinations. Reggae, rock, country, pop, funk, jazz, ska, latin, gospel - it’s all in there with enough exploration. IMHO, it’s more about putting time into learning the intricacies of a given instrument than the make/model/features.
Fretless is a tough one to make work in any situation.
I'll be the first to say that versatility comes from the player, not the gear, but there are some basses that I have that are specialty basses and aren't the most versatile. I can make them work for anything, but it's a matter of forcing square pegs into round holes for certain things. I mean, I could use my violin basses for an 80's-90's hard rock band, but it wouldn't be the easiest thing to pull off.
One of the most overlooked and versatile basses!IMHO
I just realized, that is like asking 'which one of your kids do you like best' … silly me <c:
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I actually agree. I like for a bass to have a personality. I just want that personality to be useful in lots of settings.
Maybe it is just dawning on me that my most expensive and well made bass may not be the most versatile bass I own.
I have not met a situation yet that an Ibanez SR5 can't handle. I also have a cheap SX SS jazz 4 string that can do justice to most situations that don't require you to change keys to suit different singers. My GAS has moved to amps now.....
Find your signature tone and stick to it. Versatility is invisibility
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Well you got short scale, long scale, 4 string, 5 string, 6 string, 8 string, 10 string, 12 string, fretless, fretted, round wound, flat wound, active, passive, single coil, humbucker, different tone woods, single pickup, dual pickup, vintage, modern, body shapes, neck profiles, colors, finishes, and more options not yet mentioned …
all of those options have inherent strengths and weaknesses
well I think I need more than one bass
and I can't forget tort!!!
edit … Hollow body and solid body, acoustic and electric
Last edited:
Yup. And when I go out and watch bands, the bassist sounds like themselves no matter how much knob fiddling and toggle switching they're doing from song to song. No one is as versatile as they think they're being.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
Sometimes, I have a set sound or tone in my head that I think the song should have before my bass has been played. It's really unhelpful (to me, anyway), because I usually play everything on my Fender Jazz.
If I chase the tone in my head on that Jazz, I might never find it. Especially if it's a modern humbucker type of sound. However, if I take a step back and stop being stubborn, my Jazz will give me a tone that fits the track. It may not be the original one I had in my head, but it ends up working out exactly as it needed to.
Some dudes need to always lay down what they heard in their head before plugging in. For me personally, I'm never truly satisfied if I give in to it. Let the bass speak, not your expectations.
My $0.02
