• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

One Bass to do it all?

#161
i currently have 13 basses and that's mainly because i sold 5. My main 2 are my 2004 Peavey Cirrus 5 and my 2012 Fender American Deluxe Jazz V. I still have the old Fenders and other 4 strings from yesteryear. I can't imagine having only 1 bass, just as I can't imagine having 1 pair of jeans, 1 T-shirt,etc. I still enjoy getting out my other basses and playing them now and then. Not for any specific purpose or Genre, just revisiting my "Family'. I"m not by any means well off, but they're all paid for and I guess I'm old enough to where I don't get G.A.S. anymore. I just want to play what I have.
 
#162
The L2500 is my "do everything" bass. Since I got it I rarely touch my 77 P, but I do still enjoy playing a Stingray 4 for some fun time slapping. And my fretless 80s Jazz Bass Special is great for learning new material I'll ultimately play on DB. But for BG gigs, the L2500 can do anything I need it to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Don41_2 and jd56hawk
#164
The bass in my profile pic has cured most of my GAS. Vintage - Modern, it's all in there. Lightweight, comfortable, looks good. I have more than one bass, but if I had to drop to one, this would be it.

If I didn't have this and needed to start from scratch, I'd go with a 5 string active Jazz and a 4 string P bass.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Don41_2, Dr. Cheese and lowdownthump
#165
This thread got me thinking about the one bass to rule them all thing, as well as some bass player going their entire career with a single bass. Just thinking out loud here, but wonder if there's truth to this...

P bass professionals... the ones who make big bucks... are there any that AREN'T in big bands that play only original music? Do we ever see any P basses in the SNL bands, or other TV variety show bands? Do we ever see them on any high end cover gigs?

Me thinks most people doing a variety of tunes will at the very least have a Jass typed bass, and most will go all out with Foderas and other basses with much more than a volume and tone control.

Also, I really am starting to believe that there is much more in the hands than in the bass. Some basses are far more versatile than others, but some players are far more versatile than others too. The angle we hit the strings at, the force, the way the string rolls off our fingers, where we hit the string, how we fret it and a whole bunch of other factors go into our sound. Which leads to the question...

What's more important regarding versatility? The player, or the bass?

This is what happens when I have chores to do that I don't want to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Frodolicious, Jhengsman, Dr. Cheese and 4 others
#166
I never had a gig where bass was the focus. Everything I’ve done involved laying down a solid bed for the songs played both live and on record. Because that was my role I used one bass for many years for everything. No prizes for guessing what it was. I had no need for a wide range of sounds and was never asked to change.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IotaNet and Zbysek
#167
Joe Nerve said:
This thread got me thinking about the one bass to rule them all thing, as well as some bass player going their entire career with a single bass. Just thinking out loud here, but wonder if there's truth to this...

P bass professionals... the ones who make big bucks... are there any that AREN'T in big bands that play only original music? Do we ever see any P basses in the SNL bands, or other TV variety show bands? Do we ever see them on any high end cover gigs?

Me thinks most people doing a variety of tunes will at the very least have a Jass typed bass, and most will go all out with Foderas and other basses with much more than a volume and tone control.

Also, I really am starting to believe that there is much more in the hands than in the bass. Some basses are far more versatile than others, but some players are far more versatile than others too. The angle we hit the strings at, the force, the way the string rolls off our fingers, where we hit the string, how we fret it and a whole bunch of other factors go into our sound. Which leads to the question...

What's more important regarding versatility? The player, or the bass?

This is what happens when I have chores to do that I don't want to.
Click to expand...

Joe, the absence of P-Basses in bands like the SNL band of late night talk shows is telling. I know James Genus on SNL and the guy in the Roots are Fodera players while Will Lee has his own model of Sadowsky.
 
#168
This brings up an interesting question...when it comes to originals I wonder how many other people write music "around" the instrument they commonly play or are recording with?

I pick up my flatwounds custom P-bass and I either want to play motown and 50s/60s tunes...or I want to write some indie stuff which is my take on a modern version of older genres. I kinda write around that bass when I've got it in my hands. With originals artists, perhaps they do the same? If the bass feels good, you're going to want to play it, so why not have music that suits it :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jhengsman
#169
I only have one bass. The short story is that I needed a 5 because a lot of singers need to take songs down a few steps and I don't like down or drop tuning. I had a killer Dingwall AB-2, but it was expensive and everyone wanted to touch or play it. I eventually found a my #1 (and only), which is pictured below. It's a Lakland Skyline 55-64 that is stock except of course for the pickguard. In the end, one pickup is adequate for what I need - easy to dial in a sound, and everyone seems more comfortable when you have a P bass.

IMG_0082.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Swerve, TrebleRhythms, retslock and 2 others
#171
buldog5151bass said:
Toys are fun, but we get carried away with having the "right" bass/strings/cab/head.
Click to expand...

Then there’s those of us who just enjoy exploring different instruments and configurations. We see it more as an ongoing exploration - or a journey. We’re process oriented.

People who need or demand “just the right” whatever are more into arriving at their destination. These folks are less interested in process and are more goal oriented.

Both are equally valid ways to go about it.

The difference is more on how your personality is tilted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: superblues
#172
Agree that so much comes from the hands, and it's so much about the player. But when you look at players like Marcus and Victor - they're known for playing that same one instrument for the most part.. both of which you've called out, the pickup config on Vic's bass gives him P/J. I've seen an interview with Marcus where he talks about focusing one instrument and bonding with it, if you're doing the same gig/music there's probably good advice in that comment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dr. Cheese
#173
40Hz said:
Then there’s those of us who just enjoy exploring different instruments and configurations. We see it more as an ongoing exploration - or a journey. We’re process oriented.

People who need or demand “just the right” whatever are more into arriving at their destination. These folks are less interested in process and are more goal oriented.

Both are equally valid ways to go about it.

The difference is more on how your personality is tilted.
Click to expand...

I agree. I have my Ps (flats and rounds), and an ABG. But too many people here say they "need" so many different things. As my sound guy says, give me a clean signal, and I'll make it work.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_E0223.JPG
    IMG_E0223.JPG
    329.7 KB · Views: 26
  • Like
Reactions: Bentfield and 40Hz
#174
If I had to put together a CUSTOM do-it-all bass it would be a 5'er that would probably include (among other things):

- active/passive pre
- 3-band eq w/ 2 or 3-way mid shift
- passive tone circuit that also worked in active mode
- split-coil P in the neck
- Humbucker in the bridge with series/SC/parallel or coil tap switch

Most of the standard body/neck/fingerboard woods would work, I'm not too picky. I suppose they could offset each other for the sake of tonal balance (ex. ash body w/ rosewood or ebony board, alder or mahogany body w/ maple board, etc).
 
#179
Dr. Cheese said:
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.
Click to expand...

When I first bought my USA Millennium 5er 19 years ago I already had a small stable of 4 & 5 string basses in rotation. It quickly became the bass I use for everything. (classic country; 80s/90s country, southern rock, classic rock, modern rock, 80's/90's old school metal) After the first year of owning it all my fours had been sold and was down to just a few different fivers.

Even then it became my go to for everything and the other 5ers were sold off one by one. It's been my only bass for the last 15 years or so. I have been telling myself I need another Milly as back up for just as long...lol. So yes, you can have one bass to rule them all but the GAS never goes completely away. Dingwall - Dingwall - Dingwall - Dinwall...........
 
#180
If I *HAD* too narrow it down to one bass it would have to be a bass with rounds. It would be very difficult to not have a bass with flats but at least with rounds I could turn high end down to get an approximation of flats. It doesn't work the other way and nothing sounds like a slapped round string.
Fretless: You can get away with this being your main bass. I mained a fless for a while and people, including musicians, didn't know it was fless. You can play so that it does not actually exhibit the fless sound*.
* too a certain degree...long sustained notes on a fless will eventually mwahhhh unless the action is high.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back