One Bass to Rule Them all or multi basses?

[icehead]

So I'm trying to decide whether or not to take my money and buy (1) expensive boutique bass or (2) above average Basses(Xotic, Elrick, Euro Spector, Wilkins Low End) see what I mean. I have my 73 Fender Jazz and that's it right now. I sold my other basses looking for something new....advice anyone...experience?

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Go play as many basses as you can get your hands on. Buy whatever speaks to you . If it feels good and sounds good and you can afford it , buy it.

You will know !!

 

[droo46]

The mid-range basses these days are just fantastic. Anything in the $700-$1000 price range will likely last you your whole life. But if you really want something very specific, then go all out on a custom or boutique bass. I'm finding that my two Sereks cover 95% of what I want to do, and my 10 other basses go largely unplayed and I'm getting ready to sell off a lot of gear. But before them, it was a lot of fun trying lots of stuff, seeing what I liked, and learning what everything was good for. No wrong way to go about it, just have fun!

 

[klattman]

I think it would be hard to find just one that covers everything, unless it’s both kinds of music…

I think one could get by with a more vintage sound (73 Jazz sounds great) and a very opposite, more modern sounding instrument).

if you can try stuff without collecting it then I think you are doing better than most.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Im in your camp, love vintage fenders and theyre always my go to. That being said… check THIS out 2021 Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II with Walnut Fretboard Walnut Stain, Amazing Short Scale Bass | Reverb

I was in guitar center getting strings or something, and as I was browsing around I saw one of these gretsch les paul lookin things, and I plugged it in. Super easy to get around the neck and the pickups have a nice tone. Didnt end up buying it, but maybe one day I’ll get one and do something cool like put a bisonic in it.

 

[icehead]

Im in your camp, love vintage fenders and theyre always my go to. That being said… check THIS out 2021 Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II with Walnut Fretboard Walnut Stain, Amazing Short Scale Bass | Reverb

I was in guitar center getting strings or something, and as I was browsing around I saw one of these gretsch les paul lookin things, and I plugged it in. Super easy to get around the neck and the pickups have a nice tone. Didnt end up buying it, but maybe one day I’ll get one and do something cool like put a bisonic in it.

No Way. Period. Not that desperate...ever... I'd rather stop playing than play that bass....truth

 

[Texican]

No Way. Period. Not that desperate...ever... I'd rather stop playing than play that bass....truth

Why? Have you played one and hated it? What was it that you didn’t like about it when you tried one?

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

No Way. Period. Not that desperate...ever... I'd rather stop playing than play that bass....truth

Desperate… what? Its a great bass, and when I was playing it I kept smiling I was having so much fun! I bet with flats it would sound cool. A bass doesnt need to be 2 thousand dollars to be good…

dont knock it til you try it man (and definitely try it!)

 

[Ghastly]

I think you could get by with one good bass to do just about anything you'd want, but I favor the notion to have a few, if for no other reason than to be able to see and play something different after a while.

 

[evs]

I've ended up with 3 main basses.
1. Jazz
2. Precision
3. modern active bass.

I feel that I can cover what I need with those 3.

Not sure if I could have one bass to cover everything.

 

[BGroovy]

I tried the Swiss Army knife bass and it didn’t work well for me. First one was a Stingray 5 HH.

I find I’d rather have a specific tool for specific projects - a passive J, a passive P with flats, and an active 5 string. I can handle pretty much anything with that combo. But of course I have others too ;-)

 

[B String]

I really like having an acoustic bass. Started with a lower end "good name" bass. A cheaper bass may not be as resonant as a higher end acoustic bass, so I can play louder with much less feedback. Had a GOOD pro set up for easy action and installed a high end Fishman pickup. I use regular Nickle Dunlop rounds. (Best if they're really broken in) I find I use this bass more often than you might think.

 

[bassrique]

It's hard for me to get a feel for a bass in a music shop. I didn't set them up for starters. I need ~40 hours (with my choice of strings) to get an idea of what an instrument is about.

BTW, I used to sneak in my brother's room to play his ~75 Jazz when I was a boy. One could fit a nickel in the neck pocket. What people pay a premium for are guitars that just weren't made well without help. The session players had to play Fenders back in the day (kinda still do) and had to take those 70s Fenders to people like Sadowsky to bring them up to good function. I hope you have a good one.

The point here is that the $250 Ibanez Mikro shorty I have is better built than many old Fenders. My cheapest bass may be my top player because it's light, portable, sounds good and feels good. It does need the right strings though as it's a very string finicky bass. The stock strings (as well as most choices) make the thing near unplayable. The BEADG Dunlop flats are a joy.

I don't think a Fodera would be better for me than the ~six basses I use regularly (and others I use bi-weekly). I enjoy the different feels, strings and sounds. I have too many reasons for my opinion to go into it now.

A great deal on a top line instrument is a used parts bass like a proper Warmoth with top hardware/electronics. Those don't have great resale value. You might want to take advantage of that. You can get a Sadaowsky level bass for much less if you go that route. You could have multiple "rule them all" instruments.

 

[Jogobass]

If you want to copy other people's sounds, then yeah, you need a variety of basses. But if you want to be like those people you copy, you need only one bass and get yourself out there with your sound.

 

[sikamikanico]

I think it’s a preference. I’m more in the “OBTRTA” camp, even tho I have 3 basses currently. But I’m working out what I really want, and I’ll either find the one in the process or get one made. Or make it myself

I can also see how one would want a few different ones, especially if they’re a pro/session guy. But even folks like Lee Sklar and Anthony Jackson made great careers with just a few basses, often having one go-to bass at a time.

 

[el murdoque]

As a gigging musician, I only have piece of mind when I have the bass I want to play plus a bass I could play if the bass I want to play acts up.

If your '76 Jazz can be a backup, then I'd opt for going for one expensive bass.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

When it comes to basses (don't ask me about guitars) I am certainly a "minimalist" in the context of some of the bass collections around these parts. I only own five.

Even from my minimalist mindset, I can't imagine one bass doing everything I need it to do. So, I would be in the camp of "buy-as-many-basses-as-you-can-afford-and-as-you-really-feel-you-need".

I can't imagine not having at least one bass with flats. Some people don't like the sound of a P-Bass with flats. So, that's a consideration.

I have two "P-Basses", both wear flats. I have a Jazz for slapping. I have a P/J which I considering a switch to half-rounds, but I am enjoying the (relatively cheap) rounds which came with it.

I have an "upper-end" active bass with rounds.

I'm set. There are many around here who have one or two and scoff at fools such as myself and there are others who wonder when I'm going to get serious and get the correct amount of tools to do the job.

 

[r_bnks]

I have multiple basses but there's one (two actually ) to rule them all.

I'd go with a Spector all day.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

You can get by with one bass, if it has a bunch of “tonal options” like coil switching - modern humbucker + single coil, etc. with a 3-(or 4-) band preamp, it can do a lot.

But you’d probably also need a Fretless…


With regard to the Gretsch mentioned above. I’d get one but probably not take it seriously - I’d use it as something to noodle on and make sounds different than what I usually make.
I once played an Epiphone Violin bass for the heck of it - something I’d never normally do, and I absolutely loved it. But I don’t have $500+ bills laying around to just “pick one up”…

 

[Nickthebass]

So I'm trying to decide whether or not to take my money and buy (1) expensive boutique bass or (2) above average Basses(Xotic, Elrick, Euro Spector, Wilkins Low End) see what I mean. I have my 73 Fender Jazz and that's it right now. I sold my other basses looking for something new....advice anyone...experience?

I think there needs to be a bit more context to properly answer this.

Are you playing in loads of different projects that need a variety of very different sounds?

Are you focusing on a small number of things that have a similar aesthetic?

What do you like about your Jazz bass?

Personally - I have 4 main players, 3 Js and a P. One is a bit more “boutique” - a Sei 5 string through neck J, but the others are two Japanese Fender Js and a Mexican P.

The Sei is the closest to “one to rule them all”. I can make it work in any context and it comes to pretty much everything, even if it’s the backup.

Generally I’d switch away from the Sei if I wanted something with flats (to the P and one of the Js).