One bass?

One bass on the high end and plenty of time with fewer than that.

 

I know that feeling. My wife and I have student loans here soon, too. The thing you gotta ask yourself is will the money from selling my bass really offset that much debt. I have one electric, worth about $120, and an acoustic-electric worth about $175. I wouldn't sell them because they don't hold or gain monetary value.

Best of luck dude.

 

i may be wrong but, i think most here have more than one bass. you probably
would be a minority here having just one instrument. BUT!! i will go as far as to say
the unemployed thing many of us might have in common. gl getting back to werk soon.
also, props for doin what u gatta do, can only play one at a time anyway

 

One bass will work just fine. P-Bass or Jazz will be fine. Just go over the Wiring and make sure the output jack is good. I gigged for years with only one bass. Find a 5 string MIJ Squier and you'll be set for years,

 

I only use one bass, unless you count the stringless squire thats hanging on my wall collecting dust.

theres many people on talkbass that wouldnt be caught dead without at least 1 back up bass. me? never needed it (yes i do play out) so do what you have to do. i just hope you put a lot of thought into it and dont regret your choice

 

There is nothing wrong with owning one bass. I've done it for years.

 

If you only own one bass, make sure it is one that is easy to fix.

 

Under your circumstances I don't see why it would help you to trade both of your probably pretty decent basses in on one that may be better. How does that help financially? In fact you will likely have to add cash to get an agreeable trade upgrade IMHO on CL, but maybe you have a good trade arranged already.

IMHO I'd keep the peavey or olp and sell the other one. Nothing wrong with either of your bass brands.... And you get a couple hundred bucks which will actually help you out right now.

And I played for money and enjoyment full time for years with only one bass. I've almost never gigged with a backup until recent years. Nothing bad ever happened.... Ever. Maybe I just was lucky.

 

If all my bands played in the same tuning I'd have no problem with just one (maybe keep one as a backup). But right now one band uses drop D, one is C standard and the third is BEAD.

 

+1 - This is very good advice

 

The good news is bass players have fingers on their left hand and don't chord, typically.

One 5 string is all you would need in your case, or one 4 tuned to BEAD. I've known guys playing normal gigs in BEAD just fine if it's all they had. We almost never NEED more than one bass, unless fretless versus fretted is required.

I have many because I record sessions for money and also because I love them and can sort of afford them and enjoy the subtle differences.

 

If you are not gigging and the bass(es) you own are not the source of a steady income, then you really shouldn't worry about having only one bass. Having multiple basses is more for the gigging professional or the collector...outside of that it's up to what your priorities and wallet dictate.

I've been playing bass for 8yrs and have only owned one at a time. I do play regularly, but only at church and seldom gig. Not that I wouldn't like a second bass (or more) though

 

Havinmg one very good bass is much better then two or more mediocre ones imo.

 

If you can find a 2007 Squier Vintage Modified I highly recommend it. It's cheap in price, but a very good bass. I paid $175 for it and it's now the only bass I play and I came from playing a $12k 1962 Fender Jazz.

 

I own one electric and all is well. If performing was my primary job or if I had loads of disposable income, I would have at least a second bass. My suggestion would be to trade the two you have and get a keeper.

 

If what you REALLY want is an excuse to get a new bass...then sure go ahead, swap 2 for 1.

But if this is because "cash is tight" you're not improving your situation at all. Trading a couple of $125 basses for a $250 bass does not net any cash. Trading them for a $200 bass and $50 cash puts a little in your pocket, but fifty bucks is not going to impact your financial situation in any meaningful way. In a month you won't remember where that fifty bucks went but you'll know you have one cheap instrument where you used to have two.

 

I had 2 good basses that I sold and got a high end one. Never felt better

 

Been a single bass man for the best part of the last 20 years: an ugly-ass 90s Fender MIJ JBass that sounds and plays great. Just recently I got an influx of money AND willingness to spend in on gear so now I have... two: the fender and a dual MM mongrel I put together from a local piece of mahogany and an 80s yamaha P neck