If you're selling for financial reasons, sell the one that will net you the most money, barring irreplacibility. (barring financial straights being really dire, then do it anyway.)
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One must fall! 4 basses, one needs to go
- Thread starter tonymcbony
- Start date
If you must sell one sell the P because you can get close enough with the neck pickup of the J and still have a fender. Keep the Warwick. Keep the Stingray. You'll miss them if they are gone. I don't play my Corvette $$ too much lately but it's one of those rare instruments I can't part with. The streamer can probably do a passable P tone too.
You guys aren't making it easy!
I think those that have mentioned that based on what I said in my OP, I have some biases to certain basses so let me murk that up
The Warwick I actually sold about 6 years ago and was the only instrument/bit of gear I ever regretted selling. I had the good fortune to be able to a) buy it back and b) buy it back for what I sold it for but with a way better preamp config (MEC replaced by an ACG Filter Preamp). It's got war wounds that only I can explain. It sounds great, and plays wonderfully well although I can't quite get the action low enough for my playing now. No one loves the shape but I'm used to apologising for itIn the set I like that it can cop P tones really nicely but still sits between the Jazz and the P
The P Bass has been my number one for the past 6 years - the second best I've ever played (the very best one the guy would not part with for any money). Done a lot of gigs on this one – lowest action of any bass I've played, just sounds like a quintessential P, and always works without trying. It's got mojo and although I don't have much to say about it tonally – it just sounds like a great P bass but then I tend to think the P bass formula isn't hard to get right.
The Jazz was a punt – it came up for VERY cheap locally with bad photos and what looked like neck cracking. Turned out the cracks were only lacquer deep, and was a superb playing bass. One of the few instruments I haven't mucked around with pickups or electronics – I tried an Audere Pre and Nordstrand NJ4SV's but they didn't add much so I went back to stock. Only thing I changed on the bass at all was the bridge due to the saddles spreading apart when I played.
Stingray is the newest - always adore the Stingray neck which seems the sweet spot between J and P necks. I have a more mercurial relationship with Stingray tone – some days it is impossible to imagine any tone sounding better, others it sounds like you're kicking a wet cardboard box. It's the most affected by other sounds in the mix, where the P will just do its thing. It can be magnificent or terrible. That's based on the 3 band EQ though - 2 band EQ's have always been where it's at for me.
TL;DR
Warwick – Sentimentality + Versatility
P Bass - Effortless + Mojo
Jazz - Best player + Rarity of awesome
Stingray - Best of all noise...when it's in the right mix
Right now based on replies I'm probably leaning either P bass because Warwick covers it OR Warwick goes because it's ugly and doesn't have it's own definite tonal space
Well, this post makes it sound to me like it's the Stingray that you'll miss the least. Then when you want to get another one down the road, get a 2-band model!
Based on the OP and his 2nd post, my suggestion is sell the Stingray and replace it with a USA SUB 2 band Stingray.
Which is the last out the door for gigs?
I just let go of a Deusenberg MC Starplayer bc I always took the P.
Turf the Streamer!
I also run a homeless shelter for wayward Warwick Streamers, all are welcome!
Hint hint!
Lol
I also run a homeless shelter for wayward Warwick Streamers, all are welcome!
Hint hint!
Lol
Here is my thought process:
Streamer I’ve done the most miles on, being my first “proper” bass: It being your first proper bass you should keep it for sentimental value
P Bass I spent a while being picky and bought it new: you spent a long time picking it out. I did the same with my P bass and I believe that I wouldn't get rid of it.
Jazz plays outrageously well and is the best sounding Jazz I’ve heard: you seem to really like the sound and you won't find one that sounds as good to you because you have already decided that its the best jazz bass.
EBMM I love the neck and the punchy tone: you can always find another MM that has a punchy tone (all of them) and a good neck (most of them)
Sell the MM
Streamer I’ve done the most miles on, being my first “proper” bass: It being your first proper bass you should keep it for sentimental value
P Bass I spent a while being picky and bought it new: you spent a long time picking it out. I did the same with my P bass and I believe that I wouldn't get rid of it.
Jazz plays outrageously well and is the best sounding Jazz I’ve heard: you seem to really like the sound and you won't find one that sounds as good to you because you have already decided that its the best jazz bass.
EBMM I love the neck and the punchy tone: you can always find another MM that has a punchy tone (all of them) and a good neck (most of them)
Sell the MM
I realise that a lot of the responses are 'get rid of the one that I don't like' but I don't really understand the attitude towards P-basses on this thread...do people really think that they're all the same? They can be plenty different in tone and feel (just consider that there is a greater variety of P nut widths out there than J widths for a start!) and a P that you connect with is as special as any other kind of bass.
Well, the P-bass is about as simple as it gets. Sure, there are variances in tone, BUT we can expect a P-bass to have a certain basic "voice." I think the basic voice of a p-bass is quite consistent. I've heard very few stock p-basses that did not have a p-bass "sound." Same with J-basses. Same with Stingrays. On the other hand, with many modern active basses, there is no "sound" associated as uniformly as a P-Bass having a P-bass sound. Arguably, we have a Warwick sound. But really, most active modern basses are meant to have many voices. Not so much the case with the venerable P-bass, although you can get different flavors of the basic P-bass sound... it's still a P-bass sound.
I never thought I’d say this, but ditch the P. All you said was that you were particular and bought it new. Jazz has great playability, MM has great tone, Warwick you play the most.
The OP has also replied saying that the P is the current number one, so that's a big mark against ditching it.
You'll not want to sell that Warwick. Not only because it was your first proper bass, but because it's "home".
I feel like the P and Stingray are the most replaceable in this list, and a "good one" of either model would be easier to find.
I voted for the P.
I feel like the P and Stingray are the most replaceable in this list, and a "good one" of either model would be easier to find.
I voted for the P.
I voted P before the OP’s 2nd post. After reading the 2nd post I’m leaning more towards the music man. It’s tonally moody and you say you you “prefer the 2 band EQ version”
So sell the stingray and replace down the road with a 2 Band version.
So sell the stingray and replace down the road with a 2 Band version.
Sell the Warwick. Also, grab a John East MM preamp and replace the 3 band preamp on your ray. No more "accidental bad tones". Just pure 2 band vintage bliss (with extra tweakability thanks to the mid/sweep knobs!).
That way you truly have the classic trio collection - P, J and Ray.
That way you truly have the classic trio collection - P, J and Ray.
P's are internet forum cool currently.
I'll assume you'll get the best return out of it vs the AVRI J.
Stingrays you take a bath on, Warwicks are worse.
Unless a guy is parked near your bar in a cop car waiting for the green light to hurt you, suck it up and get a 2nd job.
Taking a loss by selling a bass is no replacement for work ethic, it's like a 2x loss.
Warwicks have garbage resale, I can totally understand why it's the TB leader for a dump.
I'll assume you'll get the best return out of it vs the AVRI J.
Stingrays you take a bath on, Warwicks are worse.
Unless a guy is parked near your bar in a cop car waiting for the green light to hurt you, suck it up and get a 2nd job.
Taking a loss by selling a bass is no replacement for work ethic, it's like a 2x loss.
Warwicks have garbage resale, I can totally understand why it's the TB leader for a dump.
