Owned 10 basses or more? What is your experience?

[Munjibunga]

I currently own:

Breedlove ABJ250/SM5
F Bass BN5
Fender American Jazz Deluxe Plus V
Fender American Jazz Deluxe FMT V
Fender Roscoe Beck V
Fender Mustang RI
Fodera Emperor 5
Fodera Viceroy 5
Jerzy Drozd Obsession Excellency 5
Lakland 55-94
Lakland Joe Osborn 5
LeCompte VB5
Sadowsky UV70
Sadowsky Modern 5-24 (2)
Yamaha TRB5P-II

I also have owned:

Ernie Ball Stingray 5
F Bass BN5 (2 others)
Fender American Jazz Deluxe V
Fender Precision (1965, my first bass)
Lakland 55-94 Fretless
Peavey T-40 (2)
Pedulla ThunderBolt 5 Fretless
Roscoe LG3005
Zon Sonus 5

I can't single out any favorites. Of course I like the Foderas, but I have to - they cost so danged much. All of these basses have special characteristics that differentiate them from the others and make them fun to play. The common characteristic is their playability and great tone. The craftsmanship is a little variable, but none of them suck enough for me to get rid of them.

 

[azflyman]

I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 now, my profile has a partial list. Its a crack habit I have had for the last several decades. Its like having a favorite child, is there really one? They are all different, special, and unique. I am getting ready for a major purge, time to focus on more important things, narrow things down a bit.

 

[CrunchyFrog]

Wow! Lots of basses represented here in this thread.

Although I have always played bass in bands, I have to say that I enjoy buying guitars much more than basses. Still, I've managed to have purchased 10 basses. I've avoided impulse purchases and stayed with basses that I required for a project and/or felt an immediate connection with.

In order of purchase;
197? P-Bass copy. Horrible bass! The store should have paid me to take it. The neck was made of multiple very thin strips of wood glued together. The body had nice veneers with the core being made of about 100 pieces of wood. The neck had about the same curve as the suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge. Sold it to someone I didn't like.

1974 Rickenbacker 4001 that I got used in 1977. Great bass! It's still my main bass and it doesn't look like a relic.

1979 Gibson Thunderbird. That's a bass I wish I had kept. Great sound and fast neck. Some months after I traded it in (see next item) I saw it on the wall at Guitar Center in S.F. It was fully buggered up!

1979 Rickenbacker 4005. Cool, unusual looking bass that never gave me the meaty, woody sound I wanted from a hollow body. It would have been a much better bass if it had been structurally able to support the extra routing for a standard rear Ric pickup. Sold to some jerk who soon sold it to a collector. Hey collector! Wanna buy the original receipt too?

1986 Rickenbacker 4003S/5. Probably the only instrument I saw and within 5 seconds said "I want to buy that bass". It's white and I'd rather have it in another color, the the thought of ordering one in a different color didn't even occur to me until days later. But for the uneven tone of the low B, this bass plays and sounds fantastic. My old drummer used to rave about the sound. Still have it.

1987 Rickenbacker 4001V63. Fun bass. I have to say that I'd like it better if it didn't have the wide horns and extra bridge screws. Still, it plays and sounds great. Still have it.

1978 Hamer B8-S. Bought this one used after having wanted an 8-string for over 12 years. Great sounding bass with an OBL pickup. I would like this one back, please.

1991 Hamer B12-S. I tried this one out when it was a new instrument and bought it used (at the same store) about five years later. I hadn't really used it in years so I recently sold it.

2004 Höfner Club. Selling the Rickenbacker 4005 allowed me go on a spending spree. This is what I bought to replace it and it gave me the sound I really wanted and a hollowbody. I just wish Höfner would put the rear pickup in the middle position. Still have it.

2010 Rickenbacker 4003FL. I had always wanted a reason to get a fretless and this fit the bill. Sadly the project didn't last as long as we had hoped, so the bass sat for awhile and I sold it.

There are a few basses I would have probably enjoyed owning, but the one that really stands out was a used Wal bass I saw at The Bass Centre in London back in 1988. It had a bolt-on neck, one pickup, and the body was finished in transparent light green. It was £395 which, at that time, was almost $800 and more than I had to spend while visiting my girlfriend. With that demonstration of its importance, I applied for a credit card upon my return.

So, I now have four and I feel that is plenty. They all feel great, sound great, and look great.

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

I wonder what a John Entwistle post to this thread would look like.

I only have two basses; a Squier SS Jaguar and an Ibanez AEB 5.

I had a Gibson EB 2 in 1974, Fender Musicmaster that I bought c. 1978. I sold both of them within a year or so of buying them.

Since 2007, I've had a Peavey Grind, Sky ABG, Cort GB 34, and Epiphone Viola in addition to the two I have.

 

[buster57]

Not sure if my last post went thru-sorry if this is a repeat.

Orangeclawhamme-too bad about that EB-2-I owned one also...


Since I started playing bass in 1969 I have owned lots of bass guitars and amplifiers of every combination imaginable.

What I think I know is that playing guitar is sort of like golf. I mostly suck but get in enough licks to keep going.

Another way of thinking about it is that you can’t buy a golf swing-and you can’t buy your own talent-you need to develop both.

Having played many instruments and with different people-I now have gone “Back to the Roots” so to speak. I play a Fender Precision with a Marshall w/Celestions. GF & lead guitar plays a $100 Schecter through a Beano.

We know how to rock & roll! From Lemmy to Canned Heat to Uriah Heep-we try to break the paint on the walls.

Find your passion and keep it simple. FWIW-that is my motto!

 

[fenderVI]

First years..
Fender Coronado short scale - sold
Ibanez Rick copy - sold
Ibanez Musician - sold
Fender Bass VI '72 - gradually fell apart, used on support to The Cure in 1979 here in Australia
Fender P fretless '70's - sold
Cheap No name J bass - found in pawn shop -
No bass for 17 years then...
MTD - sold
Lakland 44-01 - sold - too heavy
Lakland Decade - own - Labella flats
Daion Fretless - own - Pyramid flats
Fender TF Precision - D'Addario Nickels - own and my fav
Warmoth Medium Scale - unfinished project

 

[chuck norriss]

My father gave me a Jazz Bass Special FL. It was one of the few gifts he gave me. I parted it out because I needed the money but I wish I still had that bass. Also Sting, Reggie (MIM), Dub King, Ergo4, Gretsch G5123B are all memorable basses that I cycled through & wish I still had but don't for various reasons.
Advice: Get whatever you like. Who cares!

 

[joebar]

in the last few years I have bought and sold probably close to 30 basses. I am not a gear hound and literally knew nothing about basses a few years ago. I had my trusty 2 basses and never really thought much about trying other ones.

what I have realized is this:
-I like 34 inch scale
-I like narrower spacing at the bridge.
-I am a P bass guy
-I like them light

that's about it; the rest is up to me to make It work.

 

[songwriter21]

I've been there, and now only really need one, and only have one. I wouldn't mind a fretless again, but one bass should be able to do everything you need, unless you have a ton of differently tuned basses.

The best out of all of the ones I've had? Late 90's G&L L-2500, '03 Carvin LB75, '00 Ibanez Prestige BTB 5'er (friggin' WORKHORSE!!), and a Modulus Q5. I have a Q6 coming very soon...heehee!!

 

[smperry]

Might be missing a few, but I've owned:

Benavente standard 4
Carruthers EUB
Epiphone Viola
Elrick Platinum 5 string
Ernie Ball MM Stingray (trans red)
Ernie Ball MM Stingray (white)
F Bass BNF5 (with piezo bridge)
F Bass BNF5 (passive)
F Bass Classic 5
FBB #002 Bubingabass
Fender MIJ Jazz (fretless)
Fender MIJ Jazz (fretted)
Fender MIJ Jazz Bass Special
Fender US Precision (1978 IIIRC)
Ferndandes Jazz Bass
G&L L1000
G&L L2500
Gibson EB-O
Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Thunderbird
Gibson Tobias Renegade
Hondo Longhorn
Kay Orchestra bass
Ken Smith CR5
Kramer Pioneer
Lightwave Classica
Martin Keith Elfin (Myrtle)
Martin Keith Elfin Plus fretless (Koa)
Martin Keith Elfin fretless (British Racing Green)
Martin Keith Elfin Plus (Dakota Red)
Music Man Sabre
Nordstrand Nordy PJ5
Peavey T-40
Rickenbacker 4001 (stripped by someone)
Rickenbacker 4001 burgundyglo
Rickenbacker 4001 jetglo
Rick Turner Electroline fretless
Rick Turner Electroline
Ritter Classic 5
Steinberger XQ
Stuart Spector Design U.S. BOB-4DLX
Status 6 string (I forget model name...graphite neck with a headstock)
Valenti Jazz Bass
Washburn AB-35 fretless

The ones I've held onto are the four Martin Keiths (and the Kay db, although I've considered selling that one). Those were custom orders and aren't going anywhere ever. It'd take too long to reflect on all of them, but happy to answer any curious questions. The majority of these were great instruments, just not quite what I wanted at the time. If I never switched over to fivers, I probably wouldn't have gone through so many instruments. General thoughts: Don't underestimate the importance of good strings and a good setup on how a bass sounds and plays. Listen to it solo and in whatever context you plan to use it in before deciding. Give yourself a little time to know an instrument. But, there are so many great basses; it's okay to be picky and it's great to find instruments that inspire you!

Edit: forgot one

 

[ChrisToTheEdge]

I've not owned that many in total, about 6 I guess. However, in 1989 i bought a 1987 Pedulla Buzzbass. Didn't know jack poopie about fretless but i knew i needed that bass the moment i saw it. However, i will confess it's been in the closet for a while now since i purchased a custom Pedulla PentaBuzz in 2003. Hardest instrument I've ever played but sounds so incredible and frankly so Pro that i'm inclined to step up my game every time i play it (and the tone it get out of it through my new Markbass rig is ridiculous). But, my Link Removed necessitated playing fretted on specific songs so i sought a new bass. Well, i don't know about you all but finding a neck-through 5 string in Denver was a BITCH. I just don't have the $$$$ for a new fretted Pedulla yet so i had to settle on a Schecter (a proto-Stiletto Custom neck-through with matte finish). I shaging hate playing it 'cause i have no affinity for that brand, but it does sound pretty good, punchy, good action. And it will keep me playing while i attempt to save for a Thunderbass.

 

[stuntbass77]

I've owned plenty and I think I own about 13 now (need to sell some). Honestly, much of the time and money spent on so many instruments would be much better directed toward lessons and practicing. You can enjoy both, but with limited free time, IME it's better to focus time and money on learning and improvement rather than gear. It's less work though to just jones after another bass! The other side effect is that you can wrack your mind debating which bass is "one" for the gig.

+1 I am now playing jazz style basses and blending the pickups and making this "my" sound. I have owned ten basses (not at the same time) and they all shined at some style of music or sound. If your a studio musician multiple basses makes total sense. I am not and like the idea of having my own sound like many others (Marcus, jaco, will lee). If someone wants me on a recording they will have to deal with my jazz. It all comes down to if you have the money and interest, I say "God Bless". Nothing wrong with going through a lot of basses to find your sound or just collecting.

 

[garya]

I have owned many basses since 1968. Probably over 25. I kept going back to a sunburst Fender Precision for awhile. The first one I switched the neck to a maple, black dot Jazz with the black square inlays. Later on, I bought all black Precisions with chrome hardware that had the option of a slimmer Jazz bass style neck, maple with black dots.

I once owned a Hagstrom 8 string, a few different Rics, a red hollow body Guild with one humbucker, an EBO and EB3, a Spector, Hofner Beatle bass, a Dan Armstrong clear body, a four string neck thru Ibanez and a Schecter neck thru model. I liked the Schecter, BTW. And possibly a few more I can't remember at this time. Seems like I tried them all over all the years and I now wish I kept some of them seeing how their prices are now outrageous for the old models. I tried them all and I mostly returned to a Precision bass. I like simplicity with one pickup, one volume, one tone. The rest all happens in the amp and speakers. :=)

I always used Rotosound round wounds and I always owned just one bass at a time. I now just have the Hofner with TI Jazz flats.

 

[Solarmist]

Man do I feel outnumbered - I started playing in 79', and have had a grand total of 15. I currently have 5 - all Ibby SR (except for a Roadstar II) which is my fave because of the super nice thin necks, the active 3-band EQ's, the smaller bodies, and top notch QC.

Always gassing for a LeCompte STSS, a Skjold Slayer, or a Garz Cobra ....... maybe someday.

 

[Mike Sorr]

I've owned 45 basses in my life and my experience has been that, for me anyway, simple is better. I started out on a Jazz copy, my first real bass was a '78 Precision, and I've owned lots of different makes, vintages and configurations since...but I always come back to a Precision or Jazz bass. The other experience I've had is regret. I've sold a lot of stuff I wish I still owned.

 

[steweDbass]

I have three basses that I decided to keep the others I sold on. The ones I have kept are all Bacchus, a 2002 Strong LTD, a 2014 Craft Series TF5 ASH, and a 2014 Standard JB-5 ASH.... Why do I choose these over others? Because the neck is just the best most rugged neck I have ever played and the fret work is superior, they rarely have problems with weather variation, and keep the set-up and tuning very well, plus build quality is consistent from one bass to another. To me the neck is the most important part of the bass, the rest can be modified if you want to, but I am satisfied with the response on all these instruments especially the Strong, there's nothing I'd change about that. The other two were much cheaper than the strong (about half the price) but still are great for the cash, with versatile EQ passive/active modes, and all can achieve that "burp" nicely. Now I happily endorse Bacchus and am lucky to work with Deviser Japan and STR.

Oh I forgot! But how could I! I also have an old Yamaha TRB2 6 string. I keep that for sentimental reasons really as I toured and recorded with it a fair bit...love the neck on that too, but the circuitry is not so hot...and is a bit noisy. I am thinking about upgrading the pups and pre on her , the build is superb though, just as good as the JP (which i also had at one point but sold because the pick-ups were too bright and noisy).
Other basses that I have owned and loved but had to sell were a Pedulla Pentabuzz Fretless, (too expensive...needed cash at the time) and a JD Fretless (gorgeous) that I traded for a Pedulla Rapture which turned out to be not really the instrument for me ah well....I sold that and got a Fender USA Deluxe Precision, which was nicely made and served me well for a while but wasn't really versatile enough so I sold it on.
Oh I had a Moon JJ5 Fretless which was just sublime, but sold it because I needed the cash at the time, I miss it still

 

[Captain Chaos]

I always come back to my Jazz, it's my "first" real bass.