Owners of multiple basses: anyone else do this?

[7615]

I find the bass I pick depends on the type of music, whether I am familiar with the other players and specifically the drummer. The drummers style influences my choice. And which amp I am going to use. Specifically speaker size. 15" vs 2 10".

1950's Carved Czech double bass (classical (bowed) or any all acoustic outing - rarely amplify) ,
1950's Hofner laminate double bass- gut string - country, blues, rock'n roll - plug in - plywood is much better amplified then carved (with a contact mike at any rate)

Any amp.
1967 Gretsch 6070 Country Gentleman - modified fretless - homemade 6072 (2nd pu) - works on everything.
1969 Fender P - works on everything - if I am walking in cold with new players its this one or the modified Committee.
Modified 1978 Gretsch Committee (Carvin PU) works on everything.

Those are my 3 oldest (owned the longest) electric basses so I think my belief they work on everything has to do with that many more hours on them. I know the amp settings etc..

These 2 sound best with a 15" speaker (just got them - so still tweaking)
1979 Gretsch Committee
1975 Gretsch Broadkaster - drummer who is busy - I won't take this one. Its a big bass - beautiful tone. Still new - a drummer who I know will sit in the pocket I grab it right away. .

Started playing short scales just this year.
Gretsch - 1964 6071, 2 1978 TK300's 7626 (red - Filtertron) & 7627 (natural w/TV Jones pu)
Still getting use to them. The 6071 uses long strings, has a huge body and is actually shorter scale than the TK300's. The 6071 is in the rotation despite its 29" scale as it doesn't feel small at all. The smaller TK300 with the 30 1/2 " scale still has me overreaching so I have to be comfortable with the tunes.
These 3 all sound great out of any amp

OK basses
20?? Squire jazz - its OK - mostly backup or at a boozecan where the instruments can be confiscated.
2002 G2232 Gretsch Jet bass -its Ok - mostly backup

And the guitarron - I can now bicycle to a gig with a bass. Acoustic only.

 

[Resonance129]

I have 3, but I do the same thing. When I get a new one, it's my "go to" for months. Then I'll pick up one of the other ones and feel like "man, I love this thing...".
BUT, I will say, since getting my Squier CV 70's P bass, it's been my regular recording/rehearsal/gigging bass. It's the most comfortable, best setup, nicest looking, and most reliable one of the 3. Works well for practically every genre, and with a DI/EQ pedal, I've got some tonal options. Not as tonally versatile as my Yamaha TRBX304, but it's definitely become my "baby"...

Until the next one makes it's way into the stable ...

 

[Blaargh]

I play my Jazz or my Thunderbird depending on whichever I'm feeling like at the moment. The Jazz has EMGs in it so really I should use it more when I play metal, but sometimes I just feel like I want to play the Thudnerbird instead. I have a Gretsch hollowbody as well, that gets played a lot less, just when it's really suited to what I'm doing- or in the rare occasion I'm not using any fuzz or OD. My other two basses- a Peavey International and an Ibanez electro-acoustic- are either in need of repair or at my parents house, so they don't get played at all. Sort of a mix between the options, I guess.

 

[Willy-D]

..... Started playing short scales just this year.
Gretsch - 1964 6071, 2 1978 TK300's 7626 (red - Filtertron) & 7627 (natural w/TV Jones pu)
Still getting use to them. The 6071 uses long strings, has a huge body and is actually shorter scale than the TK300's. The 6071 is in the rotation despite its 29" scale as it doesn't feel small at all. The smaller TK300 with the 30 1/2 " scale still has me overreaching so I have to be comfortable with the tunes.
These 3 all sound great out of any amp.

Interesting you mention recent conversion to short-scale as I am doing that too. I had bought the youngest an Epi EB-0 to putz with, and the infatuation was short-lived. The instrument was getting no love so I started using it for informal practice.
Not near as ballsy as a real EB, but I have arthritis showing in my left wrist, so this instrument has been a blessing for playing more with less pain. Little dude is fun too.

 

[7615]

Interesting you mention recent conversion to short-scale as I am doing that too. I had bought the youngest an Epi EB-0 to putz with, and the infatuation was short-lived. The instrument was getting no love so I started using it for informal practice.
Not near as ballsy as a real EB, but I have arthritis showing in my left wrist, so this instrument has been a blessing for playing more with less pain. Little dude is fun too.

Short scale has less overtones but I have come around to believing they just sound different. And yeah they re fast. the key is the E. If the E has proper tension and sound they are great basses.