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Owning two of the same bass

#81
To the OP - just read the fist page of the thread then skipped to the back, so you may have already got the answer you're looking for. Just in case you really want it, here's my 2 cents...

I have lots of basses that are similar, but I can't think of any that are identical. I specifically look for basses that will sound different than anything else I have, its my number 1 search criteria. Among many other brands or models I've owned, I've had multiple Stingrays, but none were identical in sound. If you already have a 2 band rosewood neck 4 string single buck Ray consider a 3 band 5 string with maybe a double buck PU layout. Or as you noted go with a maple board or fretless. If it sounds different and you like it then you've broadened your available sound palate.

Heck, some people don't want a different sound they just want a different look. That's ok too but its further down my search criteria than sound.

What I don't get is when people buy identical basses (color, spec, brand, model...). That's not my cup of tea but to each their own.
 
#83
I need to bring backups to gigs, so if if I needed/wanted a clone bass I would buy one. I especially would if I toured all the time. That being said, I'd rather own slight variations.. like how I really want a fretless p-bass.

In conclusion... Do it if you want to.
 
#84
Mine are all fairly different and that has been my approach so far. I have sold/traded a few which were uncomfortable for me (an Allen Woody, a Steinberger paddle and an acoustic-electric). Over time I find my tastes narrowing as I figure out what I like best. Three in my current lineup may end up getting sold at some point - the fretless, the short scale and the 5 string. If I did that, I would probably end up buying another Jazz or Stingray (or a tube amp). Likewise, I used to have different kinds of strings on all my basses. Now every one has LaBella 1954's and all the 4's are strung BEAD. I would guess that once you settle into something you love, varying anything more than woods, colors or pickups just doesn't "feel right". In a sense, everything in my lineup is a Fender except for the Spector.


IMG_8421-crop.jpg
 
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#88
When I was younger, I still wanted different stuff--I like variety in some areas of my life.
When I was still in high school I bought an Ibanez Iceman & just over a year later bought a Fender Mustang (guitar versions)
They are quite different in many ways--but they are also still both solidbody electrics-but other purchases were closer with less variety-in a sense there was less difference between my Les Paul copy & Iceman.
These days I want a bigger variety-my last 3 instrument purchases were a full hollowbody guitar (Ibanez AF95), a fretless bass (Ibanez SR500F) and an electric mandolin (Epi Mandobird)--all quite different from each other & what I already had.

But if the difference in fingerboard material is big enough for you--cool.

If I get another bass it will need to be different from the two I have in a bigger sense (A shortscale fretted electric & a longscale fretless)
So maybe a medium scale hollowbody-with or without frets, or a fanned fret bass or something along those lines.

But each one of us has to decide that kind of thing for ourselves--there are pros & cons to getting similar stuff and getting different stuff-and to what degree we consider stuff to be different or the same.
 
#89
GBassNorth said:
And my Fender fetish...
061.jpg

That's only about half of the Fenders I own, but none are identical. To me that's the key!
Click to expand...

Like an old pair of shoes or leather jacket, you can't beat the feel of a Fender. I love that Telebass...very similar to the Warmoth 72. Hmmmm....maybe I should drop a pair of humbuckers into my Warmoth 72P. :-)
 
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#90
I have two pretty much identical mim p basses. One is a '98 and the other is a 2000. Both with flats , both rosewood , same color , one bone stock and one with an upgraded bridge. Very different sounding. Go figure. I got the second one as a backup to the first.
 
#91
I've got 5 mim j's, 2 mia highway 1 j's, and a mia j plus.

All the mim j's have different pups, tone caps, etc. 2 have babitz bridge & 2 have threaded saddle L plates and 1 is got an OEM bridge.

The highway 1 j's are both out of the box stock except for strings, one red and one black.

The j plus has a brass nut and gets strings when required but is otherwise off the rack stock.

What was that about not having more than 1 of a particular model?
 
#92
To the extent basses are the same/similar I also wonder sometimes if it would be better to own one Sadowsky (for example...or any boutique jazz) instead of having five Fender J's that are different colors.

One thing I will say is that I play a lot more when I have rigs set up in multiple rooms around the house.
 
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#96
Mike N said:
I've got 4 P Basses- A 92 MIM with a BAII bridge, quarter pounder pups, rosewood board and rounds, a 78 MIA with a BAII, 62 RI pups maple board and rounds, a 95 MIA with string thru, oe pups, rosewood board and flats and a 98 MIA with string thru, oe pups, rosewood board, hipshot d-tuner and rounds.

All four have their own unique personality.
Click to expand...

Oh I'm sure. The problem for me is I have limited space at the moment. I'd like to actually get a P bass that's decked out to be more mellow, then another that's decked out to be brighter and have more output. I'm actually working on making the P-bass I have the first one there. I want to upgrade the bridge first, then I'll throw some flats on it.
 
#98
I have two vintage Warwick Thumbs. One is an '88 and the other an '86, and although they share similar traits, they are quite different at the same time. However, I just like the shape and and sound of these Thumbs (spare me the details about the neck dive. It isn't an issue for me) I'm just waiting for that third (pre 1989) fretless wheel ... (80's Wicks are on different level).
 

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