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Playing more than one bass: Good, bad, indifferent…

HAM

HAM

Oct 22, 2006
264
0
Elmwood Park, IL
#1
UPDATE:

First question was: What is your position on this observation?

Would like to add: How much do you guys think this affects (gets in the way) how good you could become by focusing on just one make/model in all your playing vs. jumping from bass to bass?

****************************************************************

I tied to search this topic and found nothing… point me to it if you know of it.

Most of the best bass players have stuck to one bass (make/model) for most of their playing career. When they make a switch, it is mostly to move on to another instrument that will be THE instrument from the moment on.

Anthony Jackson developed his contrabass with Vinnie Fodera and started to play the six string bass exclusively in 1981. I have never seen him play anything else. And there are countless others that settled on a bass make/model for “life” in most cases.

My question is this… What is your position on this observation?

This question was born out of a situation where I was left with only one bass for 2 months and that made a big different in my comfort level and playing agility.

Thanks for your imput!
 
#3
Jonny B said:
I play nothing but six string basses if possible. I prefer my Ibbys, but I will play pretty much any sixer.
Click to expand...

Ah... you say they are all six stringers and Ibbys... are they the same models?

Switching from my Lakland 55-94 USA model to my Sadowsky MS5 requires some adjustment on my part. Another issue is that my Lakland is fretless and my Sadowsky is fretted. A local music teacher/instructor and session bass player said he got around this by having the same exact bass in both fretless and fretted models...

I am seriously considering trading my Sadowsky for a fretted Lakland 55-94 USA model for that reason. It just makes a lot of sense to me.

Thanks Jonny!
 
#4
I have a lowly Yamaha RBX250 that I have modded. I go into GC and grab basses all the time but have never found one that just grabs me by the BooBoo enough to replace it. So I keep coming home to my RBX. I am sure that I will find another, someday, then it will be my main bass, but until then... :bassist:
 
#5
I play two basses with the same amount of strings and the same body shape, but sonically and quality wise they are quite different. It works for me. I use my Rockbass for the song we have that's written in drop D. the rest are in standard (at least the bass is, our guitarists use an open tuning on one song).
 
#6
HAM said:
Ah... you say they are all six stringers and Ibbys... are they the same models?
Click to expand...

No, they are not. I also have a Washburn XB-600 that I use occasionally. Just as long as it has six strings, I don't mind playing it. Even fives aren't too bad, but the rare occasion I use a four, I always seem to get lost in the heat of battle.
 
#7
Jonny B said:
No, they are not. I also have a Washburn XB-600 that I use occasionally. Just as long as it has six strings, I don't mind playing it. Even fives aren't too bad, but the rare occasion I use a four, I always seem to get lost in the heat of battle.
Click to expand...

BINGO!!!

I have a Rob Allen Deep 5 and switching to the Lakland is no ordeal for me. They are both light and feel nice in my arms. I got rid of my Fender 4 stringer because of the same issue you mentioned.

The Sadowsky has a monster sound but the feel of the Lakland is more ergonomically to my body/arms structure and feels better to me. However, the Lakland is not exactly where the MS5 is tone wise but it is very close.

S O U N D O V E R M A T T E R.... (I keep hearing this echo but with a little fine tuning and comfort level… that gets resolved on the Lakland...)
 
#8
I do play several different models ... but usually I hang with one for a time and switch when I need a new feel or fresh ideas etc: Sometimes it's a Jazz bass kick or P-bass and so on.

;) ... As of late it has been either a 4003 or 4001 RIC, my band mates really like them.
 
#9
I have a Fender P w/ rounds, a Fender P w/ flats, a Fender J, and a Gibson EB-2. I'm looking to add an active 5-string to my stable as well. Which instrument I use is determined by the sound I need at the time and switching between them has never been an issue for me.
 
#10
I used to only play one bass out of necessity, and it's only been in the last 10 years that I've been able to amass a collection, so I tend to rotate basses and choose them based on the needs of the gig I'm doing. For example, I'm in Vegas doing 3 nights with Bowzer, Brian Hyland and Johnny Tillotson, and my shoulder's been bothering me a little, so I'm using my Jay Turser Beatle bass. Plus the Turser is the only bass I own that I can turn up to a decent volume level and not have Bowzer complain. Tuesday I'll probably use my SX Precision with my regular band because it's outdoors on a tight stage. But I will generally stick to only one bass during a gig because it's too hard to get a consistent sound out of the PA if you don't.
 
#11
EricF said:
I have a Fender P w/ rounds, a Fender P w/ flats, a Fender J, and a Gibson EB-2. I'm looking to add an active 5-string to my stable as well. Which instrument I use is determined by the sound I need at the time and switching between them has never been an issue for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments... For me it is like reading a book and becoming familiar with where on the page the text that jumps at you resides. You may not know in what chapter or what page, but you can find it by its location.

I practice my routines and learn the songs on a certain bass and develop a groove & feel that I tend to lose when I switch from one bass to another. If I stay on that other bass long enough it comes back but there must be a reason why most pros just hold on to that one instrument of choice. The instrument starts to become second nature and an extension to your body... too mystical? LOL...
 
#13
I play more than one bass as I am in 2 very different cover bands.

For metal I only play my Fender Jazz V (with another Jazz V as a backup but never played unless a string breaks or I have an electronics issue). So I have 2 Jazz V's for this band.

My other band plays funk, blues, R&B, reggae and current top 40 stuff. I use my 4 string Geddy Jazz for this gig mainly (soon to likely be my new Sadowsky NYC) and I also play about 1/2 of one set with my P bass with flats.

So 2 Jazz 5ers, a Jazz 4 string and a P with flats. Currently 4 basses from the same manufacturer due to the different types of music I play. If I was in an original band, I would very likely play 4 and 5 string Jazz (or jazz style basses like Sadowsky).

Remember that many well known musicians also endorse certain brands or instruments and get paid to play them exclusively.
 
#15
I'm a one bass guy.

It takes me time to get comfortable with a new bass. As such, my changes are calculated, and based on the needs of where I'm headed as a player.

I struggled for a few years to figure out what I wanted through trial and error. Found it - the MTD family. Done hunting, I'll likely be playing MTD for a long time.
 
#18
I used to have a bunch, many very expensive. Now I have one. Yamaha BB605 modded with Bartolini electronics. It works for all my gigs, I don't have to think when I play it, and I have about $600 into it.

I can only think of one bass (Modulus Q5 with Barts) I would replace it with, and honestly, it's been so long since I've played one I can't even be sure I'd still switch.
 
#19
SteveC said:
...I don't have to think when I play it...
Click to expand...

Great comment Steve!

This seems to be true for me as well. I like to feel so confortable with a particular bass that I "feel" it more than "think and adapt" on another bass the music that I play.

However, so far it seems that almost everyone likes a number of basses to choose from.

How much do you guys think this affects (gets in the way) how good, I mean really good, you could be by focusing on just lne make/model in all your playing?
 
#20
A9X said:
I'm a slut and I'm comfortable with it.
I play whichever one of my basses inspires me at that moment.
Click to expand...


LOL!! BIG plus 1 there!

The basses flow in and out of here so quickly sometimes I can't remember what I have on hand. I love to try new and different models, some stick around longer than others. I'm on a Zon and Lakland kick at the moment.....
 

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