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Please help me understand the multiple bass thing

#103
I currently own 22 instruments. They all serve different needs and requirements. I thing one needs to be open minded regarding this issue. Tenor, piccolo,acoustic, fretless, 7, 8, and 12 string, active, passive, and if you play guitar like me then you add baritone, nylon string, etc.

I guess I have always taken after Steve Howe from Yes's approach after reading his book from the early 90s. He collects instruments and writes music using different instruments for different sounds.
 
#107
I currently have 6 basses:
Schecter Riot 5 bass: A modern sounding 5 string that is my main bass
Ibanez RoadGear 4 string: gets killer Stingray tones for very little money
Washburn fretless 5; currently my only fretless
Yamaha BB414: I use this bass for classic rock tones (may be selling this one)
Schecter California Custom 5: been gassing for one of these for years. Has not evcen arrived yet but I like the idea that the pickups are quick connect and can be swapped out in minutes.
I do quite a bit of recording and I like have a few different options tone wise for basses. I agree that most of the time we bassists are the only ones that can hear, or that care about the subtleties of bass tone during a gig but a recording is forever.
I never change basses during a set unless it is pre-planned and then I only do it for fretless.
 
#108
By christmas this year i will have a 5 string Musicman as my main bass, 5 string Jazz as a backup, a 4 string P/J for home use and the occasional gig for songs that are easier in Drop D, and possibly a 4 string Jazz for messing around at home if i ever get around to rebuilding it. Personally, i dont think that is too many, i'll have a backup for each bass and a variety of different options depending on what works best.

Liam
 
#110
to the op, though i totally understand your point, i have a strong feeling that you don't understand why people own many basses becuase you don't want to understand. it's just matter of personal preference, there is no need for us to have right justification all the time. personally, i think everyone should encourage people buying more and more basses so that we get benefit from it, a better access to buying good bass at cheaper prices. :D:D:D:D
 
#111
I've never got the point of having more than 5. You can get a big @$$ variety of tones from 5 basses, as you could have a P with flats, P/J to cover a P with rounds, an SR5, Warwick 5 and another choice of bass. That group would give you a "Motown", "modern P", "Classic Stingray" sound and an excellent "bass for metal". You could have say, a Ken Smith or other boutique bass for whatever YOU wanted specifically, and still cover any gig at any time.
 
#112
smcd said:
Some people like gear, which is fine. But for someone to try to claim that they need those subtle sonic nuances for different gigs is utter nonsense.
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bruiser1964 said:
I can think of nothing more annoying than guitarists swapping every 2 songs and bleating about how - its a strat song or its a gibson song... Get over it! the audience cant tell the difference and would much prefer you to play the next song and stop p~~sing about.
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Both true as can be.

sloasdaylight said:
but in the studio you can tell the difference between something recorded on a Les Paul and something recorded on a Stratocaster.
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Yes. Recording is a different matter.

At a gig, 99.9% of your audience doesn't know or care what bass the bass player is playing and still wouldn't know or care if you bothered to try and point it out to them. They are there to have a good time, hear a litle music, hang with their friends, be loud in a loud place, drink and hopefully hook up with someone. They can't tell--and again, they don't care--whether you are playing a vintage hollobody strung with flats, a $5000 boutique custom build or some Chinese hunk of plywood, as long as it is somewhat in tune.
 
#114
kreider204 said:
I can understand multiple basses, whether it's need or want...
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Well, let's be realistic. A bass isn't a "need." Nobody "needs" a bass, much less a dozen or more.

(Admittedly, some people make their living with them just like a carpenter has tools they have to use, so in that sense it can be a need, but not a need like food, shelter, water, clothes and--for most people--human companionship.)

That said, music is a very, very important part of my life and one of the chief undertakings of the human mind and heart.

For that reason, I completely feel that everyone who "wants" an instrument should have one and I completely feel that if a person "wants" to have enough basses to equip a small army, then that is their right and there's nothing at all wrong with it.
 
#115
I've got 8 basses but during the last couple of years I only use 2 (MAYBE 3...) - I've got a 5-string, 2 shortscales and a fretless which I basically never use, but then again the 5-string's gonna get busted out again soon (new side-project...not so much the SOUND I'm after, but I bought it in the first place to avoid drop-tuning and this band sometimes does so...y'know)

Its good to have all bases covered IMO (shortscale, 5er, fretless, good 4er or 2 which you'll probably use more than the rest...) Also a decent backup is a + (i.e. Your Bongo gives out during a gig and you have to finish off with a weak-volumed, tinny, really beaten up squier jazz...)
 
#117
I played for 22 years before I understood the multiple bass thing...actually, I should say before my wallet understood the multiple bass thing. I have 4 right now,

Two fretted 4 stings: a Ric and G&L L2000 Tribute

A 5 string: G&L L2500

And a fretless: Squier VM Jazz.

I dont like having too much gear and having something just sit there unused. However, when I need a change its great to have enough basses to move on to. I have been fighting some GAS lately for a good P bass and a Steinberger, but that would be too many for me.
 
#119
I'm in the midst of fretless immersion, so my Jazz, Jazz V, T-40, Duck, and Ric have been seeing way less action this year. Just for spits and giggles, I spent a couple hours with my 4001...just jamming to CDs today. Man, I love that bass.

That feeling, my friends, is why I understand the multiple bass thing. :)
 
#120
over the years I've grown into a nice stable, all of which get gig/studio time..

ContraBass with guts on D & G: gets lots of recording time.. great character and feel for acoustic settings.. Sometimes take out to full band gigs at nicer stages/clubs/events. If I ever get the Shen Hybrid I want sooooo bad, I'll still use this one for the guts across the whole bass..

Palatino EUB: gives me the upright vibe without the worry..

G&L 4banger: great active, modern sound.. My main R&B/Funk bass

Alembic: midrange growl for days and my most flexible bass.. Perfect for jam bandy gigs where the tone is easy to isolate.. Sound guys love it..

Mooradian-modified fretless Ibanez: my oldest and absolute favorite.. I know it so well it is an extension of my hands and I play it in everything from grunge to jazz to African gigs..

MIM Jazz with flats: my passive Motown bass.. Love the feel of this one..

Hofner with Flats: great on Latin gigs and acoustic gigs where I want to minimize my rig.. Thumpy and records beautifully.

MIM Jazz 5 with Aguilar preamp: great for GB / R&B gigs.. Modern tone and low end for days..

OLP: ultra-bright tone and modern sound. maple fretboard

Steinberger copy: my strap the bass to the sissy bar and roll to the gig on two wheels bass.. Also nice for air travel gigs... Passive
 

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