Poll: Do you have a "beater" bass?

[BurningSkies]

Hi I’m intrigued to what your number 1 bass is if your gigging was 1/15th the value pictures plz

My road stage bass; at the time $1800

The bass I'd been using on the road (and for a good while my only bass):

When I went to insure it about 3 years ago, I had to get a replacement value for it from Sheldon. The answer that came back stunned me. $12,000-$14,000 on the low side, but there were options and features that they no longer list so, they couldn't price those things in. That was 3 years ago and values have gone up since then.

Also, my math is bad, probably 1/10th or so really.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

My beater has become my No 1.

Yea...
I bought a Squier VM Jazz V in 2014 to be the designated Beater. I liked it so much, it became (over the course of time) the best fretless I ever played (with a new neck of course).

Then I got another Beater. I made a bunch of mods to it like installing MM pickups and the fretted neck from the VM. Guess what...it became my #1.

Now I have a straight up Passive Jazz V parts bass as the designated beater. I almost got $200 pickups for it but talked myself out of that bottomless pit....

 

[Pdaddy1978]

2 actually.....
An old Yamaha rbx250 with a faulty tone pot that a friend gifted me after pulling it out of a dumpster.
And a 60s vintage Japanese Hofner copy thats only redeeming quality is to hang on the wall and look like a Beatle bass.

 

[led4thehed2]

Bought a used Yamaha BB414 for this purpose. Refinished it (poorly), and installed new pups. A dent in it won't bother me, and my Steve Harris signature- stays looking nice.

 

[gigetto]

I've a gig bass, Yamaha A2. It sound great and is not a piece of history.

 

[Pedullist]

Damaged and beaten ok, but stolen? Hell no. My '74 Musicmaster, formerly owned by a NY punk bass player, is pretty beaten up. I grab it differently than some of the others. An extra scratch doesn't hurt. But I don't want it to be stolen.

 

[TDR1138]

I’ve always kept a cheap bass around as a beater. But, I don’t gig in sketch areas, so to me, a beater is one that I don’t care if the kids play or the dog knocks over, I’m ok leaving it out and leaning against the couch, etc.

Right now, it’s a Squier Affinity P. I tend to trade cheap basses out every couple of years. I might sell this one. I might mod it beyond all recognition. Who knows...

 

[PennyroyalWe]

My most irreplaceable bass is a beater hahaha. But seriously, while all my basses are inexpensive there’s definitely 2 that I’d be much less upset if they were damaged/stolen compared to the others.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

My road stage bass; at the time $1800
View attachment 3996200

The bass I'd been using on the road (and for a good while my only bass):
View attachment 3996201

View attachment 3996203

When I went to insure it about 3 years ago, I had to get a replacement value for it from Sheldon. The answer that came back stunned me. $12,000-$14,000 on the low side, but there were options and features that they no longer list so, they couldn't price those things in. That was 3 years ago and values have gone up since then.

Also, my math is bad, probably 1/10th or so really.

Insurance, huh...?
I never thought about that for my G&L - one of a kind first run 1996 L2500. It’s basically irreplaceable. I highly doubt G&L will do a 4-piece flame maple neck, even through the Custom Shop...

 

[Hurricane Jimmie]

Hmmm... none in currently in my possession. I have willingly "loaned on a permanent basis" (given away) 3 basses to people who would put them to (better) use. For me that meant making peace with not having control over use/storage/maintenance/condition/safety of those instruments. Which, by extension, meant that I became OK with losing them. Which was kinda liberating.

Late in my sixth decade (and not really playing all that actively these days), I've grown less and less attached to "stuff" in general, and that includes my basses. It would bother me a great deal to lose my 77/78 P, though.

So Anyway, I have found my kindred spirit. Getting rid of possessions can be liberating.
At one time I was rehearsing in three different bands and kept a bass and amp at each location. This made it easier to take my motorcycle to rehearsal. As the bands ran their course, I got rid of the equipment.

 

[dalkowski]

At one time I was rehearsing in three different bands

Neat trick!

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Got a Dean Edge bass in the shop kinda messed up, missing pieces. But it had a very comfy neck, so I built it up and played it a bit. Then another similar Dean bass popped up for sale cheap, so I bought that one too, thinking it would be as nice as the first one. It wasn't. Apparently there's two or three levels of that bass that all kinda look the same. Then, a blue one was on ShopGoodwill... I bought it for about 45 bucks. It had the same good neck, but weak electronics.

Sooo... I had three of pretty much the same bass. I put all the "good" parts together and made my "beater" for general use, put one together for sale at the shop and put the third one together with spare parts and left it at my friend's bar for open-mic night use.

 

[moon-bass]

I love my older basses - all of my pre-90s Jazz basses have been players and have some battle scars, so to speak. That way I don't care about a ding here or there .... But I'd cry if my 74 Jazz was stolen!

I thought about the questions for a bit, and to me a beater isn't something that I would mind getting a scratch here or there, rather it's a good playing and sounding bass that doesn't quite have the personal value and/or would be relatively easy to replace.

My "beater" is a USA Guild Pilot. Has some dings and nicks, plays and sounds great, but ultimately I would lose less sleep if something happened to it than most of my other basses.

 

[Killing Floor]

I have an early Kramer Ferrington that I love but it is a total pile. I take it in the car, drag it around whenever there is music and drinking combined without any "seriousness". If a hobo peed on it or a swallow made a nest in it I don't think I'd stress a lot. I wouldn't want to lose it. If like fried chicken and waffles and don't wash your hands, c'mon, enjoy! It's a pile that still makes music. Don't steal it, please. But I don't care if you scratch it. God luck finding "your" scratch.

 

[moon-bass]

The bridge, obviously. More mass -> more momentum, plus the sharp jaggy bits.
That said, I've heard a quick stab with the tip of the headstock can be effective at the right moment.

I dunno ..some of those 80s basses have some pretty pointy headstocks!

 

[littlebun]

Question for the collective: do you have a beater bass? One that you would be okay with if it got stolen, lost, or damaged?

When I gigged frequently I had a beater, but I hardly ever used it. I ended up selling it a long time ago. Recently I picked up another beater, but not sure if I'm going to keep it. A good portion of my basses aren't in pristine condition, so a bump here or there won't bother me. I've never had a bass stolen, and my most irreplaceable basses aren't going to be gigged.

So, thoughts? Ever glad you used a beater?

Yes. A couple of SQ serial Squires; I put EMG's in them.

 

[BurningSkies]

Insurance, huh...?
I never thought about that for my G&L - one of a kind first run 1996 L2500. It’s basically irreplaceable. I highly doubt G&L will do a 4-piece flame maple neck, even through the Custom Shop...
View attachment 3996228 View attachment 3996234

Heck yeah, insurance.

MusicPro Insurance -- Affordable Insurance for the Music Professional

I've never had to claim. I do know people who have multiple times and it's been solid.

If you're a local gigger and you're playing a handful of places and the room is filled with people you know and trust it may be less of an issue. It wasn't for me for a long time, and I could be comfortable leaving my gear amongst friends. Then I found I was just on the road a lot. We were playing locally once every 3 or 4 months and the rest of it was all over the place and in rooms we'd never been or with people we'd never met. There's lots of 'unattended gear' time, what if you're going out for dinner or if you're in the upstairs green room and the gear is downstairs? What if you're using multiple freight elevator trips or there's production crew moving your stuff out of sight? I got tired of taking my bass to the restaurant with me, etc. We're pretty good about taking guitars out of the van at night when you're at a hotel, motel or staying with a host, but that leaves pedalboards, amps, IEM, all sorts of other gear in a van or trailer. Heck, or if you're local it could be your car. It only costs a couple hundred bucks a year to insure.

Even if it's not a bass or whatever, someone walks with your pedalboard case, that could be $3K of hardware or more.

 

[Paul M]

I have had beater basses and I have even bought beat-up basses just have around to play and not worry about damaging. But then I still baby them, repair them, set them up properly, upgrade the parts etc. Then, eventually, I sell them because I don't actually use them. I don't gig regularly, so when I have the chance, I usually want to use the best I've got.

 

[skyline_01]

I bought a G&L tribute L2500 as a wet weather/questionable venue bass. I really like it and I'd be upset if it got stolen or irreparably damaged, but it's job is to be at risk so my more expensive basses aren't.

Similar situation here. Although my Tribby is considered a backup 5, it was my main one for quite a while and a fantastic instrument that I often still reach for even before my Alien Audio Lunar 5. That being said, I'd likely cry a lot less if the Tribby was destroyed/stolen rather than the Alien.

 

[Ostie]

I don’t beat on my instruments. If I’m going to play a gig or even just practice, I play my favorite, or what pleases me. Especially for gigs, I want the best sounding, best playing instrument in my hands. If I own a “beater” i would considered it play-worn or mojo. I don’t believe in artificial relicing either. That ain’t mojo.