Seriously! How do you guys manage having sooo many basses?!

[Gyver]

I have three, and have had as many as six. When I had six I really only played two. Now that I have three I really only play two. I liked having a collection, but ultimately decided it was ok to get rid of the ones I didn't play even though they were really cool basses. I guess I'm getting old...

 

[Deleted member 165050]

I have four. Only one has frets. Another one is something of a restoration project.

 

[nonohmic]

Funny you bring this up, I went through about a dozen basses this past year. I am down to 2 at the moment. One being my main player an Ibanez EHB1005MS and the second being my old faithful. A hot-rodded schecter studio that was my first quality bass and will never be sold or traded away. My new years resolution is to case the schecter, not buy anymore basses, and only play my EHB for 12mths. I wasted so much time shopping and exploring and rifling through classifieds that should have been spent practicing. I am going to record myself playing a favorite song of mine that is at the limits of my ability to perform and then rerecord it at the end of the year after increasing my practice time and focusing all of my efforts into a single instrument.

This is a great approach.

I've decided my fretted is staying next to the main amp for playing and practicing songs, and my fretless is staying next to my headphone amp for theory/technique/scale practice etc.

 

[Chamber]

I have two. One is my beginner bass from 2003 that I keep for sentimental reasons.

Wouldn't mind doubling that number though.

 

[Claymore]

A robust bass collection (and playing them regularly) is much healthier than movie binging, chasing internet politics or doing meth so I say... It is good.

Meth isn't healthy??

 

[gpd]

The short answer is that almost all basses have a different vibe or sound to them. Basses, even the same model and manufacturer, can feel and play differently. That being said, I've been on a bit of a spree lately because the used market is saturated (which I feel badly for because I know a lot of it is Covid related financial problems). There is a Cort Rhitmic 5 string on GC Used for stupid cheap that's been sitting there. It's like rescuing an animal from a shelter. It deserves a home better than the corner of a GC.

 

[Aussie Player]

Rule 1. - Never keep your basses in cases or you will never get them out, set up and generate the chore of start up.
Rule 2. - Keep them on stands in a single room so you can pick them up frequently.
Rule 3 - Have some tuned to Standard and some for a step down so that you are always in tune with what you are learning or rehearsing to.
Rule 4 - Rule 3 permits your understanding on which bases respond best to a down tune.
Rule 5 - Play every day.

 

[TrevorG]

I have 13 basses and they all want to go with me to the gig. I am in a rotation at Church so when it's my time to play I go the wall and rack and ask the basses for a volunteer and they all raise their straps and sing out "pluck me…pluck me"! The old Gibson always reminds me that he has seniority but I have to remind him that the younger basses need the experience and the only way to get it is to gig! Normally I make a selection based on the songs in the line-up. I look over to the 5 string and explain to him that a low B is not needed in this set but maybe next time. The same goes for the fretless…not the right songs for your sweet tones. Sometimes it's hard to pick one but when I do the other basses moan a low E and I swear I can see a tear roll down the head stocks…sad.

Somewhere there's a Pixar script writer reading this thinking "Mmmmmmmmm..."

 

[Dr. Keebs]

Having a multitude of basses is a dream of mine. I love to make lists, catalog and curate things. If I had the money and space, I'd have at least 11-12 instruments. All pretty high end stuff, each with a purpose. As it stands in reality, I've whittled down from six basses to two in the last few years. I've kept a Yamaha BBNE2 and a Muckelroy fretless 5. I don't miss out on anything in reality, but I do love to daydream about possibilities.

 

[edencab]

I'm maxed out at 3, partially due to space. I jam on a Fri night with bass 1, then from Sat - Thus I practice, noodle around with bass 2 for the next jam, then repeat for bass 3 for the next week...any more than 3 feels like they are wasting space and not being utilized in a useful manner...my brain still wants to have 2-3 others "just because"

and to follow up a bit...I have a Jazz, a Kit P-bass that sounds amazing, and a Sterling SUB4...covers the sound and look spectrum well..
.my GAS list includes: the Squire 50's Classic Vibe P-bass, Epi Thunderbird Gothic black, maybe a Beatle bass (thinking about a Beatle kit, but painted gloss black with white binding)

 

[Susqmike]

WOW! 46 Basses?!! That must be like $40.000.00 worth of low end frequency

Only if they were all Epiphones...

 

[John Webb]

.......bass creep.

 

[Fishheadjoe]

I stopped buying fishing rods which allowed me to buy basses...
Fishheadjoe

 

[DuluthDank]

I live in an area with pretty extreme weather variation, so if I don't touch a bass in 4-6 months, it's basically a guarantee that it needs a setup. If I had a herd that I wanted to fully appreciate, i'd probably have to do something like 30 setups per year.

My max is someting like four, and they'd better be different from each other. A passive P style bass with flats, an active/passive 5 string jazz with rounds, a six string active, and a passive short scale would be a good collection, for instance. I don't get these people that keep a full stable of nothing but passive fenders.

 

[SgtHulka]

Meth isn't healthy??

I take meth sometimes so that I can play some Iron Maiden basslines.

 

[DaDo625]

I donate basses to local young musicians sometimes through a local charity that hepls young folks of limited resources get started in music; that helps keep the herd to a reasonable number. Or at least what I consider a reasonable number.

Part of my justification for having a....number of basses (the number does fluctuate at times) is that I have actually given away more basses than I have - that makes it seem a bit less selfish.

You will be rewarded in Heaven....

 

[BassikLee]

I have somewhere north of 50. As was said earlier, you appreciate the collection. Maybe moreso than individual instruments.

 

[micguy]

You will be rewarded in Heaven....

I do most of my playing in churches, so....yeah, distinct possibility. I wonder if I get one really great bass, or a bunch. Hopin' for a bunch. ;-)

 

[Yellow Bang66]

I've got four. JUST four; a fretless four string(34" scale), an acoustic fretless five(35"), a fretted four(34") and a fretted five(35'). I've spent the last year practicing like a maniac on the newest and just picked up the others today to remember they're all fabulous instruments. I feel really guilty and ungrateful. I see some of you guys with scores of basses and just don't understand how you can appreciate them all. How do you do it?!

Ive said this here before, I read an article in "Bass Player" Magazine long ago,"How to spend your tax return!" it stated if youre gonna expand your collection,buy something you dont have. Dont keep getting the same thing. like if you already have 2 Pbasses, get a jazz or MM. I have over 10, but they are all different, most passive, 2 active, 1 5 strg., 1 frettless & in a variety of woods! I love to mod them so each one is distinct,electronically, no 2 are the same!
Thats how I rationalize my collection. i try playing them on a loose rotation or whatever i m into at the moment! going for different sounds & or expanding my technique. so its sometimes a challenge! But I make managing fun & interesting!

 

[KohanMike]

You know you have a problem when you need a wide angle lens to photograph your bass collection..........

I actually used the panorama setting on my iPhone. Finding and modifying these are my great enjoyment in retirement the last 7 years. The space on the walls has kept me at 30, now the only way I would add one is to eliminate one.