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

I just can't own more than a couple of anything. The best example was when I raced bicycles. I knew a lot of guys that had 10, 20, 30 bikes. Some for good reasons like different bikes for long road courses, short road courses and criterium courses. Some guys would show up at a race with 10 bikes. I always had one that was my favorite and if I had a hundred bikes 99 of them would collect dust. I just use my one favorite of anything.
 
I just can't own more than a couple of anything. The best example was when I raced bicycles. I knew a lot of guys that had 10, 20, 30 bikes. Some for good reasons like different bikes for long road courses, short road courses and criterium courses. Some guys would show up at a race with 10 bikes. I always had one that was my favorite and if I had a hundred bikes 99 of them would collect dust. I just use my one favorite of anything.

I hear ya. I have 4 bicycles... 2 road, 1 mountain and 1 gravel. My main road bike with carbon frame/105 components gets a lot of use. The other 3... I hardly ever ride, but it's nice to have a backup for my road bike in case it has to go to the shop.
 
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I just can't own more than a couple of anything. The best example was when I raced bicycles. I knew a lot of guys that had 10, 20, 30 bikes. Some for good reasons like different bikes for long road courses, short road courses and criterium courses. Some guys would show up at a race with 10 bikes. I always had one that was my favorite and if I had a hundred bikes 99 of them would collect dust. I just use my one favorite of anything.

Agree completely. I have two mtn bikes, one in NC and one in FL. Ridden 4 to 5 days a week. I keep an inexpensive track bike in NC because there's a track there, and that's nice when the trails are unridable.
 
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I just can't own more than a couple of anything. The best example was when I raced bicycles. I knew a lot of guys that had 10, 20, 30 bikes. Some for good reasons like different bikes for long road courses, short road courses and criterium courses. Some guys would show up at a race with 10 bikes. I always had one that was my favorite and if I had a hundred bikes 99 of them would collect dust. I just use my one favorite of anything.
5 bikes here. Love 'em all! :thumbsup: 3 road bikes, 1 hybrid and 1 older mtb converted to a hybrid. I don't have much money in any of them and I wouldn't get anything if I sold them due to their age, even though they're all in great shape (much better shape than I am :eek:). So, I keep them around and ride them when it's nice outside.
 
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I've got five, all lefty except the Epi: O let me name them and take advantage of having an audience who loves basses.

78 Ric 4001
12 Fender AmStd Jazz fretless
17 Fender AmPro Precision
16 Höfner 500/1 (German made)
19 Epiphone long scale SG type.

And I ordered a G&L JB 5 string which could be here any day.

I primarily write and record, and each of these basses sounds quite different from the others, so they each have a job according to the song and the arrangement. Currently, I'm working on a 3/4 song that will use strings, and the hollow sound of the Höfner suits the song. The song I plan to record after that is more of a rocker, so the Ric or the Precision is probably going on that one.

I understand feeling guilty for having even a small collection. Like a lot of you, I struggled to get gear until I was well into my career. When I was growing up, we didn't spend a lot on extravagant things like that. I worked like a man in the hot sun when I was 14 so I could buy my first bass, a cheap, short scale plywood job, but it was gold to me. I sometimes look at my collection and feel guilty that I've spent money on those that I could be living on now in retirement. Look, I know it's only rock and roll, but geeeeezers I like it.
 
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Reading here I dont feel so bad about where I was at a couple years ago when I quit and sold everything. Some of you guys are a home music store. :laugh:

I can't really remember ....

Ibanez SR300 fretless
Ibanez SR370
Ibanez SR800
Ibanez BTB846
Yamaha RB170
Gibson Les Paul Honeyburst
Gibson Les Paul Gold Top
Gretsch Electro HB
Gretsch Electro Jet
G&L Tribute Tele
G&L USA Legacy
Dean acoustic
Mesa Boogie F50 x 2
Peavey Bandit (red stripe)
Peavey Max 700
Peavey MiniMax 500
Avatar 2x12 x 2
Avatar 2x10

Damn. Seems like a lot. But nothing compared to some guys here. Lol.

Now ...

SR300F
Yamaha RB3 something
SR400
SR505e
Homebuilt Strat
Yamaha F11 acoustic
PV Classic 30
Hartke KB12
and soon a fretless 5er

Still too many. The sickness is back.
 
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I spent many years playing the local circuit with only one old Pbass . My one and only for years . I have around twenty one now . There's only two I'd really consider selling , but someday that day will come when it's time to let them go . Whenever I've bought a bass I've always gigged it to the point where I break even .
When things first closed down over covid I cleaned and set up every last one . Polished frets , oiled fingerboards , and set action and intonation to my preferences . I appreciate each one for what it is . Aside from two split coil Pbasses (rounds and flats) they're all different .
Herself has always been supportive of my musical interests , and has even bought me several . She sees them as works of art .
I'm relatively gas free at this point , but I generally keep a little musical emergency fund handy in case I find something interesting . I do not buy to flip .
 
A couple of years ago I was up to around 28 basses but having to move to a smaller apartment made me think about and choose to keep only the best and most sonically diverse.

I'm not playing live anymore but if and when I do I still have no intention of buying more because I have learnt that having pairs (or more) of the same instrument is totally redundant.

If you are having troubles getting your live sound or while recording, having a backup bass with different sounds / pickups is what will save you -not having two identically bad sounding basses!

Now I keep it like this which provides a spare bass in any situation should I break a string or bass malfunction but also gets me a 'get out of jail card' if my sound won't cut or fit in:

1 x Jazz sounding bass (2 x Nordstand Big Splits 'single coils') front pickup soloed for a credible Precision sound
1 x Humbucker sounding Bass (Stingray sound)
1 x Fretless bass
1 x Acoustic bass
1 x (5 string) Jazz sounding bass (2 single coils) front pickup soloed for a Precision sound
1 x (5 String) Humbucker sounding Bass (Stingray sound)
1 x 32" 'Jazz on steroids' with Nordstand Big Splits for travel-friendly situations (fits in a guit@r gigbag)

What, no double bass sound?

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I was over 20, just downsized big time to 4. Sold the last 7 and bought my motorcycle back in july, never looked back

Depending on the motorcycle, you may have gone from the frying pan to the fire. :( Guess how much it costs for the care and feeding of five or six bikes.

(Says the guy who recently downsized to two HDs and one Indian)
 
I manage them just fine. The ones that will never go are the Peavey Cirrus 5 USA, '76 Gibson G-3, Boulder Creek Acoustic, and the Custom 5 Wishbass. Once my P-bass is complete, that will be on that list. All the others were great deals and will head out once the right person or time comes along. (or I need the money)(I have given a couple away to wannabe bassists)
 
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