Should I get a third bass?

The only reason to have a third at this point is because you play a different genre of music in which you require a different type of strings. Strings can’t be changed easily and some strings just don’t work well for other genres.

A second beater bass makes sense but a third to play the same genre sell has no purpose. Upgrade or stay with what you have … honestly only you would notice the subtle difference when you play bass two vs three, since the other band members and the audience would not notice … that starts sounding like TB BG consumerism mentality of having more. A solution in search of a problem.

 

I do believe Upton has a very generous trade-in/trade-up policy, but I don’t know much about it. I looked into it briefly when commissioning my Upton build as my initial plan was to use that to springboard to a nicer bass down the line. I ultimately decided to sell most of my electric bass gear and a few other things and just go for the nicer bass to begin with though.
I’d at least try setting it up as you initially intended though. See what happens.

 

Personally I hate switching between 3/4 and 7/8. (further my ply wood beater is an e flat neck and my classical is d neck )

For this reason alone I'd trade my 7/8 d neck or both if a good deal presented itself.

 

Don’t stop at 3rd bass if you can make it to home plate.

 

As one who does own three basses (four if you count the Yamaha SLB100), I can relate to your quandary.

In my opinion, two is a better number; one for Bluegrass/jazz/etc., and one for arco-centric music. With three, one of the basses inevitably serves as backup for the other two.

 

I own three - two nice carved instruments and a Shen SB-88.

My general goal is to own two - in theory I'd like my fancy, highfalutin carved bass and then a decent hybrid as a backup that I could reasonably play in rehearsals or at "Bob's Country Bunker" sorts of gigs without worrying about it.

Realistically, I'm hoping to sell the older carved bass and I'd keep the other, and then I'd flip the SB-88 for cheap and buy a Shen hybrid or similar. In a perfect world, I'd consider owning a solo bass too, but I'm not sure where I'd keep it.

 

As long as you have a string of shows indoors and you don't have any classical obligations, I's swap strings on your basses and see if a "nicer" instrument makes your BG shows more enjoyable. Even for that music, a hybrid is going to be easier on your body to play.
You might want to get a decent Shen and save the Engel for outdoor work.

 

It’s interesting because usually a person’s vintage American plywood bass is their bluegrass cannon and their arco/jazz bass more controlled instrument set up for clarity and physical ease. Personally I don’t think anyone needs a 7/8 unless you are a all-acoustic type person or in a section. They were all the rage 20 years ago but I think that trend fell out of favor. I’d look to trade the 7/8 for a 3/4 at Upton or just stick with what you’ve got. I have to tell you that cannons are fun to play (my American Standard was one for sure) but loud is not always what it’s cracked up to be. Tone and fitting in to any mix is more interesting to me than just being loud. My Italian, the only bass I have, and incidentally fly all over the world with, is really set up for soloistic playing these days because that’s what I practice but I’ve found ways to get just about any sound I need out of it. I’m aware that it’s not the all enveloping BOOM of a great festival bass but I enjoy pulling all the sound I can get out of it. Some guy at Wintergrass turned to me in a big acoustic session and said “man, that bass thumps!”. Little did he know I have solo strings, detuned, lowered close to the fingerboard to be bowable all the way to the end of the board. It was kind of my dirty little secret but I was happy to get the raw feedback in the session. Of course you can have your wife mess with moving the post further away from the bridge if you’re looking for more boom.

 

With my bass guitars, I have an approach where they need to earn their keep, or away they go. But I can be a bit loose with my criteria for that. Redundancy, rough duty, wall art... there are multiple ways for a bass guitar to justify an extended stay with me.
With double basses, I need to be more strict, seeing as how they live with me in a small studio apartment that I can already barely get around in! Like you, I am struggling with what to do with a second larger/nicer one, a 4/4 solid top 5-string that doesn't have the best defined purpose at the moment.
My thought is to keep trying to refine the misfit, and only entertain selling or trading as a last resort (or if someone made a really compelling offer). I'm starting with a new set of strings, some Corellis which should hopefully make both arco and bebop walking a little easier. I also just signed on for my second ever symphony concert - if that became more of a regular thing, that could easily justify a second DB set up more for classical.
Switching necks & scale lengths doesn't seem to be that big of a problem for me. (I mix it up a lot with the guitar basses - and dabble on mandolin. YMMV.)
If I had just a few more square feet, I'm pretty sure I could put three double basses to work: one with gut strings, one with steel and one for classical. Some of the symphony guys I've met have even more. If I were going solely on gig usage and had an actual music room, I would probably have more more double basses and fewer bass guitars.
Does that help?

 

Another bass? If there's room and your wife won't divorce you, the answer is always yes

 

My wife is usually pretty understanding about musical instruments, but if I were to have another double bass in the house I'd need to put it on our couch which would mean I'd have to sleep on the floor .

 

There is no reason why your "arco" bass can't be your bluegrass bass. Unless you are planning on doing some solo competitions or orchestra auditions buy a nice set of gamut gut strings for whatever bass you like playing most and call it a day. It's kind of a burden to have to play more than one instrument; why do that if you don't have to?

 

For years I've said to set up your bass so it is a pleasure to practice. If you are practicing a ton, then whatever strings and set up you have will work on the gig. Someone recently said that the lower tension of gut takes pressure off the top and makes for a better fundamental. This could explain why both of us are able to pull a big pizz sound with downtuned solos - rather than pulling a big sound "despite" them. I have no idea if that all checks out.

 

I don't need to read the OP, the answer is yes.

 

Only three?

 

I dont think you've bonded with the Upton?
IMHO you should consider selling it and getting good fit.
If you have the cash, sure, why not have 3 basses while you wait for a good price?

 

If the bridge on the upton isn’t cut for full blown orchestral playing, thin it out, move the soundpost down a touch and put some different strings on it. It will prob be tge BG cannon you want. If not, the Uptons have the name recognition to move pretty quickly.