Swiss Army Basses

[Joe Nerve]

If looking for a passive Swiss Army knife, the most versatile one of those I ever got my hands on is one of the new Gibson EBs. 2 humbuckers that can go single coil if you pull out the volume controls. Kinda takes those jazz basses yer all talkin about to a whole different level.

And I have to rant for a minute about that. I get it when people say jazz basses are versatile. One of my favorite basses right now happens to be a jazz and I agree. Yet when someone is requesting info on the MOST versatile basses it's kind of ridiculous IMO to suggest a Jazz or a P. Yes, versatility comes more from the player more than the bass, and most tone is in the fingers and all that... But talking basses, some are CLEARLY capable of more tones than others. A Gibson EB and Jazz being a prefect example.

 

[peterpalmieri]

Valenti PJ5-24
D'addario Chromes
33" scale, 8.2 lbs
Nordstrand PJ set with a Sadowsky Pre

As far as club dates, weddings, bar gigs this is it. 3 sets with one bass!

 

[Sweet Willie]

Own 2 T40's, a G&L L2000, AND a BB75.....according to this thread I and the swiss army bass master!

But only if you play lefty, lug.

 

[muggsy]

+1 on the Big Al SSS. Three single coil pickups, each can be switched on or off independently of the others and all combinations can be run active or passive. 16 combinations, easy to use, plus 4-band EQ.

 

[Rib 13]

If I had to cover keyboard bass parts from, say, the '80s, I might want to have a bass synth pedal, too.

I use a Yamaha MM6 keyboard on stage for those

 

[Blankandson]

Two shows in Branson have MM Stingray HH in them. They move back and forth through many styles quickly and need many tones/sounds - in a hurry! In between sets they sell pop corn, so if you are thinking of going to Branson, you need to know how to make change.

 

[Kukulkan61]

A P/J bass of some sort would probably do it but I would never own one...

 

[rtslinger]

Peavey T-40

Here are the controls:

View attachment 773069

The pickups in the T-40 are almost as strong as the MFD pickups in the L-2000 or ASAT.

+1000

 

[GregT]

Funny. It takes a Swiss Army Knife bass thread to shut up those of us who only play Precisions.

The Precision is like where Crocodile Dundee says, "That's not a knife....THAT'S a knife!!" The Precision is certainly a good, big knife, but it is no Swiss Army Knife. Carry on....

Edit: I am enjoying the recommendations here. I really wish I could try a G&L L-2000 sometime. I like the big humbuckers and all the switches.

 

[peterpalmieri]

I know we all have our favorites but as the OP outlines it, we are talking a minimum of 3, 1 hour sets. Weight has to come into play, for most folks that can be tough with a musicman and near impossible with a T40 if you're doing 60 of these gigs a year. Make no mistake I have an 11lb Smith that I love to death but the idea of standing around at a corporate event, fundraiser or wedding during speeches with an 11lb bass waiting to play the next tune. No thanks...

 

[Luckydog]

TB goes from, "I need a Swiss Army bass!", to "Nobody cares what bass you play; people just hear it as a bass".

Either these are universal truths, or universal lies.

 

[birminghambass]

My L2K and Stingray HH can get me just about any tone. The HS model is also awesome. Never played a Warwick $$ but I'd think it could cop a bunch of tones as well.

 

[kkaarrll]

I like versatile. @Doner Designs probably has the swissest basses out there.

 

[RED J]

I think that any bass with switchable quad coils can fill that job nicely.. or a MM/J or MM/P with a switchable MM pup can also be that bass.

Seems there is a lot of truth in this. My recent Gibson EB is pretty amazing, I'd call it a Swiss Army Bass. I haven't played it live, but have no reason to believe it wouldn't deliver.

 

[kkaarrll]

I think that any bass with switchable quad coils can fill that job nicely.. or a MM/J or MM/P with a switchable MM pup can also be that bass.

that is what I have coming my way soon

 

[Rib 13]

Funny. It takes a Swiss Army Knife bass thread to shut up those of us who only play Precisions.

The Precision is like where Crocodile Dundee says, "That's not a knife....THAT'S a knife!!" The Precision is certainly a good, big knife, but it is no Swiss Army Knife. Carry on....

Edit: I am enjoying the recommendations here. I really wish I could try a G&L L-2000 sometime. I like the big humbuckers and all the switches.

for the record, i don't come from the school of P-basses are a "one trick pony" - There are many tonalities that can be ascertained from that single voice employing different fingering positions and techniques and even more with the use of effects - but having only a single voice and the lack of a physical bridge pickup makes it limiting and there are some things it just cant do, but not a one-trick pony.

 

[Eilif]

My first instinct (and probably incorrect) is my beloved T-40. It's very diverse in tone and gives me all the variety I need. However, the poor slap-ability and lack of an active circuit means that it won't quite handle every modern tone some folks would need. The early "Toaster" pickup models that have my favorite thick tone are even slightly less diverse than the later "Blade" pickup models that have a bit more in the high end. All this to say, the T-40 is extremely diverse, but not quite the full swiss-army.

Really, for a chameleon I look to a bass with two humbuckers or a MM/J, coil split-ability for at least the bridge pickup and a versatile EQ. The Lakland 55-02 (or 55-94) is one of the most versatile instruments I've ever played. A fantastic range of tones. The two humbucker or MM/J Musicman basses give a similar versatility, but for some reason the 55-02 just seems to nail it.

 

[dincz]

A P/J bass of some sort would probably do it but I would never own one...

So why not? Seems like a contradiction.

 

[mikeluch]

L Ā K L A N D 494, 5594, 4402, a d 5502. You got P, J and StingRay tones plus a 3 band EQ with selectable mids, runs on a single 9 volt. And the whole thing can be defeated by pulling up the volume knob. Try one with Duncans!!

Absolutely!

 

[bassrich]

+1 for the T-40 Heavy but very versatile