The Bass You've Had the Longest

[P. Aaron]

The one in my avatar, a 1973 Jazz body, 1973 Precision fretless. I acquired this in this form in 1985 or 1986(?) and it had a mod bridge and very early EMG pickups in it. Bridge is now bent plate, Fralin pickups and East electronics. No hard feelings about the mods because it was already altered. Plays itself, just fits like a glove. Never weighed it but it isn't light. The chrome was long gone when I got it so I replaced it recently. Learning to play with the covers after decades. I'd grab this first in a hasty exit.
View attachment 4704920

Just added a Precision neck to my garbage parts Jazz bass. I can't put it down now. Yours of course, is way cooler looking.

 

[scuzzy]

DP custom 5. Not going no wheres.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

1996 L2500 Custom. Bought it new in Spring 1997. Still with me.

 

[Pings Bass]

i got these two within a couple months of each other. Rarely played these days, but totally decent players if you're ok with four strings.

 

[SoulReflection]

After all the basses I had since the '60s, this is the one that I had (past tense) the longest, from 1981 to 2018. A 1968 Gibson EB2-C:

I was too busy working to use it that much but, when I retired and got back to playing, I needed to get back to my roots. I sold it because I craved the solid body/Fender tones so, now my Fender P with Jazz neck and lowly Squier Jag are my number 1(s). Sorry, but, you know what they say, "different strokes"....

 

[bassbrad]

1982 Carvin LB50 KOA Stereo bass my #1 and longest owned bass.

 

[Spidey2112]

I will never, ever part with this bass for any reason. It mainly lives in its case in my tornado safe room, but I do pull it out every once in awhile when I'm missing my bro.

Very nice.

 

[Todd Hamby]

I bought this baby in 91.

 

[Spidey2112]

Teenagers. A wonder they survive to adulthood, isn't it?

There isn't a bandaid I can offer big enough to cover the gaping wound I have reopened.

My apologies.

 

[definenredefine]

The bass I've had the longest is the '93 Stingray I bought with my parents' money in December '99.

The bass that fits the rest of the criteria is a toss up between the Stingray and the Jazz Bass.

 

[elillywv]

There isn't a bandaid I can offer big enough to cover the gaping wound I have reopened.

My apologies.

No apology needed, Spidey! Thank you, though!

I'd come to terms with it long ago! I think of it as a cautionary tale now; have bought 3 new MIM basses since 2019 (2 Js and a Mustang PJ), and they're all the same as they were out of the boxes, save for setups and strings!

 

[Bartrinsic]

My last on-deck 4 string, sigh:

 

[Bartrinsic]

My first bass, a '62 Fender Bass VI bought from roommate for $250 while in college (theory/comp major) in '75, a nosebleed to learn on from scratch and until recently my main bass after several decades of epic sessions and great memories. The 'antique' is my forearm wearing through the sunburst layers over 40+ years.

Original pickups, a drop-in Dan Armstrong hotwire for series/parallel, a drop-in Staytrem bridge, had the neck re-planed once and a couple of re-frets.

Recently retired as my daily driver, as I just can't justify hauling a precious 50 yr old bass to play out.

View attachment 4705083

Wow.

 

[db59]

'78 Stingray.....took the pickguard off probably the first day I bought it and haven't seen it since.

 

[bobyoung53]

1979 4001, I bought it used somewhere around the year 2000, so I've had it half its life. I still play it depending on the setting and it really plays nice and definitely sounds like a Rickenbacker, the cap is still in it and it has Rotos on it.

Lousy picture as always, it's not as dark as it looks in this picture but the surface finish has yellowed somewhat over the years.

 

[sawzalot]

1994 Stingray 3-band, bought new for $900.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Bought new in 1987.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Ive got my first one... although I've had to buy it back....twice.
Its a 61 Epiphone Newport 2x2.

 

[Marko 1]

My last 4-string (midnight wine MIM), I think it's an '05, bought used at G.C. for $300. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it, so it hung on the wall for many years. Recently I strung it BEAD, put a new pickguard on it, and it's kinda like a fresh used bass again.

 

[lermgalieu]

This one, although not because I love it blah blah whatever OP said. It's a 2004 Stingray. I don't gig it anymore because I'm kind of over the tone, and the neck is a bit thick for me. BUT it plays nice, sounds great, records nicely and looks great. And my wife gave it to me, which is the reason it won't be sold.