The more basses I own...

[Pedullist]

My friends or collegues rarely notice it when I switch pants or shoes, and only when a new pair arrives. If I'm lucky.

They're just glad I wear pants and shoes. Still, I have multiple pants and shoes. The only reason why one doesn't care in this case is: the space it occupies in a room is little, and its price is low. As long as it fits in my room, and I can pay the bills, I don't care. As a consequence, I don't feel restless about having a bunch of basses. All this Zen influenced minimalism talk is hip these days, and it's the simple solution....but I choose to alter my point of view and keep my stuff. Zen minimalism is about enjoying little things too. I enjoy playing bass. Then on another. And another. Until I achieve oneness.

 

[inthebassclef]

I went from a "collection", makes me feel better for my problem, of 14 down to now three. It was liberating. The more basses I owned, I realized two things:
Whichever bass I played I sounded like Me
Now matter how many basses I own, I do not, and may not every sound like Scott Lafaro

 

[Pedullist]

I'm not buying basses because I intend to sound like someone else.

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

I've never bought anything because I thought amother person would care or notice.

 

[Dave Siff]

At one point, before marriage and mortgage and kids, I had 12 or 14 basses. Eventually boiled it down to two, and now I have four, which feels like one or two too many. But my Roscoes really feel like basses for life, so I decided to build a small collection of beautiful pieces. Do I really need a fretless, or the new headless I just got, or the Fender P-bass with flatwounds that spends 99% of its time in the case? Probably not. But I feel like I'm finally set. And yeah, I've said that 500 times before.

 

[mrufino1]

I guess my arthritis is having a good effect - now that I really am only comfortable on my 23" scale bass it's hard to have anything extra. And then I discovered I like playing through effects...

But I really only buy what is needed for gigs, I don't have anything that doesn't get used, effects or otherwise, save for a couple of really inexpensive pedals that will be in the classifieds once I get a chance to do so.

Of course, the new roof that my house needs, braces for kids (those are coming off this morning - happy kid!), car maintenance, kids' sports, etc. definitely prevent me from hoarding instruments.

We have kind of settled on a rule though - a purchase is ok if it is needed for a gig and will bring more money back than I spend on it. If not, it's a toy. That being said, it's fun to know that a delivery person will be bringing something...that keeps the ADHD fed.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I'm getting a bass today through usps ... I hope

 

[ezstep]

As a youngster, I drooled over the thought of owning a few high-end, lefty basses. As an adult, I purchased the first lefty ____(fill in blank)___ that I saw. It was high-end. Boo-teeky. Excellent craftsmanship. Excellent sound. After a year with her I learned that I did not have to own such an exquisite instrument. While the sound was perfect, I had (have) a few others that are only slightly less-than-perfect. I actually never used it for recording as the others filled the bill.

Of course, I am old, and that might make a difference. But I sold it. Great company, great product, but not for me. I can find other basses for $3k less that I will enjoy even more.

 

[Old Blastard]

I need a good instrument.

Well played!

 

[Old Blastard]

At one point, before marriage and mortgage and kids, I had 12 or 14 basses. Eventually boiled it down to two, and now I have four, which feels like one or two too many. But my Roscoes really feel like basses for life, so I decided to build a small collection of beautiful pieces. Do I really need a fretless, or the new headless I just got, or the Fender P-bass with flatwounds that spends 99% of its time in the case? Probably not. But I feel like I'm finally set. And yeah, I've said that 500 times before.

Ha! I went from 4 to 15 after the kids moved on and the ex wife moved out. The dog doesn't mind the basses.

 

[HubbardsFate]

I currently have four basses, and a fifth on the way.

They are all used basses bought out of the States (I am in Canada) - two via eBay, two via the classifieds on this site, and this latest one via Reverb.

I don't "need" five basses. As a guy who is not in a band, hasn't even jammed with anyone in five years, and who doesn't record, I arguably don't even need ONE bass.

But guess what - I like bass guitars. And if I am financially able to do it, every now and then, if one catches my fancy, I'm probably going to at least think about snagging it.

This latest one has a PJ pickup configuration, which will be new to me, so it is offering something different in at least that regard. It is also, to me, very aesthetically appealing (I have no prob with copping to the fact that looks are factor for me when it comes to basses), AND, the price was right: I could only find one other example of this (discontinued) bass online, and that seller was asking twice as much as what I paid for the one I got.

There was a time when I felt guilty and/or like a poser for even owning ONE bass, given my lack-of-band status, etc. I decided awhile back to stop with all the hand-wringing and live with the fact that, having been into bass since I was sixteen (with ebbs and flows), it is likely to always be part of me, and as long as I am not putting myself in financial jeopardy and/or amassing a collection so big that I literally no longer have the physical space to hold 'em, then I'm fine.

For the record, and not that anyone necessarily cares, but I am not particularly into the boutique thing, and doubt I would be even if I were way better off money-wise than I am. I tend to try an dig up "bang for the buck" makes/models and, as already mentioned, I exclusively buy used these days...so I like to think that I am reasonably smart RE: the bit of GAS/bass addiction I have (read: NOT buying brand-new, high-end basses on installment plans for example...)

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I've never bought anything because I thought amother person would care or notice.

Unless you never play music in public, that is not true. The great majority of bassists play in front of people.

 

[Joe Ty]

Haha. True. The audience probably doesn't notice most of any of the "magic tone" we constantly seek to find. Hoarding has the best of many of us though. For me it is sort of a hobby, and it satisfies me some to know that I can hear differences in the gear I hoard... and I enjoy trying different things. But you are right, two basses is probably more than enough for most of us.

There are worse things to spend money on. At least musical instruments and related gear retain most of their value.

 

[kerrycares]

Buy em, play em, flip em ...... that's called having fun on every level.
I'm learning Charlie Parker solos on my 4 string jazz and upright bass right now so I'm deep in the "play em" phase right now and not concerned about what comes next.
I've probably owned over 200 basses and I've enjoyed the journey and the people I've met along the way.

 

[Altitude]

I had to stop playing out a few years ago when all the other parts of my life started taking up the time I'd been using for music. Now I have four electrics and one electric upright that sit around my house. I pick them up now and then to noodle, but that's about it.

I'm 46. I probably won't ever find myself on a heavy gigging circuit again, and I feel like all of these instruments are sitting around providing no value to anyone, including me. Two of the electrics are customs and probably not very liquid. My kids are both girls and neither is the least bit interested in bass.

I know I should suck it up and sell all of the electrics except one, but it's hard to pull that trigger.

 

[40Hz]

To a certain extent we all have our addictions. Mine happens to be musical instruments.

In the immortal words of Shannon Wheeler's cartoon character Too Much Coffee Man:

 

[Johnny StingRay]

Since I've been playing since 1976, I've only owned more than one bass for about one year. I had a 4 string Yamaha I played at church, but needed a 5 string because a lot of the music was in Eb or D. I couldn't afford another bass, but fortunately, my brother who was bassist for local band in Detroit, was selling his StingRay 5 for a new 4 string StingRay. Instead if selling it, he gave the 5 string to me! That is when I had two basses. Then I found out that our church group leader took his emotionally impaired grandson to Guitar Center and he fell in love with the basses. That's when I decided to give the grandson my Yamaha, along with a Crate practice amp. I am a retired special education teacher and thought the bass would give him an appropriate outlet for his often violent emotions. Well, it was the right decision. He loved the gift and learned enough to start jamming with his grandfather, who is an exceptional guitarist and "old lounge lizard" veteran from the 70s.
So, anyway, my 5ver is all I need, but I'd love to get the NS Design 4 string fretless Radius when I can get the funds. More than my StingRay and the Radius would be all I would ever need.

 

[SteveHeissner]

Amen, Dr. Cheese. Profound words from a man who's been there, done that.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I had to stop playing out a few years ago when all the other parts of my life started taking up the time I'd been using for music. Now I have four electrics and one electric upright that sit around my house. I pick them up now and then to noodle, but that's about it.

I'm 46. I probably won't ever find myself on a heavy gigging circuit again, and I feel like all of these instruments are sitting around providing no value to anyone, including me. Two of the electrics are customs and probably not very liquid. My kids are both girls and neither is the least bit interested in bass.

I know I should suck it up and sell all of the electrics except one, but it's hard to pull that trigger.

If you don't need to sell them, don't sell them. At the risk of being morbid, enjoy what you have while you are physically and mentally able to do it. When you are gone, somebody somewhere will enjoy playing them too.

 

[lowend1]

I can only speak for myself, but collecting / accumulating is done for a variety of reasons. There are the solid workhorses, the aesthetic or sentimental favorites, the personally modified "signature" pieces, the great bang for the buck instruments... All of my basses fit into categories like this - I have sold off the ones that fell short of expectations or were repetitious, and yet I still hover around 20. They all get used, though some more than others. Contrary to what others may say, I have found that each bass tends to color my playing in deference to the strengths of that particular instrument. A Jazz Bass with flats gets a different set of hands than does a Thunderbird with roundwound strings. Likewise, each amplifier has its own personality, and I honor that as well.