The Stable - What do you play and why?

[Kerem Koseoglu]

I'm down to two main basses:

• Ultra Jazz V with rounds
• Pro II P V with flats

Their applications are obvious, I suppose. My backup / stunt / travel basses are:

• CV 70's Jazz V with Seymour Duncan NYC humbuckers + switches (very versatile)
• Ibanez SR5FMDX-EGL 5 (very light)

 

[JakobT]

Three P-basses, one Jazz:

2014 American Standard Precision
2017 Special Noir Precision
2022 Limited Edition Ebony Player Precision
2021 Aerodyne Jazz

The Noir P i keep at my office for rehearsal use. The American Standard P is fitted with La Bella flats, The Ebony Player P with rounds, the Aerodyne Jazz I use when a bit of tonal variety is indicated.

 

[2F/2F]

Almost always some version of a bass Leo Fender had a hand in. P Bass, Sabre, SB-1/2, L-1000/2000 are my go-tos.

I do play some other bass types (e.g. Guild, Rick, J Bass, Stingray), but they are not my usuals.

 

[Polfuste]

My main bass since april 2022 is Greenie, the Markbass Kimandu. My best bass so far. Gigs and rehearsals are for her. I play it from time to time at house for prepairing specific gigs, or working on sound when i run my gigging amp at home.

On the right, my Ken Smith burner, backup and house working bass following the context (main bass from april 2012 to april 2022)

On the right right, my lady's Squier jazzbass. She is playing rarely, on each 29 of february , and i don't really play it now. Was my house working bass for long years.

On the left, my custom P/J build from my hands during a luthier course, backup and house working bass following the context (main bass from july 2004 to april 2012)

On the left left, my acoustic Fender CB-60. My house working bass to play ampless, and sometimes for acoustic jams.

Bass GAS is dead. My next will be a Fender stratocaster

 

[BigStringBender]

Well, my main squeeze is a '98 Fender P Bass Lyte Deluxe, because it is light and a joy to play. It wears Ernie Ball nickel Slinkys, and covers most tones for my classic rock n blues covers. For recording, I like my '04 Jazz, with the S1 on, and D'Addario tapewounds. Its a beautiful tobacco burst tank, so it doesn't see any stage time. If I'm feeling "metally", I play my LTD F414 with the low 4 of a 5 string set, of D' half rounds, tuned BEAD. For fun, I ripped the frets out of a Peavey Grind BXP and filled the slots with white epoxy putty, strung with Ernie Ball cobalt flats, but my fretless accuracy is not up to snuff yet, but I am working on it. Before the F414, I played a Peavey Fury V, in a gorgeous transparent blue, for those low tones but my not so huge factory beaten hands never liked the canoe paddle, thus the F414. Then there is the Fender GB 29 acoustic, with factory phosphor bronze strings which I drag to the woods during camping season. Soon, very soon, I will be adding a Clover Avenger with Nordstrands to my collection, and if it plays as well as it sounds, it will replace the Lyte Deluxe as my go to. I would stick some pics in here, but I don't have any good ones on this phone.

 

[Cran]

I currently play four basses:

- 1975 Greco RB-850:
Bought end of last year, and is strung with 40-95 roundwounds. I use it for a few original projects and whatever music comes my way that requires a bass with roundwounds and a more neutral aesthetic. From modern prog/mathy rock to indie, I've taken this to a few sessions so far. Probably won't mod it for a long time because of its condition for its age.

- 2009 Fender MIM Jazz Bass:
My first bass, bought in 2017. Currently strung with *old* D'Addario Chromes that I nicked from another bass I bought (and now sold on) . Has few mods other than a Hipshot Xtender and Kickass bridge. I use this bass for any sessions that I'm not confident with sound-wise. It's very versatile and can sound like a bass when it needs to, as well as playing nicely with pedals. Can do rock too for sure. Used it to track this song.

- 2019 Fender American Performer Mustang:
This is my second pop/indie session bass. Now that it's strung with LaBella tapewounds, I use it for gigs/sessions where I'm more confident that I know that the artist would like it. It's been modded with Nordstrand pickups (an NM4 in the neck and a '51J in the bridge), and has a few more mods on the way. I've used it on a few sessions as well, but those tracks haven't come out yet. It's insanely comfortable and quite versatile as well. It's the bass in this video.

- 2009 Fender MIM Precision Bass:
This is the most abused of all of my basses, but it's really vibey, and sounds great for more aggressive genres. I use it for any rock/heavier projects that come my way, and am currently using it for an original modern rock band. Like my J bass, this has a Hipshot Xtender/Kickass combo - but it also has a PAF Dimarzio Model P instead of the stock pickup. It gets brought out when I need rounds but the aggressive vibe is acceptable. It was used to track this single.

Don't take this stable to mean that I *exclusively* use four string basses. These are just the ones that I've found uses for recently. I also have two basses (a Warwick FNA and an Ibanez SR1400) that I'm trying to sell in order to gain funds and pay off a custom 6 string bass. Once that arrives I foresee myself using it whenever a B string is necessary or whenever soloing is called for. We'll see.

 

[jimmydean]

Returned my Lakland D. Jones after 2 weeks and bought a Squier 40th Anniversary PB .....back to one bass .

 

[InhumanResource]

So I'm down to four basses, a 2018 MM Stingray Special, Fender Tony Franklin Fretless, Fender USA Geddy Lee Jazz and an Allparts Precision with an Allparts Jazz neck and EMG Geezer pups. The Geddy Lee and Tony Franklin wear Roto 66s, the Allparts TI Jazz Flats, and the Stingray EB Cobalt flats. All four sound uniquely different from each other, yet all four are equally usable as standalone instruments for the music and gigs I play.

In the past I've owned more exotic instruments (Ric 4003, Gretsch Thunder Jet, Gibson T-Bird, Dale Roberts 6-string, Spector Bantam 5, etc), and while they were all wonderful basses they usually stayed home in favor of a Precision or Jazz. I liked looking at them, and I liked playing them, but they rarely went to the gig.

So I have finally accepted that I prefer basic Leo Fender style 4-string basses, and have whittled the herd to these four. I'm curious what other Talkbass members have in their stable and why? Pics appreciated!

View attachment 5012708

My main is a US L2500 that I “option ordered” last year. It has a nice, clear sound with plenty of midrange punch while retaining clarity. Also the neck is easy to play and it is super lightweight.

 

[Flamingo21]

I built this Explorer a year ago. I play it in my current band, both for its looks and because my bandmates like the sound.
Since the band tunes down, I don't use the bass for anything else. It wears Fender flats, perhaps strange for a Gibson shaped object.

In December of 2017 I went to a brick & mortar store to buy my first bass. Till then, I'd played viola and piano but never a bass. But I knew I wanted to play bass. So I sat down with several basses and this Japanese Precision just spoke to me. I felt the click. So I said "Okay, I'll take you home, teach me how to play you." And since that day, this has been my #1.

It has Black Diamond flatwounds, they are delightfully responsive. I can play very expressively on this bass, I can make all the differences in sound, tone, dynamic, without ever touching the volume and tone pots. I can play quiet bass lines, busy funky lines, melodies, chords, dances from Bach cello suites. I love this bass!

Apart from these two, there's an Ibanez acoustic, a Harley Benton fifties P, and an old guitar that I put thick Gold Tone bass strings on. These three I play as occasion arises.

 

[bucephylus]

Here are the bass guitars in my kit of tools. They are all players, each intended to get out on the gig. About half are 4 strings, varying from mutt parts instruments for the kill n cripple bars to a custom luthier instrument for studio work and Country Club dates. Same deal for a few 5’s, which include my fretless. And, I have a 6’er.

I confess that I don’t currently have gigs suitable for some of the basses. But, gigs come and go; and I got tired of the flipping game. Some of the instruments are increasingly becoming somewhat rear view mirror gig axes; and so, I am increasingly debating a bit of paring down, to keep the Selection from becoming Accumulation. Time marches on.

FWIW, Here is some eye candy:

 

[Komadinic]

The Rickenbacker does everything i need and want, rest of them are just adding to the variety. All great basses but could live without any other than Rick (Elrick being a close second).

 

[2saddleslab]

I love all four of those Primitive, but effectives.

Me too!

 

[msb]

I have twenty something , but these three get most of my time , it seems. I prefer short scales these days. My Longhorn has been seeing a lot of playing for the last twenty years , if I don’t bring it to a gig I’m invariably asked why. It weighs next to nothing , sounds great.

This little Gibson is a lot of fun to play. Again , lightweight , sounds great , fun to play. Comfortable.

And recently picked up a vintage Japanese UniVox HiFlier. I was quite surprised at how good she sounds. It’s become a new favourite. I’ve been dragging it out as a backup for the Longhorn. I think I’m known for running cheap vintage style basses through a good amp.
I’m ok with that.

 

[CallMeAl]

My main squeeze is a parts precision. Love everything about this bass, play it nearly exclusively:

Yamaha TRBX for the backup. It’s a lot of bass for the money, I especially like the neck:

Korean Peavey J-ish bass. Very comfortable but I don’t play it anymore. Not worth selling, I’m seriously considering gifting it to someone:

 

[Flamingo21]

seems like a lot of folks are omitting the "and why"

Well it's not as bad as some other threads. There have been many threads here on TB, about strings, picks, amps, straps, you name it, where the opening post says "and why?" which question gets flatly ignored. This thread is doing well by comparison.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

My stable has been very… stable… for the past few years with an EBMM StingRay, Fender MIJ Precision, and Fender AmStd Jazz.

Right now, I’m going through a bit of a transition and am really only playing the Ray. I’m trying to see if limiting myself will inspire me to practice and play more than tinker and GAS for new toys, so the Jazz is in its case and the P is on the chopping block to be sold.

I’ve been “talking bass” way more than playing bass, and I am changing that. I believe I’m someone who suffers from options paralysis and does better when limitations are placed on me to force me to get creative. I’m doing the same with my guitars and currently only have out my AmStd Stratocaster and Yamaha acoustic. The Gibson Les Paul and Squier Tele are currently in their cases.

 

[Dr. Gonzo82]

I started playing on a borrowed bass and when it was time to get my own, I took all my savings and tried about 20 basses and walked home with us fender std. P because it just played the best.

Ten years later I was single, had some cash and decided to order a Rick 4003 without ever playing one.

Today I had to bring some stuff to the attic and stumbled across the box it came in.

Proud to say that my stable hasn’t changed since 2007.

Only wish I had found my wife that early in life.

 

[Stewie]

I play a Thompson plywood bass with a Krivo magnetic pickup, because it sounds great, looks sexy, and provides me with dance partner on stage, and a fretless Precision because it is the nicest bass ever made. i have a fretless Tele, but it stays home most of the time

 

[coyote1]

My ‘stable’ has shrunk. It was once seven instruments, from Conklin 7-string to Warwick Corvette fretless 4 etc.

Now it is four:
Mathias Thoma 1974 W.German upright 3/4 acoustic
Tobias KillerB 6 string
Ibanez Portamento 6 fretless
Peavey Grind passive 4

and I’m playing the upright almost exclusively.

 

[landrybass]

Modulus basses because I’m in a hot humid area and I hate when my neck moves. Fodera basses because they’re like beautiful race cars. Made of wood. A resonator and a P bass which I’m converting into a fretless. You guys have a ton of Fender basses wow!