What bass have you owned the longest and do you still play it?

My '78 Fender Musicmaster. Got it in '99 or so for free in dreadful shape. Got it working and even though I recently had to change out to a thinner Bronco neck to accommodate some arthritis in my hands it's still my "take it to my grave" bass and it goes to every gig.

 

My Ken Lawrence Brace, just gets used at home really as it doesnt fit the rock vibe of my cover band.

 

75 G-3. Still play it once in a while. Bought it in79-80. Modded it over the years and have returned it to almost stock. “Where is that confounded bridge!”

 

Okay...
Although I learned to play bass in 1968 (on a friend's '68 Rick 4001), I wasn't really able to own a bass of my own for the next 20 years. But, I finally got one in 1988, when I bought a left handed '78 Fender P-Bass - with an "A-spec" neck - from it's original owner. We were stationed in the UK at the time, and Dave wanted the $$$ to buy a '58 P-Bass he'd found in a London pawn shop. I probably paid too much for it, but; that's what friends do... I've had it ever since. I had to have it refinished when I got back to the States (long story), but the bass is absolutely worth it.
Do I still play it? Yes, of course I do. I'd probably play it a lot more often, if I didn't have 22 other basses (I think I made up a little too much for lost time...). It wears heavy flats under the mute in the bridge cover, and is my '50s/early '60s Rock, and Motown specialist. At 11 lbs., it's become a little tough on my abused, 70 y/o back, but... it's still a blast to play...

 

My Avon Les Paul is my first proper bass, a short-scale made in Japan and sold under different names (possibly Ibanez, Kawai and others). Bought it in London in 1995 and will never part with it. I only play it at home, because the pickups are rather dull - I've thought about having them rewound and repotted at some point. It plays really nice, neck is straight and sweet.

 

My first proper bass bought from a shop... Tanglewood music man copy.
I got that bass in 1996. I had a P bass pickup fitted not long after I go it.

I still have it, though it now lives with my brother.
And the strings are most certainly coming up to 15 years old at least

My next bass, from 1998 was my yamaha BBG5a, I still have her... She's modded with P and MM pickups and a Duncan 3 band.
Still gets used occasionally last use was 3 weeks ago at practice.

 

1978 Music Man Stingray Bass and yes.

 

1967-8 fender jazz. Got it in 1986. Refretted in 2014 and still play it all the time.

 

1994 musicman stingray. Bought it new. Not the oldest bass I’ve owned, and I’ve been playing a lot longer than that, but it’s the oldest one I still have and it’s my #1.

 

72 Pbass . A friend told me of a band auditioning for a bass player . I was the only one to show up , I got the part . Traded a Nikon F2 with an 85/1.8 lens for it . It was the mid 70’s .
Still play the Pbass , but it’s been retired from bars .

 

Right now, a Wick Streamer I got used in '18. Before I had a Ken Smith Burner Custom for 28 years, wish I'd kept it, but I like my Wicks.

 

I tell this story often, I guess it ticks alot of boxes. The bass I've owned the longest also happens to be my cheapest and most treasured: a black holo-flake Squier Jazz bass. It cost about $300 around 20 years ago, boughten for me by my dear friend Dan (RIP) when I was way down on my luck and just about outdoors. 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.



All of the basses I owned before this one I have since sold off.

 

In 2000 I purchased my first Active Bass, an ESP/LTD F-204 with EMG HZ35 pickups in Titanium. Right after that I got rid of every single bass I owned and started buying Active Basses only. Lately I've been playing my Stingray HH's and my only 2 Passive Basses (yes I finally purchased 2 passive Fender Jazz Basses) more, but that F-204 still gets played a lot and will never leave me.

 

I picked up this '69 Jazz bass in '79. The neck profile is my ideal for a four string bass. When I do take a four banger, I don't play it anymore but rather one of these two Japanese market reissues (JB75-94US OTM/R's) because their neck profiles are identical and they have much higher output and more wide-ranging controls:

 

A fender Jazz that's the second bass I Owned. Bought it in 1975 for $120 bucks. I t was 3 tone sunburst and pretty beat up so I refinished and modified it over the years. It was my go-to bass for better than 35 years. Now it's pulled out of its case when I'm feeling nostalgic.

 

This one: 1965 Hagström Coronado: I got it new in Jan, 1966 for my 16th birthday (It was either skis or a decent bass. My salesman dad always had a wholesale connection, whether it was a bicycle or a bass, so he hooked up and got me this Svedish beast out of NYC for like $150) and it still sounds great; 32' scale and over 11 lbs. - of late I only play it sitting down . The cam/gear/ spring clockwork switching hardware under the pickguard is a thing of beauty and perpetually serviceable.

 

I’ve played off and on for 20 years. Funny enough my “oldest” bass is only about 4 years old. Thats about time those “welp gotta sell my stuff to pay rent again” days ended. I’ve been through 9 basses over the years and currently have 2, one of which i just picked up last week. I’ll always miss my Ibanez Ergodyne EDC700. It was extremely mediocre but it looked weird, was made out of “luthite” which was just different.

 

62P that I've owned since circa 1969.

I don't play it at gigs anymore because I don't feel comfortable leaving it on a stand in some of the places we play, and after I played it constantly for about 25 years I think it deserves a quiet retirement.