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What benefit does owning multiple basses give you?

#101
two fingers said:
I am involved in a project at my school where we are upgrading the antenna wire used for HAM radio on the outside of a building. The project will involve working pretty high off the ground. We could get away with using ladders but a bucket truck was offered by a friend of the project coordinator. One guy involved actually said out loud "Why do we need the bucket truck if we can do it with ladders?" It was all I could do not to punch him in the neck (not literally). Nobody NEEDS a bucket truck. But if you get the chance to play with a bucket truck, YOU TAKE IT.

This is how I feel about multiple basses. Anyone who asks why you NEED multiple basses should to be punched in the neck.

(Again.... not literally) :cool:
Click to expand...

+1

Havin' multiple basses tells how many you can punch in the neck (with bass in your hands)

And still be able to play;)

Cheers,
Wallace
 
#104
I gig solely with my G&L jazz bass, but also own a Squier VM Jazz. I split home practice time between the two for two reasons: 1. less wear and tear on the G&L, and 2. the Squier is strung with higher tension strings than the G&L - this allows me to give my plucking fingers a good workout in a shorter period of time than if I were playing the G&L.
 
#105
I had a bunch including fender 4s warwick 5 strings and a custom Ernie ball musicman 5 mainly for different tunings. I now play one 7 string tuned g#beadgc (and yeah g# is not a typo) so it covers all the tunings I like. As for why? #1 it sucks carrying around multiple basses, #2 it sucks buying strings and restringing multiple basses. #3 its alot easier mantain one bass than several so the whole backup thing doesn't make sense to me. Really the only reason I would own 2 basses right now would be if a bought a fretless.
 
#106
While I would love to have a great number of basses, I find I can get by and be happy with just a few really nice ones. Right now, I have a fretted 5 and a fretless 5. For what I'm doing I am pretty well covered. I have a couple others I wouldn't mind adding to my collection if I had more money and a REAL NEED for them. For now, my pair of Roscoe 5'ers will just have to do...
 
#110
I just like the ways different basses feel when you play them. The guys in my bands like to try to guess which bass I'll bring to rehearsal or the gig that day. Just part of being a bassist, experiencing and enjoying all the different instruments out there. I mean, there are hundreds of different models on the market for a reason, right?
 
#111
ggvicviper said:
It just feels good to get things you like.

I only used one bass for a while, and it was fine.
Click to expand...

This. Except in my case, "a while" was about a month. :D

Bass playing to me is a long-deferred dream. All my other financial obligations are handled. Every bass I own was acquired at below-market cost. Every one of them is subtly different, even to my newbie senses. I play and enjoy every single one. I play out at church now and eventually when time permits, I'll be in a band. Or two.

Just when I think I am absolutely, totally done buying, something fantastic comes along. They seem to arrive in pairs, one J for every P. In my defense, I have returned a few that didn't rock me and have sold three nice ones into new homes.

I have put GAS on hold for Lent with the possible exception of my upcoming birthday. :smug: Every time I think of selling one of the girls, I realize I don't have the heart. Many basses, one woman. :bassist::bassist::bassist:
 
#118
I have one with rounds, one with flats, one with nylons, one with rounds tuned to drop D, and a fretless with nylons. I set them up. They all essentially play the same, different necks. But, they all have a different soul.
 
#119
"What benefit does owning multiple basses give you?"

A back up in case something goes wrong at your next gig like a broken string or worse. :eek:


Generally speaking though it offers the possibilities of very different tones like a solid bodied fretted model with active electronics vs. a passive hollow bodied fretless. Versatility. Also switching things up from time to time can spark creativity and pull you out of a rut.
 

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