What do you look for when adding another bass to your collection?

[Just Wrong]

I've always been the kind of person who only owns one bass at a time. Whenever I've had two—which happens has always been a passive four-string Fender Jazz with a passive four-string Fender Precision—one would stay in its case and I would sell it a less than six months later (always the Precision).

I want a second bass now, and I'm pretty sure I know what I'm getting, but it made me wonder: What do I look for when adding another bass to my collection?

In my case, I know I want something that sounds somewhat vastly different than what I have right now. But do I want something that feels the same? I have a six-string active short scale with a smaller string spacing. Do I want another six-string short scale with a smaller string spacing with different pickups, preamp, woods and strings? Or would that still be too similar for me?

I think that that was possibly the issue for me with having a Jazz and Precision. While they did sound different, they were somewhat similar in almost all other aspects (scale length, number of strings, passive electronics, string spacing, woods). I suppose there might be some truth that vastly different basses don't just sound different but also make you play differently. Did I feel like having a Jazz and a Precision was redundant because they made me play similarly? ... or maybe I just don't like Precisions.

On the other hand, some people have more than one of the same bass...

Anyway, what do you look for when adding another bass to your collection?

 

[skycruiser]

I look for which one I currently have that I can get rid of. I don't like having more than 2 or 3 at a time.

 

[Geri O]

Not that complicated for me.

I usually stay in the Jazz/Stingray/Precision tones of basses. 34" or 35" scale. Maple fretboards.

No rules or stalwart policies. No set number of basses. No price point. What I want is what I want.

(And don’t even start with telling me “what I need or don’t…. )

I'm getting adventuresome and half-looking for an early model Peavey Cirrus. I'm hoping to check out the new Cirrus and working for a Peavey dealer, I can get a great price on one. But that's not a very, errr..serious (sorry) search for the time being.

One thing that I'm compelled to mention is….

Trust your own instincts.

What's piquing your curiosity? What's striking your fancy? Hearing any songs that has a bass tone that interests you?

I'm more and more puzzled by these "help me decide" nature of posts. Of course, I come here looking for info as well.

 

[ahbass2500]

Depends on what I am trying to accomplish and why I am buying. Reasons recently….
- I want a short scale bass
- I want a fretless bass again
- Finally found a comfortable 6 string (had been passively looking for years)
- Great deal on something I can resell for at least what I paid; If I like it I keep it, if not sell it for no loss (sometimes even a small profit)

Reasons when I was younger
- Best bass I can buy for $500 or less (buying a bass to store in my music locker in high school)
- Need a 5 string bass for a group that needs the B string

I am not saying my reasons are always great, but I have a reason going in. Having two basses for the sake of having two will leave you playing one. Having two basses with a purpose for both will have you playing two.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

I'm only looking at a new bass when the others I own don't suit whatever it is I'm trying to achieve.
Right now, that's the Yamaha bb435. Well constructed but the pickups and electronics are rubbish and nobody around here sells anything that fits without it costing almost as much as the bass.

 

[pepj]

I look for basses that will suit the gigs I'm after. That's basically a FSO but I generally want a better spec or build than Fender typically offers.
So 34", 21 or 22 frets, Jazz Singles and a good pre..although thats easily swappable.

Other things that aren't deal breakers necessarily are Ash or Alder bodies or maple or rosewood boards.
I prefer a P Bass type neck at the nut and a 70's profile.
Blocks and binding are desirable.
I'm not really in the market atm..but if I see what I want...??

 

[Andre678]

For me it has always been because I was curious to try something different. Whether that is short scale or fretless or 6 string or whatever. I bought my last bass just to try out medium scale more than anything else. Ended up being a way better bass than I expected it to be. Both for the scale length and everything else.

 

[Dlew919]

I have one main criteria and a couple of sub criteria.
1) will it earn its keep? If I’m going to buy something it had better be useful in the gigs I do. Otherwise it stays in the shop
2) Is it different to what I already have? Mainly for reason 1, I can’t really have 6 nearly identical jazz basses. I have three basses - an Ibanez, a 5 string and a squier jazz. The Ibanez can get into jazz territory if the jazz is out of commission.
3) Will I use it enough? I’m currently gassing for a fretless semi hollow Ibanez. But how often will I use it?

I get the collecting urge. And I love seeing those large collections people have. I just can’t afford it.

 

[sleddogn]

Money

 

[MD]

Closet space?

I can show myself out, thank you!

 

[JIO]

Once I see something extraordinary (to me) ... I'm interested. It usually is something no one else cares much about. If I can justify buying it - Bob's yer' uncle. If not - no worries.

 

[MrAB4003]

I have one main criteria and a couple of sub criteria.
1) will it earn its keep? If I'm going to buy something it had better be useful in the gigs I do. Otherwise it stays in the shop
2) Is it different to what I already have? Mainly for reason 1, I can't really have 6 nearly identical jazz basses. I have three basses - an Ibanez, a 5 string and a squier jazz. The Ibanez can get into jazz territory if the jazz is out of commission.
3) Will I use it enough? I'm currently gassing for a fretless semi hollow Ibanez. But how often will I use it?

These are my main criteria too. But I'd add one more: Is the bass ergonomically comfortable? Recently, I've put basses that sounded great up for sale (or donated them) because they were painful to play. When a bass hurts to play, playing it is not fun. And who doesn't want to have fun playing bass?

 

[salmon256]

I use to be odd and look for what I was missing, but now I don't care about that. It's about finding what works for me and that is short-scales, and jazz basses with complex pre-amps. I will maybe try an odd bass here and there that isn't my usual niche but I don't mind re-selling which happens a bit for me.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I don't just add basses to my collection for the sake of having more basses. If I do add one, it's something that fills a need I can't currently serve, or at least a perceived need. I did recently buy another fretted 5 string because I've been missing a 5-string Jazz (sound) in my arsenal for years and I found a good deal on a great bass with everything but the Jazz Bass shape. IOW, it sounds like a 5-string jazz, which is all I cared about.

So don't go buying something just to buy something. Figure out what you need and can't do, then target that.

 

[HelpImaRock]

The problem with spending money in hypothetical situations is there's never a wrong answer. You have to know what you want, why you want it, and how you're going to use it. Otherwise it's just window shopping.

 

[Pep]

I look for which one I currently have that I can get rid of. I don't like having more than 2 or 3 at a time.

I do the same thing. I don’t like having more than 18 at a time

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

pee base

 

[JIO]

I do the same thing. I don't like having more than 18 at a time

18...

 

[DJ Bebop]

I like to get something different most of the time. Other than a P for flats and one for rounds. A 4 string Jazz and a 5 string Jazz type bass. I usually try and go for one representation of each type of bass as a hobby.

 

[Passinwind]

Anyway, what do you look for when adding another bass to your collection?

As a mostly fretless only player over the years, it's been either something fretted to mess with at home, which never sticks, an acoustic upright, or an EUB. I'm not averse to having two fretless fours around, as I do now: one with single coils and one with 'buckers. The former happens to be neck through and the latter bolt on, not so much by design as just by happenstance. But I was at one bass only for over 25 years and rarely even looked at anything else, collecting basses has never bean a goal or real interest at all.