Several of my basses not shown in this pic because these particular instruments also represent my primary motivation which is Swiss Army Capability - Like many have said earlier, I like having different tones as well - the difference is that I prefer to get as many as I can out of a single instrument:
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What Motivates your Bass Collection?
- Thread starter dukeorock
- Start date
My current core 'collection' is: a Gibson Ripper, a Spector Rebop-5, a Fender Precision, and a Fender Jazz. Those are my essentials. And the ones I've got are the ones whose tone and playability are exactly the way I like them. (Took many JBs and PBs - and many years -before I finally found the ones I now have. The Rebop and Ripper, on the other hand, were love at first tryout. Sometimes you get lucky like that.)
Everything else in my collection was either to get me additional tonal options (e.g. Godin fretless, Epi Viola, Epi El Capitan, Gretsch Junior Jet, etc.) - or - they were something I was curious about - or - they just amused me. I get the biggest kick out of pulling some amazingly good sounds out of absolute junk when it's possible to do so.
I have never once bought anything with the intent to just collect or hold onto it as an investment. Or even with the intent to flip it. Most things I own were almost always bought with the intent to play and keep - and usually in the original state I acquired them in.
It's only been in the last five or so years that I've gotten back into more serious modding after a 20+ year hiatus. Probably because I have a little more time on my hands of late, and I've already assembled my working toolkit of basses. Once you've got just about everything you actually need or really want, the GAS pains subside significantly, and you're more in the mood to experiment and have fun.
Everything else in my collection was either to get me additional tonal options (e.g. Godin fretless, Epi Viola, Epi El Capitan, Gretsch Junior Jet, etc.) - or - they were something I was curious about - or - they just amused me. I get the biggest kick out of pulling some amazingly good sounds out of absolute junk when it's possible to do so.
I have never once bought anything with the intent to just collect or hold onto it as an investment. Or even with the intent to flip it. Most things I own were almost always bought with the intent to play and keep - and usually in the original state I acquired them in.
It's only been in the last five or so years that I've gotten back into more serious modding after a 20+ year hiatus. Probably because I have a little more time on my hands of late, and I've already assembled my working toolkit of basses. Once you've got just about everything you actually need or really want, the GAS pains subside significantly, and you're more in the mood to experiment and have fun.
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Dude! That disco Ric is freaking awesome! Way cool.
My collection is motivated by trying to have a well balanced range of basses. I've got a couple Fenders, a couple actives (one a 5), a Dano, a hollowbody violin bass, and I'm about to have a fretless again if I get off my butt and install this fretless neck on this body I have. But really, all I ever play anymore are the Fenders, save for an occasion stint with the Dano or hollowbody.
Agree. It's just wrong on so many levels - but paradoxically is also just sooooo right.
Exactly!
Rickenbacker will probably do everything in their power to keep him from ever getting another one once they see that.
First and foremost, I'd say gigability. (Is that even a word? I guess it is now.) Each and every instrument in my collection has to be easy for me to play, and it has to fit the particular show, both in sound and in looks. Also, I don't believe in owning vintage gear that – if pilfered – would impact the value of my estate. Hence, I don't own any basses that I wouldn't feel comfortable bringing to gigs. In a nutshell: I'm a player, not a collector.
The crazy idea that people actually notice the basses I'm using. My favorite is when my own band doesn't even notice.
wmhill
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- Aug 20, 2012
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I'm pretty utilitarian in my basses. I have four MTD kingstons, 2 artists (one modded) and 2 Saratogas. I dpend on them for my gigs. I'm no pro- but i do 80-100 gigs a year, so I need to be ready with any backups that might be needed. My 5th is an '85 yamaha that was my first bass..... so that's my collection.
After my collection of Rickenbackers,
I'm now motivated by what I can build.
I'm now motivated by what I can build.
Every bass fills a different role for me I have a P bass, an L-2000 and a fretless Ibanez SR305er to cover each of my needs. The P does everything with FLATS! The L-2000 does everything with rounds. The fretless doesn't get used much except for the occasional project where only a fretless can fit in. I'm going to upload pics soon.
I started collecting guitars for light playing for myself but more for my son who plays much better than I.
I wanted him to have access to the best to help him be creative.then I morphed into collecting basses for myself.
It started with an ibanez then a schecter..
Then a custom shop p bass.
Now I'm looking for a stand out jazz.
A collector piece or something rare...or just speaks to me.
So in a nutshell.
What drives my collection is two things.
Functionality and something that speaks to me as a collector.
Either rare or just cool to me.
I wanted him to have access to the best to help him be creative.then I morphed into collecting basses for myself.
It started with an ibanez then a schecter..
Then a custom shop p bass.
Now I'm looking for a stand out jazz.
A collector piece or something rare...or just speaks to me.
So in a nutshell.
What drives my collection is two things.
Functionality and something that speaks to me as a collector.
Either rare or just cool to me.
I only have 3. The first, a P bass, because I wanted to play bass. The second (about 25 years later), a Jazz bass, because I wanted something different. The third, a Dimension Bass, because I wanted something new and different.
I'm an accumulator, looking for different sounds and concepts but all about playability. I started with an old hollowbody Epiohone in the mid 70s and played only that for 10 years. I bought 2 jazz bass specials fretted and fretless and then got a great deal on a Martin ABG. Then it got weird.
A friend closed his music store and sold me a MIJ Jag Deluxe for too little. It had a wondrous variety of sounds.
Then I found a cheap Hofner clone that played great.
Then came a semi hollow Douglas 32-inch scale from Rondo for $200. Then a Drake 7 and a fretless companion that he gave me amazing deals on.
Then a contact in Japan hooked me up with a FGN jazz bass. And then Instumbled on a white Ibanez AFB hollowbody jazz box bass.
Oh, and a local store offered me stupid deal in an Ibanez 5-string. And a buddy needed $100 so I bought his Squier P.
Then I took everything I loved most about my basses and had Andrew Drake build me the worlds perfect bass, Nancy Lou.
Everything I have is different than the others and all, except the JBS and Nancy were accidental finds. I'm hoping I never run into a good deal again. I don't have room.
A friend closed his music store and sold me a MIJ Jag Deluxe for too little. It had a wondrous variety of sounds.
Then I found a cheap Hofner clone that played great.
Then came a semi hollow Douglas 32-inch scale from Rondo for $200. Then a Drake 7 and a fretless companion that he gave me amazing deals on.
Then a contact in Japan hooked me up with a FGN jazz bass. And then Instumbled on a white Ibanez AFB hollowbody jazz box bass.
Oh, and a local store offered me stupid deal in an Ibanez 5-string. And a buddy needed $100 so I bought his Squier P.
Then I took everything I loved most about my basses and had Andrew Drake build me the worlds perfect bass, Nancy Lou.
Everything I have is different than the others and all, except the JBS and Nancy were accidental finds. I'm hoping I never run into a good deal again. I don't have room.
Some of my bandmates didn't notice when I switched to a solid body hadean uke bass as my main gigging instrument, nor my kala 5 I gig on now. So either I made it sound right for the music or they just weren't observant. To be fair, one is blind, but he did notice eventually. So it must be that sound thing
Yes. When a gig that is not a one off requires it or when physical needs require (hence the switch to u-bass, and before that birdsong, which I have but can't really gig on without pain anymore) a change. But I usually, with the exception of the birdsong, sell one to get one, to me they're not investments but tools to do work with, and if the needs change then the tools change.
