What Motivates your Bass Collection?

[phillybass101]

All my basses are and sound different. Still when I look at my collection 8 at home one in storage I keep telling myself it's not Greed but Need Some have many more than I do and at some point its like we're hoarders.

 

[dukeorock]

Great responses! Sometimes I buy somewhat on impulse just because I stumble upon something cool or unusual. Sometimes I feel the 'need' for a certain sound/look/feel for a band I'm playing with. Funny thing is, the main band I play for doesn't really care what bass I play so much. Sometimes they don't even notice a new bass at all

One artist I play for pretty much only wants me to use the Gretsch, which is fine by me. Love that bass!

 

[rogerbmiller]

I started collected when I was interested in a specific bass. In my case it was an Aria SB1000. I was floored by the quality, tone and how well it played. So I started investigating, and then buying other Arias. They didn't disappoint and I had learned that many other similarly designed basses were made at the Matsumoku factory so I started Buying those too.

Along the way the Arias ignited my sense of nostalgia so I started trying other basses that always interested me when I was younger.

Then I started playing classic rock and discovered Fenders and semi hollow basses.

On and on. So I guess for me it is a combination of curiosity, looking for specific tone and then digging deep into what I learn I like.

Lately it is MM and MM style basses for me. Who knows what it will be tomorrow?!

 

[Old Blastard]

It's funny, to me anyway, that I started out with a short-scale thumpity hollowbody Epiphone while dreaming of a solid-body Fender Jazz bass. Now I find myself gravitating to hollowbodys and short/medium scales and the thumpity tones I once dreamed of getting away from.

My latest GAS is for a Fender Starcaster, preferably black, but whatever comes up cheap.

 

[MovingPitchers]

My own collection consists of vintage replicas. A 1972 replica Jazz and a 1970s replica P.

My dream is one day to own the real deal. A real deal 1960s P from any year and a real deal 1972 Jazz. One day...

 

[Diddywah]

SOUND is my main goal. When I look for a new bass I am searching a new sound, so my history of basses is also an evolution of the bass tone I hear in my head. Unlike many TB´ers I have only one bass, and I use it for all my playing (Although I do have an acoustic Applause holiday-bass that comes sailing with me..) So in the 80´s the Steinberger L2 was the sound, but you get older and play different music so these days I play this Spector CTB.
It is also the lightest bass I have owned with 6 lbs; a big pluss after a motorcycle accident last summer resulting in some left collarbone surgery including titanium reinforcement.
Maybe I´m lucky, I just want to sound like me and only play with people who respect that.

Spector NS2 CTB

• Diddywah
• Feb 7, 2016
• fretboard fretless short scale short scale bass spector

Pau Ferro fingerboard

 

[Robroy]

I'll start off by saying I'm NOT a collector by any stretch. I just like each bass to bring something a little different to the table than the others...
View attachment 809913

Left to Right;

Fender AM STD Precision-

it has flats with a Fralin 5% overwound pickup. Great thump and punch. Gets that awesome Carol Kaye sound but really I could use this bass on nearly every gig I do. I love a good P bass with round wound strings, but for whatever reason, this one seems to prefer flats.

Dingwall Super J/P-

The clearest, cleanest sounding bass I own. Records really well and plays great. On a couple of my gigs it sounds a bit too hifi, but it's an awesome bass when the situation calls for it.

Drake Custom 35" scale-

TV Jones blade pickups. With rounds, this is my ROCK! bass. Slightly dark and growly. With flats it reminds me of a Gibson Ripper. I ordered the 35" scale for BEAD tuning, but I pretty much never do that. Glad to know I can though

Gretsch/ TV Jones Spectrasonic-

TV Jones Thundertron pickups and heavily chambered. Probably my favorite playing bass. Has the growl of a J with the thump of a P. Can sound an awful lot like a Harmony H22 but plays better, IMO. I tend to prefer this one with round wound strings.

First Act Custom Shop Delia-

Laugh it up, but those couple years First Act had a custom shop, they cranked out some seriously cool stuff. Darkstar in the front and Kent Armstrong humbucker in the bridge. Widest variety of sounds than any passive bass I've ever owned with the possible exception of the Peavey T-40.

Bluesman Vintage El Dorado-

Early 60's Jazz tone and feel, for when you gotta have 'that' sound!

What motivates you? Curious to know what makes others choose their basses!

Several reasons I have more than one bass. Here are the ones I have and the reason for them:
1. Yamaha fiver with 18 volt active added by Mike Lull. My first bass and still my go-to bass.
2. SX 4 string in tobacco sunburst and metal covers over pickups and bridge. Looks cool on stage. I get a lot of compliments even from other musicians. Plays great.
3. Identical SX to above but metalic blue and no covers. Had it delivered to my friends house in KY for something to noodle with when I visited from my home in Seattle. Now that I live in KY it is my go-to 4 string. It cost $109 with a cheap amp and gig bag. Love it.
4. Dean Acoustic electric with flatwounds. Sounds almost like an upright. Also looks cool with some songs.
5. Brice fretless fiver with black tapewound flats. For when I need a fretless. And it looks really "exotic".
6. Brice six string. Really pretty metalic silver but was a setup nightmare. Still, it was cheap. And it's fun to noodle on it.

The only thing I still "need" is a Hofner style violin base, but I'd be happy if I never bought another bass.

 

[lpdeluxe]

Godin A5 fretless, tape-wound strings: folkie-approved.

StingRay 5: '70s and '80s rock.

Split-coil Precision: country, classic rock.

Single-coil Precision: '30s-'40s pop, backing up singers.

 

[Antisyzygy]

I'm driven first by what works for my band and the music. Then I decide based on what tones are available from the bass. I prefer having each bass give me a different set of tones from one another with some overlap for backup purposes (never know when one bass might be in the shop or out of commission).

My current collection (I chopped this down heavily) :

1. G&L SB-1 - Well rounded P, gets a mix of aggressive or round P tones based on tone pot setting. It has one of the more versatile tone pots I've ever used.

2. G&L SB-2 - Mix of aggressive P and J tones (no tone pot (yet)!)

3. Fender P with Geezer - Classic P tones strung BEAD for lower range

I'm adding this eventually :

4. Fretless SB-2 - My only fretless

I just sold my fretless and some other basses I was keeping for the tones due to a move, and also so I could just get a core simple set. I don't think I want to own more than 4-5 basses anymore. Maintenance and changing strings becomes a headache when you have too many.

 

[hover]

Open wall space.

 

[LordDog]

Generally, it's lack of self control.

 

[rob2966]

Hmmmm, let's see...

My main bass is a NYC 24F5 Sadowsky. I always liked the modern take on the Fender style and this bass model has always spoken to me. I also like that I was able to do some customization (no fret dots, birdseye FB, etc.).

My other Sadowsky (NYC Will Lee 4) was purchased because a) I really wanted another Sadowsky b) I wanted to own a 4 string c) I wanted a jazz but didn't like the full-size Fender body style. The undersize body on this one just looks better to me.

My Dingwall was purchased because a) I was curious about the fan fret system b) it was made in Canada and c) it is stunningly gorgeous

And finally, my Rob Allen MB2 was purchased because a) I wanted a fretless bass b) again, it looks amazing and c) my first and middle name is actually Rob Allen (just a coincidence).

 

[alembicguy]

Money and the moment

 

[HenningSB]

Original poster: That First Act looks stunning, I have three Custom Shop basses, and Custom Shop Delia guitar myself, they are epic

 

[gbrooding]

My collection is simply based on anything that Leo Fender had a part of... 3 Fenders, 1 MusicMan, 2 G&L's. I don't imagine that will change much!

 

[gsquare]

My purchases are mostly motivated by opportunity, I buy when I stumble across a good deal, if I love it, I keep it, if I don't love it, I sell it and don't lose any money. I generally don't buy anything new and very rarely have GAS for a particular make or model. In the last week I've bought a German Hofner Club Bass and a guild Starfire, both were great deals, I wasn't looking for either one, but I'm pretty sure the Hofner has become my baby for right now! I love it! I haven't gotten the Starfire yet, but hopefully I'll make a love connection with it as well.

 

[Bigbri]

Years ago I collected vintage basses from the 60's-70's: a '64 T-Bird, Ric 4001s and a '67 4005, Fender Precisions and Jazz basses, Guilds, Martins, etc. All were in absolute mint condition and irreplaceable, cost-wise, for me. After 10-15 years I sold them all, no regrets.

Currently I'm taking in basses form the 70's to 90's that are in need of repair and restoration, including some MIJ Lawsuit basses. It's been fun replacing pickups and pots, doing rewiring of electronics, refinishing the bodies, repairing truss rods, etc.

I don't know about the no regret thing. I really regret selling mine, including my SVT. I was buying them back in the early 90's when they could be had for the same or less than a new one. The first pre-cbs I bought was a 62 precision all orig for $750. I had a 56 p-bass that was not only mint, but it was virtually unplayed, you will never see one like that. A refin body 1960 stack knob for 1500. I didn't mind spending the money on them because I knew I'd never lose a buck, and always made money. My biggest regret was selling my 59 3 tone maple neck gold guard p bass. It was one of those basses that you would like to keep for the rest of your life. Exactly like Dunn's. The reason i ended up selling them off is because I decided to pay off my mortgage. It became more important to own the room the guitars were in, rather than just the guitars. I guess my regret is not finding a way that I could do both. I sure do miss them especially that 59. I promised myself I wouldn't buy another vintage bass untill the mortgage was gone, and i'm almost there, and it's a great feeling.

 

[dukeorock]

Original poster: That First Act looks stunning, I have three Custom Shop basses, and Custom Shop Delia guitar myself, they are epic

Sweet! I was in a band with a guitar player who had a Delia. I wound up getting the bass in an endorsement situation. Love that bass!

 

[radioripster]

Motivation for me is about finding players. I don't have the space or the interest in collecting closet queens anymore.

I won't keep a bass that I can't massage into a really great player.

I became a bass player ...operative word being "player", because I want to play.

I don't feel the need to keep up with the Jones'.

I'm not a museum curator or a speculative commodity investor.

I'm a musician.

And that sounds like more fun to me.

heh.

 

[dukeorock]

Umm, ok