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What was your bass progression & why?

#21
1. Kanardly (because you "can hardly" play it). Given to me by an uncle, with action so high you also could use it as a long bow. Played it for 5 years until I bought...
2. Used Gibson EB-3. Which I thought I would like, but just too muddy, again with the high action because that's what I was used to. Sold it a year later after I bought...
3. Rickenbacker 4003. Finally a bass with great action and tone. Great for almost everything, but not everything. Eventually traded it to buy...
4. G&L (whatever the first year model was). Eventually traded it to buy...
5. A beautiful white custom Jazz. And this is where things start to come unraveled, because I eventually changed out the neck to make it fretless and kept it for along while when I bought...
6. Tobias Classic 4 string (which I still have). Not the best rock bass in the world, but a slap monster and incredible sounding bass for recording.

It was at this point that I became affluent enough to not have to sell or trade one bass to buy another. This isn't really a good thing in some ways. What followed was a series of medium and long term relationships with multiple basses (MTD's, Sadowsky, Lakland, Roscoe, some Fenders) and some memorable short-term "one night stands", (MusicMan, Warwick), all of these in various wood and 4/5/6 string configurations.

I'm now down to 5 basses, three of which I play regularly (my Tobias Classic, a Roscoe SKB Standard 4, and a Suhr Jazz), and two that are on consignment at a music store (a Celinder PJ-5 and a '65 Fender P).

Over the last 25 years or so, the "tone quest" has brought me full-circle back to 4-string basses, and each of the three I've settled on are different enough, and versatile enough, that I would be comfortable taking each one into any playing situation. I'm not foolish enough to say I will never buy another bass (because that would be ignoring way, way too much history to the contrary). Any future bass purchases will be tempered with the understanding that there will always be great instruments out there, but I can't own them all and I don't want to.
 
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#22
In almost every case I sold the current bass to buy the next bass.
1981 - Ibanez (Roadstar?)
1981 - G&L L1000
1982 - John Hawk custom (John let me work in his shop to build this bass. Sold it to buy my Tobias - still kicking myself for that).
1987 - Tobias Bassic 5 (Quilted Maple). Sold it when I took a hiatus from bass. Still kicking myself for that, too.
1987 - Spector fretless (NS2?). Sold because I had bonded with the Tobias
1993 - Yamaha BBG5. I had sold the Tobias to get some cash as we were having our first child. My wife (good woman!) made me "at least buy a cheaper bass" so I would still have one if I decided to play again.
Didn't play again until 2007. At this point in my life I don't *have* to sell a bass to buy one.
Sold the BBG5 to get an
Ibanez GW-1.
Pre-Gibson Tobias Classic 5
Ibanez ATK
Zon Sonus Special 5 fretless. Sold to get
Zon Custom 5 fretless.
And done - no bass GAS since I got the Zon custom in 2011
 
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#24
No discernible progress here. The Ripper has been my main bass for over 30 years. I've figured out how to get decent tone from my Wishbass, too. Also have an SX P and import Sterling now, and they each have their own good sounds, but it's just a slight expansion, rather than progress.

Otto
 
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#25
Lol, I've had so many ... I used to buy / sell / trade a lot. I've settled down now, for the most part, though I'm trying to sell one as we speak. Leaving out the uprights, though I did play primarily upright for some time. Sorry for the rather long reply ...

  1. A cheap Tiesco or something, can't recall exactly. Not a great bass, but ok to learn on.
  2. A Peavey Foundation, which was really nice. Natural ash body, maple fingerboard. My main bass for several years. Last time I used it extensively was with a college jazz combo. Sold it soon after moving to Seattle.
  3. Hohner "The Jack" headless bass that I played my first paid gig with, which was, of all things, with a Puerto Rican salsa band, opening for The Noel Redding Band at a festival. Traded it in at Seattle Music long ago, and can't even remember what on, lol.
  4. Weird Hondo 30+ fret headless bass that I had de-fretted. Did my first studio work on that bass, in England. Then used it a lot in a band in Seattle a few years later. I was also playing it in a jazz combo. But in addition to those two bands, I was also a young professional classical singer. I ended up deciding to quit the bands to concentrate on the classical vocal world. The last performance I made with the rock band, on the last song, my co-front-person announced that it was going to be my last ever performance in the rock and roll genre, lol. And then, on the way home, that bass fell out of the gear truck due to an unsecured door, and was smashed to splinters by several following cars on the Highway 99 Viaduct. Seemed like fate!
  5. G&L L1000 that I picked up very cheap, as it was in really bad shape. I had it converted to fretless, and it was an absolute monster. I knew nothing about them, and assumed it had to be an active bass, because the output was so much hotter than anything I had ever had my hands on before. I really miss this one. Sold it to a woman I worked for, who was buying it for her bassist husband.
  6. Fretless Fender Jazz Bass that had been heavily customized by Mike Lull (he replaced the fingerboard with a thick slab of ebony, put Bartolini pickups and preamp in it, and a Badass II bridge). Main bass for several years, until I decided that I just absolutely had to have a 5 string, which led to ...
  7. Roscoe LG3005 fretless. Astonishing bass. It was actually my only bass for about 7 years. I was mostly playing with singer-songwriters in the Seattle area during that time, and had always preferred fretless anyway, so this worked. Ended up selling it when I decided I wanted to standardize on 34" scale instruments due to my hand size and relatively low hand/finger strength.
  8. Fretted and fretless Stingray 5s. 34" scale, great tone. I can't make a Jazz bridge pickup sound like anything other than tinny, weak noise, but a Music Man ... that's another story. And by plucking the fretless near the neck, it mellows very well. These were my main basses in the last few years I was in Seattle. Sold them after the Nashville move when I hit some hard times.
  9. Pedulla Hexabuzz 6 string fretless. Amazing instrument, probably tied with the Roscoe for all-out insanity of tone. Also sold during a rough patch.
  10. Pedulla MVP 6 fretted. Fretted version of the Hexabuzz, and sold at the same time for the same reasons.
  11. Pedulla Raptor 5 fretless with the single pickup in the MM spot. Great, lightweight and easy playing, and wonderful tone. Sold around the same time as the other Pedullas and for the same reason.
  12. Parts bass fretless Precision, with a Bartolini pickup and an unlined Warmoth neck. Wonderful tone, and was my co-main bass for several years upon moving to Nashville, used for singer-songwriter, jazz, and more acoustic types of stuff. Sold a couple of years ago, and I miss it.
  13. MIM Fender Precision that I put a Custom Shop 60s pickup in. My other co-main bass in Nashville for a while, for the country, southern rock, and straight ahead rock bands I was playing with at the time. Sold this one to Gretchen Wilson's bassist.
  14. Carvin PB-5 fretless that's for sale in my sig. Beautiful instrument, and my main bass for several years in blues, funk and soul settings that aren't normally where you'll find a fretless. I have realized that with my hand size and finger strength, I prefer a narrower string spacing and a slimmer neck, hence the sale.
  15. Ibanez SR505, purchased used and cheap to have a fretted bass and a more comfortable neck and string spacing. Amazing bargain for the $250 I paid, and with a good setup it just plays like a dream. I'd like to upgrade the pickups and electronics at some point. I recently added a Roland GK3B pickup, and I use it with my GR-55 synth now as well.
  16. 1974 Vintage Cream Fender Precision. Current main fretted bass. It's a gem, not too heavy, has the A neck, and plays and sounds as good as any pre-CBS I've had the pleasure to handle. I absolutely love this one, and my technique and line construction actually jumped up a level somehow after playing it for a few weeks, I guess just due to the inspiration it provides me. I see and imagine things differently with this bass than with any other I've ever had.
  17. Sterling Ray34CAFL fretless, my main fretless currently. Got it on sale at Sweetwater for $450, then put Thomastick flats and had a low setup done to it. It's amazingly comfortable, and plays and sounds great. I have a Roland GK3B pickup on it to use it with my GR-55 synth also. I may at some point route out some channels in the back to lighten it, and put a Status graphite unlined fretless neck on it as well. I bet I can get it down to about 8 pounds (it's currently a little over 9), and that would also get me the unlined fingerboard I prefer. Also might add a Jazz pickup right above the MM to add a mellower tone option.
10-13 I still own, though the Carvin is obviously on it's way out if I can find a buyer. I have gone the exotic route with the Roscoe and Pedullas, and at one time went more for the 5 and 6 strings, but have settled back into more traditional basses the last few years, and prefer 4 strings. If I play a 5, I want the narrow 16.5mm spacing and a slim neck, like on my Ibanez. This just works best for my hand size and strength (or lack thereof, lol).
 
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#26
1. Epiphone Thunderbird Classic Pro IV - my first bass ( I could only afford it because I got a scholarship at uni). I taught myself to play bass, on my dad's hofner violin and on this. It was a nice bass, sounded good and looked awesome, but the neck dive was an issue even with the relocated strap button, and the QC was pretty average.

2. Musicman Stingray 4HH - when I went out bass shopping I didn't go looking for a stingray, just picked one up and it blew my ears off! The one I tried was a 2EQ 4H, I ended up buying my 4HH at a show for a great price. This is a keeper for life, adore this bass; it looks, feels and sounds incredible. That additional pickup adds so much versatility as well, I think HH stingrays often don't get the recognition they deserve.

What next? Probably a P bass. I wanted one before I ended up getting my stingray, at the time I didn't like that I couldn't anchor my thumb as well on top of the P pickup because it was angled into the body. My playing a come on since then though so it's no longer an issue, and I love the precision sound.
 
#27
As far as main basses go:

1972 Rickenbacker 4001 - This was my first gigging bass, I picked it up for $300 in 1991. It was a beat up fireglo, but I had it refinished in black. I loved the tone but the overall weight and huge neck wore me out more often than not. After a few years I retired it due to the fact that I had to have it repaired a couple of times, and eventually sold it in 1996 to pay bills. One of the few basses that I regret selling.

Ibanez SR800 - This was my main player after the Ric, bought it in 1994. MIJ, Black finish, P+J pickups. Light, fast neck, good tone. It worked for what I was doing at the time. I think I used this for about 4 years before moving on to a new bass. Sold it in 2001 as I wasn't playing it anymore.

Ibanez EDC700 - Bought this one new in 1998, used it for a couple of years before moving on. Dark Purple sparkle, dual humbuckers. The neck was the same as the SR800, but the tone was way better IMHO. I sold it in 2001, along with the SR800.

Fender American Standard Jazz - This was a '97 model that I picked up in 2001. Ash body, maple fretboard, white blonde finish. Loved the tone on that bass, but had to sell it in 2004 in order to pay rent. This is one that I definitely regret selling.

Fender Standard Jazz - This is a black/rosewood board 2000 MIM Jazz that my ex wife bought for me from a pawn shop in 2001. It's been modded quite a bit over the years, and it was my main bass for around a decade. I still have it, and it still gets played, though I don't consider it my main bass now. She's the grand old lady of the stable.

Fender Geddy Lee Jazz - Based on the serial number, it's a 2012 MIM model that I picked up new in 2014. Sunburst finish. I've left it stock, though I did replace the black pickguard with a tort one. It shares main bass duties with the next entry.

Fender Nate Mendel Precision - This is a 2013 model that I picked up new in 2015. All stock, and it shares the main bass duties with the GL Jazz.

So, my progression has moved from vintage to modern and back to vintage, as far as tone goes. Of course, this doesn't take into account several basses I owned that I didn't use as often, either because they were used for very specific purposes or they were backups. Cort, Hohner, Tobias, and 4 other Fenders made their way in and out of my stable. While Fender is definitely my main brand now, there are other brands that I am interested in that I might pursue at some point.
 
#28
I learned to play on 5 strings because I was playing Grateful Dead stuff, then a 6 String after that, totally ridiculous. Then when I stopped playing that stuff I needed a 4 string and the Fender Jazz just seemed like the best fit and have been playing them for the last couple years. Now I have the FSR ash jazz, the classic series 60's and the Reggie Hamiliton sig with the P/J setup.

jazz cover.jpg
 
#29
Onyx PJ copy - sold
Squier JV Jazz
Tobias Classic 5.


Fender P CIJ w flats
'69 P in Seafoam nitro/tort (One of the gems).
Squier JV P (backup)

Ibanez Musician Fretless - sold, too heavy.
Takamine B10
Rob Allen Mouse.
3/4 DB.

Aria '67 Hollowbody - FS
Fender Coronado II 60's
Duesenberg Starplayer :D

70's Ric copy - FS


Modern 5, Classic P, URB/Fretless, Hollowbody. Main gigging basses are highlighted - superb feel, tone & quality build. I'm happy now, no GAS.
 
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#30
3 and 1/2 years ago, I thought I'd like to try bass and bought a Squire Jaguar SS.

After reading on this and other forums, I thought maybe I should try long scale and fretless, so I bought a long scales, fretless bass.
Didn't work for me at all, and I settled on short scales.

Since then, I've bought 12 more short scale basses and sold 5 of them.

Kind of a frenzy, but I've got stuff I'm real satisfied with now.
Got a few too many, but there are five I absolutely won't part with.
 
#31
No name JB copy sunburst.
'79 Fender JB sunburst, new, but sold to cousin to buy
'83? Steinberger XL2A black, long gone.
Vintage Hofner Club, stupidly traded for a g*itar that never held tune
Early Lakland 4 demo bass in tealburst- ('92?)
then traded the Lakland back to Dan for (NAMM winter '94?)
prototype Lakland 5 dlx. cherryburst, upgraded to 35" ebony- (thanks, Carl!)
Lakland US Hollowbody gold w/mando frets, new
JJ Longhorn copper, used
K. Meyer '41 Orcho 100, well-used
Franken P originally assembled by Hugh McFarland
Lakland Hollowbody 30, new (thanks to John P.)

The last 6 are my stable and I really don't need anything else, but...
 
#32
1. $60 squire affinity. Blue, covered in gunk and useless electronics. Got it cause I wanted to play bass and it had the word fender on it.

2. Dean exotica acoustic bass. It was on sale for like 100 and for some reason I thought I had to have it. It's neat, but I didn't even have a Electric with functioning electronics.

3. Fender MIM jazz. The natural colored FSR model. It was my first "nice" bass and I fell in love with it. I don't ever need another passive 4 string jazz unless it were to be a backup for it.

4. Ibanez BTB 1406e. I decided I wanted a 6 string bass as my teacher and most of my favorite players used them. This one was available as a B stock model for about half price, which was way more bang for buck than any 6 string I could find.

5. Refinished my first bass and converted it to fretless just cause I wanted to have a Fretless on hand.
 
#33
1. Ibanez Ergodyne - First bass, still have it as a backup
2. Bently (piece of $$$$) P bass copy - didn't know much about buying a bass, let alone used basses, learned my lesson, sold it at a loss and joined TB
3. Back to the Ibanez Ergodyne
4. Fender Standard Jazzzz Bass - After joining doing research on TB and playing a bunch of basses at GC, I decided that a jazzzzz bass would be best for me and found a good deal on CL
5. Fender Jazzzzzzz / Hurricane by Morris P bass - Found a bass guitar combo for cheap on CL, took the chance and it payed off, gave equal time between these 2 basses for about a year.
6. Peavey T-40 - Finally found my dream bass, and at an unbelievable deal (by trading a Foundation I got for $20.....), has been my main bass for over a year.

IN THE FUTURE? Maybe a Sire V7 seeing all the positive reviews? Or if not will likely stick with the T-40 for years to come.
 
#35
From 1979 - 2009
1. Cameo short scale knock-off - Sunburst.
2. Fender Musicmaster - White.
3. Rickenbacker 4001 - Fire-Glo.
4. Fender Precision - Black/Black/Maple.
5. Peavey T40 - Natural
6. Rickenbacker 4001 - Fire Engine Red.
7. Ibanez Roadstar II SR850 - White
8. Musicman Sterling - Honey-glow.
9. Musicman Stingray 5 - Natural Matte.
10. Musicman Stingray 5 - Translucent Red.

Around 1999-2005 I put together a small vintage collection that I sold off.
Bad move, but they literally just hung on the wall. I rarely played them. We'd just built a house that needed sidewalks, a driveway and a back porch.
I opted to sell those than to go into more debt. The only one I regret selling is the 4005. Not because it sounded great or anything but because it was really cool looking, turned a lot of heads and is worth a fortune now.
Those basses were -
1) '64 Precision - Sunburst
2) '65 Precision - Candyapple
3) 70 something Precision - Lake Placid Blue (not pictured)
4) '68 Rickenbacker 4005 - Burgandy-Glo
5) '72 Jazz Bass - Natural

From 2009 to present. The only bass from the ten above that I still own is the Red Musician 5.
11. Rickenbacker 4001 _ Maple-Glo.
12. Fender Geddy Lee Jazz - Sunburst
13. Fender Geddy Lee Jazz - Black
14. Fender Classic 70's Precision - White (P-Bass w/ Jazz Neck)
15. Peavey T40 - White. 1980
16. Peavey T40 - Natural. 1979
17. Ibanez Roadstar II SR850 - Red. 1984
18. Guild B302 Fretless - Ash. 1979
19. Ovation Magnum III - Charcoalburst. 198?
20. Guild B301 - Mahogany. 1979.

I'm extraordinarily blessed to now own all the basses I've ever previously owned (with the exception of the Cameo and Musicmaster) or ever wanted to own and did not. I should also say that, prior to 2009 and not counting the vintage stuff, I'd never owned more than one bass at any given time.
There's one or two I'd like to own, one of which is a Wal, but I would never pay that much for a piece of wood, some electronics and hardware.
bass.jpg
bass1.jpg
 
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#36
Current history:
  1. A borrowed fretless 5: Had been playing for about 2 weeks and needed something for the show (which was a disaster)... not sure the make but it was definitely a nice instrument. I want to say it was a Stingray 5.
  2. MIM Fender Jazz 5: Kept this for a few years and played out with it until the headstock cracked at the tuning machine for the low B string. Never quite got along with this one overall, but it gave me enough wiggle room to build a nice rig.
  3. MIA Fender Jazz 4: Still have this one and I gigged it without a backup for 7-8 years. Plays like a dream, but I realized through various iterations of preamps and cabinets that I'm not the biggest fan of Jazz pickups. Swapped out the stock ones with a pair of DP123s and got rid of the S-1 switch (why Fender, why?) and I'm happier overall with the sound - really rewards with a light touch and a nice preamp. Still my first love and I'll never sell her.
  4. Peavey Foundation 4: Bought this off CL after my guitarist picked up a Peavey Patriot and was absolutely blown away by the Super Ferrite pickups. Still trying to carve out some time to rehab the hardware a bit, but it sounds monsterous and may (temporarily) stave off RickenGAS.
  5. Music Man Stingray 4H: My current love. Picked her up only a few months ago, but instantly was more akin to what I was looking for. Pretty flexible little beast.

Future history:
  1. MIA Fender Standard Precision: 3 color sunburst (looks more tobacco to me)
  2. Rickenbacker 4003w: The walnut bodies just look absolutely stunning.
  3. Gibson Ripper
  4. Gibson Thunderbird
  5. Warwick Thumb or Corvette: will make that decision when I get there
  6. Warwick Star bass (or other semi-hollow)
  7. Something fretless in a 4 string
  8. Something really modern sounding in a 5
 
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#37
Ibanez GSR - First bass, played it gigged it.
Epiphone Thunderbird Pro IV VSB - bought it last year. No gigs so far as I'm in a new originals band and we're mostly writings songs atm. I use it mostly to record my parts for songs that need a none typical sound of the next two basses.
Epiphone Thunderbird Classic AW - My workhorse. Use it for rehearsals and writing sessions.
Gibson Thunderbird 2014 HC - The fancy sunday's driver Porsche - it'S for the typical tbird parts.
When I'm gigging again I'll most likely switch between them.

Next on line are a Blackbird, an EB3/SG type - I'd love a longscale split headstock one - and some better Jazzy set up bass.
 
#38
Dean Playmate as a rental to see if I really liked playing bass.
MIM P-Bass, 2003. Still have it.
Yamaha BB404, 2004-5ish? Traded it in 08 for an 80's BB2000 that's been an ongoing project.
Fernandes FRB-IV fretless, 80's. Still have it.
MIA P-Bass, Sienna Sunburst, 1983. Still have it, can't bring myself to sell it even though I could use the money and mostly play 5's at this point.
Epiphone EA-260/5120, 1964. Sold it because I didn't need a short scale hollowbody.
Ibanez SRX505 as a trial 5-string. Sold it in September for medical expenses after my other 5 arrived.
Fernandes FRB-IV non-fretless. Also 80's. Almost identical to the other one. Bought it because I wanted a fretted version.
Dingwall NG-2, 2015. This is my main bass right now.
 
#39
Let's see:

1. Peavey Fury (Impact series - my dad's bass I started on)
2. Peavey Foundation (first bass) - became a refinishing project that I never finished
3. Fender MIJ Jazz fretless - loved this bass and then stupidly got rid of it because I was frustrated with my intonation
4. Fender MIJ Geddy Lee - still my main bass
5. Roland GR-77B - loved the synth sounds but hated the tracking, finally sold it (occasionally miss it)
6. Stingray5 fretless - see #4 above
7. Tacoma acoustic - liked the unplugged tone, hated the plugged in tone, sold pretty quickly
8. Yamaha BB414 fretless - smoking deal that I just never bonded with, sold
9. Sadowsky Metro MS-4 - see #8 minus the smoking deal
10. Fender American Vintage 1960 Jazz bass - see #8 with an even more ridiculous deal
11. Fender Jaco Jazz bass (not the custom shop version) fretless - love and still own it

So, down to two Fenders.
 
#40
In order of acquisition, never sold any:

1. 90's Cort P copy - recorded. $220 new. Ply body, later got new nut, PU, fretless conversion. Was/is great, closest to a Fender 'til #6

2. Ibanez SR1000 sparkle blue - gig/rec. $500 used in '93. Looks like toothpaste, dunno what I was thinking, sounds a little sterile

3. 92' Gibson Les Paul - gig/rec. $450 used. Best player I own, band didn't like the look, so I got #5

4. Danelectro Single Cutaway - recorded. got in a trade for audio work, sometimes great for recording

5. Gibson SB-350 - $475 Used. gig/rec. Needed fret work, bridge and tuners, now great and my #1

6. Stratobasstard - converted free Squier Strat to a bass. novelty so far, time will tell

7. Hadean UKBE-22W on sale for $99 - should be useful for some recordings and lakehouse derping
 
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