Which Bass would you take?

[RickyWoo]

The essential guide to owning various basses.

1. Buy a cheap bass that you don't care too much about at all (for parties, your kids, nieces & nephews, and beginners to beat around on)
2. Buy one that you've always wanted. (Your use only. Unquestionably used at the owner's discretion and only theirs)
3. Buy a good quality work bass that you can agree to accept all potential consequences by using it (Your gigging bass)
4. Buy a bass that you think you want (Your "I don't play that one much" bass)
5. Buy a bass that you didn't really want but was a good deal (Your backup "I don't play that one much" bass)
6. Any bass after this is for any random reason that you can justify (Your "check out my collection of 'I don't play that one much' basses")

 

[mellowgerman]

Unless you're doing tons of safe studio sessions and are saving the Fender for those, I would say go ahead and take her out. It's a shame when such a great instrument doesn't get used! (or when it only gets used for practice)

 

[inanimate_carb]

Too much thinking leads to overthinking. Over the last few decades, I've brought a Sadowsky to pretty much every gig. I'm not a doctor or a lawyer and I can't afford a Sadowsky on paper but I have several anyway. They're my favorite and until recently, every other brand was a compromise for me. I usually play pretty above-board places, but not always. Some common sense, critical thinking and due diligence is required to avoid theft and/or extreme damage. Using those concepts, I've never experienced a problem.

 

[Robert Sperling]

Even my Alembic gets equal play time, I'm not the least bit worried about something happening. Basses are tools
that you bought because you like the look/feel/tone of. Can you imagine a mechanic who would use a less than
optimal tool to accomplish a job, even though he had the right tool but didn't want to risk damaging it? Seems
a bit silly to me.... mine are on my renters insurance policy in case of some catastrophe.

 

[mikezimmerman]

I buy my basses because I love to play them. Not every bass goes to every gig, but every bass has been on gigs, including the ones that are "irreplaceable" (my custom Curbow 6).

 

[Robert Sperling]

The essential guide to owning various basses.

1. Buy a cheap bass that you don't care too much about at all (for parties, your kids, nieces & nephews, and beginners to beat around on)
2. Buy one that you've always wanted. (Your use only. Unquestionably used at the owner's discretion and only theirs)
3. Buy a good quality work bass that you can agree to accept all potential consequences by using it (Your gigging bass)
4. Buy a bass that you think you want (Your "I don't play that one much" bass)
5. Buy a bass that you didn't really want but was a good deal (You're backup "I don't play that one much" bass)
6. Any bass after this is for any random reason that you can justify (You're "check out my collection of "I don't play that one much" basses)

I just cleaned out the closet of didn't really want but was a good deal, and random reason basses and focused my
attention on needed and or purposeful basses...the count is down to 4 now with a fretless project in the works and
a much needed Pbass in the near future to make a total count of 6. Oh yeah I forgot the Ovation acoustic bass
that gets played around the campfire ssoooo....7 then!

 

[SAlcott]

A bass that's too valuable to gig isn't of much use to me. I regularly take the subway with a double bass valued in the mid 5 figures. That's why there's insurance.

 

[RickyWoo]

FYI... I know this is at the owner's discretion to use as they please but do people really buy basses and think "this is going to be perfect stuck in my house", when they buy them?

Really though. If it comes down to a Fender... the epitome of "working man's" bass, I say take it out and stop babying it. Give it a life. Give yourself a story to tell.

 

[gjohnson441496]

When I go out to eat, I usually take my side chick because I wouldn't want my girlfriend to choke on her food or trip and die on her way into the restaurant.

lol

 

[Stewie]

Gigged with my Jazz Bass for years. Cymbals fall over, walls, furniture and amps get bumped, drinks get spilled. The bass looks like it would tell stories if it could. I would never buy a "road worn" bass. Fake wear is goofy, but real wear is inevitable. Life is short, don't worry so much.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

I have a POS OLP bass that i take to a cover band gig downtown. The band tunes to D# standard, and I wouldn't miss the bass much if it walked away.
If the band was tuned to E standard, I'd take my Pbass, as I do for all my other gigs.
It's the combination of the odd tuning and sketchy locale that make me prefer the OLP vs the P.

 

[Old Blastard]

I look at the odds. Playing a festival in 96 degree heat with tons of humidity and the chance of it getting stolen, I took my Starcaster. At a winery gig, I took my custom Drake. All good basses, but the higher end ones go to "safer" gigs.

 

[gully_jones]

Own the bass, don't let the bass own you. Especially when there is nothing unique or irreplacable about the bass in question. If your really worried insure it.

 

[mcnach]

While reading yet another thread about basses and the variety styles/quality/sound offered by various manufacturers, a question I have been pondering for weeks/months popped back in to my head. I will try to be succinct.

I have several basses. My favorite is, by far, a Fender American Elite Jazz-- I reach for it almost every time. Tone and playability are tops on the reasons why. I also have a pair of Ibby's that are my fretless and my first 5. When practicing away from home or playing gigs in the past, I've taken them instead of the Fender. The fretless will still go for obvious reasons, but the other, well that is the question. I would prefer to play the Fender, but I am concerned about the risk at which it is placed in taking it out.

What say you? Do you take your favorite, or the one that is less of a concern regarding damage or theft?

always my favourite. I don't gig in war zones.

leaving my favourite bass at home just does not compute. It's my favourite. Of course I'll want to play that one.

 

[Spidey2112]

While reading yet another thread about basses and the variety styles/quality/sound offered by various manufacturers, a question I have been pondering for weeks/months popped back in to my head. I will try to be succinct.

I have several basses. My favorite is, by far, a Fender American Elite Jazz-- I reach for it almost every time. Tone and playability are tops on the reasons why. I also have a pair of Ibby's that are my fretless and my first 5. When practicing away from home or playing gigs in the past, I've taken them instead of the Fender. The fretless will still go for obvious reasons, but the other, well that is the question. I would prefer to play the Fender, but I am concerned about the risk at which it is placed in taking it out.

What say you? Do you take your favorite, or the one that is less of a concern regarding damage or theft?

I take the one that offers the most promise for a 'happy ending', I mean encore...

 

[Angry Mob With Pitchfork]

Thanks... All things I have felt/thought over the past few weeks. Well, except for the "side chick" deal. Although...
And, we do have our Roadie Ho to keep an eye on things. He has serious 'tude.

Pics or no Roadie Ho.

 

[Fat Freddy]

It's only a Fender.....Take it and play the hell out of it!

 

[pbass2]

My priciest bass is my USA Lakland Glaub, and I gig it and tour it without hesitation. If it was a vintage 60's P....not sure. Depends on the type of tour. Locally I'd gig it no prob.

 

[RickyWoo]

When I go out to eat, I usually take my side chick because I wouldn't want my girlfriend to choke on her food or trip and die on her way into the restaurant.

LOL!

 

[Bassmaticmatt]

When I go out to eat, I usually take my side chick because I wouldn't want my girlfriend to choke on her food or trip and die on her way into the restaurant.

Me too. Small world.