Who here has reduced their collection the most?

[jasper383]

Many here talk about "thinning the herd" in order to raise funds, reduce clutter, or just simplify things.

Who here has made the most drastic reduction in the number of basses they own? Who, at one time, had many basses, but now has only one or two?

 

[theduke1]

I had 7 bassession at one time, but for the last 5 years I only have two. Both G&L 2500s one is fretless.
I still have 4 bass rigs, a full powered pa and two banks of LED,lights.
The only thing I've thinned are the number of basses.lol

 

[Mediocrity Man]

Not drastic but I had four basses and probably going back to two. It's about finding basses that really work best for me now and just keeping it simple.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I had 1 and now I have 24. Can I do this backwards?

 

[P. Aaron]

I sold so far:
Martin D-28
Guild Jumbo 12
4-string Precision bass
Big Al 5
JS 1200

Didn't play the 4-string nor the guitars. Still have 2 5'ers I use.

 

[topcat2069]

I've had up to 15 Basses at once..... Now I play "The One"

 

[pcake]

seems like with guitars and basses, i'm always buying, selling, buying selling - partly due to shoulder damage which has changed what i can play, partly some things just aren't the right instruments.

i'm sure i'm forgetting a bunch, but here goes -

basses:
warwick rockbass streamer 5 string
hofner violin bass
squier PJ
squier bronco
cort curbow
yamaha (can't remember the model)
ibanez mikro
traveler ultra light
washburn T14

guitars:
taylor GC8
edwinson guitars falcon (made for me, just didn't work out. very nice guitar)
blueridge BR-341
seagull S6
seagull parlor
guild GAD F20
composite acoustics cargo RT
recording king parlor
republic parlor
yamaha FG730
2 yamaha JR1s
just yesterday sold a yamaha 3/4 classical
washburn rover
ibanez GA6CE

also sold a harp, a medium sized electronic drum kit and a keyboard, if that counts.

 

[Ken R]

In 2010 I had 77, now I have 21. By the end of 2016 I wish to have less than 10. It gets harder when the total gets smaller.
After awhile, having things, just to have them, becomes a burdon more than a blessing.

YMMV

Ken R

 

[Eminor3rd]

I've had as many as 5 at once, but I actually feel uncomfortable whenever I have multiple basses that fill the same role. The inefficiency bothers me.

Three is the right number: 5-string fretted for 80% of applications, 5-string fretless for fretlessness, and a 4 string Fender Jazz in case any ever wants me to play pickstyle rock.

 

[Nedmundo]

I've gone from a high of seven down to four, and they're all keepers. Honestly, I could do fine with just two, but as long as I'm playing out and occasionally recording, I like having more variety.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

seems like with guitars and basses, i'm always buying, selling, buying selling - partly due to shoulder damage which has changed what i can play, partly some things just aren't the right instruments.

i'm sure i'm forgetting a bunch, but here goes -

basses:
warwick rockbass streamer 5 string
hofner violin bass
squier PJ
squier bronco
cort curbow
yamaha (can't remember the model)
ibanez mikro
traveler ultra light
washburn T14

guitars:
taylor GC8
edwinson guitars falcon (made for me, just didn't work out. very nice guitar)
blueridge BR-341
seagull S6
seagull parlor
guild GAD F20
composite acoustics cargo RT
recording king parlor
republic parlor
yamaha FG730
2 yamaha JR1s
just yesterday sold a yamaha 3/4 classical
washburn rover
ibanez GA6CE

also sold a harp, a medium sized electronic drum kit and a keyboard, if that counts.

Yeesh, I don't even know where I'd keep that much gear. I imagine a good chunk, if not all, had cases to boot. If your peak was 25~ what are you down to?

 

[pcake]

Yeesh, I don't even know where I'd keep that much gear. I imagine a good chunk, if not all, had cases to boot. If your peak was 25~ what are you down to?

together with my husband, our peak was over 35, and they were simply everywhere *LOL* he had some in cases stacked in a humidity controlled closet, they were on stands, hanging... you name it!

what DO i have right now? hmmm...

2 mikros - green one in its own stand, black one in 3way stand in livingroom
ibanez SR500 in 3way stand in livingroom
squier jaguar short scale 3way stand in livingroom
kala ubass rumbler hanging on the wall in my doing stuff room
frankenshredneck (shredneck neck on body my husband made) hanging on the wall in t in my doing stuff room

so it appears i'm down to 6, but my husband is making me two small acoustic guitars - he's finishing up a mini dreadnaught for me (just glued the back on, neck is installed) and is halfway through a size 7 parlor. on the other hand, he has two jackson guitars and a recording king ROS626 on the bedroom wall, as well an ibanez artcore from the 80s, a charvel from the 80s, the guitar he made when he was 15 and an ibanez beater.

the black mikro i got to mod - got it a seymour duncan mm pickup and active preamp soon to be installed

 

[pcake]

btw, there's a guitar store in hollywood called l.a. guitar sales. the owner, ted, told me that he started the store when he had so many guitars that his guitar room was full and he had some more in other locations, as well. now he and his wife get to play with all sorts of new and used guitars, and he only keeps certain ones for himself.

 

[Clark Westfield]

Had 5, sold 2.

Happy with 3

 

[Mike N]

I had 1 and now I have 24. Can I do this backwards?

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[Mike N]

I have somewhere around 10 Basses and I think I could sell two of them but I can't bring myself to part with the others.

 

[mark beem]

From 28 max down to 9 currently.

 

[quilanthegreat]

This is some of my movement.

Fender MIM Jazz Bass - Lakland 44-01 - Lakland Joe Osbourne - Musicman Stingray - Fender Roadworn Jazz Bass - Fender Geddy Lee Jazz Bass - Lakland 55-01 - Carvin IC4 - American Vintage 62' Reissue Jazz Bass - MIJ 75' Reissue Reissue Jazz Bass - 2016 MIM Fender Standard Jazz.

Out of all of those, my current off the rack 2016 Fender Standard Jazz is a much better playing and sounding instrument. Only bass I regret letting go of is the Musicman Stingray. Out of the high end/expensive basses I've owned, I've realized that what's important in an instrument is how well it plays/sounds and if it inspires you to play it. Funny that the cheap MIM Jazz bass does all of that for me. Aesthetics and reading other's reviews and opinions shouldn't matter, all that matters is if you like the instrument and that it sounds good to you. It's taken me a long time to figure that out myself.

I also own a 76' P-Bass and a Nash P63.

 

[jacolyte]

at one time, i had twelve basses, and went down to one.

now i have twenty, though.

 

[ofajen]

Not me. I haven't sold an electric bass. After more than 30 years, I'm now up to four, and they all seem to have their place. Particularly now that I'm back to playing both fourths and fifths tunings again on a regular basis.

On the other hand, I sold off my Ampex AG-440B and all five of my 3M pro tape machines, and replaced them with just two little Otaris: an 8-track and a 2-track.

Otto