why do you have so many guitars

[whero]

Why does anyone have more than one of anything?

My three wives ask me the same question, all the time. But srsly...

If you regularly play with other people I think it's useful to have a spare. In almost 50 years of playing I've never actually had a bass just "stop working". I've had dead batteries in active basses, faulty instrument cable, once had an amp head die, but never had a problem with a bass. But I would hate to have a paying gig, or even just a pre-arranged jam session with friends, and not have a working bass.

And I see instruments as a tool used to create music. And just like a hammer isn't the best tool for every job, a four-sting fretted Jazz bass is not the best for every situation. You might want a Precision, or a five-string, or a fretless, or something with different strings fitted, or ...

But also, a nice bass guitar is a beautiful thing. If you see one you like, and you can afford it, why not buy it? Does it matter that you already have one, or two, or ten, or... ?

 

[stringthrough]

Why do people buy more than one wall art? Isn't one enough? No, they're all different as are basses.

 

[Wicked G]

How can the number of bass guitars translate into the quality of playing it? What is the goal of having 10 or 20 guitars? Is it just collecting? Investing money? Maybe nostalgia for the time when you couldn't buy it? Honestly, I don't understand...

Maybe you don't need to understand. I own around 21 basses and each one I purchased was due to some reason like me liking the way it looks or sounds or whatever. And they all get played out I might add. They make me happy and that is all that matters to me. If someone can't understand that, it makes no difference to me.

 

[cheechi]

I can play badly in many different tunings without allowing the audience as long of a break in between.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I need at least 4 Fender p basses. 2 the exact same color. Need a bass to highlight my shirt.
(Just a reminder that i am kidding)

Highlight your shirt? Get a Dan Armstrong Ampeg lucite bass. It goes with EVERYTHING!

 

[Snert]

What is the goal of having 10 or 20 guitars?

Because I can.

Seriously after owning a very large number of basses, I know what I really want and will eventually build a couple to my preferred specs and sell most of the rest.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed].

The only one I'd like out of that lot is this:
Dean 10 string (5x2) natural dark finish

 

[J-Mags]

I was a one guitar guy for a long time. Now I feel like I need a Gibson-style, a Fender-style and a Gretsch, because I'm usually recording and want some variety. I also have an inexpensive Yamaha baritone, which I will never sell. I didn't know I needed a Gretsch hollowbody until I actually bought one, but now it's my favorite for anything that's not supposed to sound heavy.

For basses, I like to have two, one for flatwounds and one for roundwounds. But I've got three, going on four. All of them have 4 strings, frets and passive electronics. There's no reason for me to have so many, other than the fact that I like em. I do have three different scale lengths though. 30, 32, and 34. I also enjoyed being a 1-bass man for a while, but I couldn't sustain it.

I do prefer my PJ with flats for playing with a pick and my 32" Greco oddball with stainless rounds for playing with my fingers, but I wouldn't switch back and forth during a gig or anything. My Mustang is my backup.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I don't have a lot of basses. I have donated a lot, though - I have a small fraction of the basses I've ever owned, the vast majority of the ones I no longer have were donated to local music charities. You don't have to feel bad for me, though - I kept the ones I REALLY like.

4) I post here. Isn't there a rule about having multiple basses just to get on this place? ;-)

I think you get a bye for the first year, after which the "bye" becomes a "buy"!

 

[Auspuff]

How can the number of bass guitars translate into the quality of playing it? What is the goal of having 10 or 20 guitars? Is it just collecting? Investing money? Maybe nostalgia for the time when you couldn't buy it? Honestly, I don't understand...

As Mr. Spock once said: "You will find, after a time, that having is not so pleasing a thing, as wanting. It is not logical. But it is often true."

 

[Killing Floor]

My wife asked me why I have so many pedals. Uh ummmm they’re all different?

I don’t have 20 guitars but I’d sure like another.

 

[Bass-ball]

Lots of reasons. There's a collectability aspect to it for me, but more about versatility. I like different types of strings, and different types of ergonomics, depending on the situation.

I have four currently, but ideal would be six, then I'm done.

 

[vvvmmm]

1. Inspiration;

2. Too lazy to re-sell;

3. Drunk shopping; and,

4. Trying to catch up to my guitars.

 

[jd56hawk]

Seriously?
What's so hard to understand?
Is it different than someone who's into fashion having 7 suits, 15 shirts, 25 ties and 12 pairs of shoes?
What about someone who has 10 or 20 cars?
Isn't that even worse?

 

[Pings Bass]

When I was most active gigging, I had two or three basses at most. (An upright, a P and a fretless PJ) Now I've got those plus four more, mainly because I can. I could shed four and be fine. But I've got space, and don't need the money, so no harm in having some wall hangers.

I don't hoard anything else in life, so I don't think I need an intervention at this point.

 

[Queue]

First, I'm a short scale guy. I realized this when I'd unknowingly bought a cheap medium scale Oscar Schmidt acoustic bass second-hand. After playing that one for a while, I bought a Squier Jaguar SS, and sold my Ibanez Ergodyne (heavy and full 34") scale. Later, I added a Fender Kingman V2 (also short scale), and the medium scale is mostly unplayed at this point, but I doubt I'd get much for it, so at some point, I'll give that to someone.

So, I had two main basses, the Jag (electric) and the Kingman (acoustic/electric). Great! All I need! On a whim, my brother bought me a used Epi EB-0 for $150 that needed some work, so I fixed that up. It is now my "office bass" so that I've got one handy whether I'm working at home or in the office.

Then GAS set in on the Fender Japan Junior Series Jazz Bass (30" scale). After I bought that, I contemplated what to do with the Jag. Keep it as a back-up? Hardly necessary, as I don't really gig out. I gig "in" with a bunch of like-minded, but quite talented players. Sell it? Although the Jag SS is now worth more than I paid for it initially, I've modded it quite a bit (made a nut from TusqXL blank, replaced the bridge, pickups, wiring and electronics), so I don't think I'd break even. I love projects, so my next project will be to convert the Jag into a fretless!!! I should do OK with the conversion, but I'm sure I'll be over my head when I first begin to play the Jag in it's new state.

If Fender ever makes a nice SS Precision bass, I might consider it, but I think I'm good for now...

 

[Razman]

Why does anyone have more than one of anything?

Oh man - talk about a loaded question! Troll bait, maybe?

• Because a one-wheeled car isn't, well, a car. At least, a driveable one. I suppose I could sleep in it...
• You want me to show you my 'one' finger? Can you guess which one that would be?
• I don't know how to wheelie, so having two wheels on my motorcycle is helpful.
• I also NEVER wear short-shorts (playing bass or not), so having two pant legs is a requirement.

I think my point has been made.

 

[conttador]

First world problems…

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

If I could afford it, I would collect motorcycles. With guitars , its more of a nostalgia thing for me - wanting the guitar (or bass) that some of my favorite players had. In one case (my epi casino) , having the first "pro" guitar I got as a kid. As far as basses, I never had a big attachment to any but I did have a couple favorites. Right now, I have two basses , two electric guitars and two acoustic guitars. Not a collection at this point. When I had three times as many (a few years ago) I decided to give them away to schools and friends.

 

[Bikeguy57]

You don't understand why people have more than one bass? Do you even play?

 

[Sjobi 1]

For some reason all of this made me think of Barney on The Simpsons:

“Hey, Homer, I'm worried about the beer supply. After this case, and the other case, there's only one case left!”