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Why Not Just One Bass?

#241
Blankandson said:
Take as many on the road as you can pack. This is what Keith Richard took on a recent tour. I do not know how many he played on any given night but I imagine he played quite a few. Otherwise, why take them?
The most basses I've seen used by one player during one gig is three. Usually a fretted, a frettless, and one that has a unique sound.
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That's what I've been doing the past month; Fretted and Fretless Fender Jazzbasses, and a P bass with flatwounds.
Though I have to admit I didn't really need the P bass, but it was fun to take it out anyway and the sound did go well with a couple of tunes.
 
#243
Now days I only gig locally on weekends 2 or 3 times a month. Record occasionally. But I do own 3 basses.

I have this Jazz bass that I use on gigs and recording.
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An acoustic that I use for quiet practice and jamming with my son using an acoustic guitar.
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And finally my '75 P-bass I bought used in '78 and I used it as my main bass for about 12 years. This was my first bass. I'll never sell it. I told my son it's his after I'm gone.
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#247
DR., we have been on a similar path for quite a while haven't we? I am down to one bass. Like you I want to collect and love bases, but I only play 3-4 times a month at church. I am pretty sure my "paid gigging" days are over. Not only does it seem ridiculous to have more than one bass, it seems ridiculous to have a Roscoe.

I don't really practice any more. The church stuff isn't very challenging. It's hard to get motivated to play along with recordings or iRealb or whatever. I have this bass for sale and am not sure what - if anything - I'll replace it with if it sells. I. Ay just use the crappy church bass for a while.

I'm actually quite torn about what to do.
 
#248
SteveC said:
DR., we have been on a similar path for quite a while haven't we? I am down to one bass. Like you I want to collect and love bases, but I only play 3-4 times a month at church. I am pretty sure my "paid gigging" days are over. Not only does it seem ridiculous to have more than one bass, it seems ridiculous to have a Roscoe.

I don't really practice any more. The church stuff isn't very challenging. It's hard to get motivated to play along with recordings or iRealb or whatever. I have this bass for sale and am not sure what - if anything - I'll replace it with if it sells. I. Ay just use the crappy church bass for a while.

I'm actually quite torn about what to do.
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I don't feel torn, Steve. I accept that there are basses I cannot afford, and I don't worry about those basses. I do, however, waffle about basses on the high end of affordability, but tend to come down the lower end of affordability. The cycle I have decided to break is trading in one good bass for another. I am tired of talking about the good ones I let get away. I have three basses, but none were over $450. I am just trying to be patient and buy high quality basses when they show up at low prices.
 
#253
I will never have just one. Ok, maybe when I retire from playing and am in a home.:spit:

I have 8 currently (used to have almost 20) and it will be hard for me to get much lower.

Here is how I justify it in my own little brain....

- My Fodera is my main player and I love it. It isn't going anywhere.
- My wife bought me my 1974 P years ago when we were pretty poor and she would kill me if I ever sold it.
- My 1972 Jazz is refinished, has lots of non original parts and doesn't even have a neck plate with a serial #. Kinda hard to sell that one and it isn't worth a lot. Plus it is my favourite 4 string and pretty worn. I don't worry about scratching it!
- My 1983 Jazz was owned by Jason Newsted of Metallica and the paperwork and a letter from Jason is from 1995.. My wedding year. Nothing Else Matters was our first song. Can't sell that one!
- My Peavey Millennium is my backup and was only $110. I need a beater to use at jam nights and rainy outdoor gigs.
- My Rob Allen MB-5 is my fretless bass cuz I NEED a fretless. I might not have a ton of gigs with fretless requirements, but when I do? Man am I ready! I use this to practice with at home a lot though.
- Morgan Monroe ABG - Good to have an acoustic for campfire and other outdoor jams and acoustic gigs. Never know when you will need one. Actually I do.... about 6 times in 8 years!
- My Squier VM Fretless was relic'ed by a TBer and I might sell this one soon. Not expensive my any stretch and plays like a dream.

See, I NEED more than one bass!:p
 
#255
Gaolee said:
Why more than one? Because I can.
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Nay!

Because you SHOULD!

Because:

1. A fretted-fretless pair of basses can't be done with just one.

2. Murphy's Law is always waiting in the wings.

3. No one bass is perfect for EVERY song.

4. and of course... because you can!

I own lots of basses because bass covers a lot of territory. Come on. A fretted isn't a fretless. A 4 string isn't a 5 string isn't a 6 string isn't a 7 string isn't an 8 string! An old school Fender isn't an active SR506. And my Carvin Semi-hollow isn't my Steinberger Spirit. You get the idea. But I don't think I've ever had more than 3 on stage at once. Usually it's a fretted-fretless pair. I've been trying to work all my various basses into fretted-fretless pairs if possible. My main axes are my pair of blueburst USA G&L L2500. In 5 string too cool for words! But what you play depends on what you are playing. As cool as my G&Ls are, sometimes it just has to be 6 or 7 strings and sometimes it just has to be acoustic (ABG). You get the idea.
 
#256
Until very recently I only had one bass for years--and every time I thought about getting a second one I decided against it as I already had one--and I wan't using it in enough situations to really warrant a second one.
then I started to get into the idea of a fretless bass--so I tried them out & decided to go for it.
So it is something different--so now I have two that serve different purposes.
 
#257
Keith Richard took that many guitars on tour because most of them are in different tunings, plus he has 5 and 6 string guitars. I saw David Lindley and Ry Cooder and they must have had 30 guitars set up on stands on stage for the same reason.

When I look at my favorite players, Nathan East, Duck Dunn and George Porter jr etc, they usually use one bass on a gig. I have 2 basses but only take one. One great bass covers all I need to do.
 
#258
I have 4 currently. All of them sound different, and have a different feel as well. I have 1 that I'm refinishing and changing out the pickup in, and another that I'm building a body for because I had every other part left over from other builds. In all honesty I could probably cut it down to 3, maybe even 2, but I like all the options I have.
 
#260
Dr. Cheese said:
I accept that there are basses I cannot afford, and I don't worry about those basses.

I have three basses, but none were over $450.
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I am trying to get to this point.

I am also trying to find perfectly good basses locally around that $400-$500 mark. It's hard when you're used to the feel of a custom bass. The practical part of me knows I can as I played those basses for a long time. The materialistic part wants to have the custom bass.
 

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