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Why Not Just One Bass?

#43
Engine207 said:
This.

I have six. My Ric, which was my only bass for 25 years; a J; a P; a fretless; a 5er; and a Peavey T-40...cause it was my first bass. Okay...seven if I count my work (practice) bass, which stays at the firehouse. Do I need them? No...but I like them and play them all.

I don't buy them if they're not a screaming deal and, like A-Step, if I find one silly cheap, I know I can flip if I decide to. I'll go ahead and snare it, then...when I make a few bucks on it, that money goes into my "bass money" fund. I use those shekels when I find some gear I really want (I'm buying recording gear now), so I don't take food of my family's supper table.
Click to expand...

It's not about financial responsibility. I have never owned more than four basses at a time. Too many basses become redundant for me. YMMV!:)
 
#44
I own 5 basses right now and I'm transforming two of those five into parts basses where the parts cost me about 6-8 times what the basses themselves cost. For the amount of playing out I'm doing now and will be doing for the next few years (i.e. none), the word "overkill" doesn't begin to describe how crazy that is. :D :rollno:

If I never found Talkbass I'd probably still have the MIM Jazz Deluxe that I bought when I first started playing 10 years ago and that would be my only one. I probably could have bought a car with the money I've spent on everything else in that time and probably would have been pretty happy with just that one bass, too. Yeah, I sometimes blame Talkbass for my weakness, but I've also learned a lot about equipment and about playing from TB that I never would have learned otherwise (or at least would have learned very slowly over a MUCH longer time). And I've had a lot of fun trying all that equipment to find what works best for me.

But if I only had one bass, I'd be content to have only my Warwick. If I got to keep my Stingray, too, so I have a backup then life would be just wonderful.
 
#45
I've been a working for musician for more than 20 years. Most of that time I have owned just two basses at a time. I currently own three - that's the most I've ever owned simultaneously. And one of those I've given to my son, so I don't even use that one anymore. My existing two are: 1) MIJ '82 Squier Jazz with pull-volume that puts the pickups in series, very close to a P-Bass tone; 2) MusicMan SUB 5-string fretless. Between those two, I can do everything I'd like musically, and all my gigs and recording sessions are covered. Why do I need anything else? .... I don't!
 
#46
Personally I can't cover all the gigs I do with one bass. If you play professionally I think you need at the very least a good(doesn't mean expensive) 4, 5 and a 6 and if you play double bass you need a high quality carved bass, a high quality laminated or lower quality carved bass and an electric upright. This is based on the playing situations and conditions that I have encountered.

You also need more than one amp and more than one cabinet as well if you want to be "gig ready".
 
#47
I currently own 6 basses; that number has been as high as 11. For my needs, as in practicing in the living room and recording the odd passage, I'm covered with a 5 string fretted and 5 string fretless (the other 4 are in storage). I'm not immune to coveting an assortment of basses, but I also like that my life has simplified to a degree. The extra physical space in an apartment doesn't hurt, either.
 
#48
Because it's fun to have more than one....
Everyone's different. Jeff Berlin has that one Dean Prototype that he tours with. I've got a bundle of basses. My friend the late Alan Woody had hundreds.
They're tools, but I'm sentimental about some of them.
 
#49
i own 12 right now, i dont need that many but the last couple of years ive found so many deals online. each is unique and has its good and bad points. of those there are only 2 that i couldnt do without cuz i love them dearly but as long as they are out there and cheap right now (and i can afford them) im gonna pick up a few more while i can. kind of like an investment that i can enjoy till i want to sell a few.
 
#51
Playing one bass all the time allowed me to get better chops on it. Past a certain level of practice, switching between instruments can be an obstacle to expression. yes there are all the possible combinations (woods, strings, pickups, pickup positions, ....) which are great to have, but as a hobbyist do i have the time to develop a style in all of them? I have a lot of respect for the pros who stick to one bass
 
#52
JimmyM said:
I spent the 70's and 80's with only one good Fender bass that I bought new in 76 and sometimes I had a cheap crappy backup. Started doing a little better financially, and over the years I bought and sold and built myself a nice little collection with that same Fender (although the only things original on it are the body and neckplate), a couple of semi-expensive basses, and a handful of cheapos. And there is no doubt in my mind that I could sell all of them except that old Fender and work as much as I always did and never hear a complaint out of anyone.

But that ain't happenin'! Thinking I might sell a couple, that's about it. I enjoy the variety, and it keeps me entertained. But I admit I envy the folks who can stick to only one, especially those who have the first good bass they ever owned as their only bass. Might be a good idea to keep two around if one of them needs work, but once you get past
two, you're just whacking yourself off...hey, I'm doing it, too
;)
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Once again I appreciate Jimmys posts lol :D
Hey! Dr. Cheese. Ease up on yourself! A gig is a gig right? :cool:
 
#54
onosson said:
I've been a working for musician for more than 20 years. Most of that time I have owned just two basses at a time. I currently own three - that's the most I've ever owned simultaneously. And one of those I've given to my son, so I don't even use that one anymore. My existing two are: 1) MIJ '82 Squier Jazz with pull-volume that puts the pickups in series, very close to a P-Bass tone; 2) MusicMan SUB 5-string fretless. Between those two, I can do everything I'd like musically, and all my gigs and recording sessions are covered. Why do I need anything else? .... I don't!
Click to expand...

Phil Smith said:
Personally I can't cover all the gigs I do with one bass. If you play professionally I think you need at the very least a good(doesn't mean expensive) 4, 5 and a 6 and if you play double bass you need a high quality carved bass, a high quality laminated or lower quality carved bass and an electric upright. This is based on the playing situations and conditions that I have encountered.

You also need more than one amp and more than one cabinet as well if you want to be "gig ready".
Click to expand...

Interesting to see these two responses back to back....

The working musicians I know - that is, they are making their living through music - have a couple of electric basses and a DB.
 
#56
You have more versatility from multiple instruments-a larger palette of colors available, so-to-speak! :D

Think of them as instrument tools: 4 string, 5 string, bolt-on, neck-through, different pickup or string choices, different sounds from mahogany-another from alder or basswood.
 
#59
raal said:
Playing one bass all the time allowed me to get better chops on it. Past a certain level of practice, switching between instruments can be an obstacle to expression. yes there are all the possible combinations (woods, strings, pickups, pickup positions, ....) which are great to have, but as a hobbyist do i have the time to develop a style in all of them? I have a lot of respect for the pros who stick to one bass
Click to expand...

I have the complete opposite experience. I can be inspired by a variety of instruments. But then again, I'm an old fart who started playing in the early '70s. ;)

Btw, Chris Squire swaps out his bass for just about every song in concert. John Entwistle had a HUGE collection of basses. I guess I grew up during the old school of thought, but still loving it!
 

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