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Why own several identical basses?
- Thread starter j_micho
- Start date
MikeBass
Supporting Member
- Nov 4, 2003
- 11,943
- 3,132
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
Don't get me wrong, I like a variety in basses as much as the next fella, but what cracks me up in this thread are the comments about "No two identical basses will sound alike because of the differences in wood etc....."
Huh?!?!?
If I have two US STD.Jazz basses. Both bought yesterday from two different Guitar Centers.
And I have to go play a gig tonight at a local bar (which I would bet at least 90% of the guys here is all they do- nothing wrong with that, I still do it too) anyway, a local bar two Jazz basses.
Your damn straight they are gonna sound the same.
Sorry, don't buy it- differences etc......
Sure sitting in your room, maybe even at Guitar Center playing by yourself you maybe can hear some differences, but on the gig......I dunno.
IMO/IME very rarely, have two of the exact bass sounded drastically different.
Don't go all left turn and start with the "well, what if one is active/one's not" stuff.
Two stock Identical (except maybe color
) AM STD Jazz basses.
I do agree about owning the same bass for consistency reasons when on the gig.
And I do agree that there are subtle differences in identical basses. But that application of logic of the subtle differences in the real world needs to be applied.
I owned Jazz basses from different years. Felt different and sounded different. But at the end of the day, they still sounded like a Jazz Bass!
Sure walk into GC and pick up 8 Jazz Basses. They will all sound a bit different and all play a bit different.
Take those 8 basses set them up to your liking, those differences start fading FAST.
Huh?!?!?
If I have two US STD.Jazz basses. Both bought yesterday from two different Guitar Centers.
And I have to go play a gig tonight at a local bar (which I would bet at least 90% of the guys here is all they do- nothing wrong with that, I still do it too) anyway, a local bar two Jazz basses.
Your damn straight they are gonna sound the same.
Sorry, don't buy it- differences etc......
Sure sitting in your room, maybe even at Guitar Center playing by yourself you maybe can hear some differences, but on the gig......I dunno.
IMO/IME very rarely, have two of the exact bass sounded drastically different.
Don't go all left turn and start with the "well, what if one is active/one's not" stuff.
Two stock Identical (except maybe color
) AM STD Jazz basses. I do agree about owning the same bass for consistency reasons when on the gig.
And I do agree that there are subtle differences in identical basses. But that application of logic of the subtle differences in the real world needs to be applied.
I owned Jazz basses from different years. Felt different and sounded different. But at the end of the day, they still sounded like a Jazz Bass!
Sure walk into GC and pick up 8 Jazz Basses. They will all sound a bit different and all play a bit different.
Take those 8 basses set them up to your liking, those differences start fading FAST.
I have a couple simple reasons for owning 2 of the exact same basses.
#1) I played my first Yamaha bbg4 for 12 years and it is my favorite bass so I wanted another one.
#2) I had to switch basses for different tunings mid set on my last tour and I didn't want a huge tone difference.
Because they are the same color, I had to put a sticker (one has an E, the other has a D)on the back of the headstocks so my stage tech could identify the difference between the two without question.
Craig
#1) I played my first Yamaha bbg4 for 12 years and it is my favorite bass so I wanted another one.
#2) I had to switch basses for different tunings mid set on my last tour and I didn't want a huge tone difference.
Because they are the same color, I had to put a sticker (one has an E, the other has a D)on the back of the headstocks so my stage tech could identify the difference between the two without question.
Craig
j_micho said:
Well, if I only had two electric basses, then yeah I'd want some variety.
But when you own, say a dozen.....
My answer is, why not? If you find something you like, get a few. I have 3 jazz basses, for now (more to come, I am sure). But all 3 are different body woods and different strings and 1 has different pickups. So, are they really the same?
do I agree with you?what cracks me up in this thread are the comments about "No two identical basses will sound alike because of the differences in wood etc....."
Huh?!?!?
IMO/IME very rarely, have two of the exact bass sounded drastically different.
yes and no.
I DO have 2 of the same basses that do sound exactly the same, no doubt in my mind at all onstage or in the jamroom
but then I have a few others and no, they don't sound the same to each other, and don't sound the same as the 2 that do sound the same.
I think what gets out of proportion in the discussions is the "amount" of difference that people hear.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
3 Rickenbacker 4003's...
I always wanted one from the mid 70's and could never afford one.
The fireglo was the first I bought - to fit in with the look and feel of a 60's band I was playing in. We worked like dogs and that paid for this bass (and a few others!).
The Blue Boy (sky blue) was the second. It was a Christmas present from my wife.
The Midnight Blue was the third - I bought it because I had always wanted that colour more than any other.
All three are broadly similar as regards look and feel, though the Blue Boy neck feels fatter and the bass is much louder than the other two.
The Fireglo doesn't handle extra light gauge strings very well, while the Midnight Blue one does.
The John Birch - I was tipped off that a collector of JB guitars was breaking up his huge collection due to relocation and I went down with the money for it, having not seen it at all. I would rather it wasn't a Ric replica, but it's the only John Birch bass I have ever seen for sale and leapt on it. It was built in 1976 and it needed a little TLC and now it's a gorgeous and very versatile bass.... that doesn't sound at all like a Ric. Wonderful low action and retro looks.
Probably worth the most of the bunch, too...
3 Rickenbacker 4003's...
I always wanted one from the mid 70's and could never afford one.
The fireglo was the first I bought - to fit in with the look and feel of a 60's band I was playing in. We worked like dogs and that paid for this bass (and a few others!).
The Blue Boy (sky blue) was the second. It was a Christmas present from my wife.
The Midnight Blue was the third - I bought it because I had always wanted that colour more than any other.
All three are broadly similar as regards look and feel, though the Blue Boy neck feels fatter and the bass is much louder than the other two.
The Fireglo doesn't handle extra light gauge strings very well, while the Midnight Blue one does.
The John Birch - I was tipped off that a collector of JB guitars was breaking up his huge collection due to relocation and I went down with the money for it, having not seen it at all. I would rather it wasn't a Ric replica, but it's the only John Birch bass I have ever seen for sale and leapt on it. It was built in 1976 and it needed a little TLC and now it's a gorgeous and very versatile bass.... that doesn't sound at all like a Ric. Wonderful low action and retro looks.
Probably worth the most of the bunch, too...
Why not?
When I was gigging back in the day, I had an Ibanez SR400, an Ibanez SR800, and an Ibanez SR645. The SR400 and SR800 were both four string P/J's with the same pickups. Different preamps. The SR645 was the five string version. This way, I had a backup for my four string, and the fiver was needed for only a song or two in our set.
Years down the road, I ended up having three Jazz basses, two Precisions, and a Jaguar. Each one had a special purpose, tone, or something of the sort.
When I'm in a position to start playing again, I anticipate a pair of either Jazzes or Precisions. Just for the sake of simplicity.
When I was gigging back in the day, I had an Ibanez SR400, an Ibanez SR800, and an Ibanez SR645. The SR400 and SR800 were both four string P/J's with the same pickups. Different preamps. The SR645 was the five string version. This way, I had a backup for my four string, and the fiver was needed for only a song or two in our set.
Years down the road, I ended up having three Jazz basses, two Precisions, and a Jaguar. Each one had a special purpose, tone, or something of the sort.
When I'm in a position to start playing again, I anticipate a pair of either Jazzes or Precisions. Just for the sake of simplicity.
MikeBass
Supporting Member
- Nov 4, 2003
- 11,943
- 3,132
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist- Suhr basses, PedalTrain, GHS, Ultimate Ears
I've owned exact same basses that did sound different, but was it really enough to notice in front of 10,000 people?? Heck no.
Was it enough in front of 100 people?? Heck no.
Was it enough in front of 2 in the studio??? Heck yeah.
I really become more of a realist these days.
A few big things helped with that, one playing on tour in front of 10,000 people, playing in crappy bars in front of 20, and a few festivals I've been to/played.
Let me explain the last one.
I saw Ozomotley along with about 7-8 other bands at a festival.
Basses ranging from P Basses, Jazz Basses (4 and 5, modded active ones as well), an Alembic, a Modulus 5 and a Music Man.
All good bands, all basses pretty much sounded the same out front.
Oteil Burbridge on the Allman Bros. DVD switches from his Fodera 6 string to his old 60's Jazz Bass, and IMO, the tone pretty much didn't change.
For me personally, I CAN hear differences, but relize those very subtle differences rarely translate anywhere in the real world.
Yeah, they do matter to ME to some degree. Feel is more the driver for me though.
If it feels good, I can pretty much get what I need out of it.
Basses are like shirts.....or shoes.
14 basses-
5 of them Precisions-
none of them sound alike.
I have to confess I'm a sucker for the profile.
14 basses-
5 of them Precisions-
none of them sound alike.
I have to confess I'm a sucker for the profile.
Or feel alike, or have the same "vibe"
Same with Teles, Strats, Les Pauls - no two are absolutely identical.
May I ask for a clarification, please? Identical means identical to the woods, hardware, pickups/electronics etc, or just same model model?
(color does not count for me cause we all know the positive effect of sunburst on the low C and middle A, as well as the clay dots tone effect
)
If it's identical all the way, it could be a trial for "staying in your comfort zone" (from looks to overall feel, design, materials and possibly tone). I can report that no two identical basses sound ALIKE, but they can sound VERY similar sometimes. Sometimes two identical basses may sound COMPLETELY different. So even if it's identical all the way, they may feel very different overall.
I can happily report that Sheldon Dingwall provides a very consistent tone over the models and options he offers (almost 30 Dingwalls in hand in virtually every variation with several "doubles"). And I would choose which one to use for the given type of gig or recording
(color does not count for me cause we all know the positive effect of sunburst on the low C and middle A, as well as the clay dots tone effect
)If it's identical all the way, it could be a trial for "staying in your comfort zone" (from looks to overall feel, design, materials and possibly tone). I can report that no two identical basses sound ALIKE, but they can sound VERY similar sometimes. Sometimes two identical basses may sound COMPLETELY different. So even if it's identical all the way, they may feel very different overall.
I can happily report that Sheldon Dingwall provides a very consistent tone over the models and options he offers (almost 30 Dingwalls in hand
in virtually every variation with several "doubles"). And I would choose which one to use for the given type of gig or recording
