Why own SO many basses?

[Watchootognbout]

I'm not a gigging professional.
And I don't play in a band.
So I try to keep it to two.
My fretted Wolf 7 string and my fretless 6 Tune TWB.

 

[eldoryder]

I've only got 11. I fell in love with the Peavey "T" series, and decided to pursue one of EACH: T20, T20FL, T45, T40 & T40FL. Oh, and a Patriot. While I was doing this, I was acquiring one of each of the Fender body styles I admired, but due to budget, stuck with Squier VM and CV series: Jazz, Precision, Mustang & '51 P. Recently, I've opened a slippery-slope by snagging my first "Gibson-style" bass, an Epi EB3. Most of these were bought used, and none of them cost over $300.00 when bought new.

As I used to say about classic British motorcycles when I could still ride: "I've never bought one that I didn't intend to keep forever". Which is one reason for why I have so many.

I'm sure some are happy with just one or two basses for the amount I have invested in the above. My main reason for owning more than one is the spice of life which is variety, and the luxury of choice.

 

[eldoryder]

Revision....Actually, I have 12. I seem to have forgotten about the Rogue VB-100, which was an inexpensive way to sample the flavor of a "Beatle Bass". It's a lovely little thing!

 

[Deleted member 264575]

I've only got 11.

Only?

Poor thing... Lol.

 

[eldoryder]

Think of explaining to the wife in a very plaintive voice: "But HONEY, I've ONLY got 11!!!!!"

 

[Jughead6]

I'm not a gigging professional.
And I don't play in a band.
So I try to keep it to two.
My fretted Wolf 7 string and my fretless Tune TWB.

Hmmm... 2 basses with a total of 13 strings. In the real world that's equivalent to just over 3 normal basses

 

[kodiakblair]

eldoryder

6 Peaveys Hmm.

5 from the T series and the wonderful Patriot,British bikes too.

You Sir are a man of outstanding taste

 

[Bent77]

I think that mrb327 actually looks like this;
View attachment 528068

Pretty close to knowing me you are.

Use the Force to get around 34" scale I must. Little green fingers too small they are

 

[Deleted member 264575]

Pretty close to knowing me you are.

Use the Force to get around 34" scale I must. Little green fingers too small they are

I imagine it's not easy being green.

 

[nilpla]

Our Scottish friend thinks that owning classic british bikes is a proof of good taste. I think that if your 12 basses are as reliable as British classic bikes, you need at least 12 basses to get you through a whole gig. I've got only 6 basses.......and a Harley.

 

[kodiakblair]

Come now Nilpla if it wasn't for Brit bikes the Japanese would never have made oil tight engines.

And a Harley good taste would be an Indian

 

[nilpla]

kodiakblair, you do have a point. So if we have a japanese bass, we're okay having only one? What a boring life ..

 

[kodiakblair]

Never Nilpla

What about off road, trail, too many options for just one bike.

But you know this already.

 

[nilpla]

Never Nilpla

What about off road, trail, too many options for just one bike.

But you know this already.

I do, so buying more basses is a lot cheaper than buying multiple bikes. But as a Scot you already know that

 

[Deleted member 264575]

Bikes and basses. I like this shot of Tony Levin going to a gig on his Harley, with his 3 string Music Man on his back.

 

[11guitarguy]

Because I like them and can afford them. And because my wife likes hearing me play them so she either buys them for me or encourages me to buy them.

Dan

Dan, I seriously wanna be YOU!!!!!

 

[Deleted member 264575]

To be fair to @kodiakblair

Apologies for the OT.

 

[KohanMike]

Glad to hear your Uke arrived from Vietnam Mike. Shame about the tuners

Thanks kodiakblair, otherwise it came out very well. I had him extend the fretboard around the sound hole to be thumb rests.

 

[11guitarguy]

This most closely fits my situation. I have 6 cars - 4 of which are projects that just sit until I can afford to have
a shop. Meanwhile my bass count is in the 20 range & I have a small woodshop to repair the 6 (of those 20ish)
that are projects. Most of why I own so many is due to experimentation. I want to know which body I prefer &
then which wood combination best represents my sound. As a BCR man (I got that decision out of the way long
ago) I still don't have all the shapes; but, due to opportunity I do have 8 Mockingbirds in almost all the various
wood & pickup combinations. I also settled on my electronics package long ago. So, by having some of the
variables being equal (body shape & electronics) in my quest for what is best for me: My focus is the other
variables such as wood selection & pickup location & orientation!

When it began to look like I was becoming a collector, I assured my wife that I would not be keeping them all.
Although I meant it: their value has been rising! We now look at them as investment!!! Not many toys out
there that you can enjoy playing with right up to the time of sale & still make a profit!!!!! Lets see: Cars, land,
buildings, vintage guitars, vintage trains... Yeah, I'll stick to basses for now!

This comparison led to my pickup orientation preference:

I sold the 1 on the left!

The 3 farthest to the left in this pic are projects; so the wood selection is a project in progress.

Nobody knows where we "go" after we pass on but if I was given a choice ... I would want to be near those basses. The Mockingbird is such a unique and beautiful bass. Amazing collection sir. Happy holidays to you and yours.

 

[fdorn]

I currently have 5. Had seven, but gave two to my son.

EBMM Stingray H
SBMM SB14
Fender Cabronita Precision
Fender Classic 60 Series Jazz
86 Yamaha Motion B