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Your main bass, and why?

#44
A couple years ago, I picked up an SX P/J on CraigsList for $75. At the time, I was playing a MM SUB 5 in the band I was in. Later that year, I lost my job, sold all my gear (except the SX - because I knew it wasn't hardly worth selling). I loved the SUB, but didn't have much need for a 5 string really...

I made the move to Austin, and joined a band two days after I got here... I've been playing and gigging with the $75 SX ever since. (Bought a GK 800RB for $199 on the used GC site, and paid $30 to have it fixed - my wife bought me a $200 Ampeg 8x8 after we got down here). The SX got me the spot in the band, and it's been doing great, so why change anything, right? I check out new basses all the time, and the only thing that I've been interested in, is (honestly) a Squier VM Jazz. So, I've been keeping my eyes open for one.

Today, I just picked up a Squier VM Jazz for $150 (plus another $25 because the guy had someone scheduled to come look at it before I contacted him - gave him a bit more for "first dibs").... Haven't played with it much (only spent about 2 minutes with it at the guy's house). I figure if I don't like it, I'll get my money back when I re-sell... If I do like it, it'll make a good back up. If I love it, since it's my "expensive" bass.... It may become my new main bass.

May not last for long... I've been gassing for a Carvin SB5000 ever since the last Carvin catalog came out. Might come home with one after going out to LA this Christmas.
 
#46
2001 Fender MIM J, fretless (the fretless was a customization). I love the thing. Sounds great, plays great, and doesn't weigh 100 lbs. like my other bass, Schecter Stiletto Studio 6.

And for all you low B converts who have posted, I would like to say that I had the exact opposite conversion. I LOVE the balls that the B string has, but I find that I have to work a little harder without it, which I have really come to enjoy.

And for the sake of completeness: I learned to play bass on a 6 string bass. Which I still don't really understand why it happened that way.
 
#47
My Lakland Darryl Jones 5 is my main bass, due to the fact that it is solid, good sounding, versatile, and great looking.

The only other bass I use regularly is my Modded OLP MM2. It has flats for Reggae and R&B, but it will be replaced by a P-bass soon enough ;)
 
#48
My main bass is a 6er built by Brian Ristola. I had a certain tone in mind when we were in it's planning stage, but other than having using alder for it's body core, I had no idea! :D

Brian helped me to choose woods for it's body and neck, and suggested which pickups and preamp would best get the sound I wanted from the instrument.

He built me the best bass I've owned. It's a 6er, yet it's tone is very retro, -which was exactly what I was hoping to get. It's body design, balance, the feel of it's neck, pickup placement, etc. all fit me like a glove. It's a joy to play.
 
#49
J. Crawford said:
Do you ERB players get funny looks for playing them live, in a setting where they aren't the norm?
Click to expand...

Once, for about five minutes when I first brought it to rehearsal. Then my band heard it, and started talking about how great the top looked.

Occasionally, someone will ask me if it's hard to play, or how heavy it is, or comment that they didn't know basses came with more than 6 strings. That's about it. No negative comments or snide remarks, no dirty looks in the studio. The only bass I own that ever draws comment regularly is my Steinberger.
 
#50
My main bass is a modded '04 MIM Precision. Black guard on midnight wine, Bartolini PU, upgraded electronics and hardware.

The primary reason is playability. Even though I have never been able to get the truss rod to turn (3/4/5mm allen wrenches won't fit..), the neck is close enough to being straight that I can get the low action I like. The neck feels good in my hands, much better than a thin jazz neck.

The next reason is the tone; I love the warmth I get from it.
 
#51
my main bass is an r-bass 4 string from 2002 that is in my avatar pic. the reasons:

well, first off...i have thought about trading/sellign this bass numerous times, but just cant do it. it weighs less than 8 lbs, balances perfectly, plays effortlessly, has a pj configuration that lets me get a bunch of tones, is active passive, the craftsmanship is absolutely top notch and it just looks, sounds and feels fantastic.

right now i own an SX 70's style jazz copy, but wil probabaly get back into some higher quality passive p's and j's for backups/gigs that require more "tradional" instruments.

i also see an upright in my near future.
 
#52
My main bass is a Lakland Skyline 55-02. It's my main bass because it's the best 5 string I've ever played. I'm at home with a 5 string and the 35" scale just works for me. I can get a wide variety of tones from it. My previous bass main bass was a EBMM SR5. I loved that bass and it was a wonderful instrument but it had such a "niche" sound that I wanted something with variety. Here's the Lakie
lakland55-021.jpg

My backup is an Ibanez SR-506, once again a very versatile bass with an amazing sound. I love to transcribe guitar solos on this for fun and it's a fun bass, but the Lakie is just more "me" These basses all look the same, here's one I found on photobucket, just add a string
DSC00152.jpg


This is also my backup but not behind the Ibby, more like tied for second. It's a MIM Jazz with flatwounds and a tort pickguard. It's a family bass so I know I'll never sell it. It's wonderful and gets a great RnB tone. I'm in love with it.
MIMJazz1.jpg


Hey J, when I started on a 5 string it was hard for me as well. What I used to do is use the B string as a thumb rest and subconsciously try to "edit" out the B so I could feel like I'm playing a 4. I'd dip into the B for the occasional low D or C and then leave it alone. With time, I got to know the B and prefer the notes on it to the E string notes. Keep at it!
 
#55
My main bass is my Warwick Corvette $$ 5 string. Being that baseball is the only organized sport I ever played in, the neck feels pretty good to me!

The $$ lets me dial up a lot of different sounds and every so often, I get surprised at yet another new sound I accidentally dial up. My challenge is finding them when I want 'em! So I really like the flexibility.

My Dean EAB fretless is just a kick around bass that I started plunking on.
 

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