How Many Basses Do We Need?

FretLessSince68 · Post by **FretLessSince68** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:09 pm

This topic is directed to bassists who gig and need to cover various styles of music. If all I ever played was jazz then one bass would be enough.

Let me start off by saying that I have too many basses. It has been my thought that I needed a pair (fretted and fretless) of each type of bass. So I have 2 four string basses, 2 five string basses, 3 six string basses, and 2 seven string basses. Yes I play them all depending on the gig or musicians I'm playing with.

So now that I have finally arrived at bass overload I need to thin the family out. The seven string fretless has too many strings so that is going.

My recently acquired six string basses make the 4 and 5 string instruments redundant, those should go too.

All I really need is a pair of six string basses, one fretless and one fretted. The guys I play with who hate any bass with more than four strings will just have to endure their agony.

It is hard to do but I am very close to selling my beloved children (basses) just to make life simpler. The most troubling aspect of thinning the family is that each bass has it's own voice and personality, I just hate to get rid of an axe that is perfect for vintage R&B even though not good at all for more modern music.

If I could only have one bass, it would be a fretless 6 string solid body bolt-on with two magnetic pick-ups and piezo under the saddles.

What is your opinion on how many basses we need, and what would those basses be?

And

If you could only have one bass, what would it be?

NickBass · Post by **NickBass** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 6:42 am

I have 4 basses: Dean Fretless active 5 strings, Tune WB6 Electro-Acoustic Fretless with piezo 6 strings, Fender Jazz Bass American Standard 5 strings fretted and Yamaha TRB1005 5 strings fretted....I use them all, depending on the situation!
The axes I use the most currently are the Fender and the Dean (I've used them last night on a blues gig)...the TRB has been my main axe for 3 years, and I still use it for studio work (it's just perfect sound once is plugged in the box or the amp) or for fusion, pop etc...the Tune acoustic is perfect for jazz and acoustic music, beautiful instrument!
I think that one player should have the instruments that work for him: some people make it all with just one bass, some others need more than one...so, I understand your pain, FretLessSince68, it's very hard to get rid of one instrument that you love just because there's no more space!
My dreamy fretless bass would probably be : Pedulla MVP 5 strings...but also a Tobias 5 strings and a Sadowsky!

ectoflanger · Post by **ectoflanger** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:10 pm

I have a Warwick Corvette std bubinga fretless 4 string with passive pickups and electronics. I have a 5 string version ordered and on the way.

That's it for fretless.

I may get a Squier (don't laugh, some are decent) jazz fretted for occasions when I want that fretted tone.

RichmanRush · Post by **RichmanRush** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:06 pm

Well, I currently only have 3 basses, but 8 guitars

a 4-string fretless (Carlo Robelli, cheapo thing) which was my first bass. A Schecter 5-string fretless which is my main and a Schecter 5-string fretted as backup and for practice. My next bass will definitely be a 6-string fretless, it's just getting the money for one that's the hard part (I'm eyeing a fretless Thumb 6 NT... around $4800 new!! ack!) I'd also love to get a Fender Jazz bass as I know I can never get that Fender/Jaco tone with any other bass.

But I'm totally with you in that each instrument has it's own personality or character or voice, or even function. I almost got rid of one of my guitars, but thankfully my friend who wanted to buy it held off (for now). But I'd also like to think that if I got 3 different 6-string fretlesses, they'd all have their own unique voice and personality that they would only 'work' in those given situations.

Aside from the fretless Thumb NT I'm eyeing, I'd also like to get a fretless Carvin LB76WPF. I tried a fretted version last year when I was vacationing in California, and loved it. Believe me, all my friends and family have told me... I have a problem.

ectoflanger · Post by **ectoflanger** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 8:25 am

I have 5 guitars that I bought throughout the 80's. I too have thought about selling them, but have either been dissuaded by musician friends (or a sudden onset of flaccid paralysis)

With regard to my earlier post: I've thought about it and will forgo the Squier-- If I decide on getting a fretted bass, I'll bide my time and get a proper used Jazz.

Longshot · Post by **Longshot** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:46 pm

In some respects one could say the difference between "need" and "want" may have to be defined here.

What one might "need" is simple. What do you need to get the job done? Therefore, I would suggest your gigging instruments would be the two sixes.

However, if you "want" to keep the others around and you love them that much...DUDE KEEP 'EM! Life is too short. If you love these basses and you can financially keep them around, play them at home and get as much joy out of them as you can.

Life is short. Enjoy every musical moment that you can.

Just my two cents worth.

(although, if you are selling them....I'm in the market for a used fretless five) *wink*

jaydee · Post by **jaydee** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:32 am

Since 5 months, only one !.. my four strings fretless and go !

NickBass · Post by **NickBass** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:17 am

Jaydee, if you're playing just one bass it must be a great instrument!
Is that....a Jaydee?

jaydee · Post by **jaydee** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:06 pm

Ah Ah ! NickBass

No it's not an english JayDee Bass but a french Aquilina bass... Aquilina Triton model !

It's really a good instrument, very lightweight and well balancing !

The sound : Q-tuner BL-4 on bridge, Crel JB42 (french manufacturer) at neck and 4 piezos Ghost Graph Tech in the bridge... associate with a mapple neck/ebony fingerbord bolt on a mahogany body/walnut top !

FretLessSince68 · Post by **FretLessSince68** » Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:32 pm

Thanks for the great replies.

Well I tried to sell off some of my basses but it was a struggle and I really did not accomplish much.

My wife just looks at my row of basses and rolls her eyes. But, but...but...they are my children!

I now have:

Matched set of 6 string Yamaha TRB's '90s vintage. Good instruments.
Villette MKIV 6 string fretless. My fav Jazz axe.
Conklin SideWinder 7 fretted and MIDIfied (gets little use). Good in the studio.
Modulus wide 5 fretless (wonderful mwahh). My favorite magnetic axe.
FrankenFender 4 string fretted. Very versatile.
Yamaha el-cheapo photoflame 4 string fretted for the vintage/blues sound.
And a ZON 519 fretted, nice axe but I don't play it much. I can't sell it because it was so f*@#%n expensive.

Net result: I sold two basses and bought one. My wife has come to the realization that I am hopeless.

I don't know why I obsess about tone and having nice instruments, the people I play with just want a thud at the right time that makes them sound good.

iriegnome · Post by **iriegnome** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:24 pm

Well I have I think 19 basses now. I would not sell 1 of them. I am not a collector. I play and have played every bass I own. Most certainly I want more. I can't wait to get more. I most certainly will own more.
I am just a bass player that loves my basses. I buy a bunch of them, but I only keep the ones I will continue to play

FretLessSince68 · Post by **FretLessSince68** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:34 pm

Thank-You, thank-you...Homage to he who has 19 basses and more.

Thank-you very much for your realistic and urgently needed input. I feel validated, enabled, almost normal.

I'm going to print this out and show it to my wife who still will not understand but at least she will know that I'm less nuts than at least one other bass player.

I have my eye on a beautiful 4 string fretless with ebony fingerboard, hand wound P/U's and spalted maple over ash body. Will post here if the adoption is successful.

Profuse thanks to you iriegnome for making me realize that having/desiring many basses is normal. Each is important and unique. Each has it's own sound and function in the life of a bassist.

I'm not an addict, I'm a bassist, there is a difference. I am grateful that I can afford more than one.

A word to other bassist struggling with criticism because you own several (or more) basses. Take Longshots' and iriegnomes' messages to heart. Ignore the arguments and don't sell your basses unless your real family is actually suffering because of them.

Few people realize that each bass has a unique voice, if the bassist is going be a versatile player he/she will almost certainly need more than one bass, perhaps many.

Thanks again iriegnome for revealing the truth of this matter.

NickBass · Post by **NickBass** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:16 pm

Now I own 6 basses, 4 fretted and 2 fretless...probably in a month I'll have a new fretless...I' m not a rich guy and probably I'll have to sell some other stuff to have the new one...but let me tell you all a thing...anytime I'll buy a new axe I'll say "ok, that's it!! no more basses!!", and after a month I want another one...and another...and another...and another!!!!
The fact is that a couple of months ago I bought a new fretted bass that now I'm endorsing (Manne, italian handcrafted basses)...I found it so good that I pratically play it anytime and quit playing fretless...so now I'll have to buy the fretless brother!!

iriegnome · Post by **iriegnome** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 2:16 pm

I have been searching for the original 3 basses I owned way back when. I have in the last 5 years found 2 of the 3 and I am still searching world wide for that 3rd one. Really, if you are into your basses, NEVER APOLOGIZE because you have more than 1. In my eyes, it is silly to only have one. What if something happened (and it always can) to your 1 and only bass, then what? I have friends call me up to borrow basses for records and recordings!

RichmanRush · Post by **RichmanRush** » Mon May 10, 2010 7:39 pm

I think we all have a problem here... a serious one.

Not enough money to buy all the basses that we want!

That's the only thing preventing me from owning a couple more instruments.

But it is true, each instrument has it's own uniqueness. Whether it's the tone, the feel, or the look, they each serve a purpose. Could I get buy with one electric guitar, one acoustic guitar, and one bass? Yes. Would I be happy? Probably. But I would definitely miss out on what I also refer to as my "babies".

It is a disease... I name them and when I come back from a week long vacation, the first thing I do is check on all my "babies" and perhaps play them for a little bit. Then I kiss them and tuck them into bed with me. (Ok that last part was made up... or was it?)