My Warwick Thumb VI. Built in 1989 and bought by me, utterly inappropriately and out of obsession, in 2003. In 1987, eighteen-year-old me saw a bass for sale in a Newcastle guitar store tor £999.98 (yes, 98p) and was stunned that an instrument could cost that much (it's a lot now, but in '87 . . .). Then I started seeing bassists on Top of the Pops playing basses with more than four strings and was utterly stunned by that too. Then, years later and thanks to the new-fangled internet, I finally put two-and-two together and began fishing for a six-string thumb. Finally found one, second-hand and affordable, at The Bass Gallery in Camden in December 2003, just as the end-of-year bonus was about to be paid. It was a confluence of so many events that it still puts me slightly in awe to this day and that bass has been mine ever since. It's way above my pay-grade, but it's a possession cherished beyond monetary value and I will never, ever, part with it until infirmity and circumstances dictate otherwise. Probably not the reason behind the question asked, but the question was asked and that's my answer. My 1989 Warwick Thumb VI. I am so happy to have had legitimate reason to make that public, thanks Janek . . .🤗
I would pick one of my (Fender) Precisions: any level, any style/genre, any era, any look, and.... very easy to fix or replace any part anywhere in the world.
That's what I would pick! I've got an NS pulse 2 5 because that's all I could afford, but ever since I bought it the only other basses I've wanted have been better Spectors! I ended up selling every other bass
Although I don't own one, I concur, though I would go with the P-J configuration Euro-series bass. The Euro's range of tones makes it pretty universally applicable.
Great vid! I built my own bass when i found out i wanted one i couldn’t afford. It sounds amazing,feels amazing and turned out so much better then i imagined. I took everything i learned from studying high end basses and what luthiers said about their instruments, Super long scale, 5 string, six screws bolt on carbon reinforced rock maple neck, mahogany single piece body, through body strings with single string bridges and an open headstock. It has an Active Nordstrand fat stacks set and a low action. It took a luthier to set it up properly and now i am learning to play it for the rest of my life 😊 Because if there’s anything i have learned it’s that i am the limiting factor, not my instrument.
What a nice collection!!! I my situation... My main bass; My Mayones Comodous custom. I did it for 20 years, and I'll continue doing it! :) Hardly modified; 6 pickup positions, a John East U-Retro deluxe, custom ramp and I did all the mods. :)
The Fender Coronado was designed by Roger Rossmeisl who designed all the famous Rickenbacker instruments in the '50s and '60s (including the 4001). Leo Fender hired him to design the acoustic lines and he stayed on after the sale to CBS and did the Tele thin-line among other projects before retuning to Germany.
That RKM double P is the coolest bass on the planet imo. Lacquered/painted necks have NEVER bothered me. I'm glad to hear someone who is a real serious professional master player say they love a bass with a lacquered neck. Absolutely insane bass. Want one so bad.
If I could only keep one, it would be my American Professional Jazz Bass with Nordstrand J Blades. It’s just so versatile and I come back to it over and over again.
Totally unexpected ending! One bass to play for life for me would be my 94 Stingray that I bought new - sold it in 2016 and bought back in 2023. It’s staying this time. I’ve put more hours into that bass than anything else.
My current is Cort A5 Beyond. It's not as fancy as a lot of higher end names but its one of the most comfortable basses I've ever played. I've had a lot of compliments for the looks and the sound I get from it. I used to be fanatical (and a bit elitist) about brands until I got this bass. I'm more of a hobbyist that wants to play a few jazz jam sessions in my local area so I don't need much and really trying to hone in on a minimalist view of gear lately. That Coronado was super nice!
It depends on what you’re doing with music….a studio player’s needs are different from a heavy metal touring band bassist. I do a lot of different things, so a good P/J with a good preamp and equalizer will do almost anything
4:54 - Famous last words 😂 For me, it would have to be my Yamaha Attitude LTD3. It’s what I always grab, no matter the occasion. Yes, there are other basses in my arsenal that also see the light of day and end up in videos and on tracks - but if I could only play the LTD3, I would be perfectly happy :)
That Ian-Fender Coranado segment was incredible. The music you created in that instant with the looper was awesome. Something like that doesn’t happen unless one is truly the particular instrument.
Stingray, but with 2 pickups. I understand that a lot of people just want the classic Stingray sound, but the bass can do so much more once you add another pickup. Mine has a 5 way switch that allows me to just use the inner coils for a P-bass sound, or the outer coils for a Jazz bass sound, or even just the neck pickup for deep, almost SG-like sounds. I've sold all my basses to get a nice BFR Stingray, and I do not feel like I need more. Though I could not say no to a P-bass with flatwounds.
The weird thing about instruments is how much easier the sound and playability can vary from even 2 instruments of the same exact model. I've picked up mexican Jazz basses that I swear sounded and played better than my American. Maybe there's some voodoo there or there's a stronger player to instrument connection than we realize.
One bass the rest of my life? My modded P bass. It was my very first bass, and I had it customized later on, Jazz neck, SD ¼ Pounder, Schaller hardware, and a flame maple top.
Fun video Gwizzard. An absurdly nice collection you got there. I had a complete personal economical crash and had to sell all three of my high end basses. After getting on my feet again It didn't feel right to spend 1000- 1500 dollars on a new instrument so I took the chance with a DIY kit. My girlfriend who is an oil painter made an awesome yet subtle motif in the back, and sides of the body, i oiled the quilted top and set to work making it with all the specs and hardware I love.... it's now my favorite bass I've ever own and it plays as great as my old Fenders and Yamahas. It's a literall dream bass that grew to shape from all of my preferences I've picked up from 10 years of playin. Highly recommend to anybody reading this to get a DIY kit, they are crazy cheap, will teach you a hell of alot about instrument assembly and building (it ain't hard when its all premade pieces), its a brand-snob-cureall and just damn fun too boot.
Easy: a Warwick Fortress One 5 String I bought new in 1995. It's been the only bass I've played from the day I bought it until recently, when the music I played required something else. It can do almost anything, but most of all there is, and there probably will be, no other instrument I feel so comfortable on. It's the one I decided to commit to, first out of necessity, and then because I simply want to go back to it every time i play another bass. Looking forward to our 30 years together next year.
Great video! In my case, it has to be my modded MusicMan Stingray 5. I bought it a few years ago because I wanted something with a great classic slap tone, but little did I know that it would become my favourite bass and a great go-to instrument, especially for live situations. That Nordstrand Bigman 5 pickup that I put in it made it an absolute monster of a bass, with an insanely high output volume, and funnily enough, it forced me to replace the stock preamp with an Aguilar OBP-3 and convert my pickup switch to a producer switch, haha. The electronics combo basically make it sound like and old-school 'Ray on steroids. No matter what other instruments I play, I always go back to it and I'll probably never get rid of it for as long as I live!
Geography is everything. If you can’t create the scene you want where you are, moving somewhere to a scene with more like-minded people should be a serious consideration
@@WORDLIFE1 The Jazz Bass is dependable, versatile, and simple. You can get everything from a Precision-ish sound to a smooth jazz or metal sound with a little tone, effect, and EQ adjustment. My Squier Vintage Modified 5-String Jazz Bass always gets the job done.
My Marleaux Consat 5 string, which should be arriving shortly. My dream bass and hopefully the last one I will ever need, but we all know how that goes 😉😁
@@carlkermode899 I've had one of these for the last 23 years. It hangs on my wall in my bedroom when it's not in the studio with me. I was very fortunate to be able to tell Gerald Marleaux how much I love this bass 2 weeks ago at the Guitar Summit in Mannheim.
Glad to see you held on to the Goya, was worried that was one of the victims of the great purge. As far as my desert island bass, it’d have to be my 2010 EBMM Stingray HH. It gets both J and Stingray sounds really well, it can approximate an active P, and it has the best feeling neck I’ve ever played. A close second would be my first-gen Ibanez Ashula, which is currently set up B-C leaving the high two strings as fretless.
I spent my whole life going through basses, looking for my perfect bass. I always avoided Fender because I had to have a 6 string to prove I was awesome. I now play a Fender Jazz I built out of parts I bought on ebay. I then buikg a P from parts. I have since sold all my other basses. Fender jazz for me. Strung with DR sunbeams, that I will never change.
I picked up a 1982 G&L 2000 E , brand new and I've played all types of music with it because it's so versatile. The only drawback, it weighs almost 14lbs so for live playing I got a Cort Modern Modern GB4 and it's just as versatile as my G&L 2000 but it weighs about 7lbs .It really helps with all of the Titanium in my spine !
Love the F bass you’ve got! I actually know the guy who owns the original F bass prototype model. It’s a really beautiful 5 string fretless with gold hardware. He claims to have bought it in the 80’s. I’d say he is one of the few guys I know who deserve to own such a special bass as he is an absolute beast on it!
My 6 string Ibanez would definitely win over anything else I’ve played on. Crisp sound, good action and so good looking. I rarely touch the EQ but it’s there if I want to mess around with it. Just so nice to have that range available at all times. Ibanez SR1426B-CGL
For what's in my collection at the moment (mostly budget and mid-level), I'd probably have to choose my 2015 1st gen Sire V7 that I've modded a bit over the years (Albridge bridge, custom Hipshot tuners, Sadowsky preamp). It's the most comfortable, best sounding bass I have. There's something this bass has that Sire produced much better in quality in those first couple years than what is being made today, I just can't explain it. Anyhow, I started with a jazz copy way back in the early 90's and I keep going back to the jazz body style over and over no matter what else I pick up as the years go on.
If I had to only play one bass for the rest of my life, it would be my Music Man Bongo 6 (I am a 6 string player through and through). It feels the best for me, and it is versatile enough for me to be able to cover almost all of my needs as a bass player. Luckily, I also have three other 6 strings that all do different things so I don't have to worry about that - an Ibanez fretless, a Peavey Grind 6 (strung with flats for that "passive" sound), and a Warwick Corvette 6 tuned down one whole step.
My 1 bass for life, 5st Sadowsky jazz bass ❤ I've been playing a 1979 Schecter P-bass the last 2 seasons ... great bass, but for life? a super jazz, please!
Its not a impossible question to answer at all lol.. Get a Fender P bass not only because it can do everything but every single engineer I have worked with in 20 years will also tell you to get a Fender P bass.. When I do session work and go to a studio and meet with the engineer to go over what's expected from me, his first question is what kind of bass did you bring with you? You can see the relief on his face when I open my case and pull out a Fender P bass. He knows exactly how to sit me in the mix and does not have to worry about me at all, he can then focus on the diva guitar players moving forward while I sit there and hang out lol..
That Mattison you said you're playing the most sounds incredible. What pickups and preamp are in it? I'm thinking I want to invest some money into my 5 string.
Love the video!!! Really, I have the same sensation, for me is more important how I feel with the bass than other things. The tension, the wood, the action... Happy to see more news about the new model!!! :)
For me, it changes so often that I don't know if I would be able to choose a one and only bass. Lately, it's been an active 5-string multi-scale but I always go back to my 2006 Fender Jaguar. Jazz bass on steroids. Although, it's temperamental at times, I have a certain kind of bond with that neck and sound. And even though it has a preamp, I tend to always run it passive to avoid crackling. Again, probably just needs some love in the electronics department, but when in passive mode, it's solid. I even go as far as taking the 9V out and using the active switch as a kill switch. That's this year's flavors though. Last year, it was my Lakland PJ with flats.
I don't play 4 strings anymore. I have a couple. I need a 5 or 6. I used to play 6's all the time but the stuff I do now only needs a 5 and they don't piss off people like the 6. After playing everything from Alembic to Zon and many Custom builds I seem to be gravitating to my Sires. I own 7 I think!
I’m sort of going back and forth between a Fender re-issue ‘54 single coil P and a StingRay Special 4H. The Fender has issues and if I took care of those, I’d definitely be stuck with it.
I only have 3 basses but my heavily modified Sandberg 6 string would be my choice. But I am on the Le Fay waiting list to get a Pangton 6 string. Oh damn, waiting is hard.
I’ve had this question come up in the last few years . At one point I had 25 basses. And played probably 4 of them most of the time . About 15 years ago I was lucky enough to get a pre cbs 1963 Precision bass and after a few years I ended up pretty much only playing that bass. I now have only 4 basses . Yet I still only play the 63 probably 99% of the time ! I have a short scale I use occasionally . But the P bass wins all day. I could live that only bass forever. In fact I tried to get a Custom shop 63 so I didn’t have to take the old girl on the road but I haven’t found another bass that comes close to the original, the Late Great Herbie flowers had 1 electric bass and 1 upright bass he used for his entire career ! My P bass I genuinely all ill ever need
I am mostly playing metal and other heavy stuff. My current bass is almost prefect for me so far. It is an Ibanez BTB605MS. 37 inch low B with 0th fret, strong output which can be beatifully distorted... I don't see a scenario where I would actually need anything else. But I also have a 5 string fretless (also an Ibanez, SRF705), which I played exclusively for 2 years and it spoke to me in a way this bass might never be able to. So, a dream bass for me would be something like a 35 inch 5 string fretless with a metal fretboard. The only problem is, a have not seen on yet.
A fretted neck-through 4-string, 35" scale or fanned fret that averages out around that, passive splittable humbuckers, detuner on the E, 24 or more frets. (But I'd miss fretless.)
My Sire Z7-5 str. Swamp Ash is the best bass I ever had Best bass for the money in the world . And it stand up against basses that is several times more expensive ! It covers so many different sounds ! 👍👏❤️
I really enjoyed this video. You sounded fantastic on your "1 bass for life," but you sounded incredible on all of them. I LOVE my Squier Vintage Modified 5-String Jazz Bass with GHS Pressurewound strings. I've had other bass guitars, but I've ended up selling them because the Vintage Modified Jazz just does everything I need a bass guitar to do. However, if I had to have just one bass, I guess I'd have to keep my Wenzel Kohler upright bass. I've put too many hours of practicing, gigging, and recording to part ways with it. Am I allowed to have an upright and a bass guitar? If so, then I won't have to change anything.
I would be curious to see what you felt about the John Myung signature Bongo 6 the spacing is so tight it’s on a 5 string neck, I’d love to see you play one. Mine would have to be my 99 Warwick Thumb NT5
If I could only have one, Id pick a really good double bass for myself. Its what I started on, and fits more of the music I like to play than any electric. But my ultimate bass guitar collection would be a Pbass w/flats, a Pbass w rounds, 2 Jazzes the same, a Ric, and a hollow short scale of some kind with flats, prob my Guild Starfire. I never got on with extra strings and active electronics.
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Two basses id like to have from you are 1) mattison 5 string 2) mattison 4 string tripe p What id pass on The Rkm The f bass Just theorizing ;)
I broke a string on the school p-bass copy. I played for the orchestra, the bass probably had strings from new... who knows how many years. Might have been my first tuning of it and... be-doik...... they were a bit resistant to buying a new set, I played a 3 string for a bit. But I got to play it for another 4 more years so they got their monies worth.
I'd keep my ibanez ergodyne, and refret it with steel, and a new pickup. Aside from it needing a fret job, and the pickup being a little muddy, its pretty much prefect. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive. Just a really good sounding, comfortable playing bass. Ive always been intrigued by Wal and Ken Smith basses, but I've never really played one,vand don't knowvthat I would like them any better than what I've got. I suppose if youve got the loot, and like to show it, there's lots of options of basses that you can spend it on. And those low pass filters on the Wals are pretty cool, when it comes to actually working, or real practicing, instead of mucking around and noodling, you don't need the distraction of myriad knobs and switches to play with instead of just playing. I'm not saying gear doesn't matter, it does, but as long as a bass has a decent neck/fingerboard/string action and a decent fullrange output, you should be able to work with it, and all the expensive options that those spendy basses have, are redundant to the gear that the engineer is going to run your your bass through. The business of recording/processing a bass has been built with the Fender P and Jazz basses as the cornerstones. All you need is good strings, a good pockup, and a comfortable buzz-free neck. Just play.
I have 90s made 60s pbass fender MIA Marcus miller fender jazz Ibanez MTD 535 And ive tried Yamaha john pattituci Yamaha nathan east Fodera monarch Sire m7 And a lot more i didnt really remember from my bassist community friends And my choice is easily MTD, i can copy any kind of sound and it can be turned passive & active, imo its perfect, especially i mainly plays church stuffs
My 62’ Reissue P w/flats if only one. I think it’s essential to have a more modern platform also if you play a diverse set of music- An active 5 string J style or Stingray for me personally
It's hard to imagine playing Just One. Some part of me would be inclined to go with something safe and flexible -- my really nice G&L L-2500 with the extra single-coil position on the series/parallel switch. It's the "jack of all trades, master of none". The proverbial P with flats? It would work for lots of us... But I have to be real. It's the Wal Mk1. W4257 is my Excalibur. The sounds I've been trying to drag out of other instruments my whole just leap out of this one with a minimum of effort. It can't copy everything, but *I* like how *I* sound playing just about ANYTHING on it. How you feel about that Henrik Linder prototype neck is how I feel about this one. Everything fits, and there's "no slop in the mechanism". 21 frets is my minimum... and while the Mk1 has some ergonomic peccadillos, I'll take them for how it looks... especially in "portal to alternate dimension of pure awesome" all black with gold hardware specification. SO FORTUNATE to have connected with this thing. NOT the best slap bass though!
The p bass divides opinion but if it had a jazz width neck as standard, I think a lot more people would be into them . I’ll stick with my Sandberg California tm 4 string . Huge humbucker at bridge , j single coil at neck position , active , passive , 2 band eq , multiple pickup selections , zero fret and great quality .
Would be my 77 Stingray, find I use it for everything over other basses, just always seems right and playing with different technique, plucking hand placement the mutes and all that good stuff just always seems to be a bass that wants to be played
I have a stingray 5 special that i really like playing when i need a powerful bass sound. Its a little heavy though. I have a garry Willis ibenez fretless that has a really unique tamber. Im looking for a really lightweight ergonomic bass with a big sound
I have a good dilemma 😂😂. I own a MIJ Fernandes with Gotoh hardware since 1997 with flats which is the best P bass sound I've ever heard...better that my Fender P Bass Lyte Deluxe MIJ which I own since 2003
Hmmmmm.....Fender Coronado makes me wonder about ThunderCat and his Ibanez Signature model? I wonder if his bass was inspired by the Fender Coronado and how similar they are.
if u like semi hollow bass vibe u should check out Duesenberg , my main basses are dingwall 5 string downtuned metal drop #F , jazz bass fgn era fender most likely gotta get sadowsky pre and dcb pickups, p bass wit flats but for having just 1 would be a dingwall z3 6 string
1 more for a stingray. I’ve had loads of basses. But I’ve got a Warwick thumb (which I keep for sentimental reasons) and a MM stingray with a nordstrand pickup. The stingray is my go to bass for everything.
So Janek, you’re taking a Carlos Benavente type route than? Beautiful, but would a bass in that world be as comfortable playing sitting down like you love doing so much? Perhaps a slightly smaller body design? 🖖
