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An important lesson in #BassGuitar wisdom:
There is always another dream bass.
My first dream bass was an #Ibanez SRMS805, a multi-scale 5-string in a gorgeous red poplar burl
coincidentally very much like the one in my profile image
I was never going to buy it; I'm a hobby player and my budget wouldn't support buying a $1000+ instrument.
Circumstances and Craigslist conspired and I ended up trading a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol for one. I had my dream bass.
but
@venya@musicians.todayAS SOON AS I HAD IT
I stumbled across the existence of the SRH505F (also by Ibanez) semi hollow body 5-string #fretless #bassguitar.
And within six months, Craigslist delivered that to me as well, at a time when the army had just paid me a lot of owed back pay.
AND YET
So #Ibanez makes their own "crossover" bass, the SRC6MS, a six-string tuned EADGBE like a regular guitar but an octave down. It's shorter scale than most basses and with lighter gauge strings, but heavier and longer than a guitar. Kind of in-between. Same pickups as my red one.
I could do cool things with this. And it's even multiscale. I immediately needed one as soon as I learned of it.
So of course I saw one at Ted Brown Music yesterday on consignment.
I will resist. For now.
@venya this would be my bass guitar. It’s like snow blades being my skis 
@venya
I know I'm not helping, but as a session player I can say Bass VI-class instruments are truly secret weapons. They do amazing things in mixes, and sometimes they're the *only* way to get particular sounds.
That said, for *my* purposes the SRC6MS would not be on my radar. I often need "vintage-y" tones, so I want electronics closer to the guitar family than bass. And I'm one of maybe three people who like floating bridges on these things. :)
@geoffduncan @venya yeah I think I'm in agreement with Geoff on this. Plus your choices for that sort of instrument are a Fender Bass VI or that Ibanez, which I hadn't heard of until today. I don't think I'd make one my daily driver, but I can see where it would be super useful for a session player.
Thankfully my GAS was completely cured by the BTB 1826. My wife bought it for me for my 40th and I haven't wanted anything else. I run flats on it and nothing else sounds like it.
@davealvarado @venya
The Ibanez is the only multi-scale Bass-VI-ish I know about (and that's *very* cool), but other options exist. Most lean toward the guitar side. Off the top of my head:
• Squier Classic Vibe Bass VI
• Eastwood does a TB64 and a couple others
• Schecter Ultra VI and HellCat VI
• People hotrod the 30-inch Gretsch baritones
…and a bunch of others (Inc Ibanez SRC6, many Danelectros) that aren't in production but available used.
Don't ask why I know all this. :)
@venya Gear lust/acquisition is inevitable. I swore up and down that I wouldn’t get another mandolin after I bought my Phoenix custom. Then in 2021 the combination of consignment, motivated seller, and COVID led to me picking up a pre-war Gibson at an absolute steal. It’s now my main classical instrument.
@venya one day I'll have me a white falcon. It's been my dream guitar for years. I bet I'll still want another one.
