MacFurse
I used to do what most of you guys are doing, using my old Ibanez Roadstar II I bought new in 83

Like this one ?

Bought mine in 83 as well. Got the Pro Rocker Floating tremolo system which parts are totally scarce.
 

Cactus Music
Oh so you actually put the VST out of tune. I'm not sure I like that idea as that changes the sound of the samples. 

Typically samples don't change, only the way its processed (in .SFZ  and most sampled synths)
Almost every VST Synth has  tuning buttons (like SI Bass)
You also have to do it this way if you want to print off music in staff view (Vs. seeing it in Eb).
I find keeping a projects notes all in the same key works much better than VST's in all different keys.
 

chuckebaby

MacFurse
I used to do what most of you guys are doing, using my old Ibanez Roadstar II I bought new in 83

Like this one ?

Bought mine in 83 as well. Got the Pro Rocker Floating tremolo system which parts are totally scarce.
 

Nah. Mine was a bass Chuck. RB850. Awesome guitar. Could run over it with a truck and still not have to adjust the action I reckon. But the soapbars are noisy now. Got drenched in seawater in a shipping container in 92 and despite my best efforts, it never really was the same. But the fret board is like it's made out of stone !!

They were a bit strange in that within months the neck went almost yellow while the body remained white. Looks like I've bolted another neck on. But they all did it as far as I know. Tempted to paint it, but then it wouldn't be original. They were/are an extremely solid performer.

 
This is the new one. Just fantastic for recording and live work.

Nice !
I use a J Bass for the bulk of my work. I used to use a P bass 90% of the time in the late 80's early 90's but I picked up a J Bass in late 1997 and it covers just about everything. Pick up selection/knobs allow great variables in sound attack.
I also have a 5 string Ibanez SG With active PU's. Love the sound of it but the Fender just does it for me.
A lot of the stuff we hear now a day on the radio is synthetic but to me nothing replaces a real bass sound pushed through a good compressor (my preference is a CA2A).
 

For my backing tracks I prefer the VST just because of it being easy to make each song exactly the same. So  no surprises and fussing with the mixer at gigs. I used real bass in the backing tracks for a long, long time but every song was always a little different sounding. Now I use the exact same "band" just like you would live. It's funny how I wouldn't be caught dead without 2 guitars but I have never taken 2 basses to a gig. I figure worst could happen is you break a string and we all know you only need 1 string. 
 
For my recordings of my country rock or blues I use real bass for sure.  But I like using the Dim Pro Full acoustic bass on my Folk/Bluegrass recordings, simply because I don't own an upright bass any more. The bugger took up too much room in the studio and was impossible to get a good sound from it because it needed work.  
 
My main Bass is a cheapo Yamaha that I upgraded the Pups to a set of DIMarzio's. 
I also now use the Godin 5 string when needed. 

I actually went the other way Johnny by laying real bass tracks to all my backing tracks, after years of using them with midi. But all my tracks now just have bass and drums and all my work now is acoustic solo or with the cut back tracks. Must say though. I went the Neutron2/Ozone 8 advanced routes late last year, and I just don't have the variables anymore with the bass, that was a pain like you say. Between the track assistants in the software, and now with the new PJ bass, all that stuff is gone. I spend no more than 10 minutes, (after comp'ing the takes of course), mixing the bass tracks in. It has literally saved me days of work. I still spend way too much time tracking and chasing perfection, but almost no time anymore either mixing or mastering, particularly for different systems or devices. For fear of sounding like an Izotope salesman, the Tone Balance plug in the above is extraordinary at getting a quick and easy result that matches everything, particularly with the lows and highs. Apols for digressing, but it sort of fits into the op's question. Everything we do, combined, has such a massive effect on the outcomes and the goals you are chasing. I found my happy place, at least for the low end. Must admit though, it would be almost a one off for me to alter a bass line as much as the op wants to do. For me, it would be back into the booth to re-track the 'new' bass almost every time......
 
 

Its funny, I can layer/mix 7 guitar tracks if necessary but layering bass tracks is a task.
Its because of the narrow frequency spectrum. I have used multiple layers of bass but it seems like you must play octaves to thicken things up. (unless you have an 8 string bass for the heavy dynamic parts).
Send 2 tracks wide @ 10+2 and the main right up the middle.
The Sides playing octaves. But as I said, only in certain parts where dynamics increase (IE- Bridge, Chorus, exc)
That's how I do it anyway.

Agree. The bass is the most difficult. But lately, I've just added a lower octave if needed, picked a suitable amp in Amplitude4 to dirty it up a little, and then just low levelled it up the middle too. Simple compared to what I used to get up to. A friend with a real studio always layers in a baritone bass over either a P or J. You can't actually take your own bass into his world. But I guess that's why people use him, because he knows what he wants. Once again (you will get sick of me lol) Neutron 2 with it's masking ability, allows you to see where things conflict really easily. If you put an instance of Neutron on each track and use the masking, you get both eq's in front of you, showing the conflict, and using the inverse function, what you do to one, does the inverse to the other. It's really helped me in sorting out things like 2 bass tracks and kick, or two, or more, guitars playing something similar but eq'd different, or using different amps, or mikes. You can visually wrap one around the other giving anything it's own spot in the spectrum. Very very handy, and effective.
 
Ok. Gonna stop now, or ask for some money from Izotope lol.. Lots of other plugs and tools that do similar..

I heard nothing but good about Izotope over the years. I guess I shy away from plug ins that cost me money but lately I find myself looking at these " golden" plug ins more and more. 
 
I'm pretty happy with my latest Bass set up which oddly enough is a Fender Rumble 100. Some how the processing is just right and my Bass tracks sound the way I like them. I didn't buy the amp for this it was just a fluke. 
The other thing that made a huge difference was the new Pups on the Yamaha. 

The Rumble 100 is a great amp for the money. I was actually looking for an old Yamaha at first. I just wanted a good old P body. But I got the Fender for at near half price and couldn't pass it up. Same as the Izotope stuff. They kept at me with upgrade offers until I gave in  But I honestly think it will help me get things knocked over a lot quicker with a lot less fuss and heartache. Not having takes songs out 'on the road' to try every medium has changed things for me, so the cost was worth it for sure. Apart from the PC, I hardly use any other plugins.
 
But, it's all about finding your happy place I reckon and makes no difference what's used to get there  It's off to bed for me now.  it's nearly 7am........