My Basses

So I'm starting to wonder a little bit about my basses, mainly because of the issue with wanting to replace the tuner on one of them.

Here's the details:

Bass #1
Acquired for $100 (including a practice amp) in early 2004 I believe. I had been playing AT's bass since spring of 2003, but when he left the band I needed my own instrument. Bought it off of CS, who bought it off of a mutual friend. It is a Lotus...white body with white pick guard. Rosewood fretboard. there is a "Made in India" sticker on it. The tuners are Fender style 4 to a side and have 20 gears and four screws, two on top and two on bottom. Pretty heavy.

Online concensus seems to be that lots of people had these as their first bass when they were kids and that they are shit, and yet bring around some nostalgia.

Bass #2
Acquired...oh I've forgotten. Probably around like 2005 or 2006. It was $75 for the bass, practice amp, and a Yamaha acoustic guitar (that I traded in at Drums N Moore for a 12 string). AD at work said a friend was leaving town and selling a bass and did I want it. So I went over and bought it that night. The bass is a Yamaha. It has a sea foam green body, white pickguard, and a Maple fretboard. Made in Taiwan with a pink Yamaha "crest". There is a sticker that says "Att Plus M". Serial number MZ17195. The tuners are Fender style 4 to a side and have 22 gears and three screws, two on top and one on bottom. Lighter than the Lotus, but probably still relatively heavy.

According to the Yamaha website, that serial number was used in the following years: 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, or 2006...with a date of December 17 and a unit number of 195. Hard to say...but mine has got to be either from 86 or 96. Pretty hard to get detailed info. What is the purpose of repeating serial numbers every ten years? Isn't the whole point of a serial number is that it is unique? WTF?

Looking online for info I see this instrument was "modelled after Bill Sheehan's signature Attitude bass." The actual Attitude's seem sought after. I think mine is a cheap knock off or beginner's version of the style.

Now neither of these is a fine instrument...but both play fine for my purposes except for that buzzing tuner on the Lotus. Looks like I can buy a replacement for around $12 online. Not sure, again, if it is worth fixing since I'm pretty sure the Lotus will be a backup for the Yamaha now that the action on the Yamaha is lowered.