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Do I really need a spare bass...


Guest BeardyBob
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No real need to take a spare IMO unless its pretty easy to do so. In the hundreds of gigs I've done, I've snapped 3 strings, and 1 time I properly broke the bass at soundcheck (drummer stood on lead and broke the input jack). A string change can happen within one song, so the rest of the band can fill in with an acoustic version, or something simliar.

Its not really practicle to carry a spare about, and its not really necessary, therefore I dont.

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I've snapped one bass string in 25 years, and that was at home practising.
I always take a backup bass to gigs though. Currently, my gigging back up is a dirt cheap, 30” Encore! I dont have to bother taking good care of it so its propped up somewhere behind the backline or in the car if its a cramped stage.
It's not a patch on my Fender P but it would be adequate to get through a gig.

I've recently been taking an old PA head along too, as a back up for our proper PA, guitar or bass amps. Again, it'd be adequate if needed.

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Guest BeardyBob

[quote name='James Nada' timestamp='1418070682' post='2626587']
it would be adequate to get through a gig.
[/quote]

exactly my sentiment - enough to get you through. I have a £60 Thomann P-bass as a backup. I changed the pots/pickups to approximate my main bass... it comes nowhere close! and I probably don't trust it as much as my main, which is stupid as a spare...

but still! I have the sansamp & will keep my head as spare when upgrading. interesting reads, chaps!


P.S.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1418066408' post='2626522']

If your guitarist is breaking strings a lot then he or she probably needs heavier strings or a lighter touch.
[/quote]

I reckon yours ain't hittin' hard enough ;)

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Never take a spare double bass :unsure: but always take a spare electric bass with me for Double Bass / Electric bass gigs - on occassions (especialy for low paid / low pressure gigs), I'll leave a 'cheapy' in the boot of the car, but for weddings etc I'll always have back-ups of all equipment to hand. I always imagine an equipment 'failure' during the first dance etc - think of all those family videos you'd be in :blink:

Edited by five-string.co.uk
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I'm fortunate enough to have a bunch of Basses to pick from, so I'll always take two. In the gig box is a Behringer BDI21 in case of amp failure. Also in the gig box, spare leads, strings, mics, mini toolkit, gaffa tape, extension leads, tuners and two mini Hercules stands. Over the last few years I've used every item. Except the spare bass and the Behringer BDI21.

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[quote name='skidder652003' timestamp='1418057849' post='2626401']
never needed a spare (yet!), never broken a string either, but could blag through the song on different string surely?
More worried about amp failure so a good DI pedal more important IMO
[/quote]

Try it. It's quite tricky but not impossible.

I busted a machinehead on the e string once.

I take a spare. Even if it's an old secondhand cheapo bass it's something.

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I gig a fair bit and I've broken strings onstage(E string on my precision in a previous band and a naff Pyramid wound ubass string that only lasted 2 gigs after installation) but I've never been in a position where I've needed to use a spare. I'm currently getting a fair bit of work abroad and I'm a bit limited for space as I take my U-BASS as a carry-on item.

Just bring spare strings and some basic tools(screwdriver, allen key, at a push a very small soldering iron) and you'll be fine- I think generally speaking us bassists are a practical bunch and it's rare that something goes wrong on a bass that can't be fixed with the above.

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1418057475' post='2626391']
I have never broken a string or had a bass fail on me in any way, so no, I don't carry a spare bass.
[/quote]

If your playing good paid gigs, you should always have a spare. If you consider yourself a professional you should always have a spare bass.

I have been gigging for over 40 years, I always have a spare bass on stage. I have never had to use a spare. All it takes is one time for a bass to fail at a gig and your screwed.

And I will tell you what will happen. The band is ready to go and your not. Everyone will be looking at you, you will not get any help from anyone because there is nothing they can do.

Do you want to take that risk? How would you feel if your band had to bail on a gig because you were not prepared?

Blue

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Edited by blue
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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1418079750' post='2626764']
I just take spare pants.
[/quote]

Flash git :lol:

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1418090252' post='2626819']
I accept that most of us could probably rectify most of the commonest problems we're likely to encounter, but personally speaking, I wouldn't want to be breaking out the soldering iron in the middle of the set. The whole point of having a back up is unplugging the duffer and picking up the back-up without breaking stride. I don't want to be stopping things for even as long as it takes to wind a new string on.
[/quote]

Nail, head!

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1418096571' post='2626824']Everyone will be looking at you ... [/quote]

... and they'll be thinking "Who's that guy and what's he doing up there with the band?".

Anything that gets the bass player noticed is a good thing. So don't take a spare bass to gigs, and make sure you only replace busted strings with new ones so that they keep going out of tune when you put a new one on. Got to keep peoples' attention! ;)

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I take backup everything, I dont get very nervous playing, but I get really nervous with my gear not working so I have two of everything with me at gigs apart from my 4x10, I would take another one but I cant get it in my car!

I can rest easy knowing that if something goes wrong I've got something to replace it with and can continue the gig, but I will worry about it until we start the second set.

Two basses is a must for me just in case.

My band often take the piss about how much gear I bring to gigs and that I need to buy a van etc etc, but the time something does go wrong I'm the man!

I'm so OCD about it that I even took one of my six strings tuned up and ready to go just in case one of the guitarists had something go wrong because they didnt have a spare with them.

Edited by Weststarx
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