How closely does your backup bass resemble your main player?

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1174020' date='Mar 23 2011, 10:42 PM']Stingray5 or 4 backed up with another stingray 4 If I don't need a five (yes need!) then I take either both Ray 4's or one Ray 4 and a Jazz, I loved playing my Jazz at my last function gig but I don't think there will be a 3 Rays for Alleva Jazz thread anytime soon




for once i disagree with ou7shined as the no backup bass is not an option sometimes, ie we used to play the bull and gate in Kentish town, it's a 300 mile round trip via the drummers house to collect the kit, you get a 30-45 minute set to play your original songs so it's a long way to go to not play all your set. That dropped song because of a 3 minute string change in the dark even if you can find your spares under 4 other bands worth of empty cases etc is often the best you were saving until last! It's ok at a pub gig where your in charge of the evening but a lot of decent venues will pull you off stage bang on the timer.[/quote]

No comment Rich?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1174091' date='Mar 23 2011, 11:41 PM']No comment Rich?[/quote]
Go on then.

If you can't find your bass case under all the other bands cases to get your spare string out then I'm guessing that there are a number basses about that you can get a shot of - there's always some helpful Herbert (like myself) who will offer. Ok it might feel a bit uncomfortable but as you said at the most it's only a 30-45 minute set (presuming you snapped your string in the first song) - you'll survive.
Also if you don't get to play your best tune because of running out time then "tough tits" it happens all the time - besides the sound guy should give you some indication just before you do your last song, giving you the opportunity to re-order your set. And if your fans don't make enough noise for you to play that one last song then they obviously didn't want to hear it that badly in the first place.

Ah.

[stingrayPete1977]

Most of the time we played in London most of the other bands where too busy doing there hair and make up to think about bringing a guitar with them or drum sticks or amps etc! I actually had my first go on a pre EB Ray from a friendly Herbert like you there

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1174111' date='Mar 24 2011, 12:10 AM']Most of the time we played in London most of the other bands where too busy doing there hair and make up to think about bringing a guitar with them or drum sticks or amps etc! I actually had my first go on a pre EB Ray from a friendly Herbert like you there [/quote]
Haha I know what you mean. The blokes bogs used to stink of fecking hairspray worse than the lassie's. We were grungers back then so the greasier the better but I remember this one particular poodle-headed Lothario front-man from another band who came into the bogs before going on and he had this special brush with built in hairspray at the other end. Us greebos pissed ourselves rotten at him. I still see him going about town - bald as a coot.

[Duarte]

I only have 1 bass, so that's not a problem.

I've been playing 9 years and can't remember EVER breaking a string...

Who breaks strings!?

Edited March 24, 2011 by Duarte

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Duarte' post='1174124' date='Mar 24 2011, 12:40 AM']I only have 1 bass, so that's not a problem.

I've been playing 9 years and can't remember EVER breaking a string...

[b]Who breaks strings!?[/b][/quote]
It's them bloody guitards that do it... at least that's the only time I've done it. Never on a bass though....


... touch wood.

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1174108' date='Mar 24 2011, 12:04 AM']there's always some helpful Herbert (like myself) who will offer.[/quote]

Regarding this, you're a lot more daring than I am. I'd never lend someone I don't know one of my basses. Until I got my bomb proof rig I didn't even like lending my amp out. That's without even thinking about people sweating all over it.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1174137' date='Mar 24 2011, 01:17 AM']Regarding this, you're a lot more daring than I am. I'd never lend someone I don't know one of my basses. Until I got my bomb proof rig I didn't even like lending my amp out. That's without even thinking about people sweating all over it.[/quote]
I'm 6'2" and build like the proverbial. I find people tend to respect my gear well enough.
(although not any old Tom, Dick or Mary gets a shot of it you understand)

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1174120' date='Mar 24 2011, 12:25 AM']Haha I know what you mean. The blokes bogs used to stink of fecking hairspray worse than the lassie's. We were grungers back then so the greasier the better but I remember this one particular poodle-headed Lothario front-man from another band who came into the bogs before going on and he had this special brush with built in hairspray at the other end. Us greebos pissed ourselves rotten at him. I still see him going about town - bald as a coot.[/quote]

Brilliant

[Lozz196]

I`ve always taken a backup bass to gigs, even though I`ve never needed one. As I`ve established that the humble US Fender Precision is the bass for me, I just take two of them along. Plus, with my OCD as bad as it is, if I had different basses for different songs, I`d end up having to take two of each along, and that would just be too much.

I`ve considered for ages about not taking a backup, but can`t get away from it, more due to thinking of accidental damage from clumsy band members than string-breakage, as I don`t even break strings on guitar, so on bass that is a def no-no.

[cocco]

When ever I've played my grabber live I've always had to take a backup because it's so prone to temperature related intonation and tuning issues, normally only lasting 3 or 4 songs. Recently I've been playing my SB a lot live and in rehearsal but the tiny side markers and worn frets make it a bit of a nightmare to play anywhere the stage lighting isn't good. I've recently aquired a bongo which I'm hoping will be my main stay and do away with the need for a backup at most shows once I've played it live comfortably without needing the backup aria or other passive a few times.

[risingson]

[quote name='Duarte' post='1174124' date='Mar 24 2011, 12:40 AM']Who breaks strings!?[/quote]

I've done it, admittedly just once but it's not just that really. Our guitarist convinced himself he didn't need to bring a spare guitar the other night to a gig, so he didn't. The electronics completely failed on his guitar halfway through the set and we were left without him for the rest of the set.

It's just common sense, just because you think it's not going to happen to you doesn't mean it's not your responsibility to be prepared for the worst.

[JMBassist]

murphy's law exist..

[geoffbassist]

I've never bothered taking a backup or needed one. I always have essentials within reach, strings, leads etc.. In the time it would take me to dig out the spare bass guitar and tune it I could have almost changed the string. My spare strings are my old ones so they are already cut to fit and it takes no time at all. I guess if I broke strings regularly I would but it's only happened once. Changed it really quick, no problems. After the gig half the band hadn't even noticed!

Keyboard players/double bassists/drummers/sax players etc... don't take a spare. The only time I see it is with regular guitar.

[Bankai]

My two favourites are the two I'll take.

Thunderbird as main with the Jazz riding shotgun. Alternatively the Jazz will come out as the main if there is risk or excess alcohol

[JTUK]

I take 2 and they are J5 type basses.

One has a fuller Marcus M type J bass tone which is the one that gets the gig done if all else fails and the other is my preferred bass with a more vintage cooler tone.

I am happy to play both as per my whim and the sound of the room and everything else.

I always have strings in the bag but don't expect to break them at all. However I did use LB some super steps the other month
and that broke on the brdige after 2 days use..and at a gig.
I found out there and then that you need to be careful how you anchor them at the bridge and therefore no problem after that...so far.
It was on the one gig that I took the one bass on.. such a low key thing etc etc ... but it can happen through bad luck.

I think it depends on the show whether you have one or two basses, in the main.
I can bet if anyone has a prestigous gig, they'll be thinking 2 basses min.

[ShergoldSnickers]

Only one bass, ∴ Main bass ≡ backup bass.

[kevin_lindsay]

My main gigging bass right now is my stack knob '62 USA Jazz Bass, and the usual backup is my 1974 Fender Jazz bass (actually the actual very first bass guitar I ever played. I inherited it after the owner, my friend Jimmy Davidson, passed away in February 2010).

Unfortunately, I can't use it on my own gigs right now as my friend Paul Turner has it at his place.

So, my 'other' bass on gigs right now is a '62 reissue USA Fender P-Bass.

Saying that, I'm sure most of us would agree that we use only a single instrument for the vast majority of gigs. I've been playing bass for over 30 years and have never had any of my basses fault on me during a gig. I've had a few amp hiccups, but never bass ones.

Edited March 24, 2011 by kevin_lindsay

[farmer61]

Always take a backup of near enough everything.

So 2 t-birds for me. The knocked about one is my bass of choice!

[Dave Vader]

My 2 main basses get rotated depending on room/mood etc.. but always 2, unless it's so local I can walk and backline is provided. But a P-bass and a rickenfaker are nothing alike, so it really depends which sounds better when I'm tuning them up as to what I use. Mostly the ric sits on the side looking pretty. But without a backup I would panic. Probably all those years as a guitar player. And all them strings I have broke.

Feel free to paste this into the other thread

[BottomE]

I always take 2 basses. They are very different in some ways but both suit the music we play so its not an issue. That said i haven't had to use one - i swap purely cos i can and like my basses.

[JellyKnees]

I don't have a 'spare' bass as such. I do play a fretted and frettless with my band and take both to gigs, so if one did break, I could play the other and get away with it for 90% of our material. I've never had a bass 'break' in 30 odd years though. And I've only every broken one bass string, back in the days of relative poverty and cheapo strings.

I do always test all my gear before every gigs to make sure everything is working, including the batteries in the basses themselves. And I make sure I have spares of everything I might need, and some basic tools to fix things.

If I was playing large gigs and getting paid loads of money, it would be different and i'd probably look at getting a backup instrument, but doing small local unpaid gigs in an original band..nah. Too much hassle. Ditto for a spare head - there is always the pa, or our keyboard player's amp at a push.

[TRBboy]

I always take two basses, and all of my basses are different, but I like the way that all of them play and sound so it's fine. I guess they've all got fairly slim necks.

[thodrik]

Main bass is a Viger. Backup bass is a Squier Affinity J. I generally take both to gigs just in case something goes wrong. The Squier is simple, passive and not so valuable that I have to 'keep an eye on it' in the same way that I would need to for a more expensive bass. I also have a Sadowsky Metro, but I don't need the hassle of bringing two really expensive basses to a gig where I only really need one. The chances of something going wrong with my main bass is pretty low, but if it does, at least I have something that will probably work.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='ThomBassmonkey' post='1173899' date='Mar 23 2011, 02:16 PM']Or do you have a few basses that you like for their own merits and they don't really resemble each other?[/quote]
I have a pile of cheap to mid priced basses, currently 6 of them get gigged. They all have the same scale length, are 5 strings and have 17 -17.5mm spacing. They go in and out of being my favorites so I just grab 2 based on my mood and pop them into my double gig bag. I also carry 2 tuners and cables but no spare strings or batteries. Sometimes they are similar if I bring 2 jazzes, sometimes they're very different.