How many of us go out single handed ??

[BigRedX]

In the end it all boils down to how you want to pace your set and how your audience views gaps in the set. IMO any energy that you have built up in an audience will be gone in 15-20 seconds if you haven't kicked into your next song.

If you are a covers band then you're being paid to entertain. Anything more than introducing the next song or a quick mention of when and where the band will be performing next is unnecessary dead space and not entertaining. It's your duty to keep the between song gaps down to a minimum. I very much doubt that it's possible to change a string in 30 seconds on a bass. 2-3 minutes (including stretching out and tuning) if you have everything to hand and probably more like 5 minutes on a darkened stage in a gig situation. That's against 10 seconds to swap your bass over.

If you play original songs and your set is mostly made up of fantastically brilliant songs then maybe I can forgive you for the occasional on-stage string change. However if you make a regular habit of it then you probably need to be better prepared. There's a band here in Nottingham that are fantastic live when they are playing the songs. However they spend a couple of minutes mucking about with tuning, fiddling with their effects pedals, trying to reposition the mic stand etc in between every song. It's boring and they loose all momentum. If they took the time to realise that these things are killing their performances they could be one of the best live bands ever. However at the moment they are just another average local act.

[Lozz196]

The above is probably the most common sense post on this, and the other related subject.

[Gust0o]

I take two bottles to the shower...

I have a spare even at rehearsals. Not because I'm worried about breaking the #1, but more because I want to play the second - I do swap quite a bit

It's useful for emergencies and catering for bizarre tunings, to which my guitarist was only recent addicted.

[alanbass1]

I take a back up bass to all gigs and I designed my gigging rig to have built in back ups to get me through should anything fail. People pay the band decent money and we have an obligation to give them a goiod show for that.

[mojobass]

I don't NEED to take a backup, but hey I've got them so i take them!!!! i always use my main baby ('wick fortress) and its NEVER failed, but i'm a bit of a show off so i like to use others too and i usually take 2 or 3 otherwise theyde never get played live and that'd be a shame!! theyre just too pretty to keave in the house!! haha

[Bilbo]

I have not broken a string since 1981. On that occasion, the tension in the remaing strings tipped the nut a fraction and the result was two strings were unusable and I effectively had a one string bass. So I completed the set with that (only one tune). My calculation is I have done well over two thousand gigs since then without a breakdown and, so, I fell that, in strick 'risk management' terms, there is nothing to worry about in taking one bass only. In the event of a breakdown, I either continue with three strings or we have an early break between sets. Its one gig in a lifetime of playing. Statistically, one of the band members is more likely to be taken ill and incapacitated.

I am more concerned with amp breakdowns because that is a real deal breaker. But I am not spending money on a back up amp or carrying one to every gig 'just in case' (PS I have never had an amp actually breakdown on a gig ever either, even before 1981).

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='OzMike' post='1174158' date='Mar 24 2011, 05:18 AM']I think you maybe comparing the wrong statistics. If you assume there's a 1% chance of breaking a string, then:
- with one bass your chance of having a string breakage cause a delay is 1%
- with two basses, the chance is 1% of 1%, i.e. 0.01%

In the former case, 1 out of every hundred gigs (on average) you'll have a problem, in the latter 1 out of every ten-thousand (on average).
....[/quote]
It doesn't work like that though. It is slightly counterintuitive.
If, for argument's sake we say there is 1% chance of a string breaking on stage then that chance event applies equally to every single bass in the whole world that plays that night. Like if you continually flip a coin, just because you get 10 heads in a row the odds don't go down that you will get another one, it stay 50-50 every flip.

If your explanation were true, then with all the thousands of basses that play that night around the world, the chances of a string popping are quite literally infinitely impossible - therefore taking a spare bass is utterly stupid.

[Doctor J]

It's all about covering what is practical. Does your drummer bring a spare kit or spare skins for every drum? What if he puts the bass drum pedal through the skin during the first song, are you covered? Do you bring a spare PA?

[Grand Wazoo]

No matter how many basses I have taken out on gigs, I never had a breakdown and I only swapped them to give each one a bit of a spotlight, or to use a fretless on certain tunes, other than that I could have done and have done the gig with just the one bass, never broke a string in my life. But what I take chances is on the amp, I can only manage one, and if that goes down, I'd have to continue the gig with my bass straight through the PA for which I always carry a D.I. pedal just in case.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1174245' date='Mar 24 2011, 09:09 AM']... I very much doubt that it's possible to change a string in 30 seconds on a bass. 2-3 minutes (including stretching out and tuning) if you have everything to hand and probably more like 5 minutes on a darkened stage in a gig situation. That's against 10 seconds to swap your bass over......[/quote]
Calling me a lair like?
I'm not talking snipping the ends off and fannying about - I'm taking about getting it on and tuned up and off you go. Maybe I'll have to make a yootoob to prove it.
Taking 5 minutes to put one string on in my book IS completely unprofessional.

[JTUK]

I take two J5's which sound pretty different and I'll decide at the gig which is my main bass that night. I have my preference but it isn't until I have sound-checked that I make my decision.

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1174302' date='Mar 24 2011, 09:52 AM']Calling me a lair like?
I'm not talking snipping the ends off and fannying about - I'm taking about getting it on and tuned up and off you go. Maybe I'll have to make a yootoob to prove it.
Taking 5 minutes to put one string on in my book IS completely unprofessional.[/quote]


Yeah i keep a full matched set of old strings in each bass case/gigbag i have, changing a string and tuning up for me would take a minute or two as the replacement string came off that exact bass. With a Warwick it would be quicker, could probably do that in a minute as that ball ends just slot into the anchor plate.

Still unprofessional though!

[xgsjx]

I've only ever used the one bass & never had a back up bass in the past 20 odd years & only ever broken strings in rehearsal (lucky there I suppose).
I'd like a back up bass, but unless I'm playing to venues where I'm getting paid for time then it's not needed as I would have time to change a string (the band could do one of the songs that I dont need to play on) & I have batteries & tools in my bag.

[TRBboy]

I always take a backup just in case of unforeseen occurrences or string breakage. Sure, it's fairly quick to change a string, but it's much quicker just to pick up another bass!


The main question I'm asking myself reading this thread is; If you own more than one bass anyway, why wouldn't you take a backup?

[Norris]

I always, always have spare strings and a toolkit.

I gave up on active basses, so don't even need to carry spare batteries. I don't think I've ever taken a spare bass, and decided it wasn't even worth taking a fretless for the one or two numbers i could use it on.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1174496' date='Mar 24 2011, 12:39 PM']...The main question I'm asking myself reading this thread is; If you own more than one bass anyway, why wouldn't you take a backup?[/quote]
It's a simple matter of necessity, convenience against the ability to cope with the situation differently.

Tuners go on the fritz too (arguable more frequently than you snap strings at gigs) yet I doubt anyone on here would look down their nose at you for not taking 2 tuners to a gig.

The concept of a backup bass is good and if it works for you then fine but the implication that you are not doing all you can by not taking a backup is IMO not so good.

Edited March 24, 2011 by Ou7shined

[bassbloke]

I have a plan B - it's called an impromptu 2 minute drum solo whilst I change strings.

I've broken 1 string in 14 years and that was during rehearsal.

In fact, if you really to impress your audience - learn your instrument well enough that if you do break a string you can soldier on until the end of the song by switching to a differetn string and position. Might not sound perfect but it breaks the flow less than a mid song instrument change - unless you have a roadie that can hand you a pre-tuned bass ready to go.

[Cat Burrito]

I regularly set up & service my basses so haven't taken a spare for years. If I had a roadie I would but normally we try and cut down on space travelling to gigs so everything is downsized. The last time something went wrong was about 1997 so I'm quietly confident that it's more hassle than it's worth.

[neepheid]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1174555' date='Mar 24 2011, 01:13 PM']The concept of a backup bass is good and if it works for you then fine but [b]the implication that you are not doing all you can by not taking a backup is IMO not so good.[/b][/quote]

I find it rather arrogant, quite "holier-than-thou" if I'm being brutally honest.

Yes, I have been sitting on my hands, but they worked free - sorry.

[Blademan_98]

I don't take a spare.

I make sure it works and take spare strings.

Nothing to do with how many I have just praticality of amount of equipment

[algmusic]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1174245' date='Mar 24 2011, 09:09 AM']In the end it all boils down to how you want to pace your set and how your audience views gaps in the set. IMO any energy that you have built up in an audience will be gone in 15-20 seconds if you haven't kicked into your next song.

If you are a covers band then you're being paid to entertain. Anything more than introducing the next song or a quick mention of when and where the band will be performing next is unnecessary dead space and not entertaining. It's your duty to keep the between song gaps down to a minimum. I very much doubt that it's possible to change a string in 30 seconds on a bass. 2-3 minutes (including stretching out and tuning) if you have everything to hand and probably more like 5 minutes on a darkened stage in a gig situation. That's against 10 seconds to swap your bass over.

If you play original songs and your set is mostly made up of fantastically brilliant songs then maybe I can forgive you for the occasional on-stage string change. However if you make a regular habit of it then you probably need to be better prepared. There's a band here in Nottingham that are fantastic live when they are playing the songs. However they spend a couple of minutes mucking about with tuning, fiddling with their effects pedals, trying to reposition the mic stand etc in between every song. It's boring and they loose all momentum. If they took the time to realise that these things are killing their performances they could be one of the best live bands ever. However at the moment they are just another average local act.[/quote]

I agree.. For me. If it's high profile gig or very well paid and especially miles away. It's not that much effort putting in an extra bass in the van/car. I did a function 6months ago where the keys player stand was a bit shakey. Instead of trying to sort it in the soundcheck he decided to use it.. fours songs into the first set all the three keyboards collapsed.. he decided we should stop and we didn't get back on for 15mins, which felt like two hours, when you're getting paid good money.. that's not funny and actually embarrassing. It s business.. If he had sorted it in the sound check it would have been better...

Otherwise just my fender J

[crez5150]

I don't bother any more since using Status headless models. I have spare strings to hand on stage and can change a single string and tune up in less than a minute. Though the last time I broke a string when playing live was back in the mid 90's on a Jaydee.

[MB1]

MB1.
+ Twelvety Mr Crez!
"Take Two bottles into the Shower?....Not me!... i prefer to wash and go!
....1 Headless Status and a spare set of Hotwires ensures a Silky Smooth Finish! Everytime! " (or your money back guaranteed!)

Edited March 24, 2011 by MB1

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1174555' date='Mar 24 2011, 01:13 PM']Tuners go on the fritz too (arguable more frequently than you snap strings at gigs) yet I doubt anyone on here would look down their nose at you for not taking 2 tuners to a gig.[/quote]

Yeah, but if my tuner dies I can always shout to someone else in the band to give me an E (only bought a tuner in the last 2 years, as people were sick of me making drug-related jokes at sound checks) and do the rest from there. Likewise if my amp fries I can plug in to the PA. However, if the instrument itself suffers a catastrophic failure all you can do is shrug and look sheepish, or maybe hum....

I can and do regularly finish the song with however many strings I have left, and then switch to the back up between songs, restring the casualty in the break and carry on stress free.
Although that is when I'm playing guitar mind you...

Broke a bass string once.

[Ghost_Bass]

I never took a backup to a gig exept when i was playing some songs and had to take my accoustic along - don't know if it counts. Allways took spare strings, batteries, tools, soldering equippment, contact cleaner spray... and never needed to use it with myself. Had to use it a lot of times with the guitarrist and once or twice with the drummer (i never heard of a drummer taking two kits to a gig, just in case...).

I have a lot of care with my gear and with each string change (every two or three months) i give my bass a good clean and a checkup.

Never broke a string in 12 years gigging, i'm very lighthanded.