Do you take a backup bass to gigs?

[Kiwi]

i generally play two basses at a gig, the worst thing I've had happen is battery failure but I spotted that during soundcheck. Second worst thing was a wireless transmitter battery failure because I was using rechargable 9v cells. Now I use procell 9v and the drop off is less sudden.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='255095' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:39 AM']All you folks who don't take a 2nd bass because it's a hassle... one day, you'll regret that decision.

I did.

Just sayin'.[/quote]
Not quite sure thats necessarily going to come true for all WOT, but I understand once bitten twice shy.
I have never taken a spare as such, but I have taken different instruments for different jobs/sounds, especially recording.

[bigd1]

I've been a giging musician for about 30 years. Never taken a back up bass, don't see the need . Although I always change the battery before a gig and give my bass a once over and check all is well.
I do carry a DI box plus a Leatherman tool, set of strings, extra lead & batteries.

BIGd1

[JohnSlade07]

I always take two for piece of mind and because I'm hopeless when it comes to anything practical like bass repairs. I don't think it would go down well at the average wedding if I spent twenty minutes cluelessly trying to fix my one bass whilst the dancefloor emptied.

[peted]

I generally only take a single bass to a gig. I have a big ex-army ammo box full of spare perishables (strings, leads, drum sticks, allen keys, Leatherman tool, ear plugs, strap, gaffa tape, plectrums (I don't use), tuner, batteries). In fact I got quite a reputation in my old band for always having a spare 'anything' in my kit somewhere.

I did take 2 basses along to the first few gigs I played with my Precision after it had the 2nd pickup and new pre-amp installed. That was just precautionary and has turned out to be entirely unnecessary.

I have made a guitar strap out of gaffa tape for a guitarist before. It turned out really well and I believe he still uses it for a backup

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='255101' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:48 AM']Not quite sure thats necessarily going to come true for all WOT, but I understand once bitten twice shy.
I have never taken a spare as such, but I have taken different instruments for different jobs/sounds, especially recording.[/quote]

I hope that's true!

The pup in one of my PBasses went once, in the middle of a gig. It just... died. A rewind job.

It could have been a disaster (it was a big gig), but I had a spare. Result!

[chrkelly]

Same here, just take my trusty p bass and if anything goes wrong, fix it on the gig. That's half the fun. I had my E string snap on my double bass once, had to play the entire second half on one string cause the tuning was so f****d. I do always carry spare strings and a spare bow to gigs though.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='255114' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:57 AM']I hope that's true!

The pup in one of my PBasses went once, in the middle of a gig. It just... died. A rewind job.

It could have been a disaster (it was a big gig), but I had a spare. Result![/quote]
OUCH!! except NOT
as you say, result!
I once got to a gig on the Isle of Wight, opened the back of the van, where my crappy upright lives and the neck was off, joint all caved in. You can't really carry a spare upright bass sensibly so frantic calls were made to music shops, we found a guy 1/4 mile away with an EUB, he very graciously lent it to me.
The Moral
You're never more than 1/4 mile away from a bass

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='chrkelly' post='255118' date='Aug 5 2008, 10:00 AM']Same here, just take my trusty p bass and if anything goes wrong, fix it on the gig. That's half the fun. I had my E string snap on my double bass once, had to play the entire second half on one string cause the tuning was so f****d. I do always carry spare strings and a spare bow to gigs though.[/quote]

I had an E string go on a borrowed upright in the Overture to a theatre show once, it was extremely good practice for octave transposition and on the spot making the parts up as you go along.

[peted]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='255122' date='Aug 5 2008, 10:02 AM']The Moral
You're never more than 1/4 mile away from a bass [/quote]
I've lent my bass to other bassists in need (as long as i've got current insurance!) and I've had two occasions where I've had to borrow a bass. I think the quote above is quite true.

[MB1]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='255095' date='Aug 5 2008, 09:39 AM']All you folks who don't take a 2nd bass because it's a hassle... one day, you'll regret that decision.

I did.

Just sayin'.[/quote]

MB1.
"I usually Take Two Pairs of Trousers!.....imagine my concern..... when i realised id brought a spare Cardigan?

[leonshelley01]

Having changed my setup (again), I now take two basses along to rehearsals and gigs, not just for reliability issues, but "tonal" reasons as well. My Jazz basses have very different sounds, so I change during the set dependant on the requirements of the song. I also agree a DI box is indispensible, as I have gone through headline act rigs just to find their amps are terrible sounding, and not having brought an amp, swiftly fall back on DI box into the PA.

[Machines]

So far i've only ever taken one.. but it isn't a big deal to take another gig bag really. It'll most likely be contrasting instruments to have different sounds available for different songs as well.

[Deep Thought]

I always carry a spare-I saw a bloke break a bottom E on a Gibson Thunderbird a few years ago. A seemingly-endless wait ensued whilst he replaced the string onstage, which didn't do a lot for the flow of the show. If I bust a string or something else goes t*ts-up I'd like to be able to grab another bass and carry on with the minimum of delay.

[Mike]

I pretty much echo the sentiments of the majority. I always take two basses, generally my four string Shuker jazz and a various 5 string (soon to be 5 string Shuker jazz!). It's for two reasons - some of the tunes my band play require a five string, but I generally prefer playing a four, so just use a five on those particular tracks. Also if anything went wrong, it's far easier to switch to the other bass and continue with a minimum of fuss. Plus, really, after amps/cabs/flightcases/bags etc, what's one more bass in the car?

Also, as all the gigs I do are paid, I think I have a duty to be professional and have all "bases" covered, so to speak.

Interesting stories on here, especially the two about broken E strings on doubles, what a nightmare!! I don't suppose many double players bring a spare to a gig!

Regards

Mike

[coasterbass]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='255122' date='Aug 5 2008, 10:02 AM']You're never more than 1/4 mile away from a bass [/quote]

Hmmm, well as a lefty I have to think more carefully about that statement !

Personally, I'm quite a cautious guy, and I bring spare stuff and tools for most of the rest of the band, let alone just for myself.

In terms of gigging issues, In 14 years I've broken one string (and skewered the centre core straight through my index finger!!) My worst experience was when the battery connection in my Stingray came off midgig. Volume cut massively and so the PA guy cranked up the channel. Battery randomly reconnected and I wiped out the first 5 rows of the audience!

Bringing a soldering iron is all well and good but you can't do this mid song, or even mid-set. You need a quick change in most gigging situations (IMO). However, I do carry spare strings, 9v, soldering iron, GAFFER TAPE!, spare powersupplies (9v/12v type things), 13amp and 5amp fuses, microphone clamps, speaker leads (as well as instrument leads), kettle leads, straps and.... an ipod with jack to rca lead so you can play cover music whilst you determine why you have no sound. Of course, there's always a coiled jacktojack sat ready next to my wireless.

All this fits happily into a small rucksack so its no bother and although your bandmates may laugh, they will never ever thank you enough when you rescue their b*lls from the chopper midgig! Its the bassist's role to be the prepared and sensible one....

[clauster]

I've mostly owned one bass at a time and nearly all of them have been passive. To be honest things are far more likely to go wrong with me than with the bass lol.

Edited August 5, 2008 by clauster

[jakenewmanbass]

In the event of a string going I would be able to adjust my parts on the hoof which is quite a valuable thing to be able to do. I would imagine most jazzers/pros could do the same as we see possibilities rather than set parts. I could play an entire gig on two strings at a push not ideal, but it makes me confident when I've got five of the buggers.

Edit:
by parts I mean what notes I play (read it back and it sounded ambiguous)

Edited August 5, 2008 by jakesbass

[OldGit]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='255122' date='Aug 5 2008, 10:02 AM']OUCH!! except NOT
as you say, result!
I once got to a gig on the Isle of Wight, opened the back of the van, where my crappy upright lives and the neck was off, joint all caved in. You can't really carry a spare upright bass sensibly so frantic calls were made to music shops, we found a guy 1/4 mile away with an EUB, he very graciously lent it to me.
The Moral
You're never more than 1/4 mile away from a bass [/quote]


The tail story in Bassplayer this month is about that - one wrecked Double replaced by a loaned one that then got wrecked too At least there's usually some kind of bass guitar around somewhere ..

[BigRedX]

I've always taken a spare bass to gigs ever since I broke a string at a one of my first gigs and had to borrow the support band's Grant Violin bass with action a mile high and strung with flatwounds (I played Joy Division style basslines) - not good at all. I've never needed it in a gig situation since that one time, but it's good to know that the spare is there and ready. IMO the time it takes to change a string mid-gig is too long from the audience PoV. In rehearsal, I've managed at one time or another to break every string including low B on a 5-string...

[Jase]

I only take one bass, I have a few spare leads, don't bother taking spare strings, unless there is an old set left in my case, a screwdriver or two just in case my straplocks decide to work loose, nothing else really....it'll all backfire one day and I'll need that back up bass

[Rich]

I bring the Shuke to play and the Status just in case, plus I take my tool/spares box -- I refer to it as my 'oh-sh1t box' -- containing (deep breath) screwdrivers, spanners, a million allenkeys, pliers, snips & scissors, nail-clippers, wire-strippers, strings, PP3s, fuses, gas-iron, solder, insulating & double-sided tapes, torch, cable, wire, pots, resistors, switches, heatshrink insulation, jack plugs & sockets, rapid araldite, superglue, multimeter, switch cleaner...

[noirpunk]

I never take a backup, I'm a heavy handed plectrum player and I've yet to break a string on my [b]own[/b] bass.
I did however snap the A string on the bass I borrowed out in Hungary, halfway through the set and carried on - luckily I managed to play the rest of the set in an improvised manner

[Stingray5]

[quote name='coasterbass' post='255192' date='Aug 5 2008, 10:51 AM']...although your bandmates may laugh, they will never ever thank you enough when you rescue their b*lls from the chopper midgig! [b]Its the bassist's role to be the prepared and sensible one....[/b] [/quote]
Sooo true, coasterbass! I have a well-stocked double-wheeled tool-box type thingy, sometimes referred to by a couple of bandmates as 'the shopping trolley'. It's got myself and others out of trouble a number of times with spare leads, fuses, strings, tools, etc. Don't leave home without it!

[Marcus]

Always take one..... never needed to use it !