Do I really need a spare bass...

[discreet]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1418121073' post='2626960']
I pay my house insurance every year. It has not yet burned down but that doesn't mean I won't be paying my premiums next year.
[/quote]

Too right! I didn't pay my premiums last year, then burned the house down myself - just to teach myself a lesson.

[CamdenRob]

If I was driving to the gig I'd definitely take a spare, but I travel to the vast majority of my gigs on public transport so a backup is out of the question really as I already have a cab to carry, as well as my bass, cables etc. Always take spare strings though and have them closeby on stage.

Edited December 9, 2014 by CamdenRob

[yorks5stringer]

I also forgot to say that I always take a spare Bass because it gives me something to do (Tuning it) when all the others are bringing in and setting up the PA and Lights.

[casapete]

Did n't take a spare bass for years, but in my present band I do now. Playing theatres I always have my spare
Precision-a-like in the wings just in case. Everything else has a backup too - leads, mic, Sansamp, strings etc.
Just enjoy the piece of mind it brings really, knowing that am equipped for pretty much any eventuality however
unlikely it is to happen.

[JTUK]

I think experience teaches you if the gig is worth a spare or not...
I've broken a string once on a gig in ...er..eons, but I've had a bass go down
with the battery connect came loose and I had to repair that in the time I had
before the start.
I take a spare mostly and tune them both up and I might even decide my no 2
bass is on the gig if it sound-checked better. I use to swap them for tracks but
since they are set up the same, I'll choose which is the main gig bass and stick with it
through..mostly.
I travel with basses in a gig bag so it isn't a problem to carry a spare.

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1418130072' post='2627109']
I think experience teaches you if the gig is worth a spare or not...
[/quote]

This.

I rarely take a spare bass to a gig but I would if I thought it was one where the show needed to go on at all costs. Some gigs---mainly those that pay---need more failsafes than others. The majority of the time I'm happy knowing that I've got a well constructed instrument that I look after, batteries that have been changed before the gig (and spares too) alongside a couple of spare cables and some spare strings.

[blue]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1418121073' post='2626960']
I pay my house insurance every year. It has not yet burned down but that doesn't mean I won't be paying my premiums next year.
[/quote]

This is the best example for justifying the need for the spare bass and amp.

Blue

[discreet]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1418128178' post='2627073']
I always take a spare Bass because it gives me something to do (tuning it) when all the others are bringing in and setting up the PA and lights.
[/quote]

So it's a device for looking busy and getting out of your share of the hard work?





Nicely done!

[EssentialTension]

Does anyone take a spare music stand just in case?

[scoobystig]

2 bases, 2 different tunings for me

But either could be retuned to fulfil the role of the other

[Les]

Some of you guys must be doing some great gigs if you feel the need to take spares of things like amps.
If disaster eventually befalls me at the Dog and Duck, then it would be once in 30 odd years of gigging.

I'll run the gauntlet with those odds.

Les

[Number6]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1418154530' post='2627514']
Does anyone take a spare music stand just in case?
[/quote]

No but now you mention it i'm thinking about it.....

[blue]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1418156269' post='2627538']
Some of you guys must be doing some great gigs if you feel the need to take spares of things like amps.
If disaster eventually befalls me at the Dog and Duck, then it would be once in 30 odd years of gigging.

I'll run the gauntlet with those odds.

Les
[/quote]

Les, I have got about 45 years of never needing a spare, and I gig a lot. I still get the [i]heebie geebies[/i] just thinking about having a bass fail and be stranded.

Chances are I will never need a spare, but it's a chance I can't take. Our lead guitarist had a Strat fail during a sound check, I didn't even want to look over at her. Luckily our other guitarist had a spare.

Thing is Les, I always have 2 basses on stage, I have invested a decent amount of dough into these basses ( I purchased them to play, not collect) so I actually switch basses during a gig. I might play the my Les Paul on the first and second set and then switch to my Gibson Thunderbird for the 3rd set.

Blue

[size=4][color=#0000FF][font=Arial][color=#000000][b]Bass Guitars [/b][/color][/font][/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]Gibson Les Paul Gold Top Bass[/color][/font][/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]Gibson ES-335 Custom Shop Bass[/color][/font][/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]Gibson 1991 Thunderbird Bass[/color][/font][/color][/size] w/ebony fret board
[size=4][font=Arial]Fender 1951 Telecaster Bass Re-issue *MIJ (Dressing Room Bass)[/font][/size]
[size=4][font=Arial]Fender 1959 Telecaster Bass Re-Issue MIJ[/font] (Rehearsal Bass)[/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][color=#000000][font=Arial]G & L 1991 ASAT Bass (active pre-amp )[/font][/color][/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]German Made Hofner 502 Limited Edition Club Bass[/color][/font][/color][/size]

Edited December 9, 2014 by blue

[Les]

Fair enough Blue but the OP actually asked do I really NEED a spare bass.

In my opinion, and bolstered by your experience the answer is no.

Plus it's got to be a bad fail to not be able to fix it, even if there's a delay in the show while it's sorted.

And if the bass player doesn't know how guitars work chances are someone else in the band does.

I just don't think the reality of the situation warrants it, however it's got to be worth taking one if as you
say the heebie geebies cause you discomfort.

Les

[blue]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1418158293' post='2627571']
Fair enough Blue but the OP actually asked do I really NEED a spare bass.

In my opinion, and bolstered by your experience the answer is no.

Les
[/quote]

Got it, I'm a Yankee, we don't pay attention to much detail. I can agree with that. No, you don't really need a spare, we have about 95 years of gigging between us to prove it. I guess it comes down to how comfortable guys are with their gear.

Blue

Edited December 9, 2014 by blue

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1418156269' post='2627538']
Some of you guys must be doing some great gigs if you feel the need to take spares of things like amps.
If disaster eventually befalls me at the Dog and Duck, then it would be once in 30 odd years of gigging.

I'll run the gauntlet with those odds.

Les
[/quote]
I've stood looking at my blown Ashdown along with all the guests at a fancy wedding mate, it wasn't a nice experience nor was trying to rig up a temporary di box and re jig the fold back mid gig whilst they all stood around, class D head not much bigger than a vhs tape in my gig bag from then on thank you. I dont take it to the pub unless its a big pub as the pressure isnt on and the pa is much simpler than the big EV in the other band.

[blue]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1418159692' post='2627596']
I've stood looking at my blown Ashdown along with all the guests at a fancy wedding mate, it wasn't a nice experience nor was trying to rig up a temporary di box and re jig the fold back mid gig whilst they all stood around, class D head not much bigger than a vhs tape in my gig bag from then on thank you. I dont take it to the pub unless its a big pub as the pressure isnt on and the pa is much simpler than the big EV in the other band.
[/quote]

Hmmmmm, not fun. I don't think it would have been a groovy feeling even if you had been gigging a small pub.

I always have 2 GK 1001rb heads with me. I tried using GKs micro head , a MB-500, something like that. The thing was problematic (always clipping) so I traded for another 1001rb.

Blue

[size=4][color=#0000FF][font=Arial][color=#000000][b]Bass Guitars [/b][/color][/font][/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]Gibson Les Paul Gold Top Bass[/color][/font][/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]Gibson ES-335 Custom Shop Bass[/color][/font][/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]Gibson 1991 Thunderbird Bass[/color][/font][/color][/size] w/ebony fret board
[size=4][font=Arial]Fender 1951 Telecaster Bass Re-issue *MIJ (Dressing Room Bass)[/font][/size]
[size=4][font=Arial]Fender 1959 Telecaster Bass Re-Issue MIJ[/font] (Rehearsal Bass)[/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][color=#000000][font=Arial]G & L 1991 ASAT Bass (active pre-amp )[/font][/color][/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#0000ff][font=Arial][color=#000000]German Made Hofner 502 Limited Edition Club Bass ( #26 out of 48 made )[/color][/font][/color][/size]

Edited December 9, 2014 by blue

[Les]

Accept your point Pete and can imagine how awkward a blown amp could be, is it really insurmountable ?

I'd just chuck the bass through my monitor and struggle for the night. Anyway, taking a spare bass, as in the original post, isn't going to dig you out of a blown up amp.

[stingrayPete1977]

Down the pub I could easily rig something up with the gear we use, my behringer bdi21 would be fine, just move the di cable from the faulty head to the di box and I'd be away, with the function band its not so easy so I sit the genz 3.0 on top of my big Genz head, I have a bit of a complex setup but I could ditch that in an emergency so its just one speakon, a power lead, an xlr from the di, and the input from my bass.

[blue]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1418160717' post='2627612']
Accept your point Pete and can imagine how awkward a blown amp could be, is it really insurmountable ?

I'd just chuck the bass through my monitor and struggle for the night. Anyway, taking a spare bass, as in the original post, isn't going to dig you out of a blown up amp.
[/quote]

While I have that spare GK 1001rb, I still wonder if it would be worth it to ad either an MXR or Sans Amp DI to my pedal board?

Blue

Edited December 9, 2014 by blue

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1418160717' post='2627612']
Accept your point Pete and can imagine how awkward a blown amp could be, is it really insurmountable ?

I'd just chuck the bass through my monitor and struggle for the night. Anyway, taking a spare bass, as in the original post, isn't going to dig you out of a blown up amp.
[/quote]

When using a big pa on a big stage plus whatever your amp was chucking out foh it can take a bit of messing to get you in the monitor enough for yourself without annoying everyone else, on the other hand the band still needs to hear you too, I've been in the situation on another occasion (ashdown again, lol) and we had it sorted and sounding great on stage, best I had sounded and played for ages only to realise in the break that I wasn't coming out of the main pa as it was muted! Our resident heros will say that is a massive fail and why wasn't my personal bass tech on hand etc in reality under the pressure of the moment, the singer/guitarist being in charge of the pa not out front like a soundcheck, me day dreaming about how big my credit card bill will be once Mark at bass direct has taken payment for a new amp so I can get shut of the ashdown etc etc etc it was an easy mistake.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1418160999' post='2627618']


While I have that spare GK 1001rb, I still wonder if it would be worth it to ad either an MXR or Sans Amp DI to my pedal board?

Blue
[/quote]
This is my setup Blue to give me 3 separate eq settings for DB, active bass and passive bass via the behringer on top, bit of a contraption but I could put my lead into the di box and put the xlr from the amp to the xlr out of it and finish the gig with just a bit of extra volume in my monitor.

[URL=http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-11/20141113_215636_zpsmmhtlanx.jpg.html][IMG]http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af100/stingraypete/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-11/20141113_215636_zpsmmhtlanx.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Edited December 9, 2014 by stingrayPete1977

[blue]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1418161876' post='2627637']
This is my setup Blue to give me 3 separate eq settings for DB, active bass and passive bass via the behringer on top, bit of a contraption but I could put my lead into the di box and put the xlr from the amp to the xlr out of it and finish the gig with just a bit of extra volume in my monitor.

[url="http://s997.photobucket.com/user/stingraypete/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-11/20141113_215636_zpsmmhtlanx.jpg.html"][/url]
[/quote]

Nice rig! Your prepared.

Blue

[icastle]

I guess in fairness, it really depends on the type of gig.

If it's a Sunday lunchtime job where you're going to leave with £40 - £50 in your pocket, it's perhaps not a big deal.
Any mishaps will be forgotten about fairly quickly.

If it's a function where you're going to leave with £200 - £300 in your pocket then playing about with screwdrivers or soldering irons isn't really on - unless you're looking for early retirement.

As for disasters never happening, how many times have we had the 'would you lend someone your bass?' discussion here?

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1418162729' post='2627652']


Nice rig! Your prepared.

Blue
[/quote]
Ta mate, looking at it now I actually have three di outputs to choose from there as the Fishman plat pro for the double bass has a di too and actually sounds great with electric bass anyway.