Gigging without a spare bass

[rushbo]

I have the luxury of a spare bass, so it comes with me to every gig. I've broken about five strings at shows since I started gigging in 1986, so some people might think that carting another instrument about is a waste of effort. I would disagree. It takes seconds to swap basses - certainly less time than it takes to change a string. I have also had the strap button come away from the body of my bass at a gig, so the spare was pressed into service on that occasion, too.

I gig a lot (for a weekend warrior anyway), so, in my opinion, it makes sense to have back-ups for as many things as possible - I have a Behringer BDI 21 in my gig box along with spare leads, mics blah blah blah. Fortunately, that's the only bit of spare kit I've never had to use. I keep my basses well maintained, but there are circumstances you cant foresee, so I bring back-ups.

For me, it's insurance - the mild inconvenience of having one extra thing to bring to a gig is out-weighed by the piece of mind. And, if I'm doing a two set gig and I'm feeling saucy, I might give the back up a run out too....

[TransistorBassMan]

I usually take a spare bass and have it on a stand by my amp. It's quicker to change a bass than a string or a battery. I've never used public transport to get to a gig, so it just goes in the car/van along with everything else.

When I play keys, I usually have two in my set up, so I'll be able to cover if one packs up.... although that's never happened...yet!

Edited August 19, 2016 by TransistorBassMan

[tauzero]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1471611064' post='3114442']
Don't forget a spare drummer too, for when the regular one hurts his back carrying his kit in. It happened a couple of years ago.
[/quote]

A former band needed to borrow a guitarist from the other band we were playing with as ours had finally gone round the twist that afternoon and jumped in the canal.

[Woodinblack]

I am sure I can fix whatever is wrong with the bass in the time the average guitarist takes faffing around with their pedalboard trying to find which lead is buzzing or which effect isn't powered

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1471619305' post='3114548']
A former band needed to borrow a guitarist from the other band we were playing with as ours had finally gone round the twist that afternoon and jumped in the canal.
[/quote]

A previous band of mine, once had to borrow a vocalist, as halfway through the set, the mother of ours took him to be committed to a mental health institution.
We got the young chap who had been performing some of the hip hop previously, to freestyle over our (original) tunes. Surprisingly it worked quite well.

[blue]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1471592667' post='3114182']


Indeed! Takes me quite a bit longer. It would take me longet than 3 mins to find the spare string! Compare and contrast- to unplug the non-functioning bass, take it off, put it down, put on the spare sat on the stage next to me, plug it in - takes around 1 minute.

But then I am the sort of chap who has the 'platinum' household insurance policy, I get to airports 3 hrs before my flight is due to take off, I always allow extra driving time whenever I go anywhere etc etc.
[/quote]

With my dexterity and anxiety it would take me around 20 minutes. I haven't changed a string in 30 years. I take my basses to my guy who checks the intonation and puts on new strings.

Blue

[Spike Vincent]

Depends on the profile of the gig, I like a belt and braces approach but being left handed I can't usually scrounge another bass at short notice so I have a spare. Plus it looks cool on stage.

[pintspiller]

Funny how as a guitarist, I always liked to have a spare guitar/amp/tuner/etc. But as someone who has played more gigs on bass I don't bring a spare (my other bass is a short-scale), but I have broken a few strings (one during sound-check and another during the gig).

[Steve Woodcock]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1471522738' post='3113640']
It seems odd that people who aren't professionsal are taking backup basses and other kit, whilst no pros that I know do, other than guitarists who use different guitars on different songs.
[/quote]

+1. Our support acts always have [i]way[/i] more gear than us!

In addition to playing, I have also toured a number of times as a backline/guitar tech and there was never the luxury of travelling with anything more than a spare guitar shared between two, and an old multi fx floor unit. This wasn't just because of the logistics of everyone flying in from different parts of the world, but also because many working musicians simply [i]can't afford[/i] two of everything.

[PaulWarning]

after this thread I actually took my spare bass into the venue tonight, got it out to tune it, jaws dropped to the floor, (it was about a tone flat) it's the first time the rest of the band had seen it

[luckydog]

I just carry spare strings: would only take a few minutes to change, and it's so rare to need to. Passive bass, little to go wrong I figure and never has.

Rarely are we the only band on the bill, and I like to think there would be no hastle borrowing one in the unlikely event of total wipeout. I lent a bass recently to help out when another band broke a string: swapped guitars, restrung his, tuned and returned it in the space of one song. Like to think that might happen if I was in similar need, it's just what you do.

Spare strap, leads, picks, tuner - these seem far more likely to go walkies than pack up, and easy to carry spares. Amp faults: rare enough not to worry about, but would DI. I don't use pedals. Doesn't cross my mind that it's not gonna work !

LD

Edited August 20, 2016 by luckydog

[FinnDave]

Had my amp fail during the first song at a gig in Swindon a couple of months ago. Took 2 or 3 mins to dig out my DI box and hook it up to the (house) PA. It was less of a disruption to the gig than having the police in during the first set to remove a punter who knocked himself unconscious trying to get on stage with us!

My spare bass remained unused at the the side of the stage.

[steve-bbb]

will only take an active alone if i have a spare battery - otherwise if is just the single bass then for practicality has to be one of the one that has passive/active switch in case of battery failure but some gigs will take the fretless along too as about half a dozen songs in our set suit the fretless very nicely

[Guest]

Gigging on and off for many years I've never needed spare equipment. I know that's tempting fate...

I do have a spare 250W head that I take to far flung gigs, such as weddings in a field or the like. Otherwise it's a DI box into our PA if the amp goes bang. As far as guitars, I never take a spare, and never had a failure. Only ever broke a string once, due to cr***y sharp bridge saddles on a Rickenbacker.

Always carry spare leads, batteries, picks, patch cables, strings (usually my last dead set goes in the bag as spares, rather than unwrapping a new set, cos I'm a cheapskate )

[peteb]

the biggest gig I have played recently was a big bike rally last year. No linecheck or anything (headline band turned up late then took for ever to soundcheck so we didn’t get one) just straight on playing to 2,000 bikers. I hit the first note and nothing. Turns out I had damaged a connection when changing a battery earlier, a mate of mine fixed it in 10 minutes once we had worked out exactly what it was. I pulled my spare bass out of my gigbag and carried on as if nothing had happened. The drummer did not even realise there had been an issue until he saw a video of the gig and asked why I used a different bass!

Only happened a few times in over 35 years of gigging, but for some reason it always seems to be at the bigger gigs! I know some pros only carry one bass and sometimes I do when there are space issues (always use a passive then) but I always take a spare whenever possible.

[TrevorR]

Ever since I've had more than one bass I've taken two to a gig - meaning I have a backup just in case. However simple or complicated a mechanical (or electronic) system is it can suffer failure - as a (rather over-egging the pudding) example, the two space shuttle disasters were caused by failures in pretty much the two most low-tech elements in the entire space craft - an O-ring seal failing and a chunk of insulating foam falling off the fuel tank.

OK, fair enough, I've been playing since 1982 and I've only had 3 serious in-gig failures - a capacitor on a bass dying mid gig due to playing in misty/drizzly weather the day before, one broken string and one amp failure after it was dropped off a trolley while being transported up to the room with the stage. Still, on the first two I was able to swap immediately to an alternative bass with minimum fuss and on the second the gig it was close enough to nip home and I could fetch a practice amp and feed the DI out through the PA for reinforcement (otherwise I would have just DI'd and made do). I don't see the point of bringing a spare bass and leaving it in the car - my view is you want to be able to sort it out by the end of the next verse, not by the start of the next set. Not taken a spare amp or cab but DI into the PA is the backup for that. And for me it's the same approach whether playing at the Bath Assembly Rooms, a big festival, a wedding venue, Jagz in Ascot, in a marquee in someone's back garden or at the local Dog and Partridge. I approach all those gigs with the same level of priority and commitment, irrespective of venue.

However, as the owner now of some lovely basses each with their own character it's also given me some nice in-gig tonal options to play with and I tend to swap between the two basses across each set. I've played some really cramped stages and dives in my time too but never not been able to find room to safely position two basses on their stands. Win-Win... insurance policy and bass geek indulgence. They just both got put in the back of the car so no biggie.

Of course, I could have quite happily played any gig exclusively on any of my basses. However, having two there did give fun options. For example, although my Custom Series Wal is my "lead" bass there are just some tracks which really work well on my Pro Series Wal. Stuff with a more 70s rock or old school vibe for instance - Town Called Malice, Hangbags and Gladrags, Maggie May, Brown Eyed Girl (yes!), Get It On all spring to mind. They sound and feel just fine on the Custom but for me they sound and feel just great on the Pro.

Similarly, the Custom is really versatile and can produce a huge range of sounds but there are some where it just sings. Some examples are Mustang Sally (yes!), Lady Marmalade, Babylon, It Must Be Love, Roxanne, Walking on the Mood, Dreadlock Holiday, What's Going On, Long Train Running...

So for me it's a case of taking an insurance policy and making something enjoyable for myself out of it too. Indulgence? Yes. Not [i]strictly[/i] necessary? Probably. Will the punters be able to tell the difference... blah blah blah...? That debate will run and run in here long beyond any of our lifetimes but [i][b]I[/b][/i] can tell the difference and [i][b]I[/b][/i] enjoy it so that's more than enough justification for me. And if that makes me happy playing I'm convinced that will help me play better which means the band will sound better and [i][b]THAT[/b][/i] the punters will pick up on.

[blue]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1471686617' post='3115006']
Had my amp fail during the first song at a gig in Swindon a couple of months ago. Took 2 or 3 mins to dig out my DI box and hook it up to the (house) PA. It was less of a disruption to the gig than having the police in during the first set to remove a punter who knocked himself unconscious trying to get on stage with us!

My spare bass remained unused at the the side of the stage.
[/quote]

Dave, I had my amp fail at a smoking hot gig Friday night and I also did the DI thing right into the PA. Not a great sound and I had to give up my pedals, but not disruptive to the gig.

Lucky me that our sound tech as able to pull out my amp and switch over to the PA rather quickly.

The point here, don't think it won't happen to you. Especially those of us that are out gigging consistently.

Blue

[FinnDave]

We've got 5 gigs over the next couple of weeks, I think I'll have the DI box sitting on the amp, plugged to PA ready to switch over if it happens again, having it buried in my gig bag at the side of the stage wasn't a big help!

[luckydog]

Yup, of all things amps seem to go down, even though not often. DI seems good to cover the day it does eventually happen.

By complete accident and just because of the sound, we are a near 100% valve based band: we rely on several dozen valves and genuine vintage circuits to do their thing. It's not the reliability nightmare it could be, and so far so good. Includes genuine 60s valve Hammond organ and Leslie cab (which has valves!). For the fateful day, we think we know how to cope with any single piece of equipment failure, but it hasn't happened yet. Ironically, only the Nord we use for piano sounds (through the Leslie) has picked up damage along the way; we would use that for Hammond sound, in the event.

So the least of our worries is the passive bass packing up. Kiss of death me saying that, probably !

LD

Edited August 22, 2016 by luckydog

[HengistPod]

My Boss CS-3 compressor pedal failed on Saturday. Not sure what happened, but it stopped working after I changed the battery. I just had to play on without it ... took me a good few songs to get a sound that I could use!

On taking it apart on Sunday, it became apparent that the little plastic switch-box that the pedal itself activates had come apart at the bottom, thus preventing the switch from doing anything. Superglue appears to have fixed that. Still not sure exactly how it happened. The pedal is around 20 years old, mind.

So, following my unpleasant experience of suddenly having an unworkable sound, I will be looking out for a spare CS-3!

Of course, despite me thinking I was making a total arse of myself, sounded horrible and was spoiling the gig ... nobody else noticed a thing.

[luckydog]

Yup, pedals are prone. I don't use pedals, but not for reliability's sake. In fact we have no pedals or effects in the band which is probably unusual - except for one tuner we all use. If that goes down (as it has) it's not end of the world, but not too clever either - we are so reliant on them these days. So I carry a spare clip tuner.

LD

[Marc S]

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1471618856' post='3114539']
I have the luxury of a spare bass, so it comes with me to every gig. I've broken about five strings at shows since I started gigging in 1986, so some people might think that carting another instrument about is a waste of effort. I would disagree. It takes seconds to swap basses - certainly less time than it takes to change a string. I have also had the strap button come away from the body of my bass at a gig, so the spare was pressed into service on that occasion, too.

I gig a lot (for a weekend warrior anyway), so, in my opinion, it makes sense to have back-ups for as many things as possible - I have a Behringer BDI 21 in my gig box along with spare leads, mics blah blah blah. Fortunately, that's the only bit of spare kit I've never had to use. I keep my basses well maintained, but there are circumstances you cant foresee, so I bring back-ups.

For me, it's insurance - the mild inconvenience of having one extra thing to bring to a gig is out-weighed by the piece of mind. And, if I'm doing a two set gig and I'm feeling saucy, I might give the back up a run out too....
[/quote]

Absolutely. If you can afford a spare (even if it's a cheapie) and if you can transport it to a gig then take a spare. I have a Hofner violin bass which is lightweight and small enough to fit in even the fullest of car boots. I rarely use it, but it was cheap and I only ever take it as a spare, and plug it in once in a while, to check it's still fine.

I know some of you have asked "who breaks bass strings?" But I'd ask "Who's never broken a bass string?" It may be a rare occasion, but I've broken a few. Also, I have known pals who've had a pickup die on them mid-gig, and another pal who had an electrical fault (turned out to be a dry solder joint) which didn't show up till the bass was a few years old, and had been gigged many times. He didn't have a spare!. You really should never ever need the spare, but as rushbo says, it's an insurance policy. Yes if your amp blows, go through the PA, but for a paid gig, I wouldn't turn up without a spare bass - that's my insurance

My wife informs me she's never had a puncture in a car tyre, in 30 years of driving - does that mean she should drive without a spare tyre? I think not..

Edited August 23, 2016 by Marc S

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1471956715' post='3117227']
My wife informs me she's never had a puncture in a car tyre, in 30 years of driving - does that mean she should drive without a spare tyre? I think not..
[/quote]

I think that a lot of modern cars no longer have a spare tyre.
But anyway, why a spare tyre? I have blown more engines (or related things that make the car go forward) than I have tyres, and I have never blown a tyre away from home - except once on a bike, which A) didn't have a spare and put me in hospital so wouldn't have really helped.

So yes, a spare engine would have been a lot more useful in life.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Woodinblack

[Marc S]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1471969713' post='3117350']
I think that a lot of modern cars no longer have a spare tyre.
But anyway, why a spare tyre? I have blown more engines (or related things that make the car go forward) than I have tyres, and I have never blown a tyre away from home - except once on a bike, which A) didn't have a spare and put me in hospital so wouldn't have really helped.

So yes, a spare engine would have been a lot more useful in life.
[/quote]

Yes, some of the smaller modern cars don't carry a spare tyre / wheel
Such as my colleagues Smart Car - the sport version. However, when her tyre was punctured on a Sunday night, down a very dark country road in the Gower Peninsular, miles away from a street lamp or a lay-by, let alone a garage - she certainly wished the designers had factored a spare in, when developing that car.

It is true that many people never get a puncture, but I've had a few, and wouldn't buy a car which didn't have a spare.
Are you seriously blowing engines up on a regular basis?

[Nicko]

[quote name='Woodinblack' timestamp='1471969713' post='3117350']
I think that a lot of modern cars no longer have a spare tyre.
But anyway, why a spare tyre? I have blown more engines (or related things that make the car go forward) than I have tyres, and I have never blown a tyre away from home - except once on a bike, which A) didn't have a spare and put me in hospital so wouldn't have really helped.

So yes, a spare engine would have been a lot more useful in life.
[/quote]

Because tyres are a consumable component, like strings or batteries in an active bass, and eventually will fail. In failure theory there is something referred to as Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF), and this is subdivided into failure categories. If you looked at tyres you would have a high, and predicatble wear rate failure, and a small but unpredictable puncture MTBF. Since the puncture failure is considered a "catastrophic failure" provision is made for carrying means t repair - even cars without spares have roadside repair facility.

Engine falures are relatively uncommon on modern cars, and catastrophic failures are even rarer. Its also impractical to carry a spare engine or spares components for all the engine components ttat could fail. For this failure case the normal solution is the AA/RAC/Greenflag.