What spares and backup do you take to a gig?

[Velarian]

 

[stef030]

I usually take spare

 

strings

batteries

mark bass head

guitar leads 

speakon cables

airwaves gum

inhaler

all is good

 

 

[DTB]

I don’t remember what I take to the gig  or anywhere else now coz I’m in love with Julia. 

[gjones]

1 hour ago, gjones said:

I bought my GK MB 800 secondhand and when I first tried it there was a audible distortion when playing. I took the case apart and made sure all components and plugs were properly seated on the main board. When I put it back together again the distortion was gone and it's never failed me live but since then I always take a spare head, just in case.

 

My gig bag is full of tools and batteries, spare strings etc.

 

When recording, or playing a very important gig, I'll take a spare bass. 

 

Oh....I also bring spare batteries and strings for the singer (who plays an electro acoustic guitar) and never brings her own (sigh..... )

[TimR]

A DI to cover the amp breaking. Just have to deal with less volume through the vocal PA. 

[Cat Burrito]

I take a spare cable in case my wireless dies and a spare battery for my tuner. Anything else is too heavy when offset against the chances of using it. Some cases have spare strings too but I haven't broken a string onstage since the mid 90s. 

[Lozz196]

As most of the gigs I do are 30 minute support slots all I take are a spare lead and a Sansamp. If headlining I’ll take a backup bass as well.

[Franticsmurf]

For me, I usually have spare leads (instrument, patch and mains), relevant batteries and strap buttons. A set of strings and a small passive DI box is in the bag with the bass. For the band, I usually have fuses and the inevitable gaffa tape. I'll sometimes take the TCE BAM200 head as a backup but the DI box enables me to go into the desk in the event of an amp or cab failure (the rig is usually 2 cabs anyway so there should always be one working). I would consider a spare bass for big/key gigs but if I'm honest, when I've taken two basses to a gig it's usually to spice up the stage a bit (the three piece band I was in didn't take up much room and could get lost even on medium sized stages).   

 

I've had an instrument lead go on me just before we went on, and the battery of my instrument radio transmitter died at the end of the first set once. I've never broken a string or had a bass fail for some reason that couldn't be fixed on the spot. As an occasional FOH sound engineer, I have fixed other people's instruments (loose jack socket, dead or buzzing instrument leads, loose strap buttons) which tends to influence my spares bag.

[rushbo]

For anything longer than a 30-40 minute set, I'll always take a "spare" bass - as we generally play two sets, I'll often use one bass in set one and the other in set two. I don't take a spare amp as I have DI outputs on my BDI 21 and my Zoom B3 in the event of my Genz Benz going pfft. I always carry spare instrument leads and power leads. One of my "old faithful" instrument cables started playing up at a soundcheck on Saturday night, but was swapped out before the gig. All the spare and "useful" stuff - extension leads, SM58 etc lives in a backpack which goes to almost every show I play. It's got me, or one of my bandmates out of trouble on many occasions. I'd hate to have to halt or delay a show because of something which could be easily put right with a bit of forward planning. 

[Elfrasho]

I avoid taking an amp at all cost which makes taking 1 extra of everything very easy.  Unless there's transportation difficulties then I don't see any benefits in not taking a spare bass. 

[Norris]

Having played pretty regularly for nearly 40 years now, I have a finely honed list of essential spares to carry, which has got me through hundreds of gigs...

 

Strings

Guitar lead

Battery (if active bass)

A tool kit with screwdrivers and a pair of pliers

 

I've never had a bass "break"

I've had an amp die maybe twice, that involved plugging into the PA

I've had a few strings break, but not in the last 10 years at least 

 

More likely something comes loose that needs nipping up with the pliers

[dclaassen]

I'm getting ready to head to Germany with another bunch of my students. I am playing bass with two of the vocal ensembles. One is a gospel number and the other is very Latin. I'm taking one bass (MPV-5), one amp (my Harkte kickback 12) 2 leads, truss rod tool, multi-tool, and the appropriate allen keys. Also take a couple of 9v batteries, extra AAA's for the tuner, a set of strings, and a folding stand. That should do it. I'm going to start cutting back on all the backups I haul along with me. 

[cheddatom]

15 minutes ago, dclaassen said:

I'm getting ready to head to Germany with another bunch of my students. I am playing bass with two of the vocal ensembles. One is a gospel number and the other is very Latin. I'm taking one bass (MPV-5), one amp (my Harkte kickback 12) 2 leads, truss rod tool, multi-tool, and the appropriate allen keys. Also take a couple of 9v batteries, extra AAA's for the tuner, a set of strings, and a folding stand. That should do it. I'm going to start cutting back on all the backups I haul along with me. 

 

Have you done the paperwork for the amp? Anyone's allowed to take an instrument for personal use but AFAIK you need a carnet for an amp

[lemmywinks]

I take a spare cheap bass which has a spare cable, Behringer BDI21, strings, power adapter, spare in-ears and batteries in its gigbag pocket. My tablet for my personal monitor control can run the full XAir software in case the main tablet goes down so we have a built in backup plan there.

 

Don't use amps so just take two bass gigbags (well one is guitar as it's for a headless!) which I can fit all my stuff in.

[dclaassen]

7 hours ago, cheddatom said:

 

Have you done the paperwork for the amp? Anyone's allowed to take an instrument for personal use but AFAIK you need a carnet for an amp

It hasn’t been an issue….probably because we’re on a coach full of American kids😁

[msb]

I usually bring two gig bags , each has a strap , tuner , and instrument cable. One also has a flashlight , short extension cord , spare speaker cable , DI xlr cable and extra tuner batteries. There’s a little bag with Allen wrenches , mini screwdrivers , nail clippers etc in there too. My amp bag has power cable , speaker cable and instrument cable , I’m also using a tube preamp and that bag has the power cable , and a spare, extra instrument cable , and connecting cable. Most gigs I often do with a single cab , but I have a 112 and 210 for outdoor gigs or larger rooms. I don’t usually bring a back up amp unless I’m driving out of town. I have several to choose from. Usually something tiny , either a little mini GK or an older SWR Class D. My main gigging gear is Bergantino cabs , driven by a Bergantino Forte head , I generally use a Monique tube pre and bypass the Berg tone stack. I like modern lightweight gear with serious slam. And tube tone. It works.
I try to keep my gig gear completely separate from my practice or rehearsal stuff so it’s always ready to grab and go. I do not have to pack for a gig.  So tuners , cables , basses , amps , cabs and whatever are completely separate for my practice rigs. I have one at home and another set up at the in-laws as I spend a lot of time there helping to look after my ageing mother-in-law. 
I have twenty something basses to choose from , but tend to bring a Dano Longhorn as my main gigging bass , and then something interesting. I’m mostly into short scales these days but sometimes will bring a 34. I try and use both on the gig. 
I have two funky little practice rigs. At the in-laws I’m usually driving a Darkglass e500 into a Phil Jones C2 cab. There’s also a little Hotone Thunderbass I use with headphones. I  generally keep around five basses there.
At home there’s a GK RB 200 into an Ampeg 210AV , sometimes I use an older SWR Headlite there , or even my old GB Streamliner. I have some nice choices. I’m a little nerdy about amps. My usual practice volume is not loud , but I want good tone. 
I’ve been regularly gigging since the late 70’s and have acquired the usual stuff over the years , it’s nice to be still using it. 

[12stringbassist]

I always take a spare bass.
Quite a few spare PA connecting cables, batteries.
I don't take backup amplification since I got rid of my Blackstar Unity garbage.

[DGBass]

Spare amp x 1 ( usually a Markbass LMIII - still not used it ) mainly because i've got a thing for using old well used amps these days and its peace of mind more than anything else.

Spare instrument lead x 1

Spare speakon to jack lead x 1

Spare power lead x 1

Clip on tuner just incase my polytune fails on the board.

Selection of used spare strings

Backup clothing  eg spare black t-shirt for sweaty gigs. Not needed spare underwear as yet but might consider it if I'm still gigging in the next few years😆. It's an age thing.

Towel x 1

Pain killers for the third set of a three hour gig!

 

More than anything its about packing only what I think I'll need these days and keep what I have to carry to a minimum. I used to take a full tookit including soldering iron, spare batteries, fuses, jacks etc but no one especially the band enjoys waiting for the bass player to change a fuse on a dark stage or troubleshoot leads and cables. A quick swap out is my plan these days. Troubleshooting can be done later after the gig.