How many basses do you take on stage?

[SumOne]

34 minutes ago, martin8708 said:

Just the one P bass , never had a bass fail me or break a string in 38 years .

Regular inspection /maintenance is definitely a plus .

Blown a few amps in gigs though .

Yeah, it's amps I worry more about than Basses. 

[jimmyb625]

I usually take 2, although I have done a few where I've only taken 1. 

Anything where we're in front of a sizeable crowd, I'll take 2 full-size, but for smaller gigs, I'll take my main one and a short-scale Harley Benton as backup.

I never play the spare one on stage though.

 

[Stub Mandrel]

Two. I would never forgive myself if I had an equipment failure and no spare (also take an Elf as a backup amp).

 

But I turn this into an opportunity and swap basses at the interval if there is one.

 

I also take different basses to gigs/rehearsals as the fun in having a collection is using them. Still a bit shy of using my fivers live. Instinctively they don't really suit blues but they can be fun.

 

Just a thought, yesterday I took a Jazz, but also took my Epiphone Embassy as the venue has horribly noisy lighting and a humbucker equipped bass would mean more tonal options (jazz has to stay both pups on full) but in the end were in the shelter in the beer garden which is electrically 'quiet'.

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by Stub Mandrel

[Stub Mandrel]

On 10/06/2023 at 10:06, SumOne said:

 

 

Risk vs hassle. Why not carry backup pants incase you 5h1t yourself? 

 

 

 

 

You can play a gig naked, but not without a bass.

[Stub Mandrel]

On 09/06/2023 at 14:44, EssexBuccaneer said:

I’ve just bought a cheap and cheerful Harley Benton five string which will take my total to three. One in E, one half-step down, and the five stringer for the really heavy stuff. 
 

I can’t be arsed with retuning between songs.

 

Once at a gig I decided to experiment with detuning and retuning during a song. To my amazement I got away with it. Victor Wooten would have been proud*.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Actually he would probably have been rofling or hiding his head in his hands...

[snorkie635]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Once at a gig I decided to experiment with detuning and retuning during a song. To my amazement I got away with it. Victor Wooten would have been proud*.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Actually he would probably have been rofling or hiding his head in his hands...

Have to say that I've played in. Blues band for around 30 years, and ever since they've been available, I have used a five string. Go on, you know you want to. 😁

Edited June 11, 2023 by snorkie635

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

. . . . Still a bit shy of using my fivers live. Instinctively they don't really suit blues . . .

 

 

Don't tell Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker or Etta James.

 

I've been playing all styles of music, including blues bands, with 5 string basses since the mid 90's. No one has made a negative comment yet.

[lownote]

I have had remarks and 'jaco only needed 4' on playing a 6 at a blues jam.  Usually unlined fretless draws a positive 'ooh' and an 'aah'. But yeah, four and fretted is absolutely the acceptable standard at our blues jam. Which isn't logical because 5 is so much more adaptable and fretless so much more expressive. But I guess logical doesn't always square with 'it's what we've always done.'

Edited June 11, 2023 by lownote

[casapete]

3 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Two. I would never forgive myself if I had an equipment failure and no spare (also take an Elf as a backup amp).

 

But I turn this into an opportunity and swap basses at the interval if there is one.

 

I also take different basses to gigs/rehearsals as the fun in having a collection is using them. Still a bit shy of using my fivers live. Instinctively they don't really suit blues but they can be fun.

 

Just a thought, yesterday I took a Jazz, but also took my Epiphone Embassy as the venue has horribly noisy lighting and a humbucker equipped bass would mean more tonal options (jazz has to stay both pups on full) but in the end were in the shelter in the beer garden which is electrically 'quiet'.

 

That’s why I have a standard passive Precision type bass as my spare. Maybe once a year we’ll do a gig in an old 

theatre somewhere and my active P-Lyte will pick up interference that annoys the sound guy.The old Precision is

always good in that respect, and it gives it an airing too.

[12stringbassist]

I NEVER ever go without a spare. Sh*t would happen if I hadn't got a spare. So it's usually 2, either active or passive. If I take the 12-string bass, that's an extra over 2 active basses.

 

[uk_lefty]

I usually take two basses but leave my backup in the car. I've got a spare set of strings in my cable bag and spare batteries (as well as a battery tester) in there too. I don't bother with a backup amp still as I have a DI pedal on my board which can be used if my amp fails. I play a brand new Ashdown ABM 600 though and I don't push it hard so chances of failure are remote. 

 

I don't have spare speaker cables, and I've had them mess up on me. I don't have a spare iPad stand so had it on the floor at my last gig which led to some jazz improv in a middle 8 or two!

[Woodinblack]

Take two basses onto the stage? No, I just play and go, with fenders new play and go range!

 

 

[Lozz196]

6 hours ago, 12stringbassist said:

I NEVER ever go without a spare. Sh*t would happen if I hadn't got a spare. So it's usually 2, either active or passive. If I take the 12-string bass, that's an extra over 2 active basses.

 

That`s a darn fine rig, bet it sounds immense

[Woodinblack]

17 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Once at a gig I decided to experiment with detuning and retuning during a song. To my amazement I got away with it. Victor Wooten would have been proud*.

 

Nothing, I have done it several times.

Not intentionally though!

[Paul S]

I have twice broken strings - once at a rehearsal, once at a sound check - and once had an input jack go shonky.  I always take 2 basses and have the spare on a stand nearby, tuned up and ready.  Even if we are just playing a short support slot.

 

When I used to use a backline I always took a spare amp.  I once blew up a valve in a Mesa Prodigy Four:88 amp on sound check so grabbed the back-up out of my boot.  Now that was expensive as it took half the pcb with it!  

[Rayman]

I’ve always found having a ‘selection’ of instruments on stands and clearly on show really irritating and unnecessary. A bit like displaying trophies….. “look what I’ve got” type of thing, especially as literally nobody cares.

 

Our guitarist has this kind of multi guitar carousel kind of thing? Clearly displaying all his lovely guitars, much to our amusement, especially as it’s nearly fallen over a couple of times.

[neepheid]

11 minutes ago, Rayman said:

I’ve always found having a ‘selection’ of instruments on stands and clearly on show really irritating and unnecessary. A bit like displaying trophies….. “look what I’ve got” type of thing, especially as literally nobody cares.

 

Our guitarist has this kind of multi guitar carousel kind of thing? Clearly displaying all his lovely guitars, much to our amusement, especially as it’s nearly fallen over a couple of times.

 

I think this is one of the reasons I didn't used to bother taking a backup for years.  "Who does this jumped up twit think he is?" etc.  Nowadays I do, but the backup is waiting in the wings, still in its bag/case.

[tegs07]

18 minutes ago, Rayman said:

I’ve always found having a ‘selection’ of instruments on stands and clearly on show really irritating and unnecessary. A bit like displaying trophies….. “look what I’ve got” type of thing, especially as literally nobody cares.

 

Our guitarist has this kind of multi guitar carousel kind of thing? Clearly displaying all his lovely guitars, much to our amusement, especially as it’s nearly fallen over a couple of times.

Depends if you have songs that require different tuning etc 

[uk_lefty]

19 minutes ago, Rayman said:

I’ve always found having a ‘selection’ of instruments on stands and clearly on show really irritating and unnecessary. A bit like displaying trophies….. “look what I’ve got” type of thing, especially as literally nobody cares.

 

Our guitarist has this kind of multi guitar carousel kind of thing? Clearly displaying all his lovely guitars, much to our amusement, especially as it’s nearly fallen over a couple of times.

Guitarist in my first band brough about eight or nine to a gig. One was in non standard tuning for a single song, except his main guitar which he used all gig all the rest were for show I think. Being not such a highbrow establishment some chap walked in during setup and exclaimed: "what's this a fookin guitar convention??!"

[Ed_S]

35 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

I think this is one of the reasons I didn't used to bother taking a backup for years.  "Who does this jumped up twit think he is?" etc.  Nowadays I do, but the backup is waiting in the wings, still in its bag/case.

 

Patrons being as they are, you still can't win - I was at a gig where a guitarist had a malfunction and quickly changed to a backup that was in its bag at the back of the stage. The whole process was very quick and unflustered, but a friend of a friend commented afterwards that "he should have just played one from the start that he knew would be alright - he clearly knew that one was going to stop working or why would he have had the other ready?!"

[chris_b]

I've seen other players break strings, lose sound during a set and not even get past sound check. That has never happened to me but it's part of my job to ensure I'm covered if it does.

 

Most of the guitarists I play with use 2 guitars, one even has backup pedals, and several drummers bring 2 snare drums. I'm getting paid. Someone, a promoter/landlord, is hiring the band so they can make money, therefore a professional approach includes backups.

Edited June 12, 2023 by chris_b

[StingRayBoy42]

One, but reading some of these horror stories, I might make it two.

[Tim2291]

I always take 2, never had a guitar actually fail on me, usually the peripherals that fail, strings, straps etc. Much much faster to grab the spare than faff around trying to change a strap or string! Touring made me superstitious, rarely my gear having an issue, but seeing other bands gear fail on them, I now always have backup options for most things.

The band I play in does a wide range of music so an active 5 string is my main option, I take a jazz bass as backup... I have another active 5... but its tuned with a high C, which I get carried way with much to the guitarists distaste.

[Geek99]

On 09/06/2023 at 09:27, Mickeyboro said:

Saw a fairly standard blues trio last night playing in an arts centre.

 

The bassist started with a Gibson EB0, went on to a Stingray and swopped back, playing a Spector for one song. That was only in the first half, we left as the volume- especially from him - was crazy loud.

 

How many basses do you take on stage?

Just the one

battered p bass does it all 

 

 

 

🍿

[Muzz]

Two, always, in a dual Mono gigbag. I've been doing it so long (40 years) that the minute I take only one, it'll break, if only because the Laws of Narrative Causality are just waiting for me to pink torpedo up...