How many basses do you take on stage?

[snorkie635]

4 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Just the one

battered p bass does it all 

 

 

 

🍿

Does that come with chips and mushy peas? Yum-yum! 😋

[diskwave]

Did each individual bass improve ur enjoyment of each individual tune?

[Stub Mandrel]

33 minutes ago, greavesbass said:

Did each individual bass improve ur enjoyment of each individual tune?

 

Playing the same tune on different basses certainly adds to my pleasure.

[mcnach]

On 09/06/2023 at 11:36, Supernaut said:

One. I've never broken a bass string in 20 years of playing. 

 

You just jinxed it, I'd be very nervous on teh next gig

[Geek99]

3 hours ago, snorkie635 said:

Does that come with chips and mushy peas? Yum-yum! 😋

Only if I’ve been relicing it. 
 

boom-tsh!

[EMG456]

I'm a child of the prog rock era so I've always taken multiple instruments since the 70s. Back then it would be a Rick, a Precision and a Precision fretless... oh and bass pedals of course.

 

These days it's whatever tonal colours I need to feed the music's requirements- usually a fretted, a fretless and a Chapman Stick.

If we're stuck for space, the fretless will probably not come along.

[snorkie635]

4 minutes ago, EMG456 said:

I'm a child of the prog rock era so I've always taken multiple instruments since the 70s. Back then it would be a Rick, a Precision and a Precision fretless... oh and bass pedals of course.

 

These days it's whatever tonal colours I need to feed the music's requirements- usually a fretted, a fretless and a Chapman Stick.

If we're stuck for space, the fretless will probably not come along.

 

"Boo! Hiss! Equality for fretless basses. What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Yesterday!"

[BlueMoon]

I normally take two basses with me. One is always passive. For smaller stages I pack a headless instrument if required.

[Supernaut]

On 10/06/2023 at 00:59, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Well, I wish you the best of luck continuing your record, but for those of us that have had something go wrong (and it's not just strings), I can assure you that once it does, you'd be a fool not to rethink the back-up plan.

Of course, the degree of foolhardiness is dependant on the level of gig. I'd look pretty f***ing stupid as the bass player at an 80's theatre gig (as I often am) where there is no support (therefore no other bass players/equipment) and my bass went down for some reason. The only option, without a back-up, would be to stop the show and attempt to rectify it. If I can't, the show is over.

A yardstick is, would @cetera turn up to a Leather & Lace show without a back-up. No, I don't think he would.

If you're happy attending the occasional jam night or some other gig where there are several other basses, yes, you can mitigate against that risk, but it's not really in the spirit of the bassist role IMHO.

You OK hun??

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

4 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

You OK hun??

Yes, I’m fine thanks for asking.

I just cannot understand why, if you people have more than one bass, why they wouldn’t take it.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

These days I tend to I take two of my lovely mustangs to gigs. I have a choice of five. Last time it was The Daphne Blue JMJ as the main bass with the Capri Orange Classic Vibe as backup. On Saturday the Black JMJ will get an outing, and I'll probably bring the Orange Squier again as the spare, possibly getting it out for the soundcheck.

 

The most basses I've taken to a gig was three when a previous band played a gig at London Zoo - Then I had an Active Jazz, a passive thunderbird and an electric upright. All three were played and the two guitarists brought (and played) seven guitars between them.

[Supernaut]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Yes, I’m fine thanks for asking.

I just cannot understand why, if you people have more than one bass, why they wouldn’t take it.

Because they don't break their strings. 

[martthebass]

4 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

Because they don't break their strings. 

I haven’t broken a string ever. Doesn’t mean I can’t or won’t though.

 

[gafbass02]

One to play and to play if the one I'm playing breaks. If there's room, spare's on a stand ready to go, if not, it's in a bag close by also ready to go. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by gafbass02

[Paul S]

1 hour ago, martthebass said:

I haven’t broken a string ever. Doesn’t mean I can’t or won’t though.

 

I'd never broken a string ever, right up to the point when I did. 😁

[Richard R]

Interesting reading this thread. I only play in church, if the bass failed it wouldn't be a huge deal except to me so one bass is fine.

In a parallel universe where I was paid to gig then I would have to buy a spare bass and take it along, for all the reasons everyone else says.  Low chance of failure, but very high impact, and easy to remediate the risk.

[mcnach]

It depends.

 

For me it's a question of how bad the risk is, or rather what are the consequences in case of failure?

 

Wedding gig? Yup, there's a backup (not onstage, 'though).

Top tier gig? Yup, there and ready to be used.

Generic pub gig? Nah. It doesn't take me that long to change strings etc. Too much hassle.

 

The only times I've had two on stage is when I needed a fretted and a fretless. I don't tend to make a display of them 'though. But nothing wrong with putting guitars on display if that's what you want. Hey, I find guitars pretty and I'd rather look at them than at that drunk guy that for some reason feels I'm his new best friend and can't talk without spitting. 

[snorkie635]

9 hours ago, mcnach said:

It depends.

 

For me it's a question of how bad the risk is, or rather what are the consequences in case of failure?

 

Wedding gig? Yup, there's a backup (not onstage, 'though).

Top tier gig? Yup, there and ready to be used.

Generic pub gig? Nah. It doesn't take me that long to change strings etc. Too much hassle.

 

The only times I've had two on stage is when I needed a fretted and a fretless. I don't tend to make a display of them 'though. But nothing wrong with putting guitars on display if that's what you want. Hey, I find guitars pretty and I'd rather look at them than at that drunk guy that for some reason feels I'm his new best friend and can't talk without spitting. 

Sorry for the spitting - it was my new teeth. 😁

[neepheid]

15 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Yes, I’m fine thanks for asking.

I just cannot understand why, if you people have more than one bass, why they wouldn’t take it.

 

Do you have to understand?  I hope it doesn't keep you up at night.

[Rodders]

Two, fretted and fretless or two fretted, one standard, one tuned down.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

Do you have to understand?  I hope it doesn't keep you up at night.

Not at all. It just makes no sense.

There is an inherent risk in having only one bass with you at gig. We could debate the level of that risk at length, but I think most would agree there is an element of risk.

That risk can be mitigated against with the type of gig. You could probably get away with a quick string change in pub, but that may not extend to getting the test meter out and then the soldering iron etc etc.

You could also argue that if it's a multi-band event, if your bass goes down, there will be others there that could dig you out of a hole. Although judging by the 'would you lend your gear' threads that pop up here from time to time, I wouldn't bank on it.

To me, the 'I've never broken a string' argument always seems similar to 'I've never had a puncture' whilst driving a car. We all know it can happen, and it rarely does (although I've had two this year already - both potholes - £350 each time), but you would be a bit silly heading out without a spare (although I don't carry one as they're all run-flats, hence the £350 a pop).

Going back to my original post. You're playing a theatre gig where several hundred people have paid £20+ quid for a ticket and there are no other bands on the bill. For whatever reason, your one and only bass goes non-functional mid-gig. What do you do? The feeling of dread that it may ever happen is (almost) completely removed by having other(s) to hand.

I haven't read all the posts here, but it seems to me that those who have had the unthinkable happen tend not to want to have that experience repeated and those that haven't seem happy to let it happen.

I sincerely hope those who have never had it happen don't experience it, because when it does, it can be horrible.

[neepheid]

I used to be in the "bass and go" camp (80s shampoo ad reference, you bloody millenials/zoomers). My change in stance says more about faith in my own ability to modify/maintain my basses than anything else.  I recently did a rewire job and I ballsed it up completely to the point where I couldn't face debugging it and handed it off to get done.  That shook me up and made me question the stability of all the other basses I've either modded (Freeway switch in the Reverend Triad) or copper shielded (you're welcome, G&L, you lazy gits!).  Since then, I've taken two to the gig.

[Stub Mandrel]

If You are in a prog band and play a triple-neck bass, does that mean you don't need a back up or are you three times as likely to have a failure and need three backups?

[tauzero]

I take a spare. I wouldn't try and influence anybody else to take a spare, nor would I expect anyone else to try to persuade me not to. The default spare is a Hohner B2AV, which is physically small and doesn't need a stand, although it's not invariably the one.

[ezbass]

Pre Covid, I always took 2 basses, one fretted, one fretless, if either crapped out I could still finish the gig with the other. Now I’m in a band where I don’t need the bumpless beast, I’m still inclined to take a spare, it takes up little room in the car and the worst that will happen* is that I don’t use it.

 

 

*I realise that the worst that could happen is that both basses fail and the amp emits a wail that opens up a portal, which releases demons into the venue, who then eat me**

 

** Hmm, maybe I should seek help