Back up bass, yes or no?

[Buddster]

We did an outdoor street gig a few years ago, set up under a gazebo, on the driveway /pavement.  Fairly tight for space. 

Guitarest had his Les Paul on it's stand behind where he'll be playing. Normal stuff, although not really out of harms way. But as we were still setting up, people were moving around, plugging things in etc. 

As the drummer is getting in behind his kit, he knocks over the Les Paul which falls onto the pavement at such an angle that the headstock breaks off at that weak joint particular to Les Pauls. 

 

We're all good friends, so no fights break out, but the drummer is understandably mortified and there's an odd vibe in the air 

Thankfully he had his Strat with him, so the gig went ahead, but he had a terrible gig as the 2 guitars are so different. 

 

So yes, I take a spare bass to gigs, even if it's left in the car. 

And the bass stays in the gig bag untill we start sound checking. 

[Lozz196]

It’s for that reason that at gigs my bass is only ever out of the case when I’m playing it, too many Clumsys out there.

 

Edited 12 hours ago by Lozz196

[simonlittle]

11 hours ago, chriswareham said:

When changing strings, the old set goes in the case with the added benefit that the string is already cut to length.

Always a good move. Also helps avoid the sound of the one brand new string boinging out over the others.  
My first really good bass back in the late nineties was a Warwick Thumb NT4 and that had a similar problem where one of the bridge saddles would cut through strings during gigs. Used to have to carry loads of spare G’s. On one gig I went through two and ended up having to tune a spare D string up to a G. My fingers were shredded to pieces by the end…

[neepheid]

29 minutes ago, simonlittle said:

Always a good move. Also helps avoid the sound of the one brand new string boinging out over the others.  
My first really good bass back in the late nineties was a Warwick Thumb NT4 and that had a similar problem where one of the bridge saddles would cut through strings during gigs. Used to have to carry loads of spare G’s. On one gig I went through two and ended up having to tune a spare D string up to a G. My fingers were shredded to pieces by the end…

 

I'd say that depends upon your usage.  I only change my rounds when I realise that they sound like flats.  They're usually utterly shagged when I change them, because I'm a skinflint.  Old ones go straight in the bin.

[simonlittle]

16 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

I'd say that depends upon your usage.  I only change my rounds when I realise that they sound like flats.  They're usually utterly shagged when I change them, because I'm a skinflint.  Old ones go straight in the bin.

True. Although I think it’s less likely that newer strings will break in a gig. I sold that Thumb bass years ago and I can’t remember the last time a string broke in a live situation since then. I’ve had a couple go as they were initially strung onto basses but they were clearly duff strings. 
As for taking a spare bass I really only ever have a spare when I touring and rarely does it get used. Always have spare strings (new and old!) and plenty of batteries though. Especially for my Yamaha SLB300 which goes through AA’s like they’re going out of fashion! 

Edited 10 hours ago by simonlittle

[BigRedX]

IME strings either break when they are brand new due to manufacturing defects, or when they are very old because they are badly worn and have lost much of their elasticity. I try and make sure I replace my strings every 3 months and have 2 rehearsals before using them at a gig.

[chriswareham]

2 hours ago, simonlittle said:

Used to have to carry loads of spare G’s. On one gig I went through two and ended up having to tune a spare D string up to a G. My fingers were shredded to pieces by the end…

 

I use a Yamaha BB1200 for a Joy Division tribute act, and it's strung like Hooky has his with a fairly heavy D string for both D and G. That took some getting used to, but makes the melodic bits he does on the G with a droning open D really stand out.

[simonlittle]

1 minute ago, chriswareham said:

 

I use a Yamaha BB1200 for a Joy Division tribute act, and it's strung like Hooky has his with a fairly heavy D string for both D and G. That took some getting used to, but makes the melodic bits he does on the G with a droning open D really stand out.

I bet it did! The tension must be pretty brutal. I had no idea he strung his bass like that. 

[chris_b]

I've never broken a string but I'm carrying my last 3 sets in my accessories bag.

 

And many years ago I had a drummer knock over my P bass. Fortunately there was no damage, but after that I put my basses back in the gig bags whenever they were not being played. I bought 2 Mono Vertigo's to make that easier.

[vbance]

yes

[ezbass]

Yes, normally, these days. The backup stays in the gig bag. In my last band I used 2 basses for different songs, so had a backup by default, rather than by design.

[chriswareham]

4 hours ago, simonlittle said:

I bet it did! The tension must be pretty brutal. I had no idea he strung his bass like that. 

 

He states in his book "Substance" that he used 105, 085, 065, 065 during the New Order era. I had to switch to 060 for the G as the 065 was just too much tension, and that's the same gauges used in his signature set of Elites from the Bass Centre. I use Newtone strings though, as from what I recall they were Hooky's choice before switching to the signatures set because Newtone could also supply the equally odd mix of gauges he uses on his Shergold six stringers.