Back up bass, yes or no?

[matski]

I generally take 2 basses to gigs, a 5 and a 4 string. Guess what happened the last time I only took one bass? The input jack wiring decided to start disintegrating mid-set. Fun (not).

 

[BigRedX]

5 minutes ago, matski said:

The input jack wiring decided to start disintegrating mid-set.

 

There's your problem. You should have used the output jack.

[SimonK]

I always take two basses (and am always driving so have room) - firstly because one is fretless and the other fretted (both almost identical stingrays otherwise) and I can never decide which one I want to play until being in the moment, and secondly because I have had all sorts of issues with stingray wiring due to the crap design of the battery compartments. More than once I've had a bass go down and either had to take the thing apart and strip/wind together wires for a temporary fix (assuming time), or thankfully just switch across to the other bass if it happens during the set. Did actually buy a triple bass stand with the aim of getting a third - probably five string - in due course.

[casapete]

2 minutes ago, SimonK said:

I always take two basses (and am always driving so have room) - firstly because one is fretless and the other fretted (both almost identical stingrays otherwise) and I can never decide which one I want to play until being in the moment, and secondly because I have had all sorts of issues with stingray wiring due to the crap design of the battery compartments. More than once I've had a bass go down and either had to take the thing apart and strip/wind together wires for a temporary fix (assuming time), or thankfully just switch across to the other bass if it happens during the set. Did actually buy a triple bass stand with the aim of getting a third - probably five string - in due course.

Wow, that’s really bad luck. In my many years of playing Stingrays the only problem I ever had with the

battery side of things was when I ( once! ) forgot to replace it. Always thought the battery compartments

seemed fine, although preferred the earlier ‘steel plate with two screws’ design to the later plastic ones. 
 

[chris_b]

4 hours ago, Skybone said:

I can understand taking a spare instrument if you are in a band that's going to play 2-3 hours worth of music over numerous sets at functions / weddings etc.

 

However, if you're playing 30-40-60 minute sets down the Dog & Duck, then I think it's probably a bit overkill.

 

 

I don't understand this attitude. Why should the people at the Dog and Duck not get the same consideration?

 

IMO every gig is the Albert Hall, and should get your 100% effort. I've been asked to join several bands by band leaders who have seen me on a gig.

[MacDaddy]

Yes. Snapdragon folding bass.

Small footprint but capable of doing the job.

[LeftyJ]

Always used to bring a backup but luckily never needed it. So in the last few years I have stopped doing so. In my current doom band I have to tune my 5-string down to standard A tuning, and frankly I only have one bass that can endure this without need for a setup and a twist of the truss rod and that is my Status S2 Classic - so I don't even have a proper backup for it . We don't rehearse or gig regularly, so when not playing with them I leave it in standard tuning so I can still use it for other stuff. The neck on my Warwick Streamer LX5 is quite bendy and needs a setup when detuning it, and my 5-string Ellio Martina stays in standard tuning at all times. 

 

I do always bring spare strings (string changes are a breeze on a headless with double balls), spare batteries, tool kit, spare cables and a preamp/DI to go straight to PA in case of amp failure. 

[Wilson_51_]

My band play in two different tunings in most sets (C and C#) and I have a bass set up for both so I can just swap easily. it wouldn't be much more effort to tune one to the other tuning as its only a half step for the strings. If we have a short set and only play in the one tuning  I bring the second one as a back up anyway. 

 

I have had a few issues with basses a fair few years ago with the occasional dodgy jack, and once a tuning peg was broken in transit somehow, so a nice relief to have an easy option rather than attempting an on the fly repair. Touch wood I haven't had any issues with either of them for a while now..

[mcnach]

2 hours ago, SimonK said:

I always take two basses (and am always driving so have room) - firstly because one is fretless and the other fretted (both almost identical stingrays otherwise) and I can never decide which one I want to play until being in the moment, and secondly because I have had all sorts of issues with stingray wiring due to the crap design of the battery compartments. More than once I've had a bass go down and either had to take the thing apart and strip/wind together wires for a temporary fix (assuming time), or thankfully just switch across to the other bass if it happens during the set. Did actually buy a triple bass stand with the aim of getting a third - probably five string - in due course.

 

Those battery compartments are not the best design, true. Once they start failing, it's just going to keep happening: don't live on the edge, replace it, they're only like a tenner.

[Leonard Smalls]

I rarely take two... Most of the gigs we play are on small stages with 3 band line ups and nowhere to put gear. And as I haven't broken a string on stage for more than 30 years I'm touching wood that next time I won't be so lucky. Still, I carry spare strings and can replace one in the time it takes to put on a baked potato and have a bath. 😁

[12stringbassist]

If I didn't take two basses with me, then sods law dictates something would go wrong with the ONLY bass.
At the moment I mainly vary between a couple of P basses or a pair of Rics.
I usually change basses for the second spot... but sometimes stick to the first one if I've got my sound properly.

I've seen gigs fall apart when a bassist's instrument fails or breaks a string and there's no spare of anything. Nightmare.
I've also had another band ask to borrow my bass. A refusal often offends. You're not breaking mine.

Edited Monday at 13:30 by 12stringbassist

[martthebass]

3 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

I don't understand this attitude. Why should the people at the Dog and Duck not get the same consideration?

 

IMO every gig is the Albert Hall, and should get your 100% effort. I've been asked to join several bands by band leaders who have seen me on a gig.

I think it’s only natural that we rate some gigs higher than others? That doesn’t mean we don’t care about all gigs but personally I do prepare more for the 2K audience festival/rally than the 15 people and a whippet ‘dog and duck’. The later is more laid back and able to accept the odd faux pas.

I guess it’s fine that opinions differ.

Edited Monday at 14:47 by martthebass

[Kev]

Ah, this old chestnut.

 

Yes, always take a backup if you can.  Too many individual things can go wrong with a bass, however unlikely, and its the easiest thing to swap quickly if it happens, so why risk it?  To make load in/out fractionally easier?

[peteb]

9 hours ago, JoeEvans said:

Has anyone had a bass failure during a gig that wasn't a broken string or a dead battery? I'm curious as to what the possible failure modes might be.

 

Yep, a couple of times - wiring problems (last time was when a wire had come lose when I had just changed batteries, for a main stage gig at a big bike rally in front of 2,000 people). 

 

[JoeEvans]

8 minutes ago, peteb said:

 

Yep, a couple of times - wiring problems (last time was when a wire had come lose when I had just changed batteries, for a main stage gig at a big bike rally in front of 2,000 people). 

 

Yikes! It does seem that wiring failure is the main risk factor, judging by people's comments so far.

[rushbo]

9 hours ago, JoeEvans said:

Has anyone had a bass failure during a gig that wasn't a broken string or a dead battery? I'm curious as to what the possible failure modes might be.

The strap button on the butt end of my P Bass came off at the soundcheck of a gig - fortunately, I managed to catch the instrument on its way to the floor. I bodged it with a couple of matchsticks, screwed the pin back and it seemed secure enough, but I still used my spare - after tightening both the strap buttons on it!

 

Edited Monday at 15:21 by rushbo

[peteb]

13 minutes ago, JoeEvans said:

Yikes! It does seem that wiring failure is the main risk factor, judging by people's comments so far.

 

Fortunately I had a spare and no one noticed that any thing was wrong! 

 

[Merton]

20 years ago I was playing a gig when the strap button failed on my bass. That was embarrassing enough because, without a spare, I had to stand awkwardly to play the remaining 2 songs. Guess what I did in the first chorus of the first song? Broke a string.

Never again. 
 

 

PS: I did forget a strap once since then though, that was quite special of me.

[casapete]

The timing of this thread coincides with recent changes in my gigging schedule.

Have spent 15 years on the road doing theatres and the odd festival, during which I

always had a spare of EVERYTHING other than a speaker cab. My spare bass was

always within reach of me onstage, and it was reassuring to know it’s there. 

 

Nowadays most of my gigs are in pubs, and I’m currently only taking one bass and

rig with me. Been wrestling with carrying spares but then using a Rumble combo

would mean taking another combo as back up - whereas if it was an amp and cab

situation then a small amp (TE Elf etc) would be easy to manage. 

Reading @chris_b’s comments does make me realise how all gigs matter though,

so I’ll be taking a spare bass with me from now on and possibly having a rethink about

my amp needs too. 

[Woodinblack]

I generally bring two, but it depends. if I have just got a new bass I take two, so I can play the new one live, and revert to another one if it doesnt' work, or if I want to play my acrylic light up bass, I play it in the second half as I would be knackered if I had to hold that up for 3 hours.

But generally I bring one just in case, it takes very little additional hassle, I already have the PA and stuff, so one small bag.

[Merton]

Having two amps was a godsend at the weekend (see “How Was Your Gig Last Night” thread if you care that much, it’s not that interesting!) though I must confess my two basses were wildly different so it could have been fun - 4 string fretted and 5 string fretless…. But I bet 80-90% of the audience wouldn’t notice…

[chris_b]

20 minutes ago, Merton said:

. . . .  But I bet 80-90% of the audience wouldn’t notice…

 

That's our job, to be invisible, indispensable and to make everyone else sound good.

[Ed_S]

I'm all for a backup bass if it's even slightly practical to take one, and a workhorse with as little to go wrong as possible if it's really not. If I'm only taking one then I'll favour something passive that I've wired myself so I know the components are quality and nothing's been bodged together.

[Skybone]

6 hours ago, chris_b said:

 

I don't understand this attitude. Why should the people at the Dog and Duck not get the same consideration?

 

IMO every gig is the Albert Hall, and should get your 100% effort. I've been asked to join several bands by band leaders who have seen me on a gig.

Because in the 40-odd years I've been gigging, I've never had an issue with any of my kit.

 

Always carry a spare set of strings.

 

Only ever had one string break when I've been playing, and that was 30-odd years ago at a rehearsal.

[Greg Edwards69]

12 hours ago, JoeEvans said:

Has anyone had a bass failure during a gig that wasn't a broken string or a dead battery? I'm curious as to what the possible failure modes might be.

I’ve had a strap button work loose and nearly fall out.  Strap locks are all well and good, but no use if the strap button itself falls out.