Clubs: Kay or carved?

[Standup]

This is probably a dumbass question, but I signed up to this forum more or less to start with this question.

I play roots rock, folk and country in bars and cafes. I have been doing this for something like two decades off and on.

I've got a Kay bass that gets most of the gigs. Several years ago I got a deal on a fixer-upper Bohemian bass that is now pretty fixed up. But I've done a several expensive repairs and I'm kinda afraid to take it out in the fray of a nightclub gig.

Can one bass do the job? I play no classical and very little arco, but I like the tone of the carved bass. I have an idea of getting an electric stick upright to do the loud club stuff (I sometimes play electric bass in the loudest situations anyway) and maybe sell the Kay.

But then I'd balk at taking the upright out for gigs sometimes.

Anybody else been at a similar crossroads? The answer is probably to keep both. But I have a small house and it's a pain in my ass.

Thanks!

[Mike Goodbar]

Maybe a hybrid bass? This gives you perhaps not the best of both worlds, but a pretty good compromise.

I played an Engelhardt (plywood) for years, and the improvement in tone with my current bass (hybrid Christopher) is major. But with plywood back and ribs, the risk of cracks is greatly reduced, but the carved top still gives you a richer tone.

I've had my Christopher for almost four years, and I confess that I don't exactly baby it. Aside from some chips in the polyglop varnish, I've had no crack at all aside from a slightly open seam from hitting a door frame exceptionally hard (2 a.m., one too many Lienenkugel's).

[junglebike]

You know, I played a lot of country/rock/folk gigs at loud-ish clubs in SoCal, and went through the same sort of dilemma.

I can certainly sympathize with wanting to consolidate -- two basses take up lots of space and maintenance $$. What do you use the Bohemian for? If it's just decoration, maybe you should sell it and the Kay and get a road-worthy bass that's a bit better (New Standard is what I'd go for.)

Another option is the EUB. Particularly this one, which has the upright "vibe" but is less of a pain to lug.

http://azola.com/sys-tmpl/acousticbabybass/

I visited the Azolas and did a back-to-back with my carved bass and a bunch of his. At high volumes, where you're only hearing the pickup, you really cannot tell the difference between one of his hollow-body EUBs and a DB. The stick-basses do sound a bit different (mostly the attack & sustain). However, they're cheaper and more portable, and if you play bars and clubs similar to the ones I played, the sound guy is gonna massacre your tone anyway so nobody will notice. :-(

Just some thoughts... I'd seriously think about the New Standard tho...

[mesmithnm]

Keep both! I play some folk/roots gigs, play in a bluegrass band, and play a regular piano trio gig. My logic is that my Kay goes to all outdoors gigs, all bluegrass festivals, and to any place I haven't played before since I don't know what to expect (small stage? drunks? who knows what?). My carved bass goes to my regular piano trio gig and to other venues that I'm familiar with. My Kay is no beater but it has seen 50+ years of use so I don't sweat it if it gets a new ding. My carved bass is also not pristine, but I recently spent some serious bucks having the top removed and all of the rib and top cracks repaired and I would rather not have to do that again anytime soon.

As far as the other suggestions, they somewhat miss the point in that even if you get a nice hybrid like a Shen or Upton, or a plywood New Standard (those things are gorgeous!) , they'll still be really nice looking, really NEW basses and if you're like me you'll be really p****d when they get that first crack or ding. So keep the Kay - it doesn't take up as much space in the garage as a boat but could still keep you afloat in a flood.

Mark

[Uncletoad]

I sold my 50's Kay.

I take an NS Cleveland to all my gigs. I beat the crap out of it, it's already looking hit. Crunched a bit of the top overhang on a cymbal tonight in fact. Soon after that it got stumbled over by a drunken moron who was more interested in walking across the stage while staring at the baseball game on TV than watching where he was going.

I'd like a nice carved bass when I'm out too but I think the Cleveland is a great compromise. It's pretty hard to screw up and made my Kay sound like a toy.

[Ed Fuqua]

Life is too short not to play the bass you love whenever you get the chance to...

[M Ramsey]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

Well, now I take out my best Bass (Gilkes for now) every chance I get including clubs. If I have a Gig where another Bass might be better suited for the music, then I will switch but unless there is danger, I bring my best to enjoy my investment rather than just dusting it off once a week.

I agree with Ken on this one. To just own a nice instrument can't compare in any way to playing it on a regular basis.

I'm waitng on wintertime and playing gigs indoors so I can carry my American Standard strung with guts.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Life is too short not to play the bass you love whenever you get the chance to...

Yea thats right on the money.

[mchildree]

I agree that a ply or hybrid New Standard is a great compromise. I have a ply Cleveland and it sounds better than many cheaper carved basses I've heard, and most definitely played better. I too, must confess that mine has not been babied...it's had the neck broken and replaced (came back better than before!). It's been used at tons of outdoor festivals and travel, and it's held up like a champ. It's also very responsive to string changes, so I can use a particular type string to get a whole different bass.

[Don Higdon]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Life is too short not to play the bass you love whenever you get the chance to...

Exactly.
To me, the more important factor is whether the gig is indoors or outdoors. Outdoors = plywood.
The club doesn't matter as much as the mentality of the audience. I subbed in a blues band in Hoboken. Right away you know they're more concerned with dressing up like Stevie Ray Vaughan than the nuances of your tone. Otherwise, bring your best. Anyway, no matter what I bring, I keep an eye on the bass during breaks.
Finally, some of the most terrible accidents have happened on concert stages.

[CamMcIntyre]

It seems like every thread i post in on this side of the boards-i end up referring to my Cleveland. This is holding true.

If you don't like the tone of the Kay and are afraid to take a carved bass out-take a look into the New Standard plys [Cleveland or La Scala-your choice].

I've played my Cleveland in anything from at an outdoor folk duo [no amps] to in big bands and musicals.

My bass has also-not been babied. If you look at the edges there's plenty of wear. On the upper bout where it leans against me...you can see scratches etc.

The bass sounds awesome though-so i'm not complaining.

take it easy.

[John Sprague]

If the Fates have decided that your favorite bass will meet its end during a bar fight, then so be it. In the meantime, it's a quality of life question. Did you work this hard, all these years, to not enjoy that nice bass of yours?

Good luck with your decision!

[speyer]

Having a plywood bass I dislike comared to my carved, I find myself in the same situation. I never want to bring my carved bass to cramped stages in bars and cafe's, but I always do in the end. I have found that db's are far tougher than you'd think, like a well built chair ot table. I have decided to sell my plywood bass, because I always play my carved and have got used to taking care if it. With all of my basses in the past, I always settle on my best sounding most expensive bass regardless of venue. These instruments are built to withstand decades of use and abuse, and with a little care, they will last centuries. If my carved bass was old and worth a fortune and I had to buy a bass to gig with, it would be a hollowbody EUB for transport and superior flexible tone. Good luck with you descision!