Backup Gear?

Miss_D · #1 08-22-2010, 05:37 PM

I have read many posts about having backup basses as I do myself. I'm wondering if anyone has a backup rig/amp they haul, and if so -- what and why?

I haven't really thought about it much over the years as I have great gear, however, anything could happen to it.

I play with 2 guitarists and they have talked about their backup this 'n that "just in case". It has started making me think about what to do in case of any sort of failure.

RickenBoogie · #2 08-22-2010, 05:42 PM

Common question, short answer, a good DI box.

Jazzman · #3 08-22-2010, 05:48 PM

I always have spare cables, batteries, strap, tuner, di, and amp. I use a pair of cabs so if needed I could use only one. I have had to use a backup about four times in my career. I can think of two times where I was left without a backup and had to do DI only.

lowphatbass · #4 08-22-2010, 05:49 PM

I use a Pre/Power set-up. The power amp is 1000w a side at 4ohms, I don't always run bridged, I guess in theory if one side failed I could run the other. My bass has an 18V pre, if my racked preamp were to fail I could plug directly into the power amp(I've had to do this before). If all else fails it's time to plug into the PA, get as much sound as possible out of the mains and monitors, ask everybody to turn down and make the most of it.
Needless to say, I've got enough options to get me through a gig so I leave my back-up equipment at home. If I was on the road things would be a bit different.

CharlieC · #5 08-22-2010, 06:03 PM

I, too, use a pre/power set-up... and I travel with an extra pre + power amp should I ever need them (so far, so good!)

I use a Sans Amp VT Bass pedal for the pre (that sits unused in my gig bag) and an extra power amp could that double as a PA amp should that unit fail (but so far, so good there as well)

coreyfyfe · #6 08-22-2010, 06:42 PM

For multiband gigs I don't bother, and I bring my DI because I always keep it in my pedal board bag (and use it on gigs where I need FOH). For cover gigs where I'm the only bass player for the night and couldn't borrow and amp or live with the DI for 45 minutes in a worst case scenario, I have been bringing a backup micro head since I have the room in the car.

Plus this is just a cool pair:

tplyons · #7 08-22-2010, 06:47 PM

I always had a gig rig and a "wrong side of town" rig that I picked up off a guy for $200.

My backup, however, was a good DI box.

Bassman822 · #8 08-22-2010, 06:49 PM

Spare bass. Spare head. Cables, tuners, batteries, etc

JimmyM · #9 08-22-2010, 06:50 PM

i have a couple backup rigs but i don't bring them. i usually don't bring a spare bass either. i have confidence in my gear

call it crazy if you want, but i really don't care. i'm going to continue operating like this and not lugging around gear i don't need and won't use just on the off chance that something goes wrong. not like i'm in nine inch nails.

vinxbass · #10 08-22-2010, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i have a couple backup rigs but i don't bring them. i usually don't bring a spare bass either. i have confidence in my gear

call it crazy if you want, but i really don't care. i'm going to continue operating like this and not lugging around gear i don't need and won't use just on the off chance that something goes wrong. not like i'm in nine inch nails.

My sentiments exactly. I've got plenty of extra gear, I just don't feel the need to haul it around . . . getting too old for all of that.

doktorfeelgood · #11 08-22-2010, 07:19 PM

I use 2 Aguilar GS-112 cabs and in most of the places I play in, if I HAD to, I could probably get away with one so I don't worry about back-up cabs assuming that if one cab went down I'd still have the other. I don't have a vehicle big enough to bring any other cabs anyway. But I do bring an extra amp with me every night.
I have a Markbass LMII and and an LMII and I have them in padded lap-top bags which only weigh about 6 pounds each and hardly take up any room. To me, having faith in your gear has absolutely nothing to do with breakage. So many things can happen on any given night especially if you play out a lot and mainly play in clubs, which I do. And I've have had some bad luck on the road with breakage, and it wasn't always old gear, either. So my adage is take two of everything (within reason) and keep an extra hundred dollar bill in your wallet. That will help you get out of whatever your in. Just sayin'...
I play strictly passive basses now so if I bring an extra bass, it's usually because I might want to play both in the course of a night not because I'm worried about breakage. There was a time, however, that I played active basses strictly and I would bring a back-up bass passive bass in case a battery went down. Those days are long gone, though.)-(

coreyfyfe · #12 08-22-2010, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doktorfeelgood

To me, having faith in your gear has absolutely nothing to do with breakage. So many things can happen on any given night especially if you play out a lot and mainly play in clubs, which I do.

Exactly. Case in point - I bought a NOS 12DW7 for my SVT recently, put it in about a week ago but never got a chance to test it out. Fired up the SVT friday night and channel 1 wasn't working. Had intended to bring the JJ 12DW7 with me but of course forgot that, so channel 1 was out for the night. Good thing channel 2 sounds tits on the SVT. If that was my old V4 (ie a single channel) I would have been up a creek without a backup amp. Entirely my own fault for not testing it, but finding the time lately has been impossible.

alembicguy · #13 08-22-2010, 07:46 PM

Once again backup is my DI to FOH. I always bring 2 basses anyways so covered there.

**A Strohman** · #14 08-22-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i have a couple backup rigs but i don't bring them. i usually don't bring a spare bass either. i have confidence in my gear

call it crazy if you want, but i really don't care. i'm going to continue operating like this and not lugging around gear i don't need and won't use just on the off chance that something goes wrong. not like i'm in nine inch nails.

Yup. I have several rigs I use depending on the venue but I've never taken more than one rig to a gig. I've got my DI in my duffel bag so if worse comes to worse, I'll run through the PA.

murphy · #15 08-22-2010, 08:09 PM

Sansamp Bass Driver DI always in my bag...just in case amp goes down

funk generator · #16 08-22-2010, 08:27 PM

I have a really cheap backup bass (that im modding to made awesome!) and am working on another project that will become a backup bass. That said, iv never had a single problem from my nordy.

As for a backup rig, i never thought i needed one until my epifani blew! I now have a LMII as a backup head. And cabs.. well im gonna jinx myself and say my epifani cab is rather reliable.

I only take one to a gig, but its nice to have at home just in case.

My backup basses are more to have fun tinkering with than anything

zachoff · #17 08-22-2010, 08:33 PM

I have two basses for two tunings (E standard, drop D and D standard drop C) so one serves as a backup to the other, in a sense. I didn't used to have a backup head, but I do now... Got a Yamaha BBT500H last week that will suffice in a pinch but otherwise be relegated to home use.

mepex · #18 08-22-2010, 10:19 PM

Always a backup bass, always extra batteries, always extra cables. Been using a solid state amp, so no backup amp, but if I start gigging with my new vintage SVT, I'll probably have a backup amp as well. Coreyfyfe, I like the cut of your jib.

JimmyM · #19 08-22-2010, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mepex

Always a backup bass, always extra batteries, always extra cables. Been using a solid state amp, so no backup amp, but if I start gigging with my new vintage SVT, I'll probably have a backup amp as well.

now you done did it! now i have to trot out my speech about how solid state amps are no more or less reliable than tube amps.

zachoff · #20 08-22-2010, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

now you done did it! now i have to trot out my speech about how solid state amps are no more or less reliable than tube amps.

I've never had an amp or a bass fail at a show... knock on wood. I have had batteries and cables fail miserably a number of times so I carry extra cables and don't rely on batteries. Straps though... One of those failures that sucks more than anything. Happened once and won't happen again. I've also forgotten my wristband (I've worn one for 20 years), which made for a crappy playing night.