Spare amp for gigs? Sans Amp bass driver?

jaffbass · #1 07-22-2011, 04:53 PM

I was just wondering how many of you carry a spare amp for gigs? I have an Ampeg SVT iii non pro and as much as I love it and found it to be the most reliable amp i've ever had, i must face facts that she's getting old. I get it serviced every year but just lately I think the life of a gigging amp has taken it's toll on it. At rehearsal recently some clown flicked the power off on our rehearsal unit and 30 minutes later my amp died, was a simple and inexpensive repair but I'm worried it may have weakened other components. I'm going to be checking all my cables, and making sure my cab isn't causing any issues before I have to make any major decisions.
Being a parent and owning a house means I have very little cash lying around to replace it in the eventuality that it is the amp that has to go. I see a lot of people with Hartke's out and about but they don't really appeal to me, I'm not snobbish about my amps, I'm happy to play anything but I'm always concerned about something messing up mid-set and looking like a tool as I don't have a spare. I've heard that a sans amp bass driver could be a solution. Any opinions?
Have a good weekend!

IanAllison · #2 07-22-2011, 04:57 PM

I gig a tube amp too - a Sadowsky SA200. A few months ago it failed at a show. Not good. And totally jacks up your piece of mind, even on the heels of a repair.

I just bought a GK MB200 as a back up. $250 / 3 pounds / fits in your gig bag / sounds GREAT.

Cheers!

Ian

RickenBoogie · #3 07-22-2011, 05:03 PM

A good preamp/DI pedal is all you need for back-up.

rodl2005 · #4 07-22-2011, 06:05 PM

That's IF you don't mind getting your onstage sound out of the monitors. I hate it, & so, my GB Shuttle 6.0 fits in just about any bag, or, probably in your bass case/bag pouch. Damn good back up imo.

Mykk · #5 07-22-2011, 06:16 PM

I had a Mesa Boogie Bass 400+ that was problematic, my backup head is a Peavey Mark VI. for a while the peavey was my only functional head. I sold the Mesa and now using a Crest Vs1500 power amp. I'll be taking my Peavey with me just in case. Better to have it and not need it

Datsgor · #6 07-22-2011, 06:31 PM

I carry a sansamp in my gigbag and a GK mb200 in my truck.

ghiadub · #7 07-22-2011, 08:58 PM

I used to bring a spare amp for some gigs, some not. I bring a Aguilar tone hammer now. Sometimes that is all I bring (when I know there is a decent PA and monitor setup)

Kenner · #8 07-22-2011, 09:13 PM

2 amps....Vt Deluxe...and a DI...you couldn't stop me from playin.... lol (except power failure)

JimmyM · #9 07-22-2011, 09:17 PM

I rarely bring a spare, but I'm doing it more often now that I have a Micro VR. But the beauty thing about tube amps is that no matter how old they are, they can be fixed and made to work as good as new. I wouldn't let an occasional glitch slow me down. SS amps break, too.

js1 · #10 07-22-2011, 09:30 PM

I've had a run of bad luck over the last 4 years, with 3 different amps (WT400, MPulse 600 and 100W Bassman) letting me down on gigs.

Bought a Shuttle six months ago specifically to have an easy to pack backup. No failures since!

js

fdeck · #11 07-22-2011, 09:33 PM

I can't say that amps have never gone out on me. And it would be a big hassle if one did. I bought a second hand MB200 because I was curious about it, and now it goes along as a spare.

JimmyM · #12 07-22-2011, 09:40 PM

Amps rarely if ever go out on me during a gig. But I'd be lying if I said it never happened. Still, my stuff is very solid and I have confidence in it. And if it goes out, I can always plug into the PA and just deal with the pain. Honestly, there's way more of a risk with me forgetting to turn back on after I tune.

fdeck · #13 07-22-2011, 09:55 PM

I've had amps go down exactly twice in my life. First was the ubiquitous dirty contacts in the effects loop jacks, fixed with a patch cord. Second was a failed power switch that I could have fixed with duck tape, but the keyboardist let me plug into his amp instead.

Being a jazzer, my power needs are modest, and to be honest, I can get away with a completely generic tone in a pinch. It's been more frequent that I've loaned a spare channel of my amp to one of the other players in the band. I'm the young guy, so my gear is the newest.

jnewmark · #14 07-23-2011, 06:44 AM

I also take an MB200 with me. It can serve as an amp all on it's own if everything goes down, or, in my case, when my preamp died last week, I used the MB200 as a preamp into my poweramp. When not on the gig, I use it as a headphone amp with the stereo input to learn new songs. It weighs about 2.5 lbs, and fits into just about any outside pocket of a gig bag. It's the best $243 you can spend.

thumpbass1 · #15 07-23-2011, 07:28 AM

I always carry a Sansamp with me just in case, but a reliable back up amp ain't a bad idea either. I have both options available to me fortunately.

Liam Wald · #16 07-23-2011, 07:48 AM

My primary amp is a Mesa M6. Totally reliable. Has never failed. I always take a back up amp (SWR 350X) also totally reliable. But you never know when or how something will fail and it gives me peace of mind knowing I'm covered.

craig.p · #17 07-23-2011, 07:53 AM

I always bring a spare and a BDDI to a gig, but never to a rehearsal. The spare can NOT be tube-based, can NOT have a reputation that includes a history of field failures, and MUST already have proven its worth by having done severe duty in tough environments (electrically, physically, and environmentally). My spares are either a QSC RMX power amp with the above-mentioned BDDI, or a late model BL600, or a 30 year old Carvin SC3000, "depending." If I were starting over and looking to buy a spare, it'd probably be either a well-used GK 400RB, a similarly proven 800RB, an old Acoustic 370, a Peavey Firebass, or a used tour-class power amp to use with the BDDI.

Lync · #18 07-23-2011, 08:07 AM

For backup, I have my Hartke Bass Attack DI with me (not sure why this pedal isn't more popular since it sounds great with moderate tweaks).

That being said...I was up at the Saratoga Racetrack one year and the band had a killer bass tone. This is on an outside gazebo. I was listening to the band and the bass had the fattest/warmest live tone that I can recall ever hearing. It still had a nice presence too (with clarity). So I went up to the bassist on break and asked what rig he was using. Turned out that his amp blew up and he had no DI. He just was running his bass direct into the mixer LOL.

riotact · #19 07-23-2011, 08:43 AM

Having a backup plan is always a good idea. I run an svt-cl with an svt3pro as a backup in my road rack. My cab is mic'ed and I run a bddi to foh. In the event of a failure, my bass doesn't drop out while I'm getting swapped over to my backup. That's just what works for me. In the end, whatever keeps your bass bumpin' the crowd is a good thing.

cableguy · #20 07-23-2011, 08:57 AM

Sansamp.....Yes, never leave home without it.