Using Whose Gear at Festivals?

[kojack]

As you travel to various bluegrass festivals, do the bassists on the bill frequently end up sharing a common upright or does everyone get to play the bass that they know and love?

If you end up using a shared bass, and thoughts or insights on quickly getting a feel for an unfamiliar bass?

Cheers,
Chuck

[M Ramsey]

I have shared my bass with folks I KNOW but usually everyone brings their own axes to grind upon.

I like MY bass. That's why I bought it and carry it around.

Now, there ARE circumstances that may prevent you from transporting your own bass to a festival, such as was the case in 2006 for us. My son had to fly from NC to Tacoma, WA to play and he ended up borrowing a very nice New Standard Cleveland from one very giving Dwight McCartney (regular here on Talkbass).

Several other bass players borrowed basses that weekend and the festival had rented out a bunch of basses from the Hammond Ashely store in Seattle. Shared basses equals shared time on basses.

Dwight was so good to afford my son, Aaron, access to the bass for the entire time there. That, in turn, afforded Aaron time to practice with the new band he played with, as much as was needed, without being regulated to a practice/performance schedule on a shared bass.

This gift of McCartney's also allowed me to keep both my basses at home in NC. I didn't have to arrange to rent a flight case or wonder how the airlines would treat my musical furniture.

Thanks again Dwight,

[D McCartney]

Hi Mike. You're welcome, it was my pleasure to hear Aaron R. and Randy Kors work their magic.
Will you be coming back in Feb?

[M Ramsey]

Originally Posted by D McCartney

Hi Mike. You're welcome, it was my pleasure to hear Aaron R. and Randy Kors work their magic.
Will you be coming back in Feb?

Nope. Aaron is now playing mandolin for Mountain Heart and their not scheduled to be out for Wintergrass. I'd love to in a heartbeat, but work keeps me here.

[kojack]

Thanks for the replies. From the tone of this board, I expected folks to be neighborly. I appreciate Mike & Dwight confirming that.

Any one able to address the issue of quickly coming to terms with playing an unfamiliar bass. I've recently been surprised by just how much I depend on playing *my* bass.

Thanks again!

Chuck

[M Ramsey]

If you must play on a borrowed bass, carry a good tuner (one that you know will be able to pick up the lower notes on a bass). Sometimes there are differences in string length or mensure. I've seen professional bass players (like Barry Bales for Alison Krauss) use a bit of tape for position markers on basses he's not completely familiar with.

If he can do it and make a 1/4 million a year, I think it would be OK for me to do it at a local bar gig.