Show me your gear bag

[Jim Nazium]

... no, not THAT. The one you use to carry all the stuff besides your bass & amp that you take to a gig. I usually bring:

Real Books 1 & 2
instrument cord
extra strings
tuner
Zoom h4 recorder
extra batteries
business cards
small leatherman multi-tool
flashlight
bottle opener

and sometimes:
guitar stand
music stand
power strip / extension cord

What do you bring, and how do you carry it?

[Wilbyman]

A/C Cord
Instrument cable
Ipad

Good call on the bottle opener though.

[s_mcsleazy]

i carry everything that isnt in my bass bag in a nintendo "know your mushrooms" bag because im a nerd.

contence of said bag is usually the same

1 glow in the dark torch
1 booklight
3 guitar leads
1 nintendo ds (incase i get bored)
3 condoms (ya never know)
1 ipod
1 pair of socks
1 pair of shorts
1 pair of comfy shoes
1 t-shirt
1 beenie hat
2 sharpies
1 cordless power drill/ electric screwdriver
1 sandwich (usually crisp sandwich)
10 guitar picks
1 warcraft stratagy guide for the bus home

[Phendyr_Loon]

Cables (instrument and speaker)
Gerber leatherman type tool
Strings
String winder
Extra 9v batteries
Tuner
Pedals
Sharpie marker
Gaffers or duct tape
Extension cord
Power strip

[Elrend]

Real book, instrument cable, duct tape (ALWAYS), a sheet music notebook containing lead sheets to originals, if working within a more contemporary idiom I'll possibly bring a couple of pedals.

Carry it all in a backpack I got years ago when I sold newspapers.

[Groovin_Joe]

Head
Cables
Spare strings
Leatherman tool
Extension cord
Power bar
Ground tester
One spot
Pedalboard. It a mini
Gaffer tape and duct tape
9v battery or two
Zip ties
3 or 4 UAC power cables. Amp. Mixer. Spare or 2
Sounds bout right

[Munjibunga]

My gig bag is a leftover Lands' End large diaper bag from when my daughter was a baby (12 years ago). I'll see if I can remember what's in it.

Shure SM58
Shure Beta 58A
Shure Beta 87C
Shure Beta 57A
(3) 6-foot, 12-gauge speaker cables with different plug types
A bag of about 20 different cable adapters
A soldering kit, including Weller iron and tools
A stick tambourine thingy
A small guitar stand
(2) 25-foot mic cables
(1) 15-foot mic cable
About eight 3- and 5-foot patch cables
(1) Countryman Type 85 DI
A ⅛-inch stereo to RCA 8-foot patch cable
(4) drink coasters made out of rat fur
An 8-foot extension cord with three outlets
A couple IEC power cables
A bunch of foam mic screens
(2) string winders that look like tricycle pedals, one for bass, one for guitar
An extra set of strings
A roll of gaffer's tape
Extra 9-volt batteries

That's all I can remember right now. I'll get back to you when I think of more.

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

My gig bag is a leftover Lands' End large diaper bag from when my daughter was a baby (12 years ago). I'll see if I can remember what's in it.

FTW. I've got one of those too, though it's not padded, so I am using an old notebook computer bag right now. Contents:

Bass head
Cables
Rosin
Some money including parking meter change
Spare battery
Preamp

Munji, can you really fit all of that crap in the bag?

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by fdeck

Munji, can you really fit all of that crap in the bag?

Yes. It's a big-ass bag. If I have time tomorrow, I'll pull everything out and take a picture.

[knucklehead G]

I keep everything in a laptop case with my 10.1" netbook on mobile broadband.

Similar to what y'all have listed, but I add a few other bits - an extra cable, strap, a few sets of strings and picks.. all for the guitard. He likes showing up with his gig bag and then realizing he hasn't packed it and he broke a string last night and didn't change it.

If I had a bigger bag I'd probably pack a soldering iron, a spare output jack and some pots and wires.. The things this guy does to his guitar are amazing, in a truly awful way.

Its okay though, I like fixing it and I work for beer.

[bass_lord_mutha]

Warwick Rockcase gig bag:
-Two 15' instrument cables
-three 20' instrument cables
-Two 5' 12 gauge handbuilt speaker cables with Neutrik Speakon plugs
-Two 25' XLR cables
-Audio-Technica MB1K vocal mic
-Two Audio-Technica ATGCW wireless instrument cables
-Audio-Technica 3000 series wireless transmitter
-Monster battery recharger with 4 Monster AA rechargable batteries
-ProCo passive direct box
-Radial Tonebone Bassbone
-Accessory bag containing guitar tech tools, soldering iron, spare 9v batteries, polish cloth

[peledog]

Extra Cable
A pick or two
String winders
extra set of strings
9v battery
Groove Tools kit
polish rag
strap
ear plugs
zoom multi-effects unit b2.1u
korg tuner
wrist bands or scrunchie
towel

Munji, I've always wondered what a stick tambourine thingy is. LOL

[onionpuzzle]

if you guys have not yet discovered the BEAUTY of Thrift Stores----one can find just about any style / size bag/luggage/backpack/purse that exists for hella cheap.

I am in 3 different bands that use 3 different setups, so having a selection of bags is great--------
------one project I also play synth, so I do not bring a back up bass, so in my double gig bag I can fit a ton of stuff (packed in small cases) where the back up bass goes.

[Phalex]

Guitar Stand
Tuner
Volume pedal
9V batteries
Picks
Screw drivers
wire cutters
string winder
Bass Strings - Flats / Rounds/ 5 string tape wound
Acoustic Guitar strings
Classical guitar strings.
5) - 30' XLR cables
1) 10' extension cord
1) power strip
3) detachable power cords
A whole bunch of 1/4 inch cables from 3' to 25' long
DI box
3) cheap ass microphones (My 57 rides in my bass bag)
Small folding knife
2) 4' speaker cables
1) 6' speaker cable
Duct tape
Foot Switch for my amp head
a set of hex keys

That's it off the top of my head, but I think the list is pretty complete.

Thrift stores are great! I got my bag at a military surplus store. Great deals on bags there too!

[stratovani]

volume pedal
duct tape
electrical tape
passive DI box
extension cords
Bad Monkey OD
A/B switch
band music book
spare bass strings
spare strap
small first aid kit
3-wire receptacle tester
cable ties
screwdriver, wire cutters, pliers, scissors
Leatherman multi-tool
Shout stain remover
hand sanitizer
WD-40
flashlight
tuner
picks
batteries AA, 9V
miscellaneous and sundry small items
all my cables (in a side pocket)

Boy, I didn't realize I had so much in my gear bag! No wonder the thing's getting heavy!

[Lazylion]

I carry a ton of stuff, the most vital items in a multi-compartment leather bag I bought in Tijuana nearly 30 years ago. Then there's a plastic bin full of the secondary just-in-case items, that I bring but leave in the car. A milk crate with backups for the spares stays at home.