Bass on a cruise ship

Mingus Fingus · #1 09-27-2007, 02:56 PM

i am wondering what type of bass people have taken when doing an extended cruise, especially to a place with a tropical climate. i have an offer to do a 6-month cruise to the carribean with a guitar trio out of pittsburg and am weighing the options. i only have one upright, my arvi, and would be very very hesitant to take it on a ship in this climate. i dont want to play electric, and i dont want to play an electric upright. what have you guys done in the past? thanks,

adam.

Marcus Johnson · #2 09-27-2007, 04:22 PM

The ships themselves are pretty climate-controlled, and you're most likely going to a more-humid place than your home in Baltimore, so you probably don't have to worry about cracks too much. Storage of the bass might be an issue. You would need to see what's available on the ship. Remember that ships move around a lot, so having the bass fall over is a real concern. I saw a drum kit literally roll off the stage one night in heavy seas. Also, the ships sometimes require you to play out on deck, and in that case, you want the cheapest piece of crap imaginable, because the salty air and outdoor condition will eat your bass quickly. I used an atrocious Kramer electric for this purpose, and I think I threw it into a dumpster when I disembarked.

Another issue is actually the bass that you'll need for the music played. A lot of it is showroom type stuff that may require electric bass, so you need to check that out as well. If you're lucky enough to play an acoustic gig on a ship, maybe you could pick up a decent ply bass that you can keep afterwards as a backup, or sell when you're done cruising. That's what I did.

MingusAmongUs · #3 09-27-2007, 05:55 PM

I haven't done a cruise gig but have been a passenger on a few. Marcus is right -- if you get an indoor slot, you and your bass will be fine. The whole interior should be very well cooled and dry. Outside on deck is a different story. But it seems to me that every band had a specific "room" where they played, and they never strayed from that spot. Of course different ships will do different things but that was my experience. Also, as Marcus said, storage may be a big issue. You'll barely have enough room to fit yourself in your stateroom, nevermind the bass. Hopefully there's someone from the ship you can contact who can answer these questions.

**Damon Rondeau** · #4 09-27-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MingusAmongUs

Also, as Marcus said, storage may be a big issue. You'll barely have enough room to fit yourself in your stateroom, nevermind the bass.

Musicians get staterooms? Maybe you meant staffroom? Staph room?

MingusAmongUs · #5 09-27-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

Musicians get staterooms? Maybe you meant staffroom? Staph room?

Hah... something like that. For sure they get crammed 4 or 6 to a tiny room, like submariners. I guess "staterooms" are for guests but, you know... I remember asking a Spanish waiter about his accommodations. "It's not a palace," was his diplomatic reply.

Mingus Fingus · #6 09-27-2007, 07:55 PM

thanks for the replies, guys. the drummer that offered the gig to me did it for six months last year, and claims it is the same deal this time. bar gig, indoors, upright is definitely preferred by them. it would be a cool gig, because we dont have to do a show band...just a regular guitar trio playing anything we want as long as it's quiet. im actually worried about the bass getting overhumidified, instead of not enough. in a super-humid environment i could build up some serious mold inside my bass over a six-month cruise. thinking about buying a christopher or something like it if i decide to do it. ideally i would take the arvi, but it seems a little too risky for me at this point. i feel like an old kay could hold up pretty well at sea as well...plywood might be the way to go.

any other advice would be greatly appreciated. im sort of struggling with the decision. it would come right after i finish grad school, and im planning to move to a bigger city so it might be a good way to save up some money before i leave baltimore. thanks!

adam.

MingusAmongUs · #7 09-27-2007, 08:15 PM

That's a tough one. I don't think you would have mold problems but as in any travel situation you may not have the luxury of keeping an eye on the bass at all times, and bad things can happen. I wouldn't take a real expensive instrument, but then whatever you do take is all you'll have for 6 months... hmm. It's a head scratcher. I would say get you a ply, but one that will still be nice to play, and preferably one that you won't have trouble selling when your stint is over (assuming that's what you'll want to do)...

dunno how helpful that is, just thinking out loud. you probably already thought of all this.

CamMcIntyre · #8 10-03-2007, 10:21 AM

I think it really depends how much you want to spend on a nice ply.

I post this in right about every thread i read that says "i want a nice ply"-New Standard Cleveland ply is where it's at for me. This is my only double bass.

If you got one, you'd have a nice backup bass for when you're off the ship or you'd be able to sell it.

good luck with it.

BrandonTurner · #9 10-03-2007, 04:08 PM

I did that same gig for 8 month on a carnival ship. I brought my 1880 tyrolean and didn't have any problems the whole time. Just figure out where you are going to store the bass.

KSB - Ken Smith · #10 10-04-2007, 06:40 AM

Around 1971/72 I took a gig on a Ship sailing out of New York. The Bass I had then was my Wenzel Wilfer 3/4 which was sold to me from Juzek as the Master Art model. It was beautiful and had everything you would expect. The Bass was less than 10 years old and I was supposed to be out for 5 weeks. The Cruise was cut short due to business and it went 3 1/2 weeks instead.

We went first to Guadalupe, St. Thomas, PR and Caracas Venezuela. We mainly 'sailed' between the first 3 places mentioned as they had short cruises out of PR for only a few days with each group of people. I even played my Bass out on the deck in the hot sun while docked in PR one morning.

I didn't have any problems with my Bass but every Bass is different. If your Bass has seasonal problems and you live in the north east, then maybe a break from the dry heat in your house will do the Bass some good.

Six Months? If I didn't have my business and my family etc etc etc.., I would love to have a gig like that and get a break from this world over here..lol

ZonGuy · #11 10-07-2007, 08:36 PM

I heard that a lot of the music jobs on cruise ships are now covered by Filipinos. They are supposed to pretty darn good players.

Mingus Fingus · #12 10-09-2007, 11:14 AM

for those of you who have done the cruise. another worry of mine is that there wont be space on the boat to practice when im not performing. im thinking there has to be somewhere on the boat that i can sneak of to and practice, but am a little worried if there isnt. did you guys get to practice when you were out? thanks for all the help.

adam.

Marcus Johnson · #13 10-10-2007, 09:49 AM

There's almost always a spot somewhere. Ships are full of strange cubbyholes and rooms that you can use. Best bet is to contact the person hiring you, or someone who's already on the ship.

Maybe the coolest practice space I ever had was on an older cruise ship, below deck (beneath the waterline) and right up in the bow. The room was shaped exactly as you expect the inside of a ship's bow to be, great big space, and it had that funky, industrial vibe unique to old oceangoing vessels. Interesting acoustics in there! It was somewhat thrilling to practice in the knowledge that, if we ran into something, I'd be the first guy to know it.

We also used to have some raging parties in there.

raven11 · #14 09-10-2008, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mingus Fingus

for those of you who have done the cruise. another worry of mine is that there wont be space on the boat to practice when im not performing. im thinking there has to be somewhere on the boat that i can sneak of to and practice, but am a little worried if there isnt. did you guys get to practice when you were out? thanks for all the help.

adam.

If your cruise gig experience turned out to be anything like mine, then you played at least five sets a day, seven days a week. Playing that much everyday is the best practice one could ask for. Granted, I still take a little time to practice scales with a metronome and learn new tunes, mostly while my cabin mate is out, but, for the sake of my wrists and my sanity, I have temporarily set hardcore practicing aside. While on the ship, I spend more time practicing piano than bass. There are pianos all over the ship. IMO, an instrumentalist who plays five sets a day every day on their instrument is better off spending time on a piano (learning changes and voicings, etc.) than trying to find the the physical (and mental!) space suitable for practice on his instrument.

Rebop · #15 09-10-2008, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raven11

If your cruise gig experience turned out to be anything like mine, then you played at least five sets a day, seven days a week. Playing that much everyday is the best practice one could ask for. Granted, I still take a little time to practice scales with a metronome and learn new tunes, mostly while my cabin mate is out, but, for the sake of my wrists and my sanity, I have temporarily set hardcore practicing aside. While on the ship, I spend more time practicing piano than bass. There are pianos all over the ship. IMO, an instrumentalist who plays five sets a day every day on their instrument is better off spending time on a piano (learning changes and voicings, etc.) than trying to find the the physical (and mental!) space suitable for practice on his instrument.

That was my exact experience. Except I wasn't able to bring my upright because the ceiling was too low in the room I played in. But yes, there are dang pianos everywhere.