backup gear

MattyN · #1 06-17-2003, 11:22 PM

i've been dragging a backup bass to gigs for a couple years and i've never needed it. last week i decided to play show without bringing the backup and i have to say it was pretty sweet traveling light.

i've never brought a backup rig, although i have a couple xtra combos i could lug around if i wanted. is this gonna catch up with me?

what do you bring?

Munjibunga · #2 06-17-2003, 11:31 PM

Two basses. ALWAYS. One rig, extra tube, extra speaker lamp.

wulf · #3 06-18-2003, 02:30 AM

Recent gigs have been in places with tiny stages where we've just about been able to fit most of the band up there - no room for surplus gear! (although I do use a SansAmp Bass Driver DI, so could probably survive through the PA if my amp went pop).

I'm working on my fretless chops - once they get respectable, I'll probably have a good reason for wanting to have both fretted and fretless 6's available for the shows and that will cover my behind as far as a backup bass goes... of course, I'll then have to figure out how that goes with the lack of space if we don't get some more 'generously proportioned' gigs!

Wulf

DB5 · #4 06-18-2003, 11:48 AM

One Bass and my IEM

Very Sweet Gig

Eric Moesle · #5 06-18-2003, 12:07 PM

Two basses, always. One amp rig, but I do have a good active DI in case of rig failure I can go through the monitors and PA.

jive1 · #6 06-18-2003, 02:07 PM

I always bring a backup bass in case. My main backup is a Steinberger Spirit XT. It's cheap, light, small, versatile, and stays in tune like nothing else.
My backup rig is a Sansamp Bass Driver DI. I also bring a passive DI in case. As long as the PA doesn't go out, I'm solid in terms of my rig. My back cringes at the though of lugging two rigs.

Mike N · #7 06-18-2003, 02:52 PM

Two Basses, one rig, extra battery, strap, cord, fuses etc......

snoopyjc · #8 06-19-2003, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike N
Two Basses, one rig, extra battery, strap, cord, fuses etc......

Exactly!
--joe http://www.pieceofcandi.com/

FretNoMore · #9 06-19-2003, 03:53 PM

Extra bass, DI (doubles as backup for amp), cords, batteries, gaffer tape... As I own the PA there's a bag that goes with it, and it has all sorts of extra stuff and tools.

Most of the time the cords and batteries are not for myself, but for other dis-organised band members (read: guitarists)...

cassanova · #10 06-20-2003, 10:32 AM

Two basses, strings, chords, batteries, a/c power adapter too

inazone · #11 06-21-2003, 01:06 AM

just curious, why do you guys bring two basses?

FretNoMore · #12 06-21-2003, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by inazone
just curious, why do you guys bring two basses?

Several reasons:
- Sometimes I play both fretted and fretless
- To have different sounds available for different rooms
- For backup on the odd chance for instance a string breaks

Turock · #13 06-21-2003, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eric Moesle
Two basses, always. One amp rig, but I do have a good active DI in case of rig failure I can go through the monitors and PA.

This is what I do also.

Ben Mishler · #14 06-21-2003, 01:33 PM

I bring a backup bass as well as a fuse in case it blows out on my amp.

LiquidMidnight · #15 06-21-2003, 03:14 PM

I usually only bring one bass, but sometimes I'll bring two. I usually have extra batteries, cords, and when I change strings, I usually throw the old set in my suitcase in case I break a string on a gig. (Which has never happened to date, but sometimes piece of mind is worth more than something tangible)

parrott · #16 06-23-2003, 06:41 PM

I always take two basses, a DI, and a few extra 9V batteries.

Quote:

Originally posted by inazone
just curious, why do you guys bring two basses?

I'm always afraid of snapping a string mid-set. Hasn't happened yet, but it's bound to one day.

It's also nice to have a different set of sounds, and frets in case my inonation just sucks that night.

szvonek · #17 07-10-2003, 10:19 AM

I bring extra 9-volts and cables, etc., but I figure the chance of me breaking a string are so low that if that were to happen the other band would be sympathetic and lend me their bass. I don't play that aggressively so it's like a .001% chance of happening really. Besides, i just remembered I carry extra strings too. So there's no real reason for me to bring an extra bass...or rig for that matter. Almost everywhere we play the bar has a DI box, so I don't even need that.

Fleckbass211 · #18 07-12-2003, 09:23 PM

I would have to go with:

Extra Bass
Cables
Amp accessories ( tubes, etc.)
Strings
Batteries/Adapters

Brendan · #19 07-14-2003, 06:25 AM

-Strings
-Basses (well, not quite backup, but all my songs can be played on any of my basses)
-Amp (my Eden is currently a preamp, but I can use the power section in a pinch.
-Batteries (new to me, just now is it that I don't own a passive bass)

FretNoMore · #20 07-14-2003, 06:41 AM

Just a small story on bringing gear, only slightly off topic perhaps...

Saturday night we played a wedding gig, and it was a bit farther away from home than we usually play. Other than my spare bass and so on, I worried about how much stuff to bring (apart from my bass gear I also own and care for the PA). I put together a bag with batteries, cables, soldering iron and solder, pliers, fuses, a multi-meter, and various other stuff. I almost felt a bit silly but since we were not likely to find a store out in the woods I worried.

Turned out one guitarist needed new batteries and the other guitarist's wall wart had developed a bad cable, so no power to his pedal board. My Leatherman, multi-meter and soldering iron to the rescue!

Also, one of the spotlights was a bit wobbly, sorted that out with some extra nuts and bolts and gaffer tape.

Saved the whole day really, and I will now be able to brush off the scorn the next time my band mates comment on my gig "luggage".