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2 basses for one gig?

#122
I've had strings break on me more than once. If find it's a great opportunity to play the same parts in different positions. It can be a real braincheck. I found it detrimental to bring more than one cause I'd be worried about theft or damage.
 
#124
bbh said:
I've had strings break on me more than once. If find it's a great opportunity to play the same parts in different positions. It can be a real braincheck. I found it detrimental to bring more than one cause I'd be worried about theft or damage.
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That depends on the complexity of the music and skill level of the player. For a lot of us, that would be an unwelcome exercise prone to failure in front of a room full of mostly strangers. Not cool. Even after 40 years and knowing the fretboard like the back of my hand, I'd still rather play reasonably safe places and guard my gear the way I should with a second bass on stage.
 
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#125
If something goes wrong with your car on the way to the gig I'm sure everyone will be patient while you try to fix the problem, or walk your gear to the gig. Or will you find alternative transport?
Same goes for anything going wrong with your bass during a gig. Will everyone be patient while you fix it? Or will you find an alternative bass?

ETA: Once had a bridge go out on a headless bass. No D string for rest of the night. That's some mental gymnastics right there.
 
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#126
SteveC said:
Maybe, but one obstacle is IEM's. I use wired and have a custom cable with them run with my bass cable. I'd have to eliminate that set up and cable and go with wireless IEM's. Not sure I want it bad enough to spend that kind of money. I'd also need some kind of switching pedal and/or 2 channel preamp to allow for output differences, possibly different eq, etc. again, not sure I want to spend money to basically redo my rig.
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Yeah, your set up does complicate things. We never used IEM (except for one idiot singer :D) so it was easy for us to swap out instruments quickly.
Bunk McNulty said:
Don't let this happen to you!:DView attachment 4350096
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Hey, it worked, right? ;)
 
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#127
I almost never take a backup. Sometimes I take 2 basses that serve different functions, though. Usually fretted and fretless if more than one, or URB and something else. But generally never a backup, per se.

I typically keep my gear in good working order, which helps. You can't predict all possible failures, but you can at least minimize the obvious ones.
 
#129
I personally have always taken a backup bass, but then again I have always viewed bass playing as a contact sport. Much faster to just swap basses when you (hopefully spectacularly) blow a string. Folks sometimes seem amazed that such a big string breaks, not realizing it's just the central piece of wire, but hey, I will cheerfully take any credit anyone sees fit to give--
 
#130
I don't know if regular audiences typically notice such things, but IMO it just looks more professional to have another bass on a stand ready to go.
This assumes a lot, of course.
Room on stage, reasonably secure stage area (no audience wandering up during breaks), good weather if outdoors...
Sometimes the backup stays in its case.
But there's always a backup for a paying gig.
Jams, rehearsals, open mikes - Nah...
 
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#133
Generally if I'm being paid and/or playing more than a few songs, I'm bringing two basses and they are tuned-up, strapped, on a stand and plugged into an A/B box. If one goes down I'm just a couple seconds and a button push away from being back in the action. I've only had a couple of instances of instrument troubles and that was almost 2 decades ago, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Additionally, I like playing more than one bass (especially on multi-set gigs) and I think it looks cool to have another good-looking instrument on stage.
 
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#135
I always brought a spare when I was playing active basses. Now that my gigging basses are all passive, I'm not as concerned. I do keep a fretless uke around which will do if needed :). I know you didn't ask, but I do keep a spare small amp in the truck. …had a lot more of those fail than basses.
 
#138
I think having a second bass sitting in a stand while you are playing another looks more cluttered than cool, honestly.

What does look cool is if you have a member of the touring crew stealthfully approach you on stage who grabs the bass you've been playing while handing you a freshly tuned one for you to play during the next song and it all happens so quickly that few in the audience even notice it has happened. That is cool.
 
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#139
Usually bring two but not as a spare, rather fretted and fretless. Our sound guy loves the fretless.

wP1000544.jpg
 
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