I'm a horrible pessimist. Were it all up to me, I'd have a spare everything.
That said, rent is more important than a bass.
That said, rent is more important than a bass.
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Active bassists: Is a second bass necessary?
- Thread starter Amaru
- Start date
It is necessary especially if you are playing live and if you are recording. Some producers prefer the sound of different basses with different wood, electronics and pickups ect. Therefore if you are a working session bassist you might need more than one bass.
I've had some probs with various 'soundmen' not being bothered/having the time to eq etc.. at the odd gig, usually take a passive to festivals now.
I'm an INactive bassist and I'd go crazy with only one bass.
My fender is in the shop for some electrical work, and it's driving me nuts, with it out of the house. Even with my other basses I feel like something is missing. If I was gigging I'd be freaking right now.
My fender is in the shop for some electrical work, and it's driving me nuts, with it out of the house. Even with my other basses I feel like something is missing. If I was gigging I'd be freaking right now.
Depends? Can your band and your audiences do without a bass player, once in a blue moon
?If so, you've got nothing to worry about. Depends on what level you're gigging at, I suppose.
+1.
1 bass crapping out at a gig = BAD
2 basses but living on the street = WORSE
I have 11 or 12 basses and would sell all of them in a second if I needed the $$$ to pay my bills.
1 bass crapping out at a gig = BAD
2 basses but living on the street = WORSE
I have 11 or 12 basses and would sell all of them in a second if I needed the $$$ to pay my bills.
I agree with Revvv, and after a lot of guys advising that paying your rent is 'obviously' more important than your Bass, I thought i'd offer a thought to consider. If things are so bad that you're thinking of selling your bass, then ask yourself what you would do if you had already sold it and were in need of $ for rent? (like NEXT month)...and do THAT now. In other words, redefine your "bottom". Pretend you already don't have it to sell. Your options may be distasteful but you'll keep your P. and avoid kicking yourself. (which you'll likely do in one month when you're trying to scratch up more doe rae me, for the rent that keeps coming.)
Good luck!!
P.S. you're in good comapny though....Alan Holdsworth ALMOST sold his red Strat to pay rent back in the '70's. (fortunately I got to him in time.
)
if it's only one month he's talking about, especially one month, then no one's gonna be thrown to the streets.(in most civilized countries that is) Don't panic!
At this point, the question is a place to live or having a second bass? I know which one I'd choose.
Active basses can be reliable, and provided you regularly maintain the bass, and regularly change the battery, you should be alright. That said, I never go to a gig or practice without a backup bass. I've never had a problem, but also, I've never had to worry.
Sorry to hear the financial woes.
Happens to me at least 5 or six times a year.
Jeez! I've been playing for over 35 years and have NEVER broken a bass string, during a gig or just practicing, and until recently I have always used light guage rounds. You must pop more than a bowl of Rice Krispies!
Didn't read all 4 pages, but could you sell the one, and buy a real cheapo off ebay or something, get it setup best you can, and just don't use it unless your other truly dies? Depending on how much you think you can get for your 2nd bass, this might make sense.
Couldn't have said it better. I've broken two E strings in my entire career playing bass, and they were just bum strings from the same batch. Happened in rehearsal, so no big deal. I generally carry a spare, but now if my bass goes down, I'll just play bass on keys; I don't always carry a spare for every gig. For an important gig, absolutely.
I have my own internal list of what would stay or what would go if I needed to sell stuff to pay rent, put food in my mouth, etc. I love music, but I like life a whole lot more.
make sure your backup bass is in reach while you're on stage, too. last time i needed my backup bass it was too far away for me to get, and the dude videotaping backstage was too wrapped up in the camera to get the gist of what i was motioning with my hands.
not to mention the broken string being RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of a 15 minute long song. had the bass been within reach i could have dealt with it, played the part and done a mid song switch while still covering my bass part. instead i flailed at the camera guy motioning for him to get my backup bass, and got nowhere, blew the song, and kinda blew the whole gig. when you're playing terrapin station to a crowd of hippies, you oughtta play it competently at least.
not to mention the broken string being RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of a 15 minute long song. had the bass been within reach i could have dealt with it, played the part and done a mid song switch while still covering my bass part. instead i flailed at the camera guy motioning for him to get my backup bass, and got nowhere, blew the song, and kinda blew the whole gig. when you're playing terrapin station to a crowd of hippies, you oughtta play it competently at least.
I say every gigging bassist should have a second bass, whether it be for a different sound, or a backup
It's not necessary, because I've never broken a string.
HOWEVER
This one time, my bass just untuned on stage. And I mean 5 half steps - Definitely the last time I have GC string for me. Anyway, I grabbed the acoustic bass right there and played the rest of the show with it.
HOWEVER
This one time, my bass just untuned on stage. And I mean 5 half steps - Definitely the last time I have GC string for me. Anyway, I grabbed the acoustic bass right there and played the rest of the show with it.
if ya gotta pay the rent, then do watcha gotta do, but you can't have too many basses imo.
The last gig I had, I only grabbed 1 bass because it was a shortened set (45 minutes).
I just happened to break my D string halfway through. Well, I didn't break it, but it unwound somehow up by the tuning peg and wouldn't go any higher than C#.
So now I'm always gonna bring a backup no matter what.
I just happened to break my D string halfway through. Well, I didn't break it, but it unwound somehow up by the tuning peg and wouldn't go any higher than C#.
So now I'm always gonna bring a backup no matter what.
Within15 years of professional playing, my main live bass (Yamaha trb 6) died just once. Lucky enough gig was just 4 miles from home so i took my 2.8 bmw z3 and managed to be 15 minutes later back on stage with my Jerzy Drozd Mastery V. This Mastery V though served well to some fellow bass players of mine when their basses failed ... so you better have a 2nd just in case ...
