Are two basses REALLY needed to bring to gigs?

[Brad Johnson]

I agree that a well mantianed bass will eliminate a lot of problems, but not all of them.

All of my basses, regardless of price , are very well mantained, however things still happen. Many of the things that can and have happened, are a function of the gig and the enviornment that the basses get used. Others are just unpredictable flukes... like the Schaller strap lock screw shearing off. All the care in the world isnt' going to see that one coming. Nothing a little duct tape could fix though (gasp )

See, that was your problem... should've used Dunlops.


Seriously, Schallers are the only straplocks I've had issues with. Even with Loctite. I gave up and went with what never failed me.

In fact I tempted Murphy on one of my basses with Dunlops. When I bought the bass the straplock screw was bottomed out before it pulled the button tight to the body... but it otherwise did not budge for over ten years. It wouldn't even fail in that situation.

Strings that get drenched in sweat (and wiped off immediatly after the show), and played hard with a pick will break much faster than playing finger style sitting in a chair or leaning against an amp. Doesn't matter if it's an inexpensive or pricey well mantained bass.. With my gig... strings break. That has nothing to do with any deficiency in the equipment. That's my personal reason for always having a backup.

True story: I sweat but my hands don't. It's weird but my string budget is very thankful. My strings last a ridiculously long time for roundwounds. No sweat, low action, higher amp volume setting, relatively light touch = money saved and no broken strings.

As I've said repetedly... a lot of the risk assesment has to do with the particular gig that someone plays. I find that I'm in a higher risk catagory now, than when I played in a Blues Band. Not many stage divers at those show, nor buckets of sweat dripped on the bass, nor many people climbing on stage to sing along I also had no real problems (except having a nut break playing (gasp) GUITAR one night on a Blues gig with my old Telecaster (also very well taken care of)

I agreed wholeheartedly, the type of gigs you play can factor into this. That's why it makes no sense to make blanket statements about people's work ethic re:spares unless their particular work environ is a known.

 

[Korladis]

What is the actual percentage of failures that can be attributed to electronics failures? According to the responses in this thread, very few. Most of the people commenting had either A.) a string issue, B.) an issue involved with it being knocked over, or C.) a jack issue due to stepping on a cord, ripping out, etc.

I haven't kept up with the thread in full, but I cannot say I remember a time where someone mentioned an electronics failure. Pots will make tons of racket before failing...and if a pickup did in the case of something like a J-bass you have two.

Only broke a string when I first started, and that was while changing strings.

Only had one electronic issue at a gig, but have had numerous ones in the years playing.

 

[Korladis]

Sounds like I hit a nerve. Take care of your equipment, bud.

Things happen even to people who take great care of their instruments.

I don't abuse mine, I wipe them down, and if a problem's developing I fix it, but sometimes you just aren't lucky.

 

[JimmyM]

btw, i'm down with those who want to carry a backup. i used to do it, too. all i'm saying is don't call those of us who don't "unprofessional."

 

[SurferJoe46]

I screwed up royally last night - I took a knife to a gunfight.

I haven't had to bring a second bass for equipment failures ever - but I found out the hard way that when you need a P instead of the J you brought and you didn't think to pack a second bass - you're in trouble.

My NEW oath: I will NEVER fail to bring two different basses to a gig. :scowl:

I would have been very happy to have smoke come out of my J so I had a good excuse - but it wouldn't co-operate nor smoke just a little.

 

[nostatic]

I haven't had to bring a second bass for equipment failures ever - but I found out the hard way that when you need a P instead of the J you brought and you didn't think to pack a second bass - you're in trouble.

?!? I don't understand how a J couldn't cover for a P in a live situation. I could maybe see if it was a recording date and the producer specifically called for a P.

 

[SurferJoe46]

?!? I don't understand how a J couldn't cover for a P in a live situation. I could maybe see if it was a recording date and the producer specifically called for a P.

It just wasn't punching like my P does.

They (the group who shall remain unnamed yet) really play loud.

D'ja ever hear "Folsom Prison Blues" at 13o'clock? That's what I wuz up against and the J wasn't 'there' for the lows.

I've said this before and gotten singed in the attacks - but a J does NOT cut it in the mix as well as a solid P can.

I can feel it.

The band can feel it.

The audience can feel it too.

I've got two Js - an active and a passive and even with the extra heat the Active Deluxe J can create, it just ain't the same.

I get a studio date again this Saturday evening for another 6 or 7 hours and you can bet I'd bring the whole USS Bass flotilla if I had my way.

The sound engineer INSISTS on the P for this, even though I have snuck (sneeked?) my Active J in once in a while - but he just KNOWS!

 

[JimmyM]

next time you leave the precision at home and need its sound, turn off the bridge pickup. that's all you had to do.

 

[michael_atw]

I screwed up royally last night - I took a knife to a gunfight.

I haven't had to bring a second bass for equipment failures ever - but I found out the hard way that when you need a P instead of the J you brought and you didn't think to pack a second bass - you're in trouble.

My NEW oath: I will NEVER fail to bring two different basses to a gig. :scowl:

I would have been very happy to have smoke come out of my J so I had a good excuse - but it wouldn't co-operate nor smoke just a little.

So...what happened? This sounds like a sarcastic post of something that didn't actually happen.

 

[SurferJoe46]

next time you leave the precision at home and need its sound, turn off the bridge pickup. that's all you had to do.

So...what happened? This sounds like a sarcastic post of something that didn't actually happen.

C'mon guys! It's the Gospel - I swear!

I twisted knobs until I got tired of it - the cut wasn't in the J - really!

The lead guitarist asked why my sound was so hollow and weak.

There was a tone- or quality of sound- just missing. I'll admit that I have those 77 ROTOS and a secret cap on the P for the tone pot and the J was wearing stocker Fender 7250s, but even with the crunchier strings on the J - it was just a weaker bass with not as much 'boom' if you follow me here.

I love both of my Js in the extreme! They are great for those times when I need to be more articulate and (wrong word coming up here) 'flighty-er".

The P just does tone and sustain is spades and buckets-full.

I've created a monster with that P of mine in the simple but dramatic changes I made to it and now it's just EXPECTED to be in the mix. Anything less - to them - is a hollow second runner.

James - you're a world-traveler - so when/if you want to meet on neutral turf - like, uh, say GC/Murrietta - let me know and I'll be more than delighted to let you try it out on any amp they have in the store.

I'll wear my cowboy hat and you bring an autographed 8x10 of Bowser - for my WIFE, of course! Have him sign it to Joe. .

I am not usually available on Thursdays and Sundays. Somebody has to pray for you!

 

[Assumer]

first time I took two basses to church, the input jack went out on the one I was playing.

 

[bassbenj]

next time you leave the precision at home and need its sound, turn off the bridge pickup. that's all you had to do.

We wish! Maybe bring my SX jazz and flip it into series mode...

 

[jordy_on_bass]

Personally, I always have a back up bass for a gig for the issue of a string breaking during the set.
I have a very aggressive style of finger picking, I really hammer the strings hard and have had a brand new string break once during a gig, so having a back up bass was a god-send for me.
It also comes in handy when you have a change in tuning during a set (my last band had songs 50/50 in standard and drop d tuning), so instead of having to drop tune, I would just swap bass.
Anybody who brings only a single bass to a gig isn't a fool, its a personal choice. But if something does happen, then it is a choice they will have to live with.
Horses for courses, fellas!
Cheers,
Jordan

 

[darkstorm]

If I was touring professionally worldwide, Id take two basses each shipped in seperate rather then together so that if some equipment got lost or delayed, at least Id have one bass available. Or perhaps just so could have the mood choice since both would be allmost identical sound but diff in some other way.

 

[LiamPodmore]

I bring 2 basses for 2 reasons. 1, its easier to play D standard on my 4 than my having to capo my 5, and as a backup incase anything goes wrong with my squier. And yes it can happen, my last one had to be sent to fender and they couldnt fix it, so i'd take a backup, even if you don't take it to gigs, make sure you actually have have one

 

[savit260]

See, that was your problem... should've used Dunlops.


Seriously, Schallers are the only straplocks I've had issues with. Even with Loctite. I gave up and went with what never failed me.

In fact I tempted Murphy on one of my basses with Dunlops. When I bought the bass the straplock screw was bottomed out before it pulled the button tight to the body... but it otherwise did not budge for over ten years. It wouldn't even fail in that situation.


:

I don't think using Dunlops would have cured the problem unless their screws are somehow unbreakable.

Here's what happened... Did a song and a half soundcheck... Everything is cool. Opening bands play... Grab bass... tune up... on stage and get the go ahead from the sound guy... Guitar player starts talking on the mic... I'm getting myself ready to start the first song, and the bass starts traveling towards the floor. The screw sheered clean off while just standing there.

Now as for Dunlops... Guitar player uses them as he prefers them to Schallers, BUT during a show one time the C shaped "snap ring clip" on the his Dunlops had apparently worn just enough where it slipped off and sent his Gibson to the floor, mid song snapping off the high E string tuner.
Glad he had a backup too.

 

[cazksbass]

Just found this thread. It doesn't take "frenzied idiots" to ruin things. I learned the hard way to get a backup bass to take to gigs... a long time ago the band I was in got hired to play a backyard birthday party. The gig was 130 miles away so it was a roadtrip, too! Anyway, I had my '71 Precision fitted with Seymour Duncan Atiquities pups just ONE WEEK before, and I thought I was happenin'. Anyway, we were just getting started and weird popping started coming out my amp. Then my pickups just DIED...dead, buried, crapped out, money wasted. No bass and 130 miles from anyone I knew! I borrowed my lead player's les paul and plugged in, turned the bass all the way up and treble all the way down. Started playing bass on a freakin' Les Paul. Jeez. No groove at all.
Then, the birthday girl came up to me and said "oh here, just use mine" and handed me a cheap Hohner which at that moment looked like the best bass I ever saw because IT WORKED! Played the rest of the party on it - she had begun bass lessons five years before and never kept up, but kept the bass. Lucky me.
Couple days later I took back the SD Antiquities to the store that sold to me and exchanged for something else. I also bought a Washburn cheapie with active pups for a backup.
I coulda been a contender........

 

[Bluesbob]

Because of this stupid thread I am contemplating bringing a back-up bass to a gig tonight for the first time in years. Probably leave it in the car... with my back-up amp.

 

[electracoyote]

Because of this stupid thread I am contemplating bringing a back-up bass to a gig tonight for the first time in years. Probably leave it in the car... with my back-up amp.

Y'know, you may very well be in the vast majority of players who will never need a back-up, you may have the good fortune of carrying only one bass and it functions perfectly night after night, gig after gig, session after session, from here to eternity.

But if and when you just happen to draw the black spot and some tragedy befalls your bass rendering you empty-handed...

Well, I just hope it's not one of those "important" gigs or recording sessions.

I don't tempt fate, and fate does not tempt me. I throw a spare in the trunk, right next to the tire. It's harmless, and might even be beneficial some day.

That's the thing: Unless you control time and space, you never know what lies just around the next corner.

An ounce of prevention. Just my philosophical .02 cents.

 

[groooooove]

i gigged for years without a backup on a carvin XB76 bass that i bought new. never needed one.

about a year ago when i was using a differnt carvin, a '92 LB76, i was doing my whole +2 octave digitech whammy "guitar" solo and smacked the back of the neck with my hand to make the strings vibrate while i screwed around with making noise on the effects. that smack, instead of sounding like thunder like it normally did, made my bass go silent. turned out the battery got bumped and wassent making a connection- and this bass had no active/passive.

that was the only time i needed a backup, and it was pretty clearly my fault for doing such stage antics..