Are two basses REALLY needed to bring to gigs?

[Korladis]

What if the backup fails...and then the backup's backup fails...and then the backup to that fails...etc., etc., etc.

Everyone should really take at least 100 basses to a gig.

Then maybe you'll make it through the night.

The chances of getting whacked by probability twice in one evening aren't very high.

 

[savit260]

The chances of getting whacked by probability twice in one evening aren't very high.

It's happend to me. at least twice.

Broken strings...

 

[Korladis]

It's happend to me. at least twice.

Broken strings...

Really? And I thought I played rather hard.

 

[electracoyote]

I once had a set of 5-strings with three dead as a doornail. All from the same pack. I couldn't believe it was the strings, I faulted the bass until I learned otherwise.

When it comes to strings, you are the mercy of a lot of unpredictability.

 

[MasterBass!]

You only take 2 basses to gigs??

 

[vstringbassist]

I started taking back-up basses to gigs not long after I got an endorsement in 2004. At the time I had only one bass model I was endorsing and had my previous bass as a backup. I tend to play hard and started breaking strings at rehearsals with the new bass.
A few years later I switched to 6 string bass for a while (Ibanez SR 406, 506 & 1206). I would bring the 1206 & 506 to gigs. Then it happened, during one gig with a crowded room in downtown Ottawa, I broke the D string on my 1206 on the first song! DOH! I quickly grabbed my 506 which played and sounded similiar - all was well. I never had a backup bass in the 80's or 90's but I always bring one now especially since that gig. You just never know when a string will break, battery drops out, circuit fails, coil opens, strap button breakes...its nice to be prepared. I highly doubt 2 basses would fail in one night...but then again...

 

[Korladis]

I once had a set of 5-strings with three dead as a doornail. All from the same pack. I couldn't believe it was the strings, I faulted the bass until I learned otherwise.

When it comes to strings, you are the mercy of a lot of unpredictability.

How weird. I don't change strings as often as I'd like, but I never have a problem with breaking them, nor do I usually get dead ones right out of the pack. Except for a couple low E strings. Oh, and one whole set of GHS, which I only got because they didn't have D'Addarios in the gauge I needed.

 

[muzikman7]

I bring 3 basses to most gigs also I take extra mics and stands, mic & guitar cables a tool kit for repairs an extra amp head, 4 100' extension cords even a pair of drum sticks its unreal how many times guys forget mic stands and drumsticks.

 

[bassyRyan]

Option A: Bring one bass which could experience any number of unexected problems and leave other bass at home.
Option B: Oh wait, you chose option A. No play, no pay. Go home.

 

[malthumb]

Based on the reposnses to this thread I have come to the conclusions that.....

1. You can bring one bass to a gig and still be considered "professional" in your approach
2. You can bring two or more basses to a gig and still be considered "professional" in your approach
3. If you bring one bass, making certain it is in tip top shape and taking extra strings is a good idea
4. If you're taking two or more basses to a gig, making sure they are in tip top shape and taking extra strings is a good idea
5. There are some situations where one bass makes the most sense.
6. There are some situations where having a backup bass makes the most sense
7. YMMV
8. Most bassists, when dug in on a position, will hold that position until the polar ice caps melt.

In other words, I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know, but boy was I entertained!!!

 

[Fuzzbass]

Based on the reposnses to this thread I have come to the conclusions that.....

1. You can bring one bass to a gig and still be considered "professional" in your approach
2. You can bring two or more basses to a gig and still be considered "professional" in your approach
3. If you bring one bass, making certain it is in tip top shape and taking extra strings is a good idea
4. If you're taking two or more basses to a gig, making sure they are in tip top shape and taking extra strings is a good idea
5. There are some situations where one bass makes the most sense.
6. There are some situations where having a backup bass makes the most sense
7. YMMV
8. Most bassists, when dug in on a position, will hold that position until the polar ice caps melt.

In other words, I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know, but boy was I entertained!!!

TalkBass post of the month!

 

[Brad Johnson]

The appeal is that if the "locking" portion of the lock fails, the bass probably won't fall off and hit the ground.

Lock-tite solves the nut backing out issue.

Yeah, the nut securing the strap part isn't the greatest design but it's an easy fix.

They could've just put a C-clip in place of the nut/washer.

I agree, it isn't the greatest design. Having to buy straplocks and Loctite... meh.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Brad, this happened a few years back, so my memory is a little cloudy, BUT what I can tell you definitifly is that A. The failure was of Dunlops, because Jeff doesn't , and has never used Schallers, only Dunlops B. That particular set of locks was discarded because they no longer worked C. Weather or not the C clip was the cause of failure(probably not) it was still worn to the point where it fell off. D. The Gibson Fly V that was attatched to the locks hit the stage hard enough during a song to break off the E string tuner midway through a set.

Cool. Like I said, I've seen far more user error (not making sure it's secured) than the ballbearings actually failing (extremely rare). But it's easier to blame the lock.

Every time I put my strap on I check for the feel of the ballbearings snapping into place and I tug on the strap to make sure it can't pull out.. So far so good.

At least we know it wasn't the C-clip.


I was going to put Dunlops on my Marleaux Jazz but they did the most thorough strap button install I'd seen. They used a nice deep threaded metal insert and that part was solid as a rock. I just found Dunlops much easier to put on and take off the strap and don't have to worry about a nut eventually falling off and the stap coming loose.

If I had a Dunlop fail I'd contact them about it.

 

[mtaffonso]

Well, I don´t play professional gigs. I never bring two basses with me.

I never had a problem with my basses on gigs. Playing for more than 10 years, I never broke a string (I have a hard plucking right hand playing), even the old ones.

Once I had problem with an amp (in fact, the sound operator plugged wrong impedance cabs for my head).


What I usually do :

1 - Before leave home to the gig, check all my equipment (Bass, Cables (2 or more), strap, Tuner, Amp, Cabinet). I usually play with the bass I´ll use over the amp I´ll use too.

2 - Always bring an extra battery if I´ll use an active bass (check the battery status first); If possible, replace the battery on bass too (If you didn´t replaced it last month, for example).

3 - On the gig´s place, check local voltage (110 or 220v) before plug the amp on power outlet.

To be very carefull (as I did on last saturday´s gig ), switch the amp to 220v and try to turn it on. If it doesn´t turn on, the local voltage should be 110v, then you switch it to 110v and turn it on. The opposite would be a blew amp/fuse.

4 - Use reliable equipment. It´s better to have one "fault tolerance bass" than two "propably fault basses";

5 - Use a decent gigbag. I have a great one , padded gigbag from Rockbass by Warwick (my basses are Fender Jazz and a Music Man SR5). Usually they still in tune when i get then off the gigbag, but I always check the tune before start sound checking and any set.

6 - Take good care of your gear.

The DI is a good idea. I´ll think about it.

 

[darth by tor]

At my first ever show I only took one bass (Only had one!) I managed to break the bottom E string halfway through the set!
In my defense it was the 80's and I was using Rotosound Funkmasters.
Since then Ive always brought two, however twenty two years later Ive yet to use the backup, just call me paranoid!

 

[metron]

Two basses are definitely not REALLY needed for a gig. IMO. So whats the general consensus of the TB community?

 

[electracoyote]

Two basses are definitely not REALLY needed for a gig. IMO. So whats the general consensus of the TB community?

I agree, two basses are not REALLY needed for a gig.

Until the only one you bring fails.

 

[iamthebassman]

I agree, two basses are not REALLY needed for a gig.

Until the only one you bring fails.

What he said.

You only need one, 'til you're onstage and a string breaks or the output jack craps out. Then your bandmates, not to mention the audience, are gonna be giving you dirty looks because you have let everyone down just because you didn't wanna bring a backup. And if you don't give a hoot about your bandmate's feelings, you will probably find you will have a hard time staying in a band.

 

[michael_atw]

Then your bandmates, not to mention the audience, are gonna be giving you dirty looks because you have let everyone down just because you didn't wanna bring a backup. And if you don't give a hoot about your bandmate's feelings, you will probably find you will have a hard time staying in a band.

"Then your bandmates..." A.) Not if they are your friends and B.) Not if they are like the majority of working gigging musicians who bring one instrument to gigs, just like the hypothetical you.

"...not to mention the audience are gonna be giving you dirty looks because you have let everyone down..." Boy, you play some rough crowds. Most VFW and backyard birthday party people aren't paying attention anyways. Bring an Ipod, plug it in and DJ for 3 minutes, and remedy the situation. Or just tell a joke. Or just do something that shows you are road-worthy musicians. Audience interaction can be tested in these circumstances...and I think a problem is most of us freeze up when we even think about having to interact with an audience.

"And if you don't give a hoot about your bandmate's feelings, you will probably find you will have a hard time staying in a band." You're right...but what does this have to do with not bringing a backup?

 

[michael_atw]

Two basses are definitely not REALLY needed for a gig. IMO. So whats the general consensus of the TB community?

The general consensus seems to be that bringing a backup is smart, but not required by any sorts of inane hypothetical laws (ahem...Murphy's Law) so it's subjective to the person and situation.

But of course, this thread would have ended after 4 posts if we took a consensus.