Are two basses REALLY needed to bring to gigs?

[savit260]

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.

I know you're implying that it wasn't snapped all the way in.

If it were simply user error i.e. not snapped into place... it wouldn't have made it 5 minutes into the show.

That particular set had seen a LOT of shows before it failed.


Yeah, lock-tite, REALLY breaks the bank... and it's not usefull for anything else other than strap locks (sarcasm)

I keep a bottle of lock-tite around anyway, so it's not like the extra $2 goes to waste.

 

[iamthebassman]

"Most VFW and backyard birthday party people aren't paying attention anyways."

Agreed, I was talking about a REAL gig, where they're paying ADMISSION, and expect their money's worth, not a lame joke or an ipod. It's called being a professional.

You may now make another silly comment.

 

[michael_atw]

"Most VFW and backyard birthday party people aren't paying attention anyways."

Agreed, I was talking about a REAL gig, where they're paying ADMISSION, and expect their money's worth, not a lame joke or an ipod. It's called being a professional.

You may now make another silly comment.

Please review other posts in this thread, where more than a few plainly reference my examples (and similar ones) as being their example venue.

Ah...one of those guys who believes not bring 2 basses is professional, eh?

And...oh sorry, Mr. professional - I didn't know any gig less than an arena didn't qualify.


You may now make another bold, yet misguided statement.

 

[metron]

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.

Indeed!

 

[electracoyote]

Most VFW and backyard birthday party people aren't paying attention anyways.

An attendee at one of my informal "backyard jams" booked my band for a $2,500.00 fee for a wedding this summer.

You never know who may be listening to you.

But I get the point michael. If it's truly a "throwaway gig," one bass should suffice. Hell, you might not even need that.

But don't forget the iPod.

 

[michael_atw]

But I get the point michael. If it's truly a "throwaway gig," one bass should suffice. Hell, you might not even need that.

But don't forget the iPod.

And make sure you don't forget your Murphy's Law.

I also would do nothing to compare a birthday party with a wedding. That's like comparing a bar to a bandshell. I don't care how much anyone is getting paid for anything. I've played in front of 1000+ people on more than a couple occasions for free - does that qualify them as being sub-standard to a wedding gig?

What I was saying is - know your audience. More than a few people in this thread are relying merely on their fears to get them through the gig - and if someone's standing and shivering worried before and during the gig that their instrument is gonna crap...well, that affects their ability to play up to their potential. If something's supposed to happen because someone important is watching, so be it. If it doesn't work out...there's just as good a chance it was because I hit a tree on the way as there is my bass failing at that very moment. Or just as good a chance as I got a flat and missed it altogether. I don't worry about that stuff, either. If an audience is full of snooty uptights or full of steady listeners, then do what you need to do. If an audience is full of drunks and conversationalists...then don't let your fears about your gear get in the way of your Molly Hatchet and AC/DC covers.

 

[savit260]

"

"...not to mention the audience are gonna be giving you dirty looks because you have let everyone down..." Boy, you play some rough crowds.

Oh man, I've seen openers get shouted down at shows even without equipment failures!!! Even experienced it first hand once!

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.

That's why I said before that people should, and surely DO assesss thier own personal situations.

What you just suggested wouldn't fly on most of the gigs I play. That said, it could work fine for someone elses gig. My backup has saved my bacon a number of times, mainly because I'm hard on strings, so for me it's a must. For others not so much.

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.

There is time for audienced interaction and then there is time for playing. If you happen to find yourself in a 30 to 45 minute slot, you don't want to be wasting too much time on the banter. Yeah, a little between songs, but not the length of a song to be fixing a problem. Not to mention , some of us older guys, were tried and tested years ago.

It seems to me that you are looking at this through the prizm of your own personal situation, and overlooking that others play under totaly different circumstances.

For me, it's a must. For you,... maybe it's not.

Link Removed

 

[michael_atw]

It seems to me that you are looking at this through the prizm of your own personal situation, and overlooking that others play under totaly different circumstances.

Everyone is looking at this through a prism of their own experience. Like I said many times, check the probability of a bass failure put up against a vehicle failure, car crash, your kid getting sick that night, bass getting stolen, etc. Objectively, many will soon find equipment failure probabilities to be much smaller than one thinks. If we eliminate string breaks (which are easily fixed), that will probably drop the probability even further.

Besides, I'M the one who's making it personal? Dude, you just took a whole post that was going to ANOTHER PERSON and started talking about what you've done. C'mon dude...who just made it a prism of their own personal situation?

 

[savit260]

And make sure you don't forget your Murphy's Law.

I wonder if the bass player from "Murphy's Law" brings a backup.

 

[savit260]

Everyone is looking at this through a prism of their own experience. Like I said many times, check the probability of a bass failure put up against a vehicle failure, car crash, your kid getting sick that night, bass getting stolen, etc. Objectively, many will soon find equipment failure probabilities to be much smaller than one thinks. If we eliminate string breaks (which are easily fixed), that will probably drop the probability even further.

Besides, I'M the one who's making it personal? Dude, you just took a whole post that was going to ANOTHER PERSON and started talking about what you've done. C'mon dude...who just made it a prism of their own personal situation?

And I've said for MY situation I need one... Others may not. That's not exactly one sided.

Again, you state "sting changes are easily fixed" That's just not true for every gig situation. When I played a 4 set night, wasting five minutes to change a stirng would be fine. What I do now, it's pretty much unacceptable.... Particularly when I can just have someone hand me another bass.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I know you're implying that it wasn't snapped all the way in.

If it were simply user error i.e. not snapped into place... it wouldn't have made it 5 minutes into the show.

That particular set had seen a LOT of shows before it failed.

Why? It could've been in far enough to hold for a while. That's what typically happens with what I described... it doesn't immediately just fall out.

Yeah, lock-tite, REALLY breaks the bank... and it's not usefull for anything else other than strap locks (sarcasm)

I keep a bottle of lock-tite around anyway, so it's not like the extra $2 goes to waste.

And everyone is just like you.
(sarcasm+1)



A good design wouldn't require Loctite IMO. If it did require it it ought to come with it. Feel free to think otherwise. After all, somebody has to use Schallers. With Loctite.

 

[michael_atw]

And I've said for MY situation I need one... Others may not. That's not exactly one sided.

Again, you state "sting changes are easily fixed" That's just not true for every gig situation. When I played a 4 set night, wasting five minutes to change a stirng would be fine. What I do now, it's pretty much unacceptable.... Particularly when I can just have someone hand me another bass.

Nice work ignoring most of my last post.

 

[Brad Johnson]

In true TB fashion people even get annoyed by what others choose to do on their gigs. bringing two basses does not make anyone a professional.


If you're worried about your gear breaking, bring multiples of whatever you think will break. No one is saying you shouldn't. If you're not worried because you stay on top of your gear, that should also be fine. I just read an interview with Jeff Berlin and he only takes one bass everywhere. It's clearly a bass he trusts. Would he be considered an amateur by any of the double-downers?


I've seen far more kick drum heads bust during my career than strings break on my basses yet I don't see drummers bringing an extra kick. Rookies.

I had a flat less than 1/2 mile from my gig Sunday. If I had a spare bass...

 

[savit260]

Nice work ignoring most of my last post.

Sorry , have other things to pay attention to now. Maybe I'll respond to the rest later or tomorrow.

 

[electracoyote]

And make sure you don't forget your Murphy's Law.

Oh yeah! Better bring TWO iPods. Those things lock up sometimes.

What I was saying is - know your audience.

I knew an audience once that got a taste of some iPod DJ music. When the band started playing, they got booed off the stage because the people wanted to dance to the iPod music.

The only backup those guys needed was someone to watch their backs while they beat a hasty retreat. One of anything was probably too much.

 

[michael_atw]

I knew an audience once that got a taste of some iPod DJ music. When the band started playing, they got booed off the stage because the people wanted to dance to the iPod music.

I'm trying to decide if that gig was really that rancid, or if that band really sucked that bad.

But hey...if it pays, it pays.

 

[michael_atw]

Oh yeah! Better bring TWO iPods. Those things lock up sometimes.

Not mine

 

[two fingers]

Been gigging for 22 years. Yes, always bring a backup. A broken string is only one in a long line of things that can go wrong with a bass.

 

[electracoyote]

I have a theory about bands that only play VFWs and backyard birthday parties:

They are either not very good, not very ambitious, or both.

Either way, one bass would be plenty I'm sure.

 

[bassbenj]

And make sure you don't forget your Murphy's Law.

I also would do nothing to compare a birthday party with a wedding. That's like comparing a bar to a bandshell. I don't care how much anyone is getting paid for anything. I've played in front of 1000+ people on more than a couple occasions for free - does that qualify them as being sub-standard to a wedding gig?

What I was saying is - know your audience. More than a few people in this thread are relying merely on their fears to get them through the gig - and if someone's standing and shivering worried before and during the gig that their instrument is gonna crap...well, that affects their ability to play up to their potential. If something's supposed to happen because someone important is watching, so be it. If it doesn't work out...there's just as good a chance it was because I hit a tree on the way as there is my bass failing at that very moment. Or just as good a chance as I got a flat and missed it altogether. I don't worry about that stuff, either. If an audience is full of snooty uptights or full of steady listeners, then do what you need to do. If an audience is full of drunks and conversationalists...then don't let your fears about your gear get in the way of your Molly Hatchet and AC/DC covers.

I guess you are just one hell of a bass player! This post is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever read!

Lessee if I got your "professional" attitude down.

1. Anyone attempting to be prepared for trouble ahead of time by having spares of any kind within 250 miles of the current gig is some kind of scared wussy wimp who is so anal that all that shivering and fear makes their playing so stilted that they don't need to worry about a bass getting stolen or crapping out because they should just throw it in the trash and put an ad on the internet for website design.

2. A true "professional" knows that he is "God" and audiences are a bunch of dumb oafs who simply don't appreciate how great he is and whose opinion means nothing no matter WHO happens to be listening at the time. The "professional" attitude is to simply swear at the snooty uptights and show your contempt for them all!

3. A professional never worries about gear failures because when you are "god" gear simply wouldn't DARE fail in your presence. Only people who aren't "professionals" who are forced to play Mustang Sally or ACDC covers need worry about putting on a smooth professional performance. Anyone with "real" talent (such as yourself, natch) knows his super-human abilities will quickly cover for any gear that might fail.

Have I got it yet?

Actually I've known quite a few "musicians" with attitudes like yours and some were even genuinely talented. Eventually none of them could even get the low level gigs I play. Obviously you have never even MET real professionals. You need to get around more. Confess. You are really a guitar player who is trying to play bass, right?

Don't call us, we'll call you.