• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Are two basses REALLY needed to bring to gigs?

#42
blockinlay said:
Gig bags work fine. Get a tuner. Sell only one bass, or all of them and buy two more. Bring two basses to a gig, unless you don't care. You have a responsibility to the gig and the other band members. Always be prepared for any and all problems. Make a list. Learn how to fix your own gear too. Start by upgrading the substandard parts on your basses that will surely fail at some point.
Click to expand...

Not bringing two basses to a gig does not mean you don't care... unless you mean don't care about bringing two basses to a gig.
:D
 
#43
mccartneyman said:
I played for 35 years with one bass. Haven't broken a string since the day I began playing in 1965, and that was because I tried to tune it too high. I suppose I'm lucky that nothing ever went wrong with my electronics. But if you take two basses as a precaution, shouldn't you also take two amps?
Click to expand...

Not that I'm against spares but if everyone took that tact you'd end up bringing two bands.
 
#44
wagstaff said:
.....Once I was playing a local gig when my bass stopped working.

Before the gig I did all the checks to make sure everything was is the correct working order and even used the bass in soundcheck where it was working absolutely perfectly yet when it came to playing the gig the bass stopped producing sound.

I later found out that the wire connected to the jack had snapped sometime between soundcheck and the gig.....
Click to expand...

I've had this happen on two different SX basses. One was at my kids' school. I bought an SX Jazz for the music department. After a few months it just stopped working. Jack connection failed. Then on another SX I bought for a church I play at a couple times a month, I plugged it in at rehearsal and got nuthin'. Thankfully I had brought one of my basses with me, or there would have been no rehearsal.

Everybody's situation is different. For everybody who swears by "bring a backup" there's one who says "never had it never needed it". Measure your own situation. Here are some reasons for NOT bringing a backup
  • Only have one bass, so I'll cross my fingers
  • Only have enough room to carry one
  • Need to travel light
  • Only playing a couple songs. Carrying a 2nd bass is unnecessary

Here are a few reasons FOR bringing a backup
  • Playing a lot of songs, some requiring different tuning or range (ex. need low B on a few songs, but not most)
  • High profile gig. Need to minimize opportunity for things gone wrong
  • Concern over potential malfunctions (strings, output jacks, physical damage, batteries)

Take all things into account and do what works for you.

Regarding tuners turning in the gigbag, but not the case, it is still advisable to check your tune during your set up anyway. Differences in humidity between your home and the venue you play could cause the instrument to go sharp or flat a half step, even in the case. I have hard cases for all of my basses, but they RARELY leave the house. I have very protective gigbags that I can wear as backpacks that make transport very simple for me. That includes one double bag for when I do take two.

Good luck, whichever path you choose. The DI box will definitely be a good investment for you.

Peace,

James
 
#45
wagstaff said:
Two basses is always a must bring.

Once I was playing a local gig when my bass stopped working.

Before the gig I did all the checks to make sure everything was is the correct working order and even used the bass in soundcheck where it was working absolutely perfectly yet when it came to playing the gig the bass stopped producing sound.

I later found out that the wire connected to the jack had snapped sometime between soundcheck and the gig. Now at the time I only brought one bass but thankfully my guitarist brought his bass with him (which is now mine) so I was able to continue the gig.
Too this day it remains the worst gig I have ever done.

Moral to the story.
Always bring two basses!!!

Mark
Click to expand...

When I get any bass one of the things I always do is check the internals. If you make sure everything is secured, as long as you pay attention afterwards about the only thing that's cause a wire to break is a loose pot or jack... and both are usually pretty noticeable. If you yank an instrument cable hard enough to cause damage you check it out ASAP.

And when you do notice, don't put off addressing what you found. I've done that before and ended up with a broken connection. Lesson learned.
 
#47
Brad Johnson said:
If you carry your own bass and don't load it in places where it can get damaged, besides being clumsy there isn't much reason to use a hardshell. I just did a ten hour back and forth trip for a gig and loaded my gigbag in with some other gear. It was easy to find a place where it wouldn't get damaged unless the vehicle rolled over. No problem. Or dragon attack. Even hardshell cases don't stand much of a chance with dragons.
Click to expand...

I agree - I just found it funny that the poster suggested that the reason for not getting a hardshell case was that the OP's basses weren't "expensive enough".
 
#48
I would list what things you NEED and what things you WANT

for instance:
a gigbag is not a safe as a HSC but if you are bringing a backup bass won't you need to buy 2 HSCs? not to mention depending on how shady the establishment is you may not want 2 separate HSC/gigbags
maybe another hearty gigbag and this?
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/SKB-SKB44RW-ATA-Electric-Bass-Roller-Case?sku=544564
is it a deal breaker for you gig? nah
is your current setup rig a dealbreaker? nope

you are looking pretty good at what you have
I am gonna go against the popular vote and say

sell both the Ibanez and Squier
buy a cheap used MIM P bass
buy a used SansAmp BDDI or any unit that offers a direct box function (I use a freakin
cheap guitar multi pedal for the compression and DI)
buy a decent gigbag or get 2 decent HSC ( I think Rondo sells fauz tweeds for like 55 bucks or something)

Ppl are gonna ask why buy another MIM and sell the Squier
I agree the newer Squiers are amazing and even the SX I owned was a tank of a bass
but if he is to have a backup a passive bass that is somewhat complimentary to the Jazz would be beneficial
not that an active bass is more prone to disaster
I have 2 actives and 1 passive currently and keep a slew of 9 volts in my gigbag
but better safe than sorry until you can afford perhaps a 3rd active bass?
 
#50
Well, I have played well over 100 gigs in the last 2 or so years and I've never broken a string or had anything happen. You just have to treat your gear well. I dont trust anyone to move my bass but me.

I never bring a backup bass.

My band once did a New Year's Gig for ALOT of cash that was an 8 hour drive. I still did not bring a backup... what I did bring was a spare set of strings and a soldering iron and a few tools. Generally a J bass is a fairly simple & durable instrument and the most likely thing to break is a string or soldering joint.

Personally, if my bass had an unfixable problem at a gig... well, c'est la vie. One guy I know has a "trunk bass" in his car and just leaves it there at all times. Its an old clone P bass junker with high action, but its there if he needs it. That's one thing I might consider doing in the future.

So I'd sell your other two basses and buy the stuff you need. Also I dont think a hardcase is necessary for less expensive basses. If the tuners move you can just re-tune. I tune-up before every gig and like 2 or 3 more times during. A soft case is easier to move and it will be cheaper to keep using what you have.
 
#53
Yeah I figure It'll be Murphy's law that the first time I take 2 basses to a gig my amp will blow up. LOL

You know, I have to be honest (not to start a war) but I don't know of any working, jobbing, pro's who take more than 1 bass to gig. It' probably because we all want to keep it light and simple I'm sure, but if you bust a string.. whatever it's never that big of a deal.
 
#54
mccartneyman said:
But if you take two basses as a precaution, shouldn't you also take two amps?
Click to expand...

No, because pretty much every club I've ever played at has a D/I, and in a pinch you can do the D/I an just run through the house and monitors in the event that your amp dies.

As far as two basses goes...

for me it's a MUST.

I've seen and had too many things happen to extreemly well mantained instruments over the years to roll the dice ever again.

In my own personal gigging situation, taking time to change a string isn't an option, and playing pick style... strings break.
I wouldn't sweat it so much in a finger style, 4 set "blues gig" though.

I think everyone should assess their own situation and make the decision to take a back up or not based on the requirements of the gig, and the likelyhood of something failing..

Never could have predicted a Schaller Strap Lock Screw shearing off seconds before the show was about to start. ;)

Would have never expected to break a string one a "quiet accoustic type" show. (that one caught me with my pants down as I figured there was NO WAY anything could go wrong on that one... no backup that time, and lookded pretty stupid trying to find antohter bass to use. )

Can't predict when a entusiastic fan is going to slam into the headstock and move the tuners mid song either. :)

For me... it's a must, but to each his own.
 
#55
KTFunkAlive said:
You know, I have to be honest (not to start a war) but I don't know of any working, jobbing, pro's who take more than 1 bass to gig. It' probably because we all want to keep it light and simple I'm sure, but if you bust a string.. whatever it's never that big of a deal.
Click to expand...


I guess you don't know me then.

:)

I bring two to most of my gigs - it's no extra hassle, I can switch basses in an emergency or on a whim, if something should happen (like I said earlier, I haven't busted a string since I was 17...over 20 years ago) I'm prepared and don't need to change a string in the middle of a set, etc...I can grab it mid song and go.

It seems weird that people think bringing a second bass is a huge hassle - get a double bag, throw it over your shoulder, grab your amp in one, cab in the other - it's a one trip load in.


:D
 
#56
This is my 47th year playing bass, and I always carry two basses and two amps. If something fails, it doesn't even slow me down. I check everything before a gig, but everything from stripped out strap buttons to sudden electronic failure has occured in those 47 years. Not to mention a guitar player using a bass amp when his crapped out. I like the feeling of not worrying about such problems. The active and passive bass is a good idea too.
 
#58
I always bring two basses - a Squier P and a Hofner Icon. I transport the P in a gig bag, I'm not too worried because it's built like a tank. The Hofner, however, gets a hard case - it's a hollowbody, so it needs more protection. I have an A/B switch with both basses wired up to it. I like to switch basses several times during a gig, mostly because the P gets heavy after a while and my legs need a break!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back