back up bass

[JRA]

I had played out for only a couple years when I had that unfortunate night of a bass giving up on me. Never played another gig with only one bass. It's never happened again but that may have more to do with the fact that I "upped" my game on what I had.

pretty much the same: i take a couple of axes to the gig just to circumvent murphy's law!

 

[Danny O Danny]

For a backup bass I tend to go with something that sounds close enough to my primary bass, but is cheaper (since it will be played a lot less). So if I played an EB Music Man Stingray Special (because that's the sound I want) then I'd pick up a Sterling Music Man as the backup that I'll hopefully never need to use. Maybe I would play the backup at particularly sketchy gigs and jams. Sometimes a cheap bass can surprise you.

My primary bass is a Sandberg Booster fretless. My backup is an Ibanez SRF700. The Ibanez, which I bought used, cost about a third of what the Sandberg cost. It sounds and plays *almost* as good. So I know if the Sandberg craps out or gets stolen or damaged I can grab the Ibanez and be just fine (playing and sound wise).

On the other hand, if having the particular sound of your primary bass is not critical, then add a second bass that is different, like a Jazz or a Precision or a Sandberg or a Dingwall, etc. The second bass is then not so much a backup as it is another color in your palette.

 

[ga_edwards]

There are multiple valid concepts here:
1. the PURE backup bass. I have a Washburn Bantam from '84 which is a copy of the Steinberger XL-2.
It is tiny. It is light. It cost me 150 bucks. I can toss it in the car and leave it there for the gig.
What's important about this bass?
-just good enough to finish a gig, no bells and whistles needed.
-As small and as light as possible for ease of transport.
-Cheap.
This bass gets no love and I hope it gets as little play time as possible.

I have considered getting a steinberger spirit for this exact reason. Tiny, lightweight and to only play it if I really have to. That said, I also want to enjoy playing my bass purchases, whatever the budget. My £299 JB-2 has now become my go-to bass, above my considerably more expensive Attitude LTD2. My Squier 50s P meanwhile seems to have found itself in that unplayed backup bass slot. I'm not sure exactly why. It's a nice instrument, but I haven't bonded with it as much I have other instruments.

Otherwise, I've also been considering getting a Gretsch Junior Jet as my backup. Again, small, light and easy to play. But prettier too look at than the steinberger, and more likely to get played.

 

[swink]

So if I played an EB Music Man Stingray Special (because that's the sound I want) then I'd pick up a Sterling Music Man as the backup that I'll hopefully never need to use.

Is it smart to take an active bass as a backup instrument if you're not going to use it for anything else?
The terminals of the battery can corrode or as Murphy likes it.... to counteract corrosion,... the batteries are obviously not installed when you need them most.

 

[el murdoque]

I have considered getting a steinberger spirit for this exact reason. Tiny, lightweight and to only play it if I really have to. That said, I also want to enjoy playing my bass purchases, whatever the budget. My £299 JB-2 has now become my go-to bass, above my considerably more expensive Attitude LTD2. My Squier 50s P meanwhile seems to have found itself in that unplayed backup bass slot. I'm not sure exactly why. It's a nice instrument, but I haven't bonded with it as much I have other instruments.

Otherwise, I've also been considering getting a Gretsch Junior Jet as my backup. Again, small, light and easy to play. But prettier too look at than the steinberger, and more likely to get played.

My Washburn came with a leather gig bag that makes people ask me why I am carrying a rifle around.
The size is really convenient, it usually goes in the back of the trunk and takes up next to no space at all.
I converted it to BEAD since I mostly gig on a six string and it's easier for me to play a BEAD four when quickly swapping to four strings. It's decent to play, quite comfy, actually - as long as you're standing. It does not have the Steinberger contraption that lets it sit on your lap.

 

[Danny O Danny]

Is it smart to take an active bass as a backup instrument if you're not going to use it for anything else?
The terminals of the battery can corrode or as Murphy likes it.... to counteract corrosion,... the batteries are obviously not installed when you need them most.

It all depends, imo. If my primary bass sound is something very particular that I want my backup to be able to approximate, and my primary bass is active, then my backup is also probably going to need to be active. This is the case with my fretlesses. That need would outweigh the remote possibility of having battery issues with both. I've never had issues with terminal corrosion, but I have had batteries die and battery compartment wiring break.

On the other hand, if I don't need my backup bass to sound close to my primary then I have a lot more leeway. My fretted basses are all different from each other (active Jazz, passive Jazz, P-bass w/ flats, etc.) but I don't need them to sound alike (as long as they sound good).

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Good answer!!!


If you can’t remember to pack extra batteries or change them out on a regularly scheduled basis, a passive Short Scale StingRay is a good option. The import Sterling version sounds 95% the same as the USA Ernie Ball version. They do have to be cherry picked for weight and intact knobs. ( The import version ) .

it’s got absolutely nothing to do with remembering to change out the battery on a regular basis. I played StingRays for nearly a decade- hundreds and hundreds of shows- and I ultimately decided that a passive works best for me. Just one less thing to worry about.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

it’s got absolutely nothing to do with remembering to change out the battery on a regular basis. I played StingRays for nearly a decade- hundreds and hundreds of shows- and I ultimately decided that a passive works best for me. Just one less thing to worry about.

Don’t take it personal. It wasn’t intended as an insult . It was meant to show that if you like the StingRay sound and dont want to deal with battery issues, there is a passive option. I was actually agreeing with you.
You’re the one that brought up the battery issue .

And yes some people don’t remember to check and/or change the battery on a regular basis. If you notice I quoted more than just you in my post. My response was to the OP , not to you.

 

[Reese T Morin]

I am lucky to have about 4 basses that I love.. That being said, my main is most likely my Amer Stan Jaguar and the backup changes per gig. Most of the time I bring my Stingray 5 because I enjoy at least having a 5 string should it be NEEDED.. Other than that I have a p-bass and an Epiphone Jack Casady that I love as well (taking the Casady tonight ) Most of the time it just comes down to what do I like looking at the most while its on the stand all night

 

[mikeswals]

Nothing fails on a passive bass,

BS!
My passive P Bass, the wire broke off the output jack solder joint right at the start of the set. good thing I had a backup.
I had a strap button screw pull out of anohter bass just as I was strapping it back on after a break. good thing I had a backup.

 

[Bass Viking]

I have been gigging without a backup bass but everyone tells me I should get one. So my dilemma is what bass. I'm considering a Sandberg VM4 or VS4, Dingwall Combustion or the Modern Vintage MPV4.

If you only need a backup in case of equipment failure at a gig, get the cheapest bass you can find. On the other hand if you have GAS get all three. My choice would be the Sandberg for versatility (I was actually considering getting one) but any one of those is great.

 

[Bob Coldwell]

BS!
My passive P Bass, the wire broke off the output jack solder joint right at the start of the set. good thing I had a backup.
I had a strap button screw pull out of anohter bass just as I was strapping it back on after a break. good thing I had a backup.

And let's not forget breaking a string.

 

[groove pump]

Hi all, my first post in a while. After many years of GAS and trying various basses I have ended up with a new Musicman Stingray special, 4 string, which I love. I have been gigging without a backup bass but everyone tells me I should get one. So my dilemma is what bass. I'm considering a Sandberg VM4 or VS4, Dingwall Combustion or the Modern Vintage MPV4. I am based in the uk. I currently play in a covers band playing all styles from rock to pop and everyting in between, from all eras. Any thoughts/advice would be most welcome, what do you use, if anything.

The very first thing that occurs to me is that you may have more than one "right" answer here. All of those options could be fantastic for you. Of course there's a catch - you'll only know how right one or another is for you after you get it and use if for a while. Test drive anything you can, but each one you're looking at could be great.

I'm among those who like the idea of having a backup (or extra, #1A to complement your #1... call it whatever you want). When I was playing with my very first band at least 20 years ago, I had two of the tuning machines on my 4-string bass crap out on the way to my gig. Fortunately I got to borrow a G&L from our pals in the other band playing that party. I've done the two bass thing with my gigs and also most practices ever since then.

I was playing a decent parts Jazz bass as my #1 for a long stretch and eventually decided to get another Jazz as a backup. Hated it. That backup wasn't nearly as good as my first Jazz, so I had no desire to use it at all. So I went looking for something different, yet also good on its own. Made sense to find some sort of P bass and I got a fantastic custom P/J from the classifieds here that's been nothing short of phenomenal for me.

Your Stingray can do that range of 'Ray sound and probably slap like a champ if you need to do that. If your other bass can do more of that wooly tone that you get from maybe a P pickup or a neck humbucker, that would probably give you access to a nice, broad range of tones. At least that's where I'd look first.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I beg to differ. It has happened to me and a match stick was not going to fix it. Granted it doesn't happen often but being prepared for such things is the difference between a pro and amateur hour.
In the real world it does not have to be expensive. An inexpensive Squier or Yamaha to get through the gig till repairs can be made is sufficient. You need to be able to finish the gig without delaying it to repair equipment. If you are playing for for a bigger act, you might want something better but then again, if you are playing for such an act you probably already have several basses in the collection to choose from.

I said to buy one if you want one. My point is to be prepared if you don’t have a backup. There will be a time you will have a small gig, no backup and the nut at the 1st string splits off. Pro or not.

 

[Pete Nixon]

Hi all, just a quick update. Thanks for all your advice. After many sleepless nights, tried loads of basses, I went for a P Bass. I bought a Modern Vintage from Bass Direct, made in Korea and assembled at Rob Elricks place in the USA. Just blew me away. Oozes quality.