Backup bass or extra strings?

[Pdaddy1978]

Ive done both... carried extra strings for YEARS until I said #&$% this.
Got a back up bass.
Having something ready to go is the bomb.

 

[GBBSbassist]

I usually have both by default because I grabbed a few very cheap sets of strings on Amazon and they're in each basses case, but I'd legit never change a broken string in the middle of a set, so I bring a backup.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I recently started carriying a $100 Yamaha bass as a spare. Mainly because our gig is part open mic and any drunk/show-off wanting to play bass gets the Yamaha

 

[Sam Dingle]

i've broken one string in the last 10 years and it was on a gig i was playing a Labella 105 roundwound tuned down to C with a pick. took 30 seconds to change the string and we were back at it. Only time i bring two basses is if i need something for a different tuning.

 

[Killing Floor]

I broke a string the very first time I played a bass. That was 1978. Haven't broken one while playing since. It's really difficult to break a bass string. You have to want to break it very badly.
And I don't want to.

 

[Manticore]

Both. Is it really that much trouble to be prepared?

 

[fdeck]

Never broke a string in 50 years. I can count my gear failures on the fingers of 1 hand. The failures that I couldn't quickly bypass, zero. On the other hand I'm quite persnickety about preventive maintenance and protective care.

I play in a 19 piece band. Nobody brings a spare instrument.

 

[smurfco]

i usually take a backup bass but the catch is it doesn't have any strings on it

 

[Pings Bass]

Neither lately, because I like to live dangerously apparently.

In all seriousness, I've never broken a string on a gig. I used to always take a fretted and a fretless, but the kind of stuff I'm doing now doesn't justify two basses. If I break a string I'll just work around it with the remaining 5.

 

[BaltBass5]

I've broken 1 string in the past 15 years and I play about 70-80 gigs per year, minimum of 3 hours playing time per gig. A lot of those gigs are in outdoor heat. Having said that, I also change strings about every 6-9 hours of play time.

 

[Polfuste]

Backup bass anytime. I've already experienced the benefit during a gig when my upper strap button screw has broken, leaving my upper horn without anything to attach my strap. And no, i will not use gaffer tape for that purpose. I've just bought a nice double gigbag that makes life easier to carry my backup anywhere.

 

[jimmydean]

Rarely bring spare bass , but always have a pack of strings .

 

[mrcbass]

I voted, bass, but actually, both. If a string breaks, you just don't have time to fix it mid set.

The backup bass to get through the set, the extra string can be replaced at break, and then you have a backup again.

 

[backin82]

I bring 2-3 basses to every gig, and 1-2 basses to rehearsals. There's no time to change a string during a gig, so having extra strings is pointless in that context unless you're on tour, and have a string of gigs where there's time to change between shows.

 

[FRoss6788]

i've broken one string in the last 10 years and it was on a gig i was playing a Labella 105 roundwound tuned down to C with a pick. took 30 seconds to change the string and we were back at it. Only time i bring two basses is if i need something for a different tuning.

30 seconds to change a string mid set?

I'd like to see that trick....

 

[NeilJazz]

Backup bass.

 

[BlueTalon]

The way I see it, keeping a spare set of strings with the bass is so easy, it's stupid not to do it. I've not broken a string in 20 years, and I'm not really worried that it can happen. For me, the more likely scenario is that I'll plug the bass in during sound check and think, "damn, this sounds kinda dead, I think I'm going to change strings." That has happened several times. Of course, then if I break one of the new strings, unless I have another set of new strings, I'd be stuck putting and old string back on to get me through the gig, and that might sound funky (not in a good way). But that has never happened.

I have brought a spare bass to gigs before. It kinda depends on the nature of the gig, and how far away it is. A couple of times I have needed the spare. But, I suppose, not often enough to modify my behavior.

 

[Nuisance]

If we expect to be playing to 500+ people I'll take a backup bass. Otherwise spare strings all of the way (along with a small toolkit).

 

[Jebberz]

Both

I always carry a backup bass (anything can go wrong - string, Battery, electronics, etc) so I caan quick change during a set if anything happen.

I also carry a spare set of strings so I can restring between sets if needed.

Since I have a backup, I vever was in a situation that I needed to use it.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

When I replace my strings, I keep the old set in the case/bag. But in 45 years of playing, I've never broken a string.

What are you waiting for?