Backup or not?

[AmieLouHat]

I play out 3-4 nights a week and currently have one bass that I use for all gigs. I make decent enough money for the gigs that with a month or so of saving, I could probably afford a pretty nice backup ($500-$700 range), but I like what I have now. Do any of the pro players here continuously go without a backup or is that just asking for trouble on my part?

(as an aside, about 25% of my gigs are on a boat so that might be a consideration)

 

[dalkowski]

Go for it. You won't regret it, and you don't even have to spend that whole roll to get something nice (like a MIM Jazz).

Good luck, and remember your PFD for those boat gigs.

 

[phatbass]

I seem to have had a curse on me the last year or so as far as active electronics go so if I'm using an active for the gig, I now take my ol' P along "just in case".

If I'm using the P I don't bother with a backup 'coz there's nothing, short of the neck snapping in half, that I can't fix with a soldering iron and a hammer.

 

[Baker69]

If I'm using the P I don't bother with a backup 'coz there's nothing, short of the neck snapping in half, that I can't fix with a soldering iron and a hammer.

I agree with you, that's the good thing about Passive Basses!

As you say, in all reality it is only going to be a broken string that's going to be a problem.

 

[PJSShearer]

Have you thought about gettting a fretless as an alternative rather than getting a spare?. One is not necessarily a backup for the other, but it'd get you to the end of the gig.!!.

 

[StephenR]

I always bring a back up bass. There was a period when I stopped doing that but one horrible experience where my bass was working fine at soundcheck but not when I walked out on stage to play (problem with wiring to the input jack) convinced me to never go to a gig with only one bass. I also prefer to leave my bass on stage after sound check so that the temperature of the neck stays consistent which reduces the need to re-tune as the neck adjusts to the room temp. I keep the spare in the dressing room to warm up with while waiting to go on but bring it out on stage with me when we go on so it is ready in case of a problem. Of course you probably won't ever have a problem... unless you don't bring a spare bass!