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Carry a backup bass, or not??

#41
With 16 in my stable, I always have a backup, but I try to match it to the gig at hand. For example, if I'm playing a blues gig, I probably wouldn't bring my Rickenbacker as a backup. I would bring my Pedulla, though.

I've only broken a string once, and it sucked. Luckily I had a backup with me, so it wasn't an issue. :bassist:
 
#43
abngourmet said:
With 16 in my stable, I always have a backup, but I try to match it to the gig at hand. For example, if I'm playing a blues gig, I probably wouldn't bring my Rickenbacker as a backup. I would bring my Pedulla, though.

I've only broken a string once, and it sucked. Luckily I had a backup with me, so it wasn't an issue. :bassist:
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oh excuseme..16 basses..you are millionarie :p
 
#44
I've never brought a backup in almost 20 years of gigs, but I just ordered an undercover double bag from basscentral and plan to start. I had a tuner break on my q5 at a gig recently, I was tuning inbetween sets and I couldn't bring a string up to pitch. Turns out the gear inside was stripped and It wouldn't tighten past a certain spot. I called my wife to bring one of my other basses (wasn't too happy for the after midnight wake up) and got it as close to pitch as possible and avoided that string as much as possible until she got there halfway through.
I had my batteries go dead on my NS5 EUB the other day, I kept turning up my amp during a set because it kept getting quiter and started distorting. Changed them on the break, pretty hard to get them out actually. Luckily I had a pair of 9volts for it.
I've broken strings on gigs before, sometimes I stick it out and sometimes I do a quick change. I have an extensive kit that I bring to all my gigs in my pack, not just for me but I have a drum clutch (had to be used a few times), pair of sticks, set of electric geetar strings, even those acoustic guitar string pegs (had an acoustic player pop a string once and the peg flew and couldn't be found, I saved the day with that one). You'd be surprised at how well your reputation holds up for little things like this.
Anyway, I'm bringing a backup bass from now on as soon as I get my new bag.
 
#47
I hardly ever bring a backup, since I play very reliable and solid basses (Fender, Lakland, and Sadowsky) with fairly straightforward electronics. Haven't had a problem yet. I never need to worry about the passive bass electronics, and I can bypass the preamps in the active basses in case the battery dies. I've got a light touch, so I've never broken a string during a gig.
 
#48
I've never carried a 2nd bass to a gig, sometimes that makes me nervous but I just don't like carrying stuff.

I carry tools, cables, batteries and that kind of thing. I also carry my last set of strings instead of new ones thinking if one breaks it's probably worn in and it would be quicker to change to one that's already cut for my bass. A single new string on a bass where the rest are broken in sounds funny. It's cheaper to carry an old set too, I'm cheap. Cheap and lazy.
 
#49
Thanks for the reply guys.......the results were divided and valid reasons were argued on both sides. Since I've never had a failure in many years of playing I haven't been concerned with one, but someone suggested the possibility of a 'knock-over' resulting in a broken instrument, which can happen to anyone, so I'm going to start carrying a backup. I was given an old USA bullet bass which doesn't sound very good, but it's better than no working bass!!
 
#50
Now that I think about it, I did have a battery failure on one gig where I only had my one bass. Luckily, I play keys as well, so I put my Motif ES to work for the rest of the night...talk about weird! Playing the basslines you know so well on your bass, but then having to remember them on keys...while also trying to cover the keyboard parts as well...exasperating!!! It did work out, though...
 
#51
I always bring a backup as do both my guitar players. We also bring a backup guitar head and snare drum head. If my amp went down, I could always have them turn me up in the monitors. If you have to buy a used Squire P for $50, get that and have a backup. You never know what could happen. I'll give you some examples of where extra strings don't help:
1. I had the end of the nut break off and my E string was just flopping around in the middle of a set.
2. Years ago our opening bands guitar player slipped on the stairs leading from the dressing room to the stage and snapped the headstock off of his new custom shop Jackson. One of our guitar players quickly had to retune his backup to E (we tuned down a half step) so they could go on. He had to play on an unfamiliar instrument that kept going out of tune b/c of the retuning.
 
#52
For me depends on the gig.
I play with a light touch as well, and my main gigging basses (F Bass & Sadowsky) have bridges which let you change strings quite fast. Which is why I usually keep an old set in my gig bag. Already cut to lenght and goes on in a min or two. And streched out so it tunes up fast and generally stays there. I then change to a new one on the break.

I've been playing some gigs latly where it's a bit more relaxed and hell, I've been a bit lazy too! A loaded double bag is heavy ya know!!

But mostly I bring two basses.
 
#53
JBalloonist said:
IF I had a 2nd bass, I would most definitely bring a back up. I've broken strings twice; once during practice I broke the A. During a show I broke the frickin E! It pretty much sucked...oh well.
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I find breaking the A string more of a hassle than the E string. All of those notes on the A string have to be transposed way up the neck or played on the thin sounding G string.
 
#54
Nah, but no one is paying me either. I doubt I'd carry a spare even if they were. Seems to me the odds of your amp/cab going t**s up are about a gajillion times greater than your bass failing, and I don't see many folks hauling around two rigs. I think that while some people are just being prudent, many more just like to have stuff sitting on stands. If that's worth lugging the crap around, more power to ya. Personally, I'd rather travel light. :cool:
 
#55
Something I didn't mention in my earlier post but feel I should have.

"IMO" it is unprofessional to not have a backup on a paying gig. Yea, if its just a local play-but-no-pay gig then its not really a big deal. If your getting paid (again IMO) it is a big deal!

There is no way I want to be the one to cause us to not get invited back and/or hurt a potential fan base because of looking like amatuers and sounding like crap.

lump said:
...and I don't see many folks hauling around two rigs.
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Just so ya know, I do...sorta! An extra head and cable.
 
#56
tonynoriega said:
As I pack for tonight's gig in Clearwater, the thought occured to me that if my bass (I play a vintage '66 Jazz) had a problem and stopped working, the trip back to Tampa for a backup is about 25 miles!! Here's my question: do any - or many - of you guys take a second bass for the reason I've brought up? It's 80 degrees here now and I don't like the idea of keeping a bass in the car - not to mention the threat of theft.

Tony Noriega, Tampa
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Hi Tony,

I carry 3 basses with me on almost all LIVE jobs.
My main bass is a Fender Jazz Bass '62 RI (CIJ). Also in the stand: Fender Jazz Bass Deluxe (MIA) & ErnieBall MusicMan Sterling.

My advice - always bring a spare :D
 
#57
Captain Scarlet said:
I hardly ever bring a backup, since I play very reliable and solid basses (Fender, Lakland, and Sadowsky) with fairly straightforward electronics. Haven't had a problem yet. I never need to worry about the passive bass electronics, and I can bypass the preamps in the active basses in case the battery dies. I've got a light touch, so I've never broken a string during a gig.
Click to expand...

+1. If I bring a Fender or Sadowsky to the gig - I don't bother with a backup. Extra strings, cables, DI box, battery, tool kit, yes - but not a bass. In 20 years of gigging, I haven't been caught yet. :ninja:
 
#58
I carry at least one back-up to every gig, no matter how small the scenario may initially appear to be. Carrying a backup conveys that you are a responsible bassist (we all know that most musicos are flakes), that you are professional and take seriously that you were 'hired' (with or without pay) to perform a vital task, and that you take steps above minimum expectations in fulfilling your part of the gig deal. You just might be surprised who is taking notice when you gat a call several days/weeks/months later when someone from the next level up is looking for a dependable professional.

In 20+ years of playing I've needed to reach for my backup bass less than 10 times - but those were all times where I could switch out to the other bass and be back n the swing before 15 or 20 seconds passed. In those same 20+ years I've always played both basses during a gig as I tend to bring basses that offer different tonalities or fretted/fretless.

R
 

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