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Club Sadowsky!!!

#28,101
NOLA Bass said:
My NYC Vintage 4 PJ would be the "one".

I'm curious though, I NEVER play without a backup. Some of just bring one bass?
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I used to always bring a backup, and I probably still should just to be safe, but many times it sat in the case the whole night (the Will Lee gets all the playing time) and I got tired of schlepping it for "no reason."

In over 200 gigs, most of them four hour affairs, I've never had an issue with a bass (mostly Sadowskys).

Of course, now I've gone and jinxed myself. Better bring a backup for the next few gigs.
 
#28,104
I never bring a backup either. I broke a string on a gig once. In 1987. So I bring a set of strings just in case. And cables. ;)

There was one time when I had a bass in a gig bag leaned against my car, as I was unloading at home after a rehearsal. It fell over onto the concrete and 3 of the five tuners broke, stupid Fender design with little plastic pins that anchor into the wood, they snapped right off. Lucky it was at home and not at a gig. :hiding:
 
#28,105
No backup for me.

I think of my gear as weapons. I mean: I keep them ready at all times, I do the maintenance as if my life depends on it and I always carry spare strings, battery, cables, etc. but most of the time space is tight on stage and I don't want to be worried about somebody tripping over the backup bass or even worst, leaving it backstage or in a place where the risk of theft is very high. I have only broken one string on stage, and it was during the soundcheck. I always carry a set of strings that have been previously instaled on the bass so it takes me less than 60 seconds to replace a broken one (another great thing about the Sadowsky bridge and the straight barrel on the tuners that Roger uses).
 
#28,106
rulyongo said:
I never bring a backup bass and in around 30 years of gigging I only had to change the occasional broken string, but never had a problem with a bass (knock on wood)... But with amps that's another story :(:(:(...
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Reminds me of a show about... I dunno; twenty years ago? I ducked a half-full beer pitcher hurled at my head only to hear a sickening pop and fizz behind me... Fortunately, we were opening for another band, so I essentially had a 'backup' amp... ;)
 
#28,108
During the majority of my years playing out, I've never needed a back up bass...sometimes I brought along an extra bass just for fun but the "need" never arose...

Only broke a string ONE time in 20+ years of gigging...and the lead singer covered that by doing a spontaneous version of "Redemption Song" which was a huge hit!!!

Guess I'm lucky :-)
 
#28,109
fcoda said:
I would always bring a backup , I use a mono double gig bag so it's not that bad to haul 2 bass. I never needed to use the backup it until last Friday's gig ,string broke and was able to switch to the backup mid song while the string was replaced.
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I do the exact same thing. The Mono double gigbag is the best!

It's been a long time since I needed a back-up in an energency, but it gives me piece of mind.
 
#28,111
I used to break strings all the time in high school and college. I was using nickels and an under powered amp and digging in to compensate. The gig that finally got me to start bringing a backup (and ultimately change to steels) I broke 3 of my, 4 strings throughout the set, and foolishly I didn't keep a spare set around. Down to the A string that finally gave out halfway thru the last song of the night, Footloose.
It was pretty frustrating.
Oddly I don't carry a backup now, 15 years later, lol.
 
#28,112
This is no slight on Dean Markley Blue Steels. I still use them on my Spectors to good use. However, I had 3 "D" strings break at bridge (come unraveled basically) back in 2001 or so. I thought it might be something on my bridge, but then it happened on my backup (a Warwick at the time). Obviously, it was a bad batch or something (I'd ordered a few sets at once). I remember emailing DM but gotno response. Too bad that was before Talkbass. Anyway, no issues since then but you never know. I once had the electronics go out on that same Warwick at a gig. I won't play without a backup.
 
#28,113
NOLA Bass said:
This is no slight on Dean Markley Blue Steels. I still use them on my Spectors to good use. However, I had 3 "D" strings break at bridge (come unraveled basically) back in 2001 or so. I thought it might be something on my bridge, but then it happened on my backup (a Warwick at the time). Obviously, it was a bad batch or something (I'd ordered a few sets at once). I remember emailing DM but gotno response. Too bad that was before Talkbass. Anyway, no issues since then but you never know. I once had the electronics go out on that same Warwick at a gig. I won't play without a backup.
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Ya know it's funny you mention this. I had the same problem around the same time with them. I saw that there was a problem with the string even before I put it on my bass and called the people that sold them to me and they replaced them. It was the only time I had an issue with them. I used those strings for years and they were great! However, I've been using the Sadowsky Blue Labels now for quite some time and just love 'em!
 
#28,114
I've never had a bass fail on me at gig. A couple of broken strings 20+ years ago when I was poor student and couldn't afford to buy new strings... breakage was inevitable.

These days I like to bring 2 basses to my gigs. My Sad and my Rob Allen which are two very different voices. I suppose I have a second instrument to use as back up, but that's not really the intention. When we play on really small stages I don't hesitate to only bring my MV5...

Like some others here I'm relatively GAS free. I'd like to get my hands on a 5 string P-Bass, but that's not in the cards right now.
 
#28,119
You saw in the news about that lady that threw a million dollar lottery ticket, some other lady recovered it, and now they're in a big lawsuit...keep the ticket.
Or, let me know where you throw it away;)
 

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