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Do you bring a back up bass to gigs?

#41
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#42
I only bring one because I've only got one. If I had a second I might bring it to more important gigs, but otherwise probably not. I take good care of my gear, and I have yet to have anything fail me mid-gig. I have broken a string while playing guitar during a set, but I always have extra strings for that. I have never broken a bass string, but I stopped playing that aggressively so I'm not very worried. Not bringing a back-up instrument does not indicate lack of seriousness, in my case it is because of lack of funding.
 
#49
James Judson said:
Alway bring a back up. Thats why I've never had a failure.

My philosophy is "if you have a back up plan you will not need to use it".

No backup plan will be disasterous if it's needed.

YMMV
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THIS is the essence of it all!

And note it's not about a "backup bass" but a backup PLAN!

What do you do if this or that fails? (Things ALWAYS fail. You live and work in the real world, remember? And don't be influenced by those lucky few who never have trouble and never have backup. They KNOW they are lucky and LOVE to see us ordinary clowns smacked up side the head by a bass that dies mid-gig)

It's not just the bass. What if a string breaks? Got an extra set? Just finish the gig with a missing string? There is no "correct" answer here. YOU have to decide what works in YOUR situation. What if a cymbal falls and chomps your cord? Does the guitard have an extra (bwahahaha!) or is there an extra cheapie thrown in your case? Got duct tape? There is a reason that each of my basses have a strap and all straps fit all the other basses. And if the bass dies mid set, how do you handle it? Band finishes gig with no bass? Other band has bass? You attempt to fix bass if you can? Get spare bass out of truck between sets? Just grab spare bass on stand on stage and keep playing?

Don't get me wrong. There is NO "correct" answer here. The best one depends on the individual situation. Usually I've got a spare bass in the truck. Hey it doesn't bother me in there and I'm not worried about the cold etc. because it's a BACKUP. Sometimes the backup isn't a bar bass. Sometimes it's the one on stage (fretted and fretless etc.). But the KEY is the PLAN.

If your "plan" is "if my bass quits, the band just ends the gig and packs up and goes home", I'd suggest you re-think the plan.
 
#51
I often bring multiple kinds of basses - upright, electric, fretless - for different needs during the gig, but not always. In more than 35 years of playing, I've never had a bass conk out on me. So my vote would be no, a backup isn't necessary. An amp is more likely to fail than a bass, so if you're gonna bring a backup anything, that's probably the one to focus on.
 
#54
electracoyote said:
Including the ability to control the minds of your audiences and bandmates while they patiently twiddle their thumbs and wait for you to solder in a new output jack???

Wow, you are a Jedi. I'll bet you can even levitate. :)
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What are you, my mother?

My stuff doesn't fall apart mid song because I have good gear and I take care of it. If something seems to be wearing out I replace it NOW, I don't wait for it to fall off at a gig.
 
#56
lowfreq33 said:
What are you, my mother?

My stuff doesn't fall apart mid song because I have good gear and I take care of it. If something seems to be wearing out I replace it NOW, I don't wait for it to fall off at a gig.
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Now, now. Mother knows best. :D

I agree that the chances of my needing to use a backup bass are pretty small. And, Murphy's Law tells us that if you bring a backup, it will fail, too. ;)

How many of you bring one with flats and one with rounds, or one fretted and one fretless? I've done that even in a two song set i was asked to do once.
 
#57
 
#58
 

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