Do you bring a back up bass to gigs?

[FBS1996]

?? Search is your friend. I was trying to help.

I did do a quick search, but I was wondering whether I should take a back up for a local, 30 minute gig. The threads I found were very vague, simply saying something like "do I need a backup?"

Sorry for coming of as a dick. I do appreciate all the help I get on here.

 

[tkcthulu]

Ok. Done with this troll thread.

I'm guessing the numbers in his username dictate the year he was born

 

[Jerry Ziarko]

I did do a quick search, but I was wondering whether I should take a back up for a local, 30 minute gig. The threads I found were very vague, simply saying something like "do I need a backup?"

Sorry for coming of as a dick. I do appreciate all the help I get on here.

It's all good.

 

[walkerci]

Backup bass.
Backup bass head.
Backup bass cab.
Backup cables.
Extra DI.
Extra batteries.
Extra fuses.

Backup mics.

Backup guitar amp.
Extra guitar strings.
Picks.

Drumsticks.

I never needed any of them.
But good friends have. More than once.
Including at gigs that I wasn't playing at and stopped by after a jam session.

 

[lowfreq33]

I used to keep a pack of really heavy electric guitar strings on me at gigs for the guitarists that never had spares. Fun to see them try and do bendy licks 2 gauges higher than they're used to.

 

[Lee H]

I have a fishing tackle box.. for little stuff. There are always batteries, strings (bass and guitar),pics, short cables screwdrivers. etc... Another bag holds longer cables, and such... Some of the stuff is extra for other members, but I feel better knowing it is there....

 

[gfaulkner]

Always.I had to bail out another bass buddy of mine one time who was playing a gig next door to the bar where we were playing.The jack wiring crapped on his in the middle of their second set .He ran next door and grabbed my spare and finished the last two sets.You never know what may happen.

 

[canadian_man_44]

I'm surprised at those people who say that bassists that don't take a spare are "not dedicated" or "hopefuls". Do you people not realize that there are people out there who can't afford a second bass or don't have the room to transport it to a gig?
I play at a local church every week and have never taken a backup, even though I have one. This is due to having a small car and a family that has to fit in along with my bass amp, case and cord bag. Two basses simply will not fit. Doesn't mean I don't take it seriously or am not dedicated.

 

[millsbass5]

I would if I were you. Look at it this way:First gig? First impressions mean a lot in this biz. What do you think?

 

[nostatic]

I always bring a backup because sometimes I have to, like, kill people and stuff at a gig and too often the main bass gets covered in blood and the instrument just doesn't speak well. Especially if some tendons get tangled in the strings. It is a mess.

I guess I should stop playing in this GWAR tribute band for parties at Tarantino's house...

 

[Ian774]

It’s not that much trouble to bring a second bass.

I always travel by bus/subway and it's already a pain in the a$$ to carry my bass, cables, pedals and stuff, so bringing a spare bass would be crazy.

Luckily, I never needed a back up bass on stage...

 

[mcnach]

Hey guys

I'm having my first gig next saturday hyper and both guitarists will be bringing a back up guitar. It's gonna be a very small gig (we're the opening act so we're only going to play a 30 minute set, in front of 150 - 200ish people). Is it necessary to bring a back up bass, or should I just bring my main? I have no problem with my back up bass, I just don't really fancy bringing 2 basses if I don't need both of them.

If you maintain your main bass properly, the chances of having a problem with it are very small. But there is always a chance.
What I do is balance 1) how much of a pain is it to carry an extra bass, with 2) how important is it that the gig goes smoothly without interruptions.

You take your chances.

Personally, I very rarely take two basses, and only if I space is not a problem etc. I keep my bass in perfect condition at all times, I use it a lot. My main bass is a Stingray, so despite having installed a bypass switch, I still make sure the battery is not going to die on me by replacing it before it fails.
I have spare batteries, and strings, and a string cutter with me.
I have a spare strap, and duct tape in my bag always. I have a spare cable too. Those things don't take up much space. If I broke a string (seriously, how often you get that? most people don't get that ever in their playing lifetime) I can change it in a couple of minutes while the band jams something without me.
In most situations even that would not be considered a problem. Of course, it is very different if you are in the orchestra pit of a play... but for your standard gig, even weddings etc... replacing one string is not much of a disruption.
Nice to have a spare bass, but its importance is, in my opinion, vastly over-rated for 95% of the players here.
I'd be more interested in having a DI box of some sort handy in case my amp dies. And I do have that with me in my pedalboard.

 

[addylewis]

I'm surprised at those people who say that bassists that don't take a spare are "not dedicated" or "hopefuls". Do you people not realize that there are people out there who can't afford a second bass or don't have the room to transport it to a gig?
I play at a local church every week and have never taken a backup, even though I have one. This is due to having a small car and a family that has to fit in along with my bass amp, case and cord bag. Two basses simply will not fit. Doesn't mean I don't take it seriously or am not dedicated.

BIG +1 on that one!

I admit, usually I don't bring 2 basses - its a pain trying to fit it all in the small car (as it is - my amp goes in the boot and FILLS it, and my bass bag has all my leads in it (yeah, 2 of each that I use) so it lies across the back seat as it wont stand up behind the front seats...I'd rather not be lying one bass ontop of the other) besides, if its not used its just something else to get nicked or forgotten. If its a short gig (30 mins original band kinda thing) I probably WON'T bring a backup unless it was a major gig for agents/managers...if it were a 3 hour gig I'd probably bring a squier or my smaller Mustang for emergencies (same for my Line6 pod...fitting it in the car wouldn't be TOO bad, but remembering to not forget it if I DIDN'T use it on a gig just means another trip to the car really...generally I don't transport myself to gigs and I've got mates who empty the car of everything because of a single bad experience - so leaving it in the car isn't an option otherwise I'd bring a 2nd bass more often)

If it were a major or long gig - yes if I had space, otherwise I've not had any problems so far and its just more stuff to carry if you're probably NOT going to need it...if I ever DO need it and I haven't got it with me then I'll change my mind on it and bring one all the time probably, but so far I've never needed one

 

[JdoubleH]

No, but I'm a bass baritone, so if my bass ever fails me, I can just sing my parts.


On a serious note, in the Army they stress the terms PMCS (preventive maintenance checks and services) and PCI (pre combat inspection) to ensure mission readiness. Keep your equipment mission ready. Carry spares for components most likely to fail (strings, tubes, fuses, cables), and a small toolkit for field repairs. You can't prevent every calamity, but you can reduce the risk of the most common ones.

Personally, I'd rather run the remote risk of a bass failing me than risk having the second one stolen while unattended.

 

[noeinstein]

Like so many of life's decisions, it's a gamble, you play the odds. As Dirty Harry said, "You’ve got to ask yourself one question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well do ya, punk?" Some nights I do, some nights I seem to know better.

 

[mcnach]

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.

And this is a very important point too.

I frequently see people, usually younger ones, but not exclusively with dodgy gear.
It may be a cable, it may be a loose output socket or one that does not hold teh cable tight. Maybe a temperamental switch. Strap buttons with a screw that does not bite the wood anymore and may fall.
Why do they do this?

An electric guitar or bass is such a simple instrument. Yes, something can fail... you can never be 100% safe... but if you maintain your gear it is very unlikely to let you down. If you just use it and dump it wherever without looking when you don't need it... then one day you will have a surprise.

Maintenance, guys & girls. Good insurance against failures.

 

[mcnach]

Backup bass.
Backup bass head.
Backup bass cab.
Backup cables.
Extra DI.
Extra batteries.
Extra fuses.

Backup mics.

Backup guitar amp.
Extra guitar strings.
Picks.

Drumsticks.

I never needed any of them.
But good friends have. More than once.
Including at gigs that I wasn't playing at and stopped by after a jam session.

You forgot a backup band...

No, not practical... but a couple of times I wish I had brought one

 

[baileyboy]

That's pretty funny. It was a joke, right?

Cause if you busted off a tuner, or snapped the neck, had an electronics failure or any of the other gajillion things that could go wrong at a gig, that other bass (or even the other other bass you brought) sure comes in handy.

Otherwise you're standing there trying to make bass noises with your mouth...

So, thanks for the laugh. Good one.

Nope, no joke. I lead a charmed life!

 

[Neener]

I could have used a backup amp more than a few times. Other than a battery, it takes something pretty drastic for a bass to fail. An amp, not so much. :scowl:

 

[HolmeBass]

Like someone said on pg 1, it's even *more* important for a short set because you won't have time to put on a new string (or a full set, which is really preferable) if you break one- except maybe if you break it in the first or second song, and even then you're going to eat up a good chunk of your set time changing the string and tuning back up- at least a song's worth. If your band can play the songs without you then maybe it's ok, but I would just take a backup. And what if it's more than just a broken string?