Do You Bring A Backup Bass To Gigs?

[Twobass]

I usually bring two basses if we are playing a 3 set gig. The one time I didn't bring a backup bass for a long gig, my E string broke at the tuning peg. I did play the show without it and I didn't have extra strings. It was an interesting night.

 

[Mildew Jones]

Always do. I've posted this on similar thread; I had my only bass at the time (72 P) die mid gig (yes, a passive P bass can give up the audio ghost), ever since I got a 2nd bass always bring 2.
MJ

 

[MegaSwing]

If the gig is more than 15-20 minutes from home, I take an extra bass. Seems like the prudent thing to do.

 

[Biggbass]

sure...a Mooradian double gig bag makes it easy

 

[smeet]

In 30+ years of gigging, I've never broken a string. I do my upkeep on instruments, so they are very unlikely to die on the job. All my active instruments have active/passive switches. So I bring a backup if it's a new-to-me instrument or a really important gig. I sometimes throw a small class D amp in the car as a backup. But I never need it, because I don't own an SVT-7Pro any more.

 

[Flaked Beans]

I bring a 2nd bass but keep it in the car

I wouldn't do that. Chucho and Jose are back in the neighborhood. Just saying.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Of course.

 

[DavC]

thru the decades that i played out , i never had a backup bass ... i normally play keys and bass , so i guess my left hand was my backup ..??

of course now that i just play/practice/record at home ... i have several of everything ..!!

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I have never had a bass fail me. I have had a strap break, strap pins come loose and I have only ever broken one string in over 20 years, and that was from abuse and not regular use. I always pack a spare set of strings, an extra strap and toothpicks and a screwdriver. Just about all my active basses also have active/passive switches too. In general, I usually bring a backup micro class 'D' head as well. I have never needed any.

 

[j0616bass]

If I'm playing on a bill with other bands, particularly that I'm friendly with, I'll bring one. If I'm the only bass player, I bring 2. I've never needed two, so I'll keep bringing them.

 

[Gaolee]

I take two bass guitars. Just one upright. I only own one upright, and besides, hauling around two of 'em would be even more of a pain than one. So, it depends. I have never broken a string, so there's that. First time for everything, and I'm sure it's coming.

 

[theduke1]

I voted yes only because I use both of my G&L 2500s as one in fretless. I use them both throughout every gig so I guess one or the other is a backup depending on which one is in my hands
Duke

 

[lowfreqgeek]

If I don't need it, I don't take it. Being intimately familiar with my gear, and having more than a handful of instruments to choose from, means I don't leave the house with something that's potentially going to fail. There are plenty of times I opted to not take an instrument because it needed some attention, but the bass(es) I chose in those instances were chosen because they were 100% ready to go, even if not optimal for the gig.

 

[Pbassmanca]

I've never done it and never needed one. But if I ever get a Mono dual bass gig bag I'll bring both a fretted and a fretless to some gigs. I won't consider that bringing a backup.

Yeah that's what I got to start doing. I want to get one of those dual mono bags but they're pricey. I always bring two bases in case for some reason one of my wiring jobs goes south in the middle of a set...

 

[bassbrad]

Depends on the gig, hand and venue. Generally unless I need more than one bass to switch for tones I will just carry the one bass needed and a worn set of strings. The last time I carried a back up for just in case someone tried to steal it, no mas.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Rule of redundancies: two is one and one is none. OTOH...

I have the luxury of parking my vehicle relatively close to the venues so the heft of an extra instrument is not problematic. For those who perform in heavily-populated urban centers and/or rely on public transit: my heart goes out to ya, man!

Riis

 

[TheHardOne]

I always have a backup handy... The gig I don't is the gig I'd need it.

There was a show not too long ago where the bassist who went on before us had his bass screw up big early in the set w/no backup.. I got his attention and found they play in the same tuning so I went and got my back up out and let him use it to finish the set.

 

[JGbassman]

I always do. This is probably a mentality from playing 6 nights a week when touring, but eventually everything breaks, and luck favors the prepared.

I've had lots of failures but nothing that caused issues at a gig because I had backups.

 

[Relsom]

I always carry a spare, and I don't plan on changing Basses during the night.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

In general no. Extra strings do it.