• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Do You Bring A Backup Bass To Gigs?

Do You Bring A Backup Bass To Gigs?

  • Yes, always

    Votes: 213 45.3%

  • No, never

    Votes: 124 26.4%

  • Sometimes, it depends on the band and venue

    Votes: 115 24.5%

  • Who has the money for a second bass when you need a continuous supply of carrots?

    Votes: 18 3.8%
  • Total voters
    470
#82
Sometimes I take a second bass with me. When I,m not sure about the acoustical condition of the venue. Take one of my shortcales, a Longhorn or Musicmaster bass. Playing a 1969 Fender Super Bassman I always do bring along my spare 4x EL34 Echolette Bassmaster. Though the Bassman never failed on me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jsn
#86
Always. In a previous band, I sometimes had to haul lots of our gear to out-of-town gigs, and brought one bass to save space in the old Mazda, but otherwise I've brought two. I have a nice gig bag that holds two basses, which makes it relatively easy.
 
#87
I will take a backup when I take bass I have not gigged with before then as soon as I am confident that the new bass has no issues I stop taking the backup. More gear to schlep is the last thing I need.

I always carry spare strings and a toolkit (including a soldering iron). I have broken one string about 40 years ago and never had to use the toolkit on a bass of mine, but have fixed numerous things for other people (who maybe don't maintain their gear as well as I do).

I do take a backup amp, a class D guitar amp about the size of a house brick (Crate Powerblock). I have used it once when we had to use generator power, the line voltage was way out of spec and my regular bass amp would not start up. The generator caught fire during the last set and we packed up with tea lights and a cell phone flashlight app, happy days.
 
#88
I used to bering two BGs. Only once in 35 years have I needed the spare...the one and only time a string broke on a gig. Now I just bring spare strings :roflmao:

Bringing two DBs is out of the question of course :cool: That may have influenced my thinking about bringing a spare BG. Since I do a fair number of doubling gigs you could say my DB and BG are available as backups for each other.
 
#89
Yes to bringing two. I believe in the principle of "two is one, one is zero." The detail here is I bring one four-string bass and one five-string. I use the four-string for most song (I am old and stuck in my ways). If I experienced a problem with the four-string, then I'd use the five-string for the remainder of the set. There isn't enough room on stage for any other approach, IMHO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wisebass
#90
Never have, even when I toured outside of the country. It's enough of a hassle flying with one. None of the horn, keys or drummers I played with brought seconds! I change strings and batteries once a month so that's not an issue. Plus I have spares of those. And if I break any single string I could finish the set with 3.

YMMV
 
Last edited:
#91
Always two ,we were playing this big club packed .first song of the night my a string pops. Took me 10 minutes to change the string,plus i break strings a lot even though they get changed once a month. My guitar player knocked my bass over and g tuner broke right off.that was back in early 80s. Since then always 2. One stays tuned ready to go in gig bag
 
#93
gumbynotpokey said:
Never UNTIL after I had a tuning peg on the E just shear off while tuning up before a gig. Now, ALWAYS.
Click to expand...

Stuff happens. Things get dropped, knocked over, come loose, and give out, and ALWAYS at the worst possible time. An 'accident' is so named because it is not planned or expected.

With the plethora of good double gig bags on the market, it couldn't be easier to cover yourself with at least some kind of backup. Toting two basses on one handle is a beautiful thing.
 
#99
I never bring a backup. Never have.

I've never once broken a string, during practice or on stage (knock on wood!), and only had a bass malfunction on me once (electronics) before a show due to a loose contact, and managed to salvage it with a binder clip and rubber band.

Thankfully, in the group of bands I most often run with, if there is a gear issue, nobody is opposed to coming to the rescue. I've offered my own bass to a player with a broken string to keep the set moving, and would do the same for any other piece of gear I run as well.

I know they'd do the same for me in a pinch. It's nice to be a part of a local scene where people care much more about the music and the show than their gear.

Now, if I were in a hired cover band, things would be totally different - I'm sure I'd bring backups for my backups in that instance.
 
#100
Jsn said:
I have a Steinberger Spirit that lives in the trunk of my car. It's so small and unobtrusive in its black carry bag it's easy to forget it's there. I can't imagine that car thieves would think it was anything more than a set of jack handles or somesuch.

It's there as a backup for both electric and upright gigs (Yes, upright players do bring backups. No, it doesn't sound anything like an upright but the people I'm playing with don't care much about that: in the midst of a performance, they just want the bottom end held up.)

That's just one of the reasons it's there. It's also nice to have on hand in case an impromptu jam opportunity arises (I have one of those amazingly tiny Fly Bass combos in there as well). And if I'm traveling or just find myself with some downtime? There it is. Since it's a Steinberger--albeit a cheap one--I don't worry about temperatures or even about going very far out of tune. It's not my go-to instrument and I don't expect it to ever be, but I'm exceedingly glad I have it.
Click to expand...

I have the same bass for the same reason, although it does not get left in the car. I am not actually a fan of the shape and playability, but the idea is not to be in a pickle in the unlikely event that my main bass is down and I haven't sunk too much money into it if something should ever happen to it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jsn

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back