Do You Bring A Backup Bass To Gigs?

[TBPlayerOC]

I always bring a backup. At one gig my wireless failed on my main bass in the middle of a song and I was able to go to my backup in short order. That was the last time I failed to replace my batteries before a gig

 

[rockinbilly]

Haven't broken a string in apx. 35 yrs. I do carry a set of used strings, and keep fresh batteries in the bass, and wireless.
plus a tool / parts kit. Now that I have an extra bass head, I will carry it . Soon I will have 2 fivers, so maybe will start carrying a back up bass!!!???? My kid has the last 4 string, and the one before that is completely torn down, gotta get it to a good bass guy to see if it can be brought back to life !

 

[Bunk McNulty]

There needs to be an "I'm deeply ********" option. After never bringing a backup for many decades, I had a calamitous experience that involved playing a set and a half without an A string. After that I started bringing a backup. And for several years, nothing happened, and I got lazy and quit doing it. I really ought to start doing it again...

 

[Showdown]

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

Same here. I toured Japan and Korea 3 times and never took two basses. Too much hassle flying, too much hassle going through customs. And there were plenty of guitar stores there to go to in an emergency.

 

[JPaulGeddy]

There needs to be an "I'm deeply ********" option. After never bringing a backup for many decades, I had a calamitous experience that involved playing a set and a half without an A string. After that I started bringing a backup. And for several years, nothing happened, and I got lazy and quit doing it. I really ought to start doing it again...

Pretty much the same story here. Thought I had everything in case of a problem, so hey, who needs a backup. Just before the gig, the A string *tuning machine* breaks. :O And this was in a Rush tribute band, so I really wasn't feeling up to that challenge. Luckily, a bass player friend of mine was there and lived nearby, ran home and grabbed me a lender for the night. Whew. That was about 10 years ago, and I was really good about carrying a backup until recently. Now, I are dumb and getting lazy about it.

 

[klokker]

I probably should bring a backup, but I never do. I really should......................but I probably won't.

 

[beaglesandbass]

I often have to bring 2 basses if the band tunes down for some songs--Quicker to switch basses than retune in the middle of a set. For those gigs I don't bring a third as a backup .

For alternate turnings I use The Drop pedal by Digitech. Works wonders and saves time.

 

[The Thinker]

For alternate turnings I use The Drop pedal by Digitech. Works wonders and saves time.

I've thought about that. Does it track well down low on the B string?

 

[funkinbottom]

I've never brought a back up bass nor have I needed one in my 40 years of giging. At least once a year I open open 'em up, check all wiring/solder joints etc. I do have an extra cord and instrument cable, as well as extra battery for the active bass in each case, but no back up bass.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I want this thread to disappear!

It's in my feed every day!

I don't bring a backup bass, don't want to, and every time I see this thread I sweat just a wee bit. I'm doing mostly weddings and other high end gigs these days. If my bass ever craps out...

I've played somewhere around 2000 gigs and a bass only crapped out once. Was able to fix it. That one dang time though makes me know it can happen. I don't WANT to carry 2 basses though !

I may wind up buying the cheapest short scale I can find to just leave in the back of car forever. Does Rondo make any decent cheap short scales?

Unexpected purchase about to happen....

Talkbass.

See what happens.

 

[swafran]

I never tow an extra car either. You know, just in case.

LOL. Exactly. You can't prepare for every eventuality.

Also my basses are big hunks of wood bolted together. The hardware on them is field repairable. I do bring a toolkit, extra cables, extension chord, strings, small flashlight etc. I have a gig backpack with all that stuff ready to go.

That said I do have a horror story where I was saved by a second bass. I drove my convertible to my drummer's house, and went to put the top down to fit his cases in the back. Crrrack... the end of my gig bag had shifted under the motorized arm of the convertible top, and cracked the headstock. Bad day! We still had time to grab my fretless at my house. Although, if i hadn't been able to grab the second bass I guess I could have always borrowed another band's bass (not cool generally but if it's an emergency...).

 

[swafran]

A little OT, but one thing I've noticed from others' breakdowns in this thread, is that besides a few broken string incidents, I'm seeing mostly dying battery/preamp fail stories. I decided a long time ago that I will ever only play passive or passive/active basses, partly for that reason. Hey, I'm dumb enough to forget a battery. I know that, own up to it, so no active pickups for me and off I go.

 

[bopeuph]

When I worked on a cruise ship, I brought my Geddy Lee and my Epiphone as a backup. For whatever reason, the bandleader told me the Geddy Lee sounds like poopie and "that red bass" is what I need to bring from now on (although, I was really clueless in dialing in a sound that worked for performances, since I was really digging that Jaco growl at the time).

In the middle of a show, one of the tuners just randomly broke while the guest entertainer was talking to the audience. I sent a stage hand up to my cabin to grab the Geddy. It saved me!

I guess I should keep a backup, since I've been in that situation before. But I generally only have one if it's a new bass and I don't yet trust its quality. I've half-expected some of my heavily modded basses to implode on me at a gig, but none have.

 

[MegaSwing]

I want this thread to disappear!

It's in my feed every day!

I don't bring a backup bass, don't want to, and every time I see this thread I sweat just a wee bit. I'm doing mostly weddings and other high end gigs these days. If my bass ever craps out...<snip>

For years I owned only one bass and never even considered having another, much less a backup for gigs. Ya gotta be living right, I guess. I've never needed the backup I now carry, but I have seen bad things happen to unsuspecting equipment. Buy that cheapie and keep it in the trunk. You might end up with a good story about it someday.

 

[stevecaronna]

I always have 2 and switch playing them sometimes between songs because I love playing them both and sometimes while I am playing a song I wish for that song I was playing the other. Is that crazy or what?

 

[meshica7]

I at least bring one extra. The one time I didn't my bass took a dive on me. It was an outdoor gig and when I took it out of the case the neck was jacked! Luckily the opening band's bassist loaned me his bass..which was setup opposite of what I am used to (which is super low action, roundwounds, active..). I got through the gig but learned a valuable lesson.
On a related note..I once brought ALL my basses to a gig once.
Never again.
I had 8 at the time.

 

[Dave W]

Sometimes

 

[beaglesandbass]

I've thought about that. Does it track well down low on the B string?

I honesty can't say for sure. As the songs I use it for never need a note that low. I'll make a point of testing it out during sound check tonight and I'll report back

 

[The Thinker]

I honesty can't say for sure. As the songs I use it for never need a note that low. I'll make a point of testing it out during sound check tonight and I'll report back

Cool--thanks!

 

[BaltBass5]

I always bring at least 2. One tuned standard and one tuned flat