Do you keep a backup amp?

[Brad Johnson]

If my amp blows, can't I just hand the end of my cable to the sound guy?

Won't he plug me in?

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the system.

And if there's no system...?

 

[Brad Johnson]

My rack rig can still work if any 1 component fails - it's a sansamp RBI, a Trace pre, a crossover, and a crown macro tech biamping 2 cabs.

I run the sansamp as an "overdrive" into the trace - it can be bypassed with a footswitch, but if either pre fails, I can just run the other. If the crossover fais, I can run the same signal to each cab and tweak the EQ a little. If 1 speaker cab fails, I can tweak the EQ a little and use the other. If the power amp fails, I run a line into the PA.

If you always have a PA, all that's needed is a DI.

 

[main_sale]

It's always prudent to have a back up. Just this week I went to my local Blues Club to enjoy a talented guitar player from Beantown. The bassplay had a vintage Fender Showman that crapped out one the first number. Fortunately he had another Showman head out in the car. It could have been ugly. I've got a SVT-3Pro in its own rack case that I use for backup. Be prepared for the enivitable equipment failures and dont disappoint your paying customers.

 

[XtraLongScale]

I always gig with a Radial JDI into a P.A., so no worries if my Nemesis NA650 dies, but I always keep a GK 800RB in the car just in case. I like to have good stage monitoring so an amp is still a necessity (for now, hehe).

 

[Nedmundo]

Though I sometimes forget to bring it to gigs, I bought a Crate Power Block 125w guitar head as a backup. It was only $100 on MF closeout, and it's tiny and light. It can sound passable for bass with the right EQ, and it has a DI. It's also a backup for our guitarist who uses a tube amp, and neither brings nor can afford spare tubes. (One of my tone-fiend guitar buddies, who has a HUGE collection of tube amps, uses one as a backup, and says it sounds amazingly good with guitar.)

My other backup is the DI on my Aphex Punch Factory compressor.

Good thread -- it's reminded me I need to just leave the Crate in my car. Wish they'd make a 200w model for bass.

 

[ExaltBass]

I always bring my Radial Bassbone (feed direct into PA normally also) and Crown MicroTech 600 to gigs. It is good to have a utility amp to use anywhere in the bands system as needed.
I also bring redundant IEC power cables for my GK and speakon speaker cables. I try to maintain all my gear in top shape, but the inevitable failures do happen - and by the nature of things - ALWAYS when you need to use it.

 

[tZer]

I always toted my little GK RB200 with me just in case.

The idea of being at a gig an hour away from home and having "X" go wrong made me back-up all my gear. I have a back-up bass, back-up amp, and an assortment of tools, strings, tape, batteries, etc.

I have needed my back-up amp a couple of times and was awfully glad I had it. I do not want to be the reason the show stops or even slows down. Maybe it's the Boy Scout in me, but "Be Prepared" just makes sense.

 

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

It's good to have a backup, or at least a backup plan. If having a spare amp is a logistical burden but there's a good local backline rental company, that can be your backup instead.

 

[Jim Carr]

I leave a Ashdown Superfly in my car when
gigging just in case... If my head were to fail, I'd run out to the car and
be back in biz in 5 min...

When I am gigging a lot (not this month ), I leave a spare amp head in
my car, usually hidden under some "trash"...

 

[Fuzzbass]

My dual-mono Stewart 2.1 is its own backup.

That is, I usually use just one channel, leaving the other channel in reserve. It's great to carry way more watts than you need.




COOL THING: Last gig, my band's monitor amp died. So, I ran monitors from the unused channel of my Stewart. I was hero for the evening!

 

[Phalex]

I don't carry a spare with me to every gig, but I do have an old KMD head from the way back. I think it's an 82. It'll work in a pinch. Just the reason I still have it!

 

[doctec]

I keep a cheap DI in my gig bag. We usually just run vocals and kick in the PA, but it'll handle the bass in a pinch. I've only had my bass rig fail once in recent memory (10 years?) and the DI got me through the gig "ok" without it.

 

[rok51]

While I have a spare rig, I don't take it to gigs. If I have a meltdown that I can't deal with, I go direct. Fortunately, in 30 years, I have only had to do that once...and it was entirely my fault-I had been messing with a crossover in my cab and unknowingly disconnected the first speaker in a series/parallel setup. Head was fine, but no sound. Ran out of time trying to diagnose the problem, so I just went direct. No fun...the monitors were overtaxed as it was. I told the sound guy to drop me way down and I just played by "feel". Odd, I was nowhere to be heard on stage, but I was told later that it sounded fine out front...
At least our own PA and monitors can handle the bass easily...
Honestly, I have had precious few equipment failures-knock on wood-but at least a few operator screw ups!

Kim

 

[ptidwell]

I have two amps BIG/small or should I say Heavy/Light in a aggie DB750 and an iAMP 800. On the bigger venues I will take the 750 so I guess the iAMP is my backup most of the time, until I don't feel like carrying the DB750, and of course this will work vise-versa.