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Do you take a back up bass to gigs?
- Thread starter Biggbass
- Start date
I have a Mono dual bass gig bag. I carry two basses. One stays in the bag just in case my main bass has an issue, gets knocked over, breaks a string, etc. Worst case, I have to run backstage and grab my backup during a song. I typically don't put it on stage because if something were to fall or someone knock over the stand, I don't want both my basses being damaged.
I only started bringing two basses because all of my tools, tuners, spare strings, etc. are in my double gig bag, and I'm too lazy to move everything to my single gig bag.
In ~15 years of playing, the only mishap I've had were broken strings. No big deal - I'll just play in a different position. It makes me appreciate the numerous hours I dedicated to position studies.
Worst case scenario, in my current band - our keyboard player brings two sets of keys (for keys & organ). I could always play my bass lines on keys. It won't be exact, but it will get the gigs accomplished.
In ~15 years of playing, the only mishap I've had were broken strings. No big deal - I'll just play in a different position. It makes me appreciate the numerous hours I dedicated to position studies.
Worst case scenario, in my current band - our keyboard player brings two sets of keys (for keys & organ). I could always play my bass lines on keys. It won't be exact, but it will get the gigs accomplished.
I USUALLY bring 2 basses, but on our last gig I DIDNT and GUESS WHAT???
nothing happened. I prob will bring 2 in the future but its not a priority for me. more for fun to switch during the set. LOL!
nothing happened. I prob will bring 2 in the future but its not a priority for me. more for fun to switch during the set. LOL!
I guess I'm not qualified to have an opinion on bringing a backup bass, as I can count the ammount of gigs I have played bass on one hand, however, I have done lots of gigs (even tours) both on vocals (note: I didn't say singing as it's rap 
) and as a sound tech, so here's my 2 cents...
Whilst performing onstage with the HipHop group, we have a live keyboard player, a guitarist (spanish), a DJ, and sometimes a drummer.
Keyboard player = No Backup. I understand this completely.
Guitarist = Not even spare strings. I think this is crazy, but the guy is amazing, and when I met him he was 7 years old and playing Paco De Lucia on a guitar with only 3 strings (couldn't afford to replace) so I forgive him.
DJ = No backup or spare needle. THIS IS NOT OK! As we realised at a major festival, running around trying to borrow a needle during the (unprogrammed) break!!
Drummer = His backup is the keyboard player!!
On the subject of backup basses, I would take two, but 1 fretless and 1 fretted to use in different songs, if one died, then I would make it through on the other. Spare strings and a DI box I think are very wise. But tools? Who does repair jobs halfway through a set? Unless you have staff to do them for you, in that case, make the staff carry the tools!!
) and as a sound tech, so here's my 2 cents...Whilst performing onstage with the HipHop group, we have a live keyboard player, a guitarist (spanish), a DJ, and sometimes a drummer.
Keyboard player = No Backup. I understand this completely.
Guitarist = Not even spare strings. I think this is crazy, but the guy is amazing, and when I met him he was 7 years old and playing Paco De Lucia on a guitar with only 3 strings (couldn't afford to replace) so I forgive him.
DJ = No backup or spare needle. THIS IS NOT OK! As we realised at a major festival, running around trying to borrow a needle during the (unprogrammed) break!!
Drummer = His backup is the keyboard player!!
On the subject of backup basses, I would take two, but 1 fretless and 1 fretted to use in different songs, if one died, then I would make it through on the other. Spare strings and a DI box I think are very wise. But tools? Who does repair jobs halfway through a set? Unless you have staff to do them for you, in that case, make the staff carry the tools!!
Well there are tools and there are tools. How big a deal is a set of allen wrenches to fit all the things on the bass. And yes, as I noted above, I DID have a disaster gig where one saddle kept lowering itself and I kept raising it back up during breaks. Later at home locktite fixed the problem. But the issue wasn't how to fix it but how to keep the gig going.
And I recall one other disaster gig. Naturally, according to "laws" of physics bass died mid set and I did NOT have a backup. Unscheduled break. Again, since I DID have the tiny Phillips screwdriver needed to take the cavity over off that was no problem. (Hey, How dumb would it be to have an active bass that has a battery in the cavity and you don't have a spare battery or the screw driver to take the cover off? Borrow tools from the guitar player? Bwahahaha!)
Anyway, problem was simple. Broken wire on volume pot. And not surprizingly there was no soldering iron around. But someone (not me) did manage to come up with a pair of needle nose pliars and I wound the end of the wire around the pot lug and it was good enough to finish the gig. Whew! While I'm not one of those players leading a charmed life who never have anything as a backup and also never have trouble, I have not been the one responsible for a gig crashing and burning. None of us need THAT kind of reputation. I've come close a couple of times but have always seemed to find a way to pull it out of the fire.
Sorry I forget about the battery thing since I went passive. But I still don't think (no offense to anyone here) that it is a good idea to break out the tool kit and start soldering half way through a gig, much better to have a backup bass and someone to solder for you!!
This has been the most valuable advice so far. If your vehicle breaks down, you won't even make it to the gig. Even your five backup basses in the trunk won't help you out.
But seriously. I'm not against backup basses and backup amps and backup whatever, it's just that the artist has to pay transportation for the backup stuff. If the artist's manager is too greedy for that, it ain't my fault.
Once another musician gave me a ride to a gig and on the way we had a car accident. The tuning machine of the D string broke and the string stayed perfectly in tune, but in C. It was a pop artist's acoustic set and I got through it either evading the D string or keeping in mind its odd tuning.
Another reason why I usually don't carry more basses than necessary: Sometimes instruments get stolen from the backstage area.
I only bring one when I play, because I mostly play at my church, but I live down the road from the church not even 5 minutes so if I ever need to grab something different I hop in the car and get it.
And a backup stage and band...
hehe...
greetings!
Ha,ha.right!
Just to mention,long time I wanted not to have active bass,but 3-4 years ago I aqcuired several and still didn't take to a gig,mostly because of fear of battery let me down,having all basses with screw battery compartement.
So,why manufacturers don't make battery compartements without screws,like on acoustic guitars?
I carry along a back up that is basically a twin to the other bass..
I have it tuned and ready to go beside my Amp. I have had to use the backup approx 3 times in 3 years and approx 200 Shows
I have it tuned and ready to go beside my Amp. I have had to use the backup approx 3 times in 3 years and approx 200 Shows
Sorry if I offended anyone in my previous post. I realize that in a perfect world, having a backup bass would be the most prudent thing to do. In my case, it's just not practical.
Only one electric and one upright on my gig tonight. Man, what a disaster. Broke a string on the upright, then broke two strings on the electric, then tripped and busted the cable for my wireless, then the straplock pulled out of the electric and it fell onto the ground and split right in half. The next song went even worse.
Actually nothing bad happened except the rental upright I used was prone to feedback because of the crap Fishman pickup on it. Not a big deal.
Actually nothing bad happened except the rental upright I used was prone to feedback because of the crap Fishman pickup on it. Not a big deal.
