Do you take your valuable basses to gigs?

[OldFenderPlayer]

I've stopped taking my 1965 Jazz Bass to gigs. I used to, but it got to the point that I was too worried about some bad character recognizing the value of the instrument and making it his goal to pinching it during the load out. I was going to take it on a gig recently, and planned on going so far as to use a cable lock to secure its case to a seat in my van during load-in and load-out. That's when I decided it was just too stressful to bring it along. BUT I do take my 1974 P-Bass to gigs all the time.

 

[radioface]

A bass you're afraid to gig with is worth $0.00. You could be dead tomorrow, then what would happen to your $15,000.00 bass? Maybe someone will own it and play the hell out of it and enjoy every single dollar, it was worth.

 

[Tom Howland]

If the gig is safe enough for your body, it's safe enough for your gear.

This is my rule. I never bought a 15K bass.
Mine are in the 2K-5K range.
But I buy them to play. I never let them out of my sight though.

 

[vince a]

Of course I do . . . that's why I purchased it. Besides, my insurance agent says it's covered. I don't do vintage basses, so I'd get a brand new bass again!

Like Mojo-Man, it doesn't get out of my sight!

 

[Blake Bass]

My basses are all insured and I take them to gigs. that's the only way i can justify owning expensive basses..gotta make $$$ with them!

 

[drummer5359]

Exhale.... I just did the deal. 1956 Fender Precision, all original save 2 neck screws and a few pick guard screws. After some negotiation I paid $9,500. So it is not 15K bass, though some do go for that and higher.

I can't believe it. I have dreamed of an 1950's P-bass for many years, it is my ultimate, my bass nirvana. I about as happy as I can be. Pictures coming soon.

CONGRATS!

That is a dream bass to me as well. Enjoy it!

 

[mcnach]

I was going to say "yes, of course"... But my definition of expensive does not get close to $9500
At most, I'm talking Stingray, Warwick and Lakland, in my case... and I of course use them all the time: that's why I bought them.

The bass you're talking about is more special, 'though. But, precisely because it's special, I'd want to use it live. Just maybe not every gig. Maybe I'd choose to use it only the times where I know the venue etc and I'm satisfied that it's not going to be a stressful experience, having to worry about the safety of the bass.

Sounds like a nice deal... your dream bass, eh? Congratulations!

Now show us some pictures!

 

[malthumb]

Not the point. Obvioiusly you don't have much acquaintance with the kind of people who steal things. Certainly it is the rare thief who is up to date on the value of exotic basses, but it doesn't matter if they took it to make a big score or just took it. I mean the church near me has had their air conditioner unit stripped of copper (unit costing 20 grand and copper value maybe 20 bucks) three time in last few years.

I wouldn't own a bass so valuable I'd never gig it, but taking an expensive bass to a dive bar gig (Yes, I've done it) where you have to watch it like a hawk every minute really takes the fun out of the gig.

My church has been broken into and stripped of copper three times. The thieves know the value of copper and that's why they target copper for theft. They typically do not know the value of custom instruments. They may steal them if they have the opportunity and pawn them for what they think they are worth. I doubt, however, that criminals are going "Oooooo! An Alembic.....let me follow this guy to the parking lot". As far as they know, it's just a big ol' ugly guitar that's missing a string.

 

[deeptubes]

What are gigs?

 

[FunkHead]

If I had a high end bass I would gig it.

 

[bassbenj]

A bass you're afraid to gig with is worth $0.00. You could be dead tomorrow, then what would happen to your $15,000.00 bass? Maybe someone will own it and play the hell out of it and enjoy every single dollar, it was worth.

So does that mean that a $15,000 bass you are scared to take to half your gigs is only worth $7,500?

I can dig the mojo and story telling thing, but if your bass was stolen 10 years ago because it was too tempting, that sort of spoils sitting around in your old age telling the stories of your instrument and times to noobs.

Would you buy a symphony-level upright bass and then play dive bar gigs with it even though uprights are harder to steal? Brrrr. I don't think so.

 

[Ric5]

Do you take your valuable basses to gigs?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sold off all of my basses worth more than $2000 ...

 

[Pako]

Yes. My basses are to play. I don't have any show pieces hiding behind glass.

 

[Munjibunga]

I am about to acquire a very valuable bass (15 grand-ish). I want to gig with it but I'd be devastated if it was stolen. I do have other nice basses I can gig with. I'll probably save it for very special gigs. What do other people do? I have several valuable vintage basses and amps and I bought them to play, not as museum pieces.

I play both of my Foderas ($9K - $10K) at gigs. I don't take my eye off them at breaks, and they don't sit in the car unattended.

 

[Norwegian Bass]

Yes.

 

[faulknersj]

Exhale.... I just did the deal. 1956 Fender Precision, all original save 2 neck screws and a few pick guard screws. After some negotiation I paid $9,500. So it is not 15K bass, though some do go for that and higher.

I can't believe it. I have dreamed of an 1950's P-bass for many years, it is my ultimate, my bass nirvana. I about as happy as I can be. Pictures coming soon.

Congrats!!! I can't wait to see pics! Cheers!

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

+1 Munjibunga! Always keep an eye on 'em or have a trusted band mate keeping 6 if you have to leave. And never ever leave them alone & exposed in a car no matter how nice the neighbourhood. Use good judgement. If you gottem play 'em!

Rezdog

 

[Bassist Jay]

I am about to acquire a very valuable bass (15 grand-ish). I want to gig with it but I'd be devastated if it was stolen. I do have other nice basses I can gig with. I'll probably save it for very special gigs. What do other people do? I have several valuable vintage basses and amps and I bought them to play, not as museum pieces.

I've never bought a 15k bass before so it's kind of hard to say if I would take one that expensive to a gig or not? But my Music Man basses were all around 2k or just under. All are insured but are also limited run basses that can't be remade. But since they are insured, I do take them to all of my gigs. But I also follow some very strict rules when doing so. First, nobody but me touches or plays my basses unless I know them pretty well. Next, at no time do I ever have eyes off of my basses. If I can't watch them because I have to do something, I have someone else watching them.

 

[Clouz]

yep...and my .40 cal. i value all of my bass guitars and my gear

 

[Itzayana]

With regard to instrument insurance, I would never get it. If it cost $500 a year to insure my travel kit that would mean that I would have spent over $20k for the last 40+ years that I have made a living playing music. In all that time I have had ZERO loss.