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Essential Gigging Gear - From Novice to Pro

#41
The minimum needed:
1) Snark or other clip on tuner
2) Good cord
3) When you change strings, save the old strings in the package and put in your gig bag pocket for the unlikely event you break a string (old strings are already cut and will "remember" the tuning peg wind so putting one back on takes two minutes)
4) Gig bag with pocket for these items
5) condoms.. because bass is sexy and you're going to get lucky even if you don't get paid!
6) Small, light, cheep yet LOUD gigging amp WITH WHEELS like an ampeg rocket 100 (usually $200 on CL and sounds 75% as good as my vintage B-15 and is loud enough for anything but a LOUD hard rock band)
 
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#44
Go to GC and buy a couple of their lifetime guarantee cables. I've not bought a new cable in over 15 years but i've more than a few replaced free of charge. Not to mention GC is everywhere so you are never very far from one when you need a cable replaced.
 
#45
Beyond the bass and amp; Extra strings (I usually just keep the last old set in the case.) Extra cables, I don't use pedals, so I only need one extra. If pedals are in the mix, the batteries, and optionally an extra cable for the pedals. A tuner that meets your needs. A power strip, with surge protection, and a short three prong extension cord. I'm aiming for 15 feet of extension. My supply bag includes a thin, rolled up plastic painters tarp, for those outside gigs where cover is needed quickly. Small flash light, a nail clipper, needle nose pliers, extra picks if you use them. Pencil/pen and a small note pad. Small bottle of aspirin (or similar), and a few bandaids. Small pack of napkins, or a towel for quick cleanup of spills. Not essential, but very handy, a small hand held recorder of some sort for "rehearsal notes".

Not bass related, I keep an extra mic, mic clip, and a couple of xlr cables in the bag. They've proven more useful many times. Mark them so they come back to you.
 
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#46
To make an analogy, I did a lot of camping when I was a kid, and still enjoy it. Walk through the campground to see how every family has a different idea of what "necessary" consists of. The boy scouts show up in an armada of giant SUV's and pickup trucks, with two or more full size cargo trailers. Over in the cheaper, non-electric sites, a young family shows up in a battered Toyota sedan with a cheap tent and a jar of peanut butter. Everybody has a blast.

As I've gotten older, I pack less and less. After 40 years, I have a pretty good idea of what breaks, and I use decent gear that's reliable in the first place. A small bag of spare cables and an MB200 head go into my car and stay there.

But I'm not a boy scout, and I'm not a den mother. Drum sticks? Really?

Definitely protect your hearing, starting now.
 
#48
For me, pedal tuner (with mute), compressor, sometimes some EQ. Nothing new there I suppose.

Since the Rumble does all that except for tuner, seems like you need a tuner pedal. :-)

Congrats on picking up a bass. :-)

If your MIM doesn't have noise-free pickups, I would look into those. As a part-time sound guy, I have had to cut various whines from bass players standing near something that generates noise. On-stage lighting can be especially noisy for example.
 
#52
No, you don't need a compressor for your live rig. Especially if you don't know if you need one, you definitely don't!

All you truly need is bass, amp, tuner, cables, and preferably a good DI. I always have a spare cable or two and a spare set of strings. If the amp has a DI that sounds good, than you're fine, but I prefer to have a separate DI in my bag at all times(the amp could die, you may go to backline gigs with no amp and not know what they'll have on hand DI-wise, etc. etc). It's most certainly "pro" to come prepared with a good DI of your own.
 
#53
Again with the preamp/DI. My vote? Aguilar Tone Hammer. Believe their description on their website. You will be the boss of your tone once you learn to use it. From your passive bass, go into it as a preamp and out to your amp. Use it as a D/I and skip the amp if you can go into a PA/House system. Save your back. 48 volt phantom powered, but spend the 15 bucks and get a D/C power supply anyway to use when you don't have phantom power. AND, I agree 100% with above recommendations that you get noiseless or hum-cancelling pick-ups. I use Aguilar on my MIM Fender Jazz.
 
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#54
Sean Brookes said:
Hi all,

From the basic BASS and AMP, where do we go next? What's essential, helpful or just nice? Do I need a DI box? Compressor? Pedal Tuner? A second bass? Bass Synth?
Click to expand...

A DI and a compressor, essential (as in "You should turn your compressor off once in a while just to show yourself you can play without it.") A pedal tuner that automatically mutes itself--when you need it, you really need it right away. I don't carry a second bass. I carry strings, a wire-clipper and earplugs. The day will come, as it did before, when I'll regret this, of course.

I saw some smooth jazz guitarist once at a festival who picked up his guitar synth and told the audience it was his "new Porsche." This is like 1983 somewhere. He looked really pleased with himself. That was kinda the beginning and the end of my interest in synth.
 
#55
Simplicity is your pal. So is reliable well maintained gear.

I gig pretty regularly. My load is a bass, a rig, an extra guitar cable and a flask of Brandy incase the gig sucks. For Jazz gigs I also bring a binder full of sheet music and a music stand.

I've long ago ditched all the clutter. It lets me concentrate on the stuff that matters. Like enjoying connecting with the crowd. Or crop dusting drummers.
 
#57
Sean Brookes said:
Hi all,

I'm a seasoned musician, but very new to bass. As I hit 30 I decided to take the plunge in picking up the instrument I've always enjoyed listening too.

My question revolves around my current situation, and a general interest in listening/reading to everyone's views.

I currently own and play a MIM Jazz bass. My next purchase will be a gigging amp where I'm looking at the Rumble 500. With those two obvious essentials I'll look to start getting out of the rehearsal room and with some gigging bands.

From the basic BASS and AMP, where do we go next? What's essential, helpful or just nice? Do I need a DI box? Compressor? Pedal Tuner? A second bass? Bass Synth?

I've had a scout around YouTube and Google, but always enjoy reading on here and wanted to hear what you all think.

Thanks,

Sean
Click to expand...
Advice for aspiring Studio Players or anyone that wants to "Go Pro"
The best thread on this very topic.
 
#58
I used to carry a small satchel (nowadays a back pack would be it) that had the things I'd found out the hard way I needed to have as a spare. Cords (guitar and extension), battery, strings, string cutter and pliers, cheap soldering iron, flashlight, and anything else you would need to fix anything that could be done over a break time.

fourstr00 said:
In all seriousness, I've always been surprised at the number of musicians that look to the bass player to be the 'mom' of the group.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was that guy too. Watch what the rest of the group grunches about not having. I used to carry a drum key because my drummer couldn't tune his own drums. Hope you have fun!
 
#59
I carry a few oddball items that have turned out to be indispensible.

The strangest is probably a bath mat, specifically a bath mat that has a piece of carpet pad in the middle. Folded in half, it's just a little bigger than my Ampeg 210AV stack, and the carpet pad isolates it from the floor to prevent coupling. I don't have to use it everywhere, but since I play a lot of very small rooms, play on concrete often, and play on a deck occasionally, I do use it a lot. It also doubles as a protective cover for my homemade pedal board when it's packed away.

After playing 2 gigs in 2 days on concrete, on the 2 worst days of the summer and outdoors for the second one, I decided I needed an anti fatigue mat. I'm 4 years out from total knee replacement, and honestly I still feel like I'm 6-12 months from regaining normal muscle mass. Without the mat, I could be in bad shape by the end of some gigs - and sometimes most of the next day. Not surprisingly, it also doubles as an isolation pad, and covers cables nicely.
 
#60
Take a bandana, great for sweaty gigs, bad hair days, nosebleeds, whatever.
I heartily agree with the folks who have already advised you to take a good DI and a compressor. I played a gig last night that had backline provided, and while the cab was an ampeg 8x10, the head was a behringer with a really noisy line out (it was the one that looks like an ashdown clone). No problem though, as I had my tonehammer with me.
 

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