• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Have You Ever Forgotten Your Bass?

Ben Berd

Ben Berd

Guest
Dec 8, 2011
148
38
28
Nottingham Pa
www.facebook.com
#1
I was at a music competition yesterday where a bunch of schools were competing, and the school band that played before ours had forgot to bring a bass! So I let him use mine. I think it would be impossible to forget to bring a bass. Do any of you guys have any stories about forgetting large instruments (bass,guitar, drums,etc)?
 
#4
"Have I ever forgotten my bass?"
In 35 years never...except once.
Got hired for a wedding to be the after ceremony dance band.
The gig was on a large ship that motors around the bay for 3 hours then returns.
We were told the to be on time as ship leaves exactly at 3pm and parking would be tight, so
we all loaded into my truck for the drive there. I wanted to put my bass in last
so it wouldn't get beat up with all the gear and people. Time was running short
and everyone was in a hurry up mode.
It was a bit chaotic but we took off and happily drove down the highway to the dock.
Halfway there the vocalist asked me where my bass was. SOB! it ain't in the truck.
I then remembered I hadn't loaded it. It was at that moment we had to decide whether to
turn around and pick up my bass and possibly miss the boat and gig or continue on and make it in time for departure.
The vote was for return to pick up bass. I flew down the freeway to retrieve my bass and flew back,
breaking all speed limits. We arrived at the ship just as they were starting to cast off.
The bride was much relieved to see us and some of the guests helped us load in.
Once on board, they lead us to our spot on the upper deck to set up.
It was a space 8' x 4', but that's another topic all together.
 
#7
I auditioned for the drummer position in a blues band an hour drive from home. I brought all my stuff except... The %[^{^*]+ snare! Oops. The bassist knew another local drummer who was kind enough to lend me a snare. I could have lived without any tom or cymbal. But not my snare!

Anyway - I nailed the audition and got the gig. But I have never, and will never, forgotten gear ever again. I was very lucky to have found such a group of cool musicians to let such an oversight slide on audition day.
 
#9
I forgot my bass at school. So I was jamming with a drummer friend and my dad sent me a text saying what time he was to pick me up. So, I told my friend I had to go, put my bass in it's case and left it right by the amp. I walked away, went to my locker and talked to other friends. When I went to walk out the door of the school, I'm like "Holy $*@! I forgot my bass" so I ran to go get it.
 
#10
Sort of, not bass, or even me.

I play in the school pep band, and we had the opportunity to play in Superbowl village. (I also play trombone)

So, the pep band leaves on the bus to go to the village, and guess what we forgot, the drummer. We literally left without him. He saw the buses drive out of the parking lot.
He wasn't in the band room, he was in the orchestra/percussion room when we took attendance. Well, he found a ride a tiny bit later as we drove towards the city.

Next after I carry a drumset ( bass drum w/ two toms attached, we realized we don't have a kick pedal.( AFTER I CARRIED THE DRUMSET THROUGH THE CITY!!) So my band director calls a friend in the city and comes up with a nice double kick that shows up twenty minutes late.

But next we realized we didn't have a snare stand either, as the drumset was being set up, the snare has no place to go, so I suggest using two mellophone cases (genius!).

A nice happy ending as some various drunk people/underclassmen parents watched, and then we walked around the village a little bit.
 
#12
haha, some good stories so far!

Haven't forgotten the bass, but once, when I was doing my first gig as a lead guitar player, I forgot my pedalboard at home... the black case disguised itself. At the gig I thought somebody had jacked the pedals when I couldn't find them, but when I called home my roomie confirmed them on my bed! I was practicing with and needed to use (to do the songs as recorded) liberal delay/wah, so I had to get creative as hell with my playing, which was actually pretty awesome
 
#13
Unfortunately yes, once many moons ago. We were playing full time, 5-6 nights a week and working day gigs also. We had a gig for 2 weeks at a club about 2 hours away from home. Over the break we squeezed in a practice to learn a tune. Being tired I left my Ric at the guitar players house where we practiced. Tuesday we headed out for the gig, I called the guitar player but got his wife instead.... Please make sure Al loads my bass in the car...well 2 hours later the trunk pops open and no bass.... Holy s#%&!!!! Sorry man, I forgot. Band had to play first set with no bass as I frantically drove all over PA trying to find friend of owner who had an old Jazz to lend. Band did learn to realize that no bass, band sucks!!!!
 
#15
About 30 yrs. ago on an out of town college gig my band loaded the gear into the van and drove away with my j-bass sitting in its case on the sidewalk. :eek:

Drove 3 hrs., groggily load into the practice room and immediately realized what happened.

Thankfully we got a call the next day from the guys with the sound company, "Uh, yeah, are you guys missing something?"
 
#16
I've forgotten my bass 3 times from what I remember...once left it at college and realised when I got to the train station (15 mins away), once left it in KFC and again, realised when I got to the train station (10 mins away), and once left it at the station, ran somewhere to check the board, SUDDENLY remembered I'd brought my bass that day and when I came back it had gone...started having a panic attack but the security guys had taken it and put it aside thank god! Also, once I was walking down a padestrianised walkway when by CHANCE I turned around to see my bass lying there in the middle about 10 metres back...the zip had gone on my bag and it slid out, I didn't feel anything so I think I've been PRETTY lucky really all in all.

This was all during my first 3 years learning I think, AND they were all my first/best bass as well...think I must be destined to have that bass forever :cool:
 
#18
A few weeks ago I played several jazz gigs about 9hrs drive away in a lovely city called Luang Prabang. I sent the PA, drums, amps, keys, horns, etc up in a small truck and packed the family on to the Friday afternoon flight (it was a good chance to have a three day getaway).

The plane was taxiing down the runway when I realised I had forgotten my bass. Luckily the drummer was catching a later flight because this is not the kind of place you can just rent a bass. I had to impose on my secretary to drive to my house, find the right bass and deliver it across town, all within 30 minutes or so, in time to catch the drummer before he left for the airport.

My beloved Ken Smith 5 string flew via an up-country Asian airline in a soft bag and arrived unharmed.
 
#20
I never forget anything.

I think I've probably at this point played close to 2000 gigs, and yes, one time I did forget to bring my bass. Luckily the gig was only about 20 minutes from home.

In my defense, at the time I used to keep my bass (which was a piece of crap) in the trunk, and forgot I had taken it out to put something else in there.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back