I've never had an instrument fail. Never. I still bring two. It's peace of mind for me. One less thing to worry about. It's actually far more common for an amp to fail than it is for a bass to fail.
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how important is a spare bass ?
- Thread starter PATTY1
- Start date
Then again some people are more lucky than others.
I had always brought 2 or 3 basses to every show until about a year ago. Then, I started bringing just one since nothing ever seemed to go wrong. About 2 months ago I broke an A string during the first. I spent a few minutes attempting to repair it but had no luck. I finished the set with 3 strings (which was a wake up call) and went home to pickup my other bass for the second set.
It would have been a lot easier to just grab bass #2 on the second song.
It's kinda like the spare tire in your car...seems to just sit there all the time doing nothing and taking up space.
I had always brought 2 or 3 basses to every show until about a year ago. Then, I started bringing just one since nothing ever seemed to go wrong. About 2 months ago I broke an A string during the first. I spent a few minutes attempting to repair it but had no luck. I finished the set with 3 strings (which was a wake up call) and went home to pickup my other bass for the second set.
It would have been a lot easier to just grab bass #2 on the second song.
It's kinda like the spare tire in your car...seems to just sit there all the time doing nothing and taking up space.
I always bring a backup - if a string breaks it wont ruin the gig. Changin strings just takes too long onstage in the middle of a show. Hasnt happed yet, but a fuse in my amp went out like 30 minutes before the show once and i didnt have a spare, luckily it was just a 10minute drive to the rehersal studio to pick up another head - lessoned learned - i always bring extra strings for my basses, and now all my amps have extra fuses taped to the back panel!
I've started bringing one to gigs again - I went through a phase of bringing one then stopped after a few gigs...I've never had my bass go "bad" on me, but I've seen both our guitarists guitars go dodgy in the last year so they just grabbed a spare (one of our guitarists brings 3 to every gig, the other only owns 1) - after the 2nd time I said to myself "I can't do that if anything happens to the bass..." so now I bring a 2nd one (IF we had MAJOR problems fitting it in the car boot then yeah, I'd just leave it behind...otherwise I'm taking one!)
After a couple of gigs with bass amps going down I like to throw my podXT in the back as well - I've gotta make sure I get an XLR adaptor though!! (I've got or DID have one somewhere...I'm just thinking right this second "why isn't it in that box?")
After a couple of gigs with bass amps going down I like to throw my podXT in the back as well - I've gotta make sure I get an XLR adaptor though!! (I've got or DID have one somewhere...I'm just thinking right this second "why isn't it in that box?")
It's not important at all... until it is. I'm not constantly breaking strings or anything, but jacks can come loose, various bad electronic things can happen, etc. Rather than stand there looking like a doofus, it's better just to take 10 seconds and change basses.
Yep, I have a bag of spare fuses in my gig bag "just in case" because it's happened to me before too.
True Dat!!! Mono double bag FTW.
We say in my part of the world, "I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it." That's oh....so true.
I don't play that often or big enough gigs to warrant a 2nd bass. I also don't like gear collecting dust, so I don't have a backup.
With that said, I'm not sure breaking a string will "ruin' a show. I remember I saw Parliament at the Cubby Bear in Chicago several years back. Fishbone opened ... it was a great show. Either way, the bass player broke an E string. Guess what happened ...
The band kept playing and my man changed his string while still thumpin' on his bass. Now that's what I call professional. Of course it's sometimes hard to use the word professional when there is a 50-year-old man wearing a diaper on stage, but that is a different story.
With that said, I'm not sure breaking a string will "ruin' a show. I remember I saw Parliament at the Cubby Bear in Chicago several years back. Fishbone opened ... it was a great show. Either way, the bass player broke an E string. Guess what happened ...
The band kept playing and my man changed his string while still thumpin' on his bass. Now that's what I call professional. Of course it's sometimes hard to use the word professional when there is a 50-year-old man wearing a diaper on stage, but that is a different story.
I always bring a backup. I have an SX for that reason (plus it actually sounds great). No matter the gig, I always have a backup. I've NEVER had to use it, but takes two seconds to throw it into the van and I know I'm covered. If my amp goes (never has), I'd just ask for bass in my monitor.
Every person will have a different view of the cost of a spare bass vs. the risk of their primary bass failing. For me, it is worth the $150 I paid and the additional schlepping of my spare used '95 MIM P.
the only time I won't bring a backup is when I know the bass player from the other bands playing the same venue 
I have loaned and borrowed basses like that. But seriously I would always bring a backup, I had a pickup screw pop out on my first (and cheap) bass, causing the one half of the P pickup to mute the E string, not good. And I could have sworn the pickup screw was not loose prior to the gig (I take care of my instruments) I also had copper shielding come unglued in the Louisiana heat and humidity and short out the output jack 
Not having a backup means the show can like not go on
I have loaned and borrowed basses like that. But seriously I would always bring a backup, I had a pickup screw pop out on my first (and cheap) bass, causing the one half of the P pickup to mute the E string, not good. And I could have sworn the pickup screw was not loose prior to the gig (I take care of my instruments) I also had copper shielding come unglued in the Louisiana heat and humidity and short out the output jack Not having a backup means the show can like not go on
Yup, that was pic was from TT's at the 4th anual Night Before Thanksgiving Fiasco.
... and Jeff loves The Meatmen!
bah...wussies.
The look of death form a Six foot four inches of angry singer/songwriter/guitar player, was enough for me to learn my lesson! LOL!!!!
Hit the nail on the head with this one. I picked up a used SX for AUS $100, which was never needed (and I eventually defretted). I rescued a '76 Aria Pro II "Professional Bass' for $150, which would be my go-to gigging bass except the Hipshot Detuner is on my MIM P. As it is, it makes a great first set & general backup bass.
Over the last few years, I've had several broken strings, a failed output jack, and a neck that went into over 1mm relief due to extreme heat (the Aria didn't budge at all - thick neck!). I get paid to put on a show, so I take a spare.
c-
Yeah, what everyone else said!
If you can afford one, it is not a bad idea.
This reminds me of the old motorcyclist saying "Son, there's only two types of motorcycle riders, the kind that's been down, and the kind that's goin' down". (I ride a motorcycle and always wear a helmet and protective gear bc I know this to be true). This is very similar.
I have been both types bassist
I don't need no stickin backup
Better safe than sorry
For awhile I was the "just one bass and one amp" guy. I did this for about 7 years. Did not even want to look at another bass or amp. One show in 89 (a mighty important one at the time to this band), my E string busted in the first song (it did not just brake, it recoiled and caused my palm of right hand to bleed and part of it was dangling and interfering with the other strings). My case was in another room, with my spare strings. I "ran" back to the drummer (while redoing bass lines on the fly) to tell him to punch the bass drum a bit harder to make up for my lack of E string. He put his foot right thru the bass drum head. We did not stop playing, because we only had 15 minutes to play (battle of the bands), no do-overs, no stopping. This particular band also did "dance" moves too, so doing the moves, while redoing the bass lines in my head, was not fun, the lack of the bass drum was also a bit disturbing too. But the drummer was able to use the floor tom to play the most bass drum parts and I was able to re do the bass line (more or less), I had to simplify some quite a bit. We smiled the whole time , bc we did not want to bring attention to it. But it was noticeable. This was a battle of the bands, and I could not just grab another bass player bass because we dropped tuned everything to Eb for the singer voice (plus I might have got jacked in the face for trying to do so). If I had another bass, I could have changed during the first song.
After that happened, I brought two basses (sometime 3) and never needed a back up for equipment failure again. But it is nice to have that option. I did once "loose" a bass at a gig too, it was nice to have a back up. My main bass looked just like one of the other bands main basses (Fender P, who would have guessed), As that band was breaking down, I was helping the drummer get his stuff on stage, I come down to move my equipment up, and my main bass was gone. I freaked out, but I had a backup and I used that. That was when I started making sure my Pink Barrington was my main bass (nobody plays a pink Barrington). My other bass got returned to the bar a few days later, when the band realized they had an extra bass. I had filled out a police report, and told the owner to be on the look out. He called the other bands that had played, and luckily these guys were honest and realized what they had done. But still, with out a backup that night I would have been in huge trouble.
At the same time also started bring a back up head too, which I needed only once. Other bass players have needed my spare stuff too when things went south for them.
Even taking exceptional care of your equipment, you could still end up needed a spare. Some moron knocks it down of the stand, you twirl around and slam the neck into a wall, you trip and fall on it, someone in the audience pukes on it...
IMO if you can afford it, it is worth it. But I it is not required.
I do not think a bassist is any less professional for having brought or not brought spare equipment. It is a personal choice, you just have to live with the impact of your actions.
If you can afford one, it is not a bad idea.
This reminds me of the old motorcyclist saying "Son, there's only two types of motorcycle riders, the kind that's been down, and the kind that's goin' down". (I ride a motorcycle and always wear a helmet and protective gear bc I know this to be true). This is very similar.
I have been both types bassist
I don't need no stickin backup
Better safe than sorry
For awhile I was the "just one bass and one amp" guy. I did this for about 7 years. Did not even want to look at another bass or amp. One show in 89 (a mighty important one at the time to this band), my E string busted in the first song (it did not just brake, it recoiled and caused my palm of right hand to bleed and part of it was dangling and interfering with the other strings). My case was in another room, with my spare strings. I "ran" back to the drummer (while redoing bass lines on the fly) to tell him to punch the bass drum a bit harder to make up for my lack of E string. He put his foot right thru the bass drum head. We did not stop playing, because we only had 15 minutes to play (battle of the bands), no do-overs, no stopping. This particular band also did "dance" moves too, so doing the moves, while redoing the bass lines in my head, was not fun, the lack of the bass drum was also a bit disturbing too. But the drummer was able to use the floor tom to play the most bass drum parts and I was able to re do the bass line (more or less), I had to simplify some quite a bit. We smiled the whole time , bc we did not want to bring attention to it. But it was noticeable. This was a battle of the bands, and I could not just grab another bass player bass because we dropped tuned everything to Eb for the singer voice (plus I might have got jacked in the face for trying to do so). If I had another bass, I could have changed during the first song.
After that happened, I brought two basses (sometime 3) and never needed a back up for equipment failure again. But it is nice to have that option. I did once "loose" a bass at a gig too, it was nice to have a back up. My main bass looked just like one of the other bands main basses (Fender P, who would have guessed), As that band was breaking down, I was helping the drummer get his stuff on stage, I come down to move my equipment up, and my main bass was gone. I freaked out, but I had a backup and I used that. That was when I started making sure my Pink Barrington was my main bass (nobody plays a pink Barrington). My other bass got returned to the bar a few days later, when the band realized they had an extra bass. I had filled out a police report, and told the owner to be on the look out. He called the other bands that had played, and luckily these guys were honest and realized what they had done. But still, with out a backup that night I would have been in huge trouble.
At the same time also started bring a back up head too, which I needed only once. Other bass players have needed my spare stuff too when things went south for them.
Even taking exceptional care of your equipment, you could still end up needed a spare. Some moron knocks it down of the stand, you twirl around and slam the neck into a wall, you trip and fall on it, someone in the audience pukes on it...
IMO if you can afford it, it is worth it. But I it is not required.
I do not think a bassist is any less professional for having brought or not brought spare equipment. It is a personal choice, you just have to live with the impact of your actions.
I've been playing since 1965 and have brought one bass to the gig 99% of the time. Back then hardly anyone had more than one instrument. I have never broken a string since the day I got my first bass. I've had amps fail, but never a bass, although I did have intermittent preamp problems on a bass a few years back and really should have had a backup. I guess I've been lucky, but I played 20 years, six nights a week, and never had a problem.
i still have only one bass and can't afford a whole lot for a spare but i was just wondering how important it is to have a spare ( i gig about 1 a month on avg ) , and how many players on avg carry a spare with them when they play out...any idea ?? ps. i can change a string fast enough but if my active pickups die i'm screwed
I like the peace of mind when I carry an extra, and I feel for somewhere between 8-11lbs or so extra effort, it's worth it. Even an el-cheapo spare bass can be worth it in peace of mind just to have, even if you never use it, or never need to. For the size/weight of a spare, it's something I can rationalize as reasonable.
I have never lugged a spare amp to a gig like I do with a spare bass, but I have options on the amplification side if I know enough ahead of time if something isn't working or won't be by gig time.
But I know I'm fortunate, to some degree, to have a "plan b" for instrumental and amplification situations.
