How many basses do you bring to a gig?

[rtslinger]

I bring two. Most of my P basses are strung flat wounds, ( I say most because the newest addition P has round wounds so far ) all others are round wounds.
I have the set list setup, so the flats are used first during the show for the 50, 60's and blues stuff. And the rounds close out the night

 

[Medicine Man]

2. I've needed a backup 3 times in 26 years of gigs.

 

[lz4005]

Depends on the gig. For something like this absolutely 2.

 

[Michael Bauer]

Always two, always on stage, or close enough to the stage I can grab the backup, if needed. I sometimes switch between sets. I always take a P. The second bass is almost always another P, a J, or a Stingray.

The only exception is when we're splitting the show with a certain friend's band. Then he and I agree to share our basses, where my bass is his backup, and his bass is mine. I always bring a P; he always brings a J. We're covered.

As so many wise heads have said in previous posts, always have a backup.

 

[PauFerro]

I always bring 2 basses, at least. If the gig has me on upright, and electric, I bring 3 -- the upright, and two electrics. An electric can substitute for an upright, but an upright is hard to substitute for an electric. And if one electric fails, then I'm screwed.

This happened to me at a dance gig. I had done an hour of jazz on my upright, and had 2 hours of dance music to go. About 30 minutes into the dance music, my electric failed. I had to do the rest of the night on upright and it was hard. I did it, but it detracted from our new "strategic" plan to reinvent ourselves as both a jazz AND dance band.

I have a lot of stuff to set up being the BL and sound guy, so I normally have the bass close by, but not out of the case. Our keys player knows to play left hand bass to keep the songs going while I pull out the second bass.

 

[jnuts1]

1 and only 1 till the end of time.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

One usually. Sometimes two. But mostly one.

 

[jimmy rocket]

On a paid gig of this nature, two is one and one is none. Simple engineering redundancy.

 

[Bodeanly]

2 basses. Always.

 

[Chad Michael]

Two, one fretted and one fretless. Enjoy playing both, one backs up the other.

.. and a stand like this:

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Keep the backup on stage on another Hercules stand, or like the one above. Not only will it will look cool, but people will stay engaged longer wondering when you're going to use it. (Even though you don't have to.)

 

[Bassosaurus]

I normally don't bring backup to small-time shows, but for a contract like this I would have a backup on stage, tuned up and ready to go. Leaving the backup in the car doesn't make any sense to me because if something goes wrong it's still a major set disruptor to go and get the backup bass.

In all my years ive never brought more than one, and i think i only once had to change a string - no big deal. But i think in this circumstance id have a back up ready to go. Dont leave it in the car/van.

 

[baxter_x]

Always my two Sadowskys. One as backup for the other. Bringing two instruments is mandatory as if something happens and you have no backup, it's all on your shoulders.

 

[Camarillo]

Always two. One primary, one backup.

 

[Pilgrim]

I take 2. In 55 years of gigging, I've never needed it, but I still bring 2.

I'm in this camp. I bring 2, and a spare amp. The extra bass and amp stay in the vehicle. Never needed either one.

 

[Rib 13]

I take 2. In 55 years of gigging, I've never needed it, but I still bring 2.

...and sometimes its fun to pick up the backup for a set or two and give it some love

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I'm in this camp. I bring 2, and a spare amp. The extra bass and amp stay in the vehicle. Never needed either one.

I did need the spare amp once. This was in about 1973. I was using an amp I had just bought, a used Super Bassman. While we were playing Smoke on the Water, the amp started smoking. I had my V4B in the trailer. Turns out there was a fabric covered wire the was vibrating against the chassis and the sparking caught the fabric on fire.

 

[Tommy V]

when i has gigging, i always took 2 basses.. in 40 years, i never needed the 2nd, but yeah, better safe than sorry.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

...and sometimes its fun to pick up the backup for a set or two and give it some love

I do that once in a while.

 

[StyleOverShow]

One generally, occasionally two. Been playing live since Jesus wore sandals and find that maintenance of basses including regular string-battery changes keep me secure except for when poop happens.

In the last six months I started using two basses in live performances using a fretless through a Tonehammer DI pedal to Effects return so they are both ready to swap per the song. It’s more gear to carry though. Went from a single load in to sometimes three....yikes!

I think it depends on what you feel comfortable with. If you break a string you have to improvise, that’s it. Amp goes down, plug into something else. In the words of Gunny ‘adapt, overcome’.