How Many Basses Do You Take To A Gig?

[Real Soon]

I've taken two to a couple of "important" gigs, ones where I was playing with featured vocal artist friends and really wanted to ensure there were no issues, but not nearly as often as probably I should have.

Now that I've got a gig bag that carries two basses, I have no excuse (other than it weighs as much as I do fully loaded, heh), but will still only use it fairly sparingly.

Since I always practice up on the bass I'm getting ready to use for a gig, I feel like I'm good at identifying possible issues (and did so once with a dying toggle switch + emergency solder work) beforehand. Not always, and I know there's risk involved in not taking a backup, but that's one way to keep things interesting.

 

[Real Soon]

There are literally hundreds of threads about backup basses on gigs, as well as doubling on fretted/fretless or upright/electric.

Well I haven't replied to any of 'em yet, so one more's worth it!


I will say, though...if it's a matter of abusing a good bass by leaving it in the trunk, there's things like entry level Soundgears, Washburn Force P's, and let's face it: Squiers, that cost a few bucks in the grand scheme but that can quite capably play a gig with a little regular maintenance.

I do drive a Honda Prelude, so when I'm taking my full rig, cramming all my gear into the car is a game of Tetris. But it's possible with an extra bass in tow as long as I'm not in a band with another Prelude driver who needs to borrow space for their drum gear or something...though if the weather's nice, I can just bungee-cord that stuff to the roof.

 

[TheReceder]

I have one band that I'm convinced the guitar player hates inexpensive basses. So I like to bring three equally beat up, Peavey foundations and put them all on a stand. Sometimes I'll bring the same color, other times I'll play a different color each set, but the only time I feel like I need a backup is when I bring one of my more expensive basses. The foundations are practically nuclear hardened.

 

[vin*tone]

Usually 2. Upright and electric.

 

[Silthis89]

I've only ever brought one because I only ever had the one bass to bring but i've also never played the sort of gigs where I would consider having a backup a necessity. However in saying that my last band was starting to gig pretty regularly and in some slightly better venues that a backup bass has gone on my shopping list.

 

[Camarillo]

I always have a backup

 

[el murdoque]

When it's more than an hour away and/or I'm getting paid for that job, I bring a backup that will stay in the car unless needed.

 

[hrodbert696]

Two. Usually a main player and a spare, in case anything goes wrong, just grab the spare. Some gigs, there are songs where I need a 5er. I usually try to have them all in the same set, play the 5er for that set and a 4 the rest of the night.

One gig, the guitarist broke a string. He never brought a spare guitar. So the drummer and I just kept on vamping indefinitely while he ran around to replace the string. Several minutes of dead time. It drove me nuts; I knew he owned several guitars. If he had brought one, he could have just grabbed it.

 

[gelinas666]

Depending on my current act.. Usually 3 basses.. Different tunings.. Standard,halfstep,dropped C#..

 

[JRA]

almost always = 2. i don't bother with a backup for rehearsals and a few of the gigs i play locally. but in general: i like to have two. eliminates the need for a blankie on those out of town gigs.

 

[kerrycares]

Been gigging since 1976 and 99.9% I carry one.
I’ve a handful of gigs where I doubled and one gig where I carried a 5 string fretted, fretless and upright.

 

[MegaSwing]

If I'm close to home, I take one. If I'm not, I take two.

Stuff happens.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Most of the time two, occasionally one.

 

[Bassbubble11]

Brought 2 last night. Left one in the car. I get anxiety if I only bring one. That being said I have NEVER needed to use the back up bass. Just makes me feel better knowing it’s there if I need it. I also always have a small 250 watt micro bass head in my trunk as a back up too.

 

[chaak]

one which is suited for that gig

 

[fdeck]

I only bring two if the gig requires upright and electric.

 

[FenderBassist]

For a long time I would just bring one bass (a custom J-P-J 'ed Fender Precision with three indepedently switchable pickups and a Hipshot on the E string set to detune to D) and fortunately never had an issue with it working. There was never a concern about alternate tunings or needing a low B back then.

These days, still doing music that doesn't require a 5 string...but the band I'm with uses flat tuning on 10% of the songs so I bring two basses: a stock Precision (standard tuning) and a stock Vintage Modified P/J (flat tuning).

 

[mapleglo]

Two, I have a backup of pretty much everything.

810

• mapleglo
• Oct 12, 2018
• ampeg

Rig at last gig

 

[Nedmundo]

Apart from casual open mic sets, I always bring two. I have an Undercover double gig bag that makes it really easy. The bag has large pouches too, so for smaller gigs I don't need a separate bag for cables, straps, mic, etc.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I used to take three basses with me, different ones depending on what songs we were doing that show.