How many Basses Does Everbody bring to a gig?

[Baird6869]

I always bring 2 but generally only play one.

 

[BBox Bass]

Two in one band (fretted and fretless) and three in the other (1 in standard tuning, 1 half a step down, and one 8-string tuned half a step down). I also play synth in the second band. While I like having so many tools at my disposal, I'm getting a little tired of dragging so much gear around. Maybe I will leave the 8-string and triple guitar stand at home tomorrow night.

 

[bluesblaster]

On the road, 2. In town 1.

yup

 

[Roscoe East]

Anyone bring additional basses to play at gigs rather than as just a backup?

Depends on the gig.

I bring what the music requires. With some ensembles, that's just one 4-string instrument. With others, that's a 6-string, an 8-string, and a fretless. Different bands have different requirements.

 

[lolmont]

Take two, play one.

 

[Shedua511]

Two instruments is what I normally bring depending on the gig, occasionally three.
Fretless or an EUB, fretted bass and/or a Chapman Stick (not really a bass, but I also cover the bass parts on it).

 

[travishatcher]

I only ever play one at a gig. I've never needed to play a spare, never had a string break, I only use one tuning... I take two just in case, but I usually pick one and use it for the whole show.

Same here. One to play, one "just in case"

Used to bring only one but I had a string break once and luckily had a back up, I travel with two ever since that close call.

 

[Scottkarch]

Thanks guys. Pretty much what I expected to hear. My TCE BG250 is so light, I don't really mind bringing a few more basses usually. But as time goes on I'll probably tire of bringing that many basses. Right not it's tons of fun, and the band seems to like it..

We do play a local open mic night as a band sometimes. I'll play my fretless acoustic for everything ( even though it's plugged in, I like the vibe of playing an acoustic at open mic nights... )

 

[bass12]

The FOH guy must love you! With my corporate band, if I play a separate "cocktail jazz" set I'll play my fretless Rob Allen for that set and then use a fretted bass for the rest of the night. For a short while I experimented with switching between two basses during a set but that didn't work so well (I once got caught having to play a disco medley with slap sections on the Rob Allen because I didn't have time to switch basses between songs - sounded utterly wrong).

 

[akukulich]

I can't remember the last time I played two basses on a gig, maybe sometime in the early 80s. Every now and then I'll bring a back-up with me, but not very often.

 

[vince a]

Two...Lakland 55-60 Custom 5 string and a Fender MIA 4 string stays locked up in the truck in case I need a backup...

 

[rjmsteel]

Depends on the gig. If we are playing these outdoor gigs, where your car or truck is on a frontage road and the stage is 200 or 300 feet away I bring One bass with extra strings, just in case. Otherwise I'll bring two.

 

[Marial]

Just one, my trusty Hwy One Jazz.

 

[Mogalen]

One usually. Next weekend I need to bring two though, first set is 80's rock classics in original tuning, the next set is Avenir (Our original music), which is technical metal in B flat.

 

[kevteop]

I only ever play one bass. I have four (two bass guitars and two uprights) and they all have their jobs (one Thumb strung with rounds, one Jazz with flats, a reasonably cultured-sounding upright for amplified gigs and a very loud and thumpy laminate for busking) but I never need more than one bass at a gig.

Although it occurred to me recently that I don't have a fretless, and for several years I only played fretless, so I'm assembling one at the moment but I imagine I'll only use it for recording.

 

[Bass_Nishi]

Always 2, one for standard tuning and one for half step down tuning

 

[Scottkarch]

Our singer plays a lot of stuff too. She plays Uke on a bunch of songs, Mandolin on a couple, electric guitar on a couple. We often end the first set with a handful of songs sung by the rest of the band. She gets a drink, bio-break and then when we break, she goes up and plays solo with an acoustic guitar for 15-30 min.

The bars love the fact that there is someone on stage the whole night. Having 4 people in the band that can all sing lead really gives us a lot of flexability.

Lead guitar player brings 2 usually and plays them. Other guitar player brings one or two but only plays one.

The drummer does only bring one set, though. Thank goodness.

 

[seang15]

I generally bring 3-4 basses to each gig and always play at least 3. I'm guessing I'm really in the minority. I play fretless for about 50% the show, fretted 4 for about 30% and either a 8 or 12 string for the remainder.

Partly it's because I have such a wide variety of basses and I love to play them all. So they all make it into the rotation. I enjoy fretless the most, but I play fretted on songs I sing so I don't need to look at my left hand as much while singing. And either 8 or 12 string for our Cheap Trick and other Rock songs. We joke onstage about the bass changes. It's only a few seconds and doesn't slow us down. I have fun with it.

Anyone bring additional basses to play at gigs rather than as just a backup?

Just one at a time!!

 

[malthumb]

Sometimes 1, sometimes 2. If I take 2, I do wind up playing both. Typically if I take 1, it's a 5-string that can cover the waterfront. If I take 2, usually 1 is a 4-string that can cover 70% of our 3-set gigs, the rest require a 5-string, so that's the other bass. I refuse to tune down. Not as long as I can pull out a 5-string.

 

[Bill Whitehurst]

Vintage P and5 string J.