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How many Basses Does Everbody bring to a gig?
- Thread starter Harpo
- Start date
Indeed, amps fail too! I always have a DI of some kind on-hand. I can be in the PA in 30 seconds if needed. ...and I have more than once!
Well, I think I've seen it all after last night's gig and it has me worried about carrying a spare bass...
I provided the production and mixed an orchestra show last night that featured a 5-piece rhythm section and playing music from Woodstock arranged for orchestra.
The performance rider sent by the band included a request for a 4-string Precision. I called and asked if there was a string preference for the bass. "Nah, it's just a back-up, I bring my own Precision". Fair enough.
Yesterday morning, during set-up and soundcheck, the bassist pulls out a drop-dead gorgeous 1966 Precision. He plugs in the cable...and it promptly slipped out of the jack, without the customary "click". Ruh Roh. He had that panicked look, so I grabbed the spare and ran with it. Turns out the tip tab of the jack, the original jack, broke off the night before, apparently as he unplugged his bass when the show was over.
I've been asked to bring spare guitars and basses before, but this is the first time in my adult life that the spare was needed, which was bound to happen eventually, I guess. I was able to get out, obtain a replacement jack, and repaired the player's bass, to a way more that necessary expression of gratitude, although he played the spare bass for the show since it was already checked and ready to go.
Wow, I'm down to my new American Elite Jazz and my fretless Jazz. And since I've witnessed a genuine need for a spare, I'm a little in panic mode. I wouldn't worry about a broken string or a battery dying, but this was a show-stopper without a spare bass.
I provided the production and mixed an orchestra show last night that featured a 5-piece rhythm section and playing music from Woodstock arranged for orchestra.
The performance rider sent by the band included a request for a 4-string Precision. I called and asked if there was a string preference for the bass. "Nah, it's just a back-up, I bring my own Precision". Fair enough.
Yesterday morning, during set-up and soundcheck, the bassist pulls out a drop-dead gorgeous 1966 Precision. He plugs in the cable...and it promptly slipped out of the jack, without the customary "click". Ruh Roh. He had that panicked look, so I grabbed the spare and ran with it. Turns out the tip tab of the jack, the original jack, broke off the night before, apparently as he unplugged his bass when the show was over.
I've been asked to bring spare guitars and basses before, but this is the first time in my adult life that the spare was needed, which was bound to happen eventually, I guess. I was able to get out, obtain a replacement jack, and repaired the player's bass, to a way more that necessary expression of gratitude, although he played the spare bass for the show since it was already checked and ready to go.
Wow, I'm down to my new American Elite Jazz and my fretless Jazz. And since I've witnessed a genuine need for a spare, I'm a little in panic mode. I wouldn't worry about a broken string or a battery dying, but this was a show-stopper without a spare bass.
Two always.
These days its a fretted J (my #1), and a fretless P. The fretless P is used for about three specific songs, but I'll play a number of other tunes on it to minimize switching. It's not the greets backup though, as any tunes with fast walking lines I can't pull off well on an unlined fretless (I'm a hack). That said - I have only ever needed an actual backup due to a bass failure once in 30+ years, so I'll take the odds.
Before I owned the fretless, I would bring my Rick as a backup and/or a change of pace for grins.
But regardless - always two, just in case.
These days its a fretted J (my #1), and a fretless P. The fretless P is used for about three specific songs, but I'll play a number of other tunes on it to minimize switching. It's not the greets backup though, as any tunes with fast walking lines I can't pull off well on an unlined fretless (I'm a hack). That said - I have only ever needed an actual backup due to a bass failure once in 30+ years, so I'll take the odds.
Before I owned the fretless, I would bring my Rick as a backup and/or a change of pace for grins.
But regardless - always two, just in case.
i almost always bring my 83 L2000 with the very dark tone, otherwise it'll take some serious tinkering to get that kinda booty out of the other basses
- Jun 30, 2010
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- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Similar thing happened to me about 10 years ago. Three band bill, we were the headliner, so 15 minute setup before downbeat on first song.
I soundchecked with my 72 Precision and all was good. 5 minutes later we start the first song and the bass is dead, so I quickly grabbed my preEB StingRay that was my backup and played the set.
Turned out the solder joint for the wire going from the tone pot to the output jack on the P Bass is was broke.
Never played a gig when I had more than 1 bass to choose from.
However, now that I have 3 I'd probably take at least 2 of them. Number 1 would be my jazz partsbass, followed up by either (most likely depending on what I was going to be playing) my Rivoli (EA 260 really stock electronics with tapes) or my Affinity P (with SD QP and also tapes.
However, now that I have 3 I'd probably take at least 2 of them. Number 1 would be my jazz partsbass, followed up by either (most likely depending on what I was going to be playing) my Rivoli (EA 260 really stock electronics with tapes) or my Affinity P (with SD QP and also tapes.
I bring no less than two. I have broken strings before at gigs and it sucks if you don't have a backup. Aside from a backup, I'll bring others if I have a special sound type required for a good portion of material. Example, the band I'm currently playing with has a large influx of Beatles material, so in those instances I bring my Hofner Beatle Bass.
Sometimes (1) 4-string and (1) 5-string. If I only take one, it's a 5-string. If I take one, it is so checked out before I pack it up (jack operating correctly, strings are good, pots aren't scratchy, batteries are fresh) that I don't have much to worry about. To be honest, I do the same thing when I take two, but I'm more detailed on it if I only take one.
As I mentioned back in this thread I usually bring two (typically fretted-fretless), But I also bring a DI as well for amp failure. And yes, I have had to use it a couple of times.
