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How many Basses Does Everbody bring to a gig?

#142
Beatles tribute band/Sixties cover band:
Hofner Beatle(LH) First set is early Beatles.
Rickenbacker 4001S(LH) Second set is later Beatles.
SX Jazz(LH) Used for Beatles songs with a Fender Jazz, looks/sounds just like Paul's Jazz.
Jerry Jones electric sitar For songs with a sitar.
Davison hollowbody bass(LH) Third set is British Invasion, looks like an old Harmony bass.
Epiphone Rivoli Also used for third set.

Church praise band:
Ibanez GSR200(LH) I use a chorus and go for a Peter Hook tone in church.
Peavey Millenium 4 BXP(LH) Backup to the Ibanez, has similar tone/output.
 
#143
I always bring two. For the classic rock band (which is the band that works the most) one fretless 6 for the first set which is usually low key and more standard/popular light stuff, and a fretted 7 for the rest of the night when things step up a bit.

The other two kinda steady gigs (straight-up jazz and a duo coffee-house thing) it's two fretless basses (the 6 string and a Barker 5). Honestly, I prefer fretless playing over fretted and once my fretless 8 is finished (not until sometime next summer at this rate :atoz:) the fretted 7 will be retired .... ;)

Working much smaller venues (without FOH support the majority of the time) adjustments to my sound is easily controlled with a Bassbone. We only work with PA support maybe a dozen times a year and in those cases I'll use the most suitable bass for the gig, with another bass as a backup just in case something goes wrong .... :cool:
 
#144
I jiust bring one. However if I'm going on the road for more than a week, I'll bring a backup. I am thinking about getting a second amp head. A couple of times my plder model Eden has shut down at a gig, luckily I was able to reroute to the PA and use a monitor, but I'm thinking about going to the pawn shop and buying a cheap amp just to keep in the car incase.

Andy
 
#145
I bring as much basses as I need depending on the different tunings I'll have to use on the gig. For now I've been ranging from just one bass to 3 basses.
I don't have enough basses to have more than one bass in a particular tuning (including standard) so no backup bass for me ... But I do bring backup jacks, backup batteries, backup strings (a set of not-too-old strings because they're faster to mount between two song in case of broken strings).

As far as soundcheck goes, I play actual parts of songs I'll play during the show. I don't really have problems with changing from one bass to another, because my basses sound close from one to another (and I set them to sound as much the same as possible).

But I'm sure that thanks to GAS, one day I'll have to ask myself "which bass do I bring for this show ?" while contemplating all my basses ... Including two or three identical versions of each bass, just to make sure the soundman won't bother me with my tone :D
 
#146
I usually take two sonically identical G&Ls (4 or 5, depending on the gig) in an Incase Dub Bag. I always use the same bass all night. It's just a precaution, having never broken a string or other bass failure in over 25 years of gigging (knock on wood). I don't bring a spare head but do have a Bassbone ready to whip out if my rig goes south, God forbid.
 
#147
I almost always have to P basses with me. Lately it's been my new American Standard and my tried, true and and battle tested SX P copy w/ a Jason Lollar p/u.

I have a bad habit of breaking strings, so a backup that sounds vitrualy the same is essential for me.

I used a pair of SX P copys before that, or my 64 Precison and one of the SX's.

Basicly, my no.1 SX is with me for every show over the past 3 1/2 years as either my primary or as a backup.
 
#148
I always bring two instruments in a double gig bag, one primary and one as a designated backup. Depending on the needs of the gig, I may bring out a fretless as well.

Over time, I've come to realize that the more switching of instruments that you do, the harder it is for everyone, including sound crew, to adjust on the fly, and you might be halfway through the song before the bass comes together again in the mix. In my opinion, it's better to find something that works and stick with it! Yes, I've got a bunch of different basses and they all have their own unique things goin' on but honestly in a big rock setting it's clean fundamental and present mids that makes the difference.

Lonnybass
 
#150
I usually bring two. One is almost always my Lakland 4-94. It fits the music of the band I'm playing with very well and damn, it's just awesome. I rotate the second amongst my Fenders, Gibsons, Alembics, Musicmans, Pedulla, Sadowsky, etc. Last week I took my Pedulla and my Lakland, and both worked very well indeed. The Alembics I'm more judicious about - they are a very precise tool, and not every venue I play lends itself to that unfortunately.

I tend to play one set with one bass, the next with another, etc. I soundcheck both, the soundguy knows how to eq them. I also run the direct out on my Alembic F1-X preamp pre-eq into the board so the sound guy can get it where he wants it. I've had no complaints yet, and most of them praise the DI on the F1-X. I keep my effects use to a minimum too.

I have brought three basses to a gig on occasion, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Alan
 
#151
1. i never break strings. my bass is regularily checked to be made sure it is functioning perfectly. i bring extra strings just in case. i dont bring an extra amp, because the chances of my whole rig going down are incredibly slim, not to mention, anywhere i play does/is going to have the ability to put me straight into the pa via their DI if my DI/preamp should go down...

for sound check i just play some scale type stuff in the style of what i will play during the show.
 

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