How many Basses Does Everbody bring to a gig?

[nostatic]

I've never broken a string either, and have a spare set with me. I usually have two basses at any particular gig, typically one fretted, one fretless. On one of my regular gigs I'll show up with a single instrument but it is always a 1 hour show and traveling light as possible is key. If I'm doing 3 hours, I almost always swap instruments as the song or my mood dictates.

 

[xed]

Back in "the band days" i only ever broke 1 string. That night it was an interesting exercise in transposing notes up or down an octave. I did really well that night i think. Back then bringing a second bass was never an option; i only ever owned one bass and disposable income was a foreign concept

 

[superdick2112]

Ok. I have a battle of bands audition tomorrow and km trying to decide what to bring.

For an audition, I would only bring one bass. Usually auditions consist of 2 - 3 songs at most, and quick set-up & tear-down is a must. For gigs, I always bring a minimum of 2 basses, but the 2nd bass is really just there as a "security blanket", and to give me a 2nd tone option.

 

[MNAirHead]

If you guys bring multiples.. do you bring extra power amps.. blowing a power amp for teh PA would be more dramatic than playing 3 string bass (or X-1 whatever your'e into)

 

[spywebco]

My last couple gigs I have only brought one. Most of the time I will bring 2. Deciding which 2 is the challenge ahead of time. I have 1 5 & I play that most of the time anyway. One of my 4's comes along for the ride. Have broken a couple strings over the years, but not during a gig that I can remember.

 

[Jake Morris]

For an audition, I would only bring one bass. Usually auditions consist of 2 - 3 songs at most, and quick set-up & tear-down is a must. For gigs, I always bring a minimum of 2 basses, but the 2nd bass is really just there as a "security blanket", and to give me a 2nd tone option.

The audition is one song hahaha

 

[johnboy65]

If you guys bring multiples.. do you bring extra power amps.. blowing a power amp for teh PA would be more dramatic than playing 3 string bass (or X-1 whatever your'e into)

Before a show, one of the other bass players comes up to me and says "man you're amp is smokin" to which I said "thanks I like it" He then looks at me and replies "No DUDE YOUR AMP IS SMOKING!!". I just went DI and only had me in my monitor.

Also, if the gig only requires one bass... I only bring one bass. If I need a 5string, thats what goes all night. If a fretted 4 will work all night then thats what I'll play.

 

[mkrtu9]

For an audition I would just take one. But an actual gig gig I take two. Since we always a good PA I don't take another amp. We have DI stuff with us so if all else fails I will use that. Hard to play without a bass though.

Good luck with the audition.

 

[jelpo]

I take two to gigs, one is a backup. I've been playing almost every weekend for the past 3 years, and I've never broken a bass string.
For an audition I'd take only one bass.

 

[parsons]

one. Never broken a bass string in 15 years.

 

[tonynoriega]

One bass, one amp, one speaker cabinet.

 

[sonic assassin]

never broken a string. i only OWN one functioning bass, and its pretty well the only one im comfortable with. its a 5, so im never all that limited.

 

[rynb15]

2! Only broke a string 1 time. It was at sound check before a show. 3 other bands and no one had an extra string. I had to drive 25 min to a guitar store. Made it back in time and it all worked out. I always bring 2 bass's now. Never know if a string will break,electronics might act up.

 

[MrLenny1]

One. That has been my M.O for many years.
Only 2 strings broke in 25 years, the G string.
Unless you are on tour(how often does that happen) you will
get by with one bass that is in good condition.

 

[Marko 1]

I bring a backup, but it stays in the trailer. I guess I’m not concerned enough to bring it in and all that every gig.

 

[armybass]

I have a double gig bag that is fully loaded along with extra sets of strings. Since we are telling old war stories...I have broken exactly one string in over 25 years of playing. And it was on a gig.

 

[nostatic]

If you guys bring multiples.. do you bring extra power amps.. blowing a power amp for teh PA would be more dramatic than playing 3 string bass (or X-1 whatever your'e into)

I have a backup head in the car at every gig, and a bag of extra emergency cables as well.

Bringing a second instrument isn't about fear of something breaking, but rather for my own amusement as well as preferring different instruments on different songs. I could do 3 sets on my P-Bass, or on my Rob Allen, but some songs will sound better to my ear with one or the other.

 

[woodsideh]

2 - 1 birds eye maple neck and 1 rosewood neck. Then f%$k with the sound guy.

 

[Korladis]

I bring two.

I've never broken a string on my basses, but one time a drunk knocked into the headstock of the bass I was playing, in the middle of the song, and threw the tuning badly off. Switched basses and finished playing the song.

A time before that, the pickup selector switch in my bass stopped working. Luckily, the pickup I mainly use was the one that would work. And I only had one bass with me that night. That's when I started bringing two.

 

[gearstudios]

I carry two basses. Both are five strings. One active the other passive/active.