How many times has your bass failed you?

[RexxRokket]

I was reading some stuff about having a spare bass at gigs in case that something goes wrong with your main one, but how many times you guys have really experienced that? do you think that you really need a 2nd bass on stage (considering that you don't change your tunning)?

I have more than one bass for sure, but I never take a backup, never needed to either. How about you?

 

[catcauphonic]

I have only failed my bass a few times

 

[Rib 13]

I have a spare tire in my car...I havent had a flat in decades....Im still going to carry it

 

[TinIndian]

Just two weeks ago I broke a string on a gig. Things do happen and thats why I bring a spare. I swapped basses and got right back on it. Sure, I could have just put a string on it but that would have taken more time and interrupted the show.

 

[catcauphonic]

Seriously, it's always been a cable, tuner, or some other related accessory. Sometimes I have a backup whatever (but not usually a bass) & can usually scrounge something up from one of the other bands on the bill.

I don't have as many years under my belt gigging, nor am I making my living from it, either

 

[JGbassman]

I've had basses go down on stage, after sound check, and have weird things happen enroute to a gig (play, all is good, take it out of case for sound check, and something isn't right.)

I carried 3-4 basses when I toured professionally. The last two years I toured with an artist I played around 700 shows. Traveled all over the country and in neighboring ones as well. I know most don't play at those extreme levels, but I've had everything from broken output jacks, cracked nuts, to strap screws holding strap locks break on stage during a show, or on the way. This was with maintenance on the equipment preformed constantly.

I still bring two basses to a gig, even though I haven't had any problems in the last year. I did have a bigger show where I only had one bass with me, and the output jack decided to get an intermittent short it in 20 minutes before show. Grr. That was the last time I ever brought just one bass to a gig.

For me, it's cheap insurance to avoid some serious headaches when the gremlins prevail.

 

[oddeotek]

I've been playing professionally for 55 years and have gigged with about 40 different basses and never had a bass fail during a gig. Broke a string once on tour in 1967, but I would hardly call that a failure.
I recommend that you always bring a spare set of strings but, unless you are touring far from home or need a fretless for certain songs, a spare bass is just a luxury.

 

[JGbassman]

Forgot to add I had a wireless system die and had to borrow a cord to play one night. The cable had a right angle, and it fit just enough in the jack of my Spector to make me believe it would work. As soon as I started to move around, the jack popped loose, acting like a short. I finally had a tech slap a piece of gaffers tape on the darn thing holding it in place for the remainder of the show, and I could hardly move in order to keep it in place.

If I would have had another bass, a quick change out would have made it a non issue. Instead, it was a major issue for a 90 minute show.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Gigging since about 1982, never had an issue with a bass at a gig, rehearsal, or practice. Had a car break down in downtown Bridgeport on the way home from a gig once (1991), but that's it.

 

[JGbassman]

I've been playing professionally for 55 years and have gigged with about 40 different basses and never had a bass fail during a gig. Broke a string once on tour in 1967, but I would hardly call that a failure.
I recommend that you always bring a spare set of strings but, unless you are touring far from home or need a fretless for certain songs, a spare bass is just a luxury.

You sir have been extremely lucky.

Might I ask you what you have been feeding the gremlins to keep them away from your gear?

 

[wvbass]

Twice

 

[lz4005]

Had a sudden, intermittent electrical problem with my electric upright last month. Switched to my backup bass after one song and finished the gig without incident.

Figured out after I got home that the battery clip had worked loose and that was the source of the popping noise. Would have been a very stressful 15 minute break 5 minutes into the set to diagnose that in the field.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I've never had a bass fail that I can remember other than breaking strings. I'm pretty fast changing strings with the string winder I got which doubles as a string clipper. I don't carry backup basses for bar gigs much.. Too much for my back.

 

[4001]

I had one string break at a gig way back in 1984...the saddle had some burrs that needed to be filed out... after that I've never had a bass fail me. I played lousy a couple of times but the bass was just fine.
I always have a backup though...

 

[eastcoasteddie]

When I used to gig 20 years ago, I brought 2 basses - both Stingray's. One Fretted, one Fretless. Neither ever failed on a gig. I only needed the fretless on maybe 2 songs, usually 1/3 the way through the set. But I started getting lazy and wound up not switching back to fretted and finished the set with fretless. I was getting really good at it.

But then I traded the fretless for my L2500 and brought it to a gig the next day. That's when I failed...big time...

 

[Gizmot]

I had what I thought was a reasonably fresh 9 volt battery fail in my G&L L-2500. As luck would have it, I was only about 5 minutes from home so I was able to quickly go home, grab another bass and get on with the gig. I discovered this problem before the start time, so I got the problem fixed before it.

 

[jeff62]

It really doesn't matter if it's never happened. It only takes once to ruin a gig. Then you are "that guy" to your band and the promoter.

Yes, I bring a backup bass because I'd rather not be that guy.

 

[GIBrat51]

Well, I never did - but, it wasn't my bass anyway. I was just really lucky... There's this Guy named Murphy, who has had a long and successful career making sure that anything that can go wrong - will go wrong. Eventually... One thing I learned really early in life was - don't tempt Murphy. Especially if you make a career out of being a Combat Engineer. It's a real foolish - and dangerous - thing to do... Yeah, there are people who haven't met Murphy - yet - but, IME, they're usually the people who win lotteries, too. If you're not one of those people? Well, I imagine Murphy will get around to you one of these days...

 

[Hounddog409]

0.

 

[SAlcott]

Never.