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How many times has your bass failed you?
- Thread starter RexxRokket
- Start date
The last band I was in played outdoor gigs,... in Florida. You are always looking at the radar here for 6 months of the year. My favorite bass has active pickups and has to be tuned several times as the humidity and temp change. Fussy, fussy, fussy, but I like how it sounds when it all comes together. The backup bass could care less. Tune it in 75 degree air conditioning, walk out into 90 degree humid weather, stays in tune. Treat it bad, no worries. Simple and never let me down.
The battery went out in the active bass. Retrieve backup, the gig carries on with a minute of downtime.
Break a string. Same story.
We were on the fringes of a tropical storm at an outdoor biker wedding (FUN gig, the only wedding we ever played, and I am just fine with that). Wind blowing, and a hard drizzle of rain for the first set. We started throwing tarps over some of the amps, etc. The smarter guys had wireless gear. Not including myself in that count. I got tired of the "good" bass getting wet.
Like magic, breaking out the backup bass made the clouds part, and the weather got much better. Reverse rain dance.
Always good to have a backup bass. Always good to not need it. These are the only three examples I can think of in over 200 shows.
The battery went out in the active bass. Retrieve backup, the gig carries on with a minute of downtime.
Break a string. Same story.
We were on the fringes of a tropical storm at an outdoor biker wedding (FUN gig, the only wedding we ever played, and I am just fine with that). Wind blowing, and a hard drizzle of rain for the first set. We started throwing tarps over some of the amps, etc. The smarter guys had wireless gear. Not including myself in that count. I got tired of the "good" bass getting wet.
Like magic, breaking out the backup bass made the clouds part, and the weather got much better. Reverse rain dance.
Always good to have a backup bass. Always good to not need it. These are the only three examples I can think of in over 200 shows.
Bass? Never. Ever. Broke a few strings in the 60s but never again after that. If your band has a keyboard, have at least one song where the keys will do the bass line. Break a string, do that song, change the string, you're back in business. FWIW My Active bass is also a Passive bass. Batteries can last months or days. Just pull the volume knob up and you're back in business. Change out during the next break - or not. Passive sounds very nice on my bass.
I'm not sure, but I can tell you this with absolute certainty: I have failed my bass FAR more times than it is failed me. Usually when there's alcohol involved. 
years.
