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"Must have" equipment for a bass player?
- Thread starter Frettage
- Start date
Lots of good info in this thread:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173311
Good luck!
Peace,
T
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173311
Good luck!
Peace,
T
Ok, here's an addition to my previous list. Not "must have" per se, but def all good things to have around.
- Paper, pen, sharpie
- Towel
- Extra cables (instrament and speaker)
- Flashlight (especially if you're using rack gear!)
- Extension cord and/or powerbar
- Extra strings + string winder + snippers
- Allen wrenches/screwdriver (basically any tool you might need to adjust anything on your bass)
- Spare batteries for your bass/effects
- Spare fuse for your amp! (Having an extra in my case has saved me more than once, and it takes up virtually no space. When you go to buy one, buy two... they're cheap
)
As for touring, that's a whole different list entirely...
- Paper, pen, sharpie
- Towel
- Extra cables (instrament and speaker)
- Flashlight (especially if you're using rack gear!)
- Extension cord and/or powerbar
- Extra strings + string winder + snippers
- Allen wrenches/screwdriver (basically any tool you might need to adjust anything on your bass)
- Spare batteries for your bass/effects
- Spare fuse for your amp! (Having an extra in my case has saved me more than once, and it takes up virtually no space. When you go to buy one, buy two... they're cheap
)As for touring, that's a whole different list entirely...
Threads to check out:
What's in your gig bag?
Music stands on stage?
Benefits of compression
Compressor FAQ's and reviews
1 Benefits of a rumble filter
2
Best D.I.
Gear insurance thread
Buying road cases
Save your hearing
Metronome info
Most important piece of equipment is a knowledgeable brain.
What's in your gig bag?
Music stands on stage?
Benefits of compression
Compressor FAQ's and reviews
1 Benefits of a rumble filter
2
Best D.I.
Gear insurance thread
Buying road cases
Save your hearing
Metronome info
Most important piece of equipment is a knowledgeable brain.
The essentials of playing live:
- A bass
- A way to get the sound of the bass to the audience
- A way for *you* to hear what you're playing
In any stage situation, you'll either be running the bass through a PA, or you won't.
If you are, you need some way to get the signal from the bass to the PA. Typically this is done with a direct box or DI output on an amplifier (combo or head). If you aren't, you need a pretty powerful amp, either a big combo or more typically a stack of some kind that can crank out enough volume to fill the room.
For hearing yourself, you either need an amp on stage, or your bass sound fed back through monitors, either on-stage wedges or in-ears. Most people use wedges (speakers that are wedge-shaped so when they sit on the ground they aim at your ears).
Additional stuff that really helps--a tuner, some kind of equalization or preamp (if you're using a direct box), spare cables, a hard case for your bass, extra strings, extra batteries, extra basses, etc. There are as many gig setups as there are bassists.
This is my current setup. My band uses in-ear monitoring and we have our own PA, so I don't need any kind of amplifier on stage.
- A bass or two, depending on what I feel like playing that night
- Line6 Pod X3 Live - this does triple duty of a preamp (and amp modeler), a DI, and a tuner
- Radial ProD2 direct box - backup in case my Pod dies
- A backpack with 3 instrument cables, the power cable for the Pod, a power strip, a spare headphone cable, extra strings, my vocal mic, a SM-57 in case we have a mic die, an extra power cable that fits most amps, a 50' mic cable, the instruction book for my Pod, some gaffer's tape, a couple guitar stands, and my in-ear headphones. My band calls this the "magic bag" because whenever something breaks on stage, I invariably have the spare we need to keep the show going.
If we are playing a festival-type gig where the PA is provided and we're not using in-ears, I will also bring my Markbass CMD-102P (a 300W 2x10 combo) so I can hear myself on stage. I really like that amp since the cabinet is a kickback design, so I'm firing bass at my head instead of my shins without needing a tall stack. I run the output of my Pod to the PA, and also run it to my amp so I can hear myself.
In my previous band, I didn't have the Pod or the in-ears, so I'd bring the Markbass combo with a 1x15 extension cabinet. I'd run the DI output from the Markbass to the PA if there was one, but the 2x10 and 1x15 was enough to carry small clubs if necessary.
- A bass
- A way to get the sound of the bass to the audience
- A way for *you* to hear what you're playing
In any stage situation, you'll either be running the bass through a PA, or you won't.
If you are, you need some way to get the signal from the bass to the PA. Typically this is done with a direct box or DI output on an amplifier (combo or head). If you aren't, you need a pretty powerful amp, either a big combo or more typically a stack of some kind that can crank out enough volume to fill the room.
For hearing yourself, you either need an amp on stage, or your bass sound fed back through monitors, either on-stage wedges or in-ears. Most people use wedges (speakers that are wedge-shaped so when they sit on the ground they aim at your ears).
Additional stuff that really helps--a tuner, some kind of equalization or preamp (if you're using a direct box), spare cables, a hard case for your bass, extra strings, extra batteries, extra basses, etc. There are as many gig setups as there are bassists.
This is my current setup. My band uses in-ear monitoring and we have our own PA, so I don't need any kind of amplifier on stage.
- A bass or two, depending on what I feel like playing that night
- Line6 Pod X3 Live - this does triple duty of a preamp (and amp modeler), a DI, and a tuner
- Radial ProD2 direct box - backup in case my Pod dies
- A backpack with 3 instrument cables, the power cable for the Pod, a power strip, a spare headphone cable, extra strings, my vocal mic, a SM-57 in case we have a mic die, an extra power cable that fits most amps, a 50' mic cable, the instruction book for my Pod, some gaffer's tape, a couple guitar stands, and my in-ear headphones. My band calls this the "magic bag" because whenever something breaks on stage, I invariably have the spare we need to keep the show going.
If we are playing a festival-type gig where the PA is provided and we're not using in-ears, I will also bring my Markbass CMD-102P (a 300W 2x10 combo) so I can hear myself on stage. I really like that amp since the cabinet is a kickback design, so I'm firing bass at my head instead of my shins without needing a tall stack. I run the output of my Pod to the PA, and also run it to my amp so I can hear myself.
In my previous band, I didn't have the Pod or the in-ears, so I'd bring the Markbass combo with a 1x15 extension cabinet. I'd run the DI output from the Markbass to the PA if there was one, but the 2x10 and 1x15 was enough to carry small clubs if necessary.
Ear-plugs. We don't play loud, but sometimes the other bands play very Badly!
Tools, flashlight.
Spare cables, batteries, picks and strings.
Slide, for the guitarist in case someone yells, "freebird"
Gaffers tape
Nail file
Strap
Sure SM57
The trick is to find the right gig-bag, then you can load it up like a toolbox. I use mic-bags to keep my little junk organized.
Tools, flashlight.
Spare cables, batteries, picks and strings.
Slide, for the guitarist in case someone yells, "freebird"
Gaffers tape
Nail file
Strap
Sure SM57
The trick is to find the right gig-bag, then you can load it up like a toolbox. I use mic-bags to keep my little junk organized.
You need:
Sadowsky Modern 5-24 bass
Aguilar DB750 amp
Aguilar GS410 cabinet
Boss TU-2 tuner
Tara Labs instrument cable
Guardian Fat Max speaker cable
That's pretty much it.
Sadowsky Modern 5-24 bass
Aguilar DB750 amp
Aguilar GS410 cabinet
Boss TU-2 tuner
Tara Labs instrument cable
Guardian Fat Max speaker cable
That's pretty much it.
Spare strings, earplugs and ext cord are essential to me.
Everything else is pretty well obvious.
Everything else is pretty well obvious.
in my opinion... If your doing any serious gigging, it is good to have your own D.I/ preamp for live playing. Sure, the sound guy will probably have a decent D.I but its good to have a box you are familiar with and can tweak to your own liking. Obviously, a decent cable and Bass rig are essential.
This is my set up:
Hartke 3500 with an SWR 4x10 cabinet, i plug into a Tech21 Bass driver which acts as a D.I, a means of equalisation and a level booster ( i usually leave it off then switch it on and use it to boost my signal up a couple of db's when needed).
It is also important to have a back up Bass and maybe spare fuses, leads, batteries for active basses/ pedals and power cables. I once blew a fuse in my amp and didn't have a spare head or a fuse...so had to play straight into the stage box...worst bass tone ever, but the crowd enjoyed it! lol.
This is my set up:
Hartke 3500 with an SWR 4x10 cabinet, i plug into a Tech21 Bass driver which acts as a D.I, a means of equalisation and a level booster ( i usually leave it off then switch it on and use it to boost my signal up a couple of db's when needed).
It is also important to have a back up Bass and maybe spare fuses, leads, batteries for active basses/ pedals and power cables. I once blew a fuse in my amp and didn't have a spare head or a fuse...so had to play straight into the stage box...worst bass tone ever, but the crowd enjoyed it! lol.
I play blues, country, folk, on electric bass guitar, acoustic bass guitar, and upright bass. Here's my gig equipment:
- Bass
- bass amp
- bass cab
- cables (and extras)
- pedal tuner
- guitar stand
IMHO you should be able to cope without an electronic tuner if necessary.
Extension cord, reliable instrument cable, spare 9V if you have an active bass, those things are non-negotiable must-haves.
Amp is good, though I have been known to run straight to the house PA.
Earplugs, definitely a good call!
I own, but honestly don't often use, a DI & hand truck - YMMV.
I'll go out on a bit of a limb here and say: portable recorder. IME, hearing myself the next day has had a HUGE educational & motivational effect. They're so small and handy nowadays, there's really no reason not to use one. Okay, I know it's not an *absolute* must, but it's one of the very first things I'd advise to acquire, before that second bass, before that huge amp, maybe even before a tuner. IMO it truly is that useful.
Extension cord, reliable instrument cable, spare 9V if you have an active bass, those things are non-negotiable must-haves.
Amp is good, though I have been known to run straight to the house PA.
Earplugs, definitely a good call!
I own, but honestly don't often use, a DI & hand truck - YMMV.
I'll go out on a bit of a limb here and say: portable recorder. IME, hearing myself the next day has had a HUGE educational & motivational effect. They're so small and handy nowadays, there's really no reason not to use one. Okay, I know it's not an *absolute* must, but it's one of the very first things I'd advise to acquire, before that second bass, before that huge amp, maybe even before a tuner. IMO it truly is that useful.
