Survival kit for gigging bassists!

[Lelander]

This is a great thread. It's really helped point out how I need to expand my emergency gear beyond what I carried as a horn player.

The one other thing I started carrying was about $40 in small bills. I can't count how many times my last band arrived to set up for a big show with spares of every imaginable piece of gear but no change in the till for the merch guy. It is really embarrasing wasting time trying to get the bartender to break some $20s, and even more embarrasing when you can't make change for your fans.

 

[vinny]

After the other night I gotta add Advil or Aleve to my gig bag. I developed a skull-crushing headache & all I could get were aspirin which don't agree with me.

 

[Fret Boiler]

Drum key, Advil, Cold medicine, alcohol swabs, extra cash....all brilliant ideas.

Also, if your playing in bad part of town.....tazer, mace, tournaqet, 9mm semi-auto, forged passport, $10000 in unmarked bills....etc.

 

[FriscoBassAce]

I've got the "Magic Black Bag" and everyone always appreciates whenever something comes up. The other guys in my band know they can always count on me to be Mr. Fix-it.

Through lots of experience, I've come to find out that you can almost never have too much stuff. Mine all fits into a black travel bag. I keep stuff in modular cases and bags inside so that stuff isn't rolling all over and getting screwed up. I use a small fishing tackle box to keep batteries, picks, and other small parts in, and I have a nylon pouch for my tools.

The tackle box is really thin and small (they come in lots of shapes and sizes).

http://www.planomolding.com/content...t&lineid=2&groupid=12&sectionid=40&partid=62#

 

[neurotictim]

Had a gig tonight where I didn't have something I needed - an XLR. So I bought the one I borrowed.

From my kit, we used an outlet strip, an extension cord, snips, flashlight, and screwdriver. Good thing I had it.

 

[BassyBill]

My little list...

Spare cables (instrument, patch, speaker, mains, XLR - I have them all)
Gaffer tape
Spare strings
Torch ("flashlight")
Allen keys
Screwdrivers
Spare batteries (9V for bass/wireless, AA for torch, AAA for tuner)
Pliers (string snippers)
Cleaning cloth
Fast fret (I always carry this and never really bother using it)
Fuses
Spare strap (left in gig bag, in case I forget my regular strap)
Deodorant (after a sweaty gig, your best friends won't need to tell you )

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

Get some sour cream and onion chips with some dip, man, some beef jerky, some peanut butter. Get some Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars, a whole lot, make sure chocolate, gotta have chocolate, man. Some popcorn, red popcorn, graham crackers, graham crackers with marshmallows, the little marshmallows and little chocolate bars and we can make s'mores, man. Also, celery, grape jelly, Cap'n Crunch with the little Crunch berries, pizzas. We need two big pizzas, man, everything on 'em, with water, whole lotta water, and Funyons. Funyons man, yeah.

No more smoking materials for Siegy. Sorry dude, too big a mess in the tool bag.

 

[gig-getter]

To book further appearances at the venue (if you're not working with music agencies)

 

[Jerry Ziarko]

Besides all of the afore mentioned, a spare Boss 9 volt power supply with daisy chain plugs has come in handy more than once over the years. A pencil type soldering iron and solder are in my vehicle always. I've only ever needed it a couple of times, but it has saved the day in those instances. If you can afford one, a multi purpose cable checker can help track down a problem in short order. It beats running cable after cable to find one that is DOA. And somewhere tucked into a pocket of your gig bag or case put a few safety pins. (both small and large) Don't ask why, you'll know when you need one.

 

[gismo]

Jesus, MacGyver.....

 

[fretlessman71]

don't forget some rubbers,you know what they're for.

Sure - keeping microphones dry when it rains at your outdoor gig.

 

[NickInMesa]

Dude, I used to have less junk when I was desert racing.

That's overdone, IMHO.

 

[fretlessman71]

Okay, thought of something I have that I haven't seen listed in ANY of these threads. XLR - 1/4" adapters! Every so often this stuff comes in very handy. I had to use a small amp in my car as a backup recently, and it only had a 1/4" line out, and with the adapter I was able to run a (slightly noisy) line to the snake, and all was well.

 

[Stumbo]

A thread like this comes along about every year or so. Always good info.

You might want to check out this link on the same topic for more variations of " What's in your gig bag?"

 

[elavate7]

i just carry a spare cable, picks, and strings

 

[Elmo Oxygen]

I just keep the extra things in my cable bag,

Extra strap (used to play with a guitard who always forgot his)
Extra instrument cables (2)
Plenty of picks
Electrician's tape
Gaffer's tape
Super glue
Couple of different screwdrivers
3 different allen wrench sets
Clippers
Ibuprofen
Extra strings
9v battaries
Fuses

I think that's about it... I DO NOT buy guitar strings or different sized picks. You can use it if you need, but I'm not buying YOUR stuff "just in case".

 

[60's Bluesman]

hmm i have none of this lol prolly should tho

 

[NickInMesa]

You guys don't carry prophylactics?

 

[Drop-the-One]

If you have a band vehicle... full set of wrenches, air pump, jack, sockets, allans, screwdrivers....

... Here it's Metric and SAE

 

[tom once dead]

mines pretty simple. string winder, wire cutters, a few allan keys, small torch, battery, wipe down cloth.

I always bring a spare cable incase my wireless plays up.