This guy wants to sit in...

[pingvuiini]

I always say 'yes'. Then they always say 'no':

 

[bassstrangler]

So this will now pose the question: What kind of backup bass do you bring to a gig for someone to sit in and play?

 

[frankie5string]

Yup... that'll do it! lol
Got a lot of people walking up to the stage when I was playing mainly fretless for shows and saying "Hey... er... nope! " and I'm a lefty playing right-handed...

I always say ' yes'. Then they always say 'no':
View attachment 3327112

 

[2112]

So this will now pose the question: What kind of backup bass do you bring to a gig for someone to sit in and play?

None. No sit-ins.

 

[Mushroo]

So this will now pose the question: What kind of backup bass do you bring to a gig for someone to sit in and play?

My "reliced" Pedulla!

 

[frankie5string]

A backup bass? Maybe. It's never for anyone to sit in and play.

So this will now pose the question: What kind of backup bass do you bring to a gig for someone to sit in and play?

 

[kirkdickinson]

Did a sub gig last night, corporate event. Brought a couple of my basses as I usually do, this time a couple of Brubaker customs; a KXB5 Custom and KXB6 Xtreme. BL approaches me on break and tells me a guy asked to sit in on bass and wants to use mine. This is on a tight stage, cymbals to my right, horn section's music stands to my left. I said if he's going to be responsible for a bass with a replacement cost of $6k or $8k, cool. Apparently it worked out that he wouldn't play. Cool.

This caught me off guard, it's been years since anyone's asked to do that. Next time, with an unknown player, I'll just say no.

I usually play fretless. Have never had a single person ask to borrow it.

 

[b_carville]

Used to happen to me a lot when I did a Sunday night house band gig.
They were usually good local players & it was usually OK with me.
Recently I did a last minute fill in gig with a guy I never worked with before.It was going great & I knew most of his repertoire.The band leader/singer asked if I would let this guy play a few tunes.I said sure. This guy comes up & he seems like he's PO'd at me for some reason.Turns out he was recommended for the gig but the leader booked me instead.Anyway I hand him my bass & he's doing his level best to weedwhack/slap on my Xaviere P bass with flatwound strings(Thomastik Infeld).He's pulling & hammering my bass really hard.I said "Hey it's not set up for that style.Chill out".The band leader stopped him & threw him offstage.
I had a couple of other incidents with this dork at various local gigs.

 

[mcarp555]

I'm shocked the BL was so nonchalant about it. Tell him he's got a nice-looking girlfriend/wife. Can you borrow her for awhile? You asked the drummer and he didn't have a problem with it...

I'm trying to picture this happening at a @BassCliff gig: "Welcome to our Carrie Underwood Tribute! But first, some random guy will attempt to play a bassline that neither he, nor the rest of the band, knows!"

 

[Liam Wald]

When I was a 17, I saved up all my money from high school summer jobs and bought a shiny new Pedulla. First week I owned it, a guitarist friend asked if he could play it. I said sure, no problem! Turn my back for a few minutes, and when I look, there's a chip in the finish, down to the bare wood! Dude is flailing away, playing punk bass lines with a quarter coin as a pick. I started freaking out and he's like, what? You didn't have any picks in your case so I improvised.

Any jury in the land would rule this to be a reasonable excuse for justifiable homicide. Besides, it's just a guitar player so no big huge loss.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I always say 'yes'. Then they always say 'no':
View attachment 3327112

LOL.

In high school I smoked Kent and drank Rheingold beer for the same reason.

 

[AndyPanda]

back in the early 70's our drummer had just bought a spanking new set of high end drums he'd been saving up for and it was the first time with them on stage. A singer from another band wanted to sit in and sing a song - the sitting-in-singer was pretty high or drunk or both and at the end of the song raised his arms and fell over backwards into the drum set knocking half of the kit off the stage. The drummer, who was a tough guy from Chicago, beat the living crap out the guy.

 

[Goatrope]

Everything has mostly been covered, but I find writing about this provides a cathartic release.

To me, it’s a matter of etiquette. The value of the equipment is a small part of it. I just don’t like the idea of interrupting our flow with a bunch of amateur-hour bs, and dead air, while the audience begins to disburse.

Unfortunately, in my world, I’m in the minority, and as a result, I’m a notorious a-hole for reminding folks of my vision of right/wrong:

As an audience member, never ask to sit in, ever. It’s rude and unprofessional. Doubly insulting if you’re a good musician and sober. You should know better.

If asked by the band, decline at least once.

Band mates: Don’t invite anyone up, and don’t talk to anyone in the audience about the possibly sitting in. If someone asks you, best to discourage the practice at the source, and avoid putting band mates in the uncomfortable position of having to say “no”.

In the rare case where a known musician comes out, and isn’t asking to sit in, but the band loves the person, then we may ask them up.

If you’re asked to sit in, decline first, then reluctantly accept only if we keep asking. Do one song, then get off stage gracefully. If we want you up for longer, we’ll ask you for more.

 

[2112]

Next time I go to a Muse concert, I'm going to hit up Matt Bellamy and ask him to tell Chris Wolstenholme I want to do a sit-in on bass with his bass. I bet they welcome me with open arms.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Did a sub gig last night, corporate event. Brought a couple of my basses as I usually do, this time a couple of Brubaker customs; a KXB5 Custom and KXB6 Xtreme. BL approaches me on break and tells me a guy asked to sit in on bass and wants to use mine. This is on a tight stage, cymbals to my right, horn section's music stands to my left. I said if he's going to be responsible for a bass with a replacement cost of $6k or $8k, cool. Apparently it worked out that he wouldn't play. Cool.

This caught me off guard, it's been years since anyone's asked to do that. Next time, with an unknown player, I'll just say no.

The answer is no. Always no. I would also have a serious conversation with the BL about volunteering the use of your equipment.

 

[2112]

LOL.

In high school I smoked Kent and drank Rheingold beer for the same reason.

This is also why I used to only take pink lighters to the bar.

 

[Michedelic]

Ask for their musician’s union card.

 

[wallawallabob]

I usually play fretless. Have never had a single person ask to borrow it.

Me either....

 

[JimK]

I usually play fretless. Have never had a single person ask to borrow it.

View attachment 3327128

Having high action is another deterrent...

 

[WI Short Scaler]

So this will now pose the question: What kind of backup bass do you bring to a gig for someone to sit in and play?

None, no sit in's. Agreed upon by all members in advance so no one speaks for anyone else.

IMO, this actually begs the question, WHY would you bring along a backup bass for someone else to sit in?