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What basses do you bring on tour.

Which bass would you choose?

  • Fender Jazz- extra stylistic possibilities

    Votes: 25 80.6%

  • Ibanez- trusty all round bass

    Votes: 6 19.4%
  • Total voters
    31
R

RRWesner

Jan 10, 2010
83
152
#1
I'm heading out for a seven month contract on a cruise ship where I have to play a ton of different styles of music and I am trying to decide which basses to bring with me. I only have two spaces in my case and I am trying to decide if I want to bring essentially a second version of my main bass or if I should bring a bass that covers more styles. I have a skjold 5 string active bass that I love and is my go to instrument which I am bring for sure. (if you have any unrelated questions about this bass I would be more than happy to answer them. Pete Skjold makes exceptional instruments and I will talk your ear off about them given the chance) My second bass will be a choice between an ibanez premier with upgraded electronics or my good old fender jazz.

The Ibanez is kind of like a lower tier version of my skjold. It's a relatively versatile, modern active bass. I would strictly be using it in case something happens to my main bass though. So if my bass holds up and I don't have any issues I will likely never play it. However, being on a ship if something does break I will be in a tight spot without my main workhorse.

The fender also has upgraded electronics and sounds great but it doesn't nail the modern musical theater stuff as well and I find it much less comfortable to play. But it would give me access to some more specific sounds if we do any motown or soul shows. My skjold can do everything well, but it doesn't quite have that same vibe as a jazz for the motown and soul type of stuff, especially with flatwounds and vintage pickups.

I've done many contracts before with only my main bass but I just purchased a dual case so that I could bring a backup. Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Also, if you guys have any questions about ship life or becoming a cruise ship musician I message me and I'd be more than happy to chat with you about it.
 
#4
I just put together my "set-up bag" so I didn't have to break out my tool box whenever I want to tweak or set up my instruments. You may want to put together something like this, and like mentioned above, add a soldering iron. I have my soldering iron station in a separate little tool box, but could put it in this case in a pinch and ditch the stand.

4D6Quk2.jpg


GL8Dcgk.jpg
 
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#5
If it were me, Id leave the Skjold at home in care of someone you implicitly trust and take the Ibanez and perhaps buy another Ibanez to take with you....a lot can go wrong on the road (even if the road is water)...I would never take anything I truly valued...just my $.02
 
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#6
Based on my experience doing cruise ship gigs, you absolutely want an instrument that does “generic/anonymous/boring/cliched bass guitar” in your arsenal. The whole “modern musical theater” thing is fine *if* the only thing you’re doing are the production shows. But as soon as you need to back up the guest singer — or the magician, or the comedian, or the Cruise Director who wishes he/she was an entertainer — you’ll need a “normal” [sic] bass...like a Fender.
 
#7
Bob_Ross said:
Based on my experience doing cruise ship gigs, you absolutely want an instrument that does “generic/anonymous/boring/cliched bass guitar” in your arsenal. The whole “modern musical theater” thing is fine *if* the only thing you’re doing are the production shows. But as soon as you need to back up the guest singer — or the magician, or the comedian, or the Cruise Director who wishes he/she was an entertainer — you’ll need a “normal” [sic] bass...like a Fender.
Click to expand...

more important is getting used to the tiny berth (that sleeps two) at the bottom of the boat in which farts and armpits like to linger .........and getting used to the "bong bong bong bong" of the engine (which will eventually put you to sleep) :D
 
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#8
Rib 13 said:
If it were me, Id leave the Skjold at home in care of someone you implicitly trust and take the Ibanez and perhaps buy another Ibanez to take with you....a lot can go wrong on the road (even if the road is water)...I would never take anything I truly valued...just my $.02
Click to expand...
Good point. If you (OP) would be crushed if the Fender didnt make it back, get an MIM or squier CV, and take the Ibanez as well, cause I agree....
Bob_Ross said:
you’ll need a “normal” [sic] bass...like a Fender.
Click to expand...
 
#9
JimmyM said:
I would take the Jazz and the Ibby and leave the Skjold at home because of what salt air can do to instruments.
Click to expand...
exactly my first thought.



RR, if you've already salted that poor Skjold up, I dunno. At the end of the day it is a worktool anyways.

I'd like to think that I'd just take a pair of used MIM Jazzes and the above mentioned repair kit, but, without listing examples of the many silly things I do, I know for a fact that I'd be very likely to use this situation to justify obtaining a second Skjold and just bring both Skjolds.
 
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#11
Vinnie Boombatz said:
I just put together my "set-up bag" so I didn't have to break out my tool box whenever I want to tweak or set up my instruments. You may want to put together something like this, and like mentioned above, ass a soldering iron. I have my soldering iron station in a separate little tool box, but could put it in this case in a pinch and ditch the stand.

View attachment 3324030

View attachment 3324032
Click to expand...
A stunning example of a bassists toolkit! What's the stopwatch for, timing your setup speed? ;)
 
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#15
RRWesner said:
I'm heading out for a seven month contract on a cruise ship where I have to play a ton of different styles of music and I am trying to decide which basses to bring with me. I only have two spaces in my case and I am trying to decide if I want to bring essentially a second version of my main bass or if I should bring a bass that covers more styles. I have a skjold 5 string active bass that I love and is my go to instrument which I am bring for sure. (if you have any unrelated questions about this bass I would be more than happy to answer them. Pete Skjold makes exceptional instruments and I will talk your ear off about them given the chance) My second bass will be a choice between an ibanez premier with upgraded electronics or my good old fender jazz.

The Ibanez is kind of like a lower tier version of my skjold. It's a relatively versatile, modern active bass. I would strictly be using it in case something happens to my main bass though. So if my bass holds up and I don't have any issues I will likely never play it. However, being on a ship if something does break I will be in a tight spot without my main workhorse.

The fender also has upgraded electronics and sounds great but it doesn't nail the modern musical theater stuff as well and I find it much less comfortable to play. But it would give me access to some more specific sounds if we do any motown or soul shows. My skjold can do everything well, but it doesn't quite have that same vibe as a jazz for the motown and soul type of stuff, especially with flatwounds and vintage pickups.

I've done many contracts before with only my main bass but I just purchased a dual case so that I could bring a backup. Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Also, if you guys have any questions about ship life or becoming a cruise ship musician I message me and I'd be more than happy to chat with you about it.
Click to expand...
I’d take the jazz. And I’m saying that as someone who has a jazz bass as my backup.
3DBF6C37-36D1-4F9F-9516-D6D2579C2873.jpeg
 

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