what do you keep in your bass case?

[mello_bedwetter]

In the case I carry my Fenders in I have a rag, some allen wrenches for the truss and bridge. A set of strings, earplugs, tablet and pencil, tylenol, and some finger ease. Also a little multi-tool like a leatherman. In the case I carry my Ibanez I have the same stuff but also some spare 9 volt batteries.

 

[somegeezer]

I usually just put my bass in and put everything else in a separate bag. Too heavy to carry a hard case with everything in it.

 

[mello_bedwetter]

Usually I put a bass in there...

And an instrument cable, tuner, power cable to my amp, chord charts/music if needed, strap, dead bodies, and my Game Boy on occasion.

Good call...a bass! I forgot about the strap and instrument cable and tuner...I have those too.

 

[KsToaDangr]

mine currently has my OLP, an extra set of 5 strings(i also own 5 string basses), a tuner, multitool, hex key set, 2 screwdrivers(no. 1 and no. 2), a strap, spare batteries for the tuner, a couple of nine volts, washcloth(i prefer the ones designed for babies because they're both lint free and very soft), a notepad, 2 pens, a pencil, and 4 cables.

 

[pedroims]

Fingernail clippers

+10000000

 

[bassplayer8953]

I don't know this from personal experience, of course, but I've heard that back in the '70s, players used to put tightly sealing sandwich bags containing herbal substances in the case compartment.

LOL!! It's been a while...since the 70's, actually...that I used "herbal substances"...but I guess that a tightly sealing sandwich bg could be used for that also.

...Just don't smoke the guitar polish...bad for your chromosomes..

 

[Big_Daddy]

Spare 9 volt battery, a compact shoulder strap incase mine suddenly breaks (which I hope it doesn't! That strat was a gift from my girlfriend. S'got my Jazz name and full name on it and everything!), alan key, set of strings, a mini screwdriver set (the box is about 2 inches in diameter)...And that's all I can think of right now.

Edit/
Ah yes, a rag, papers and a pencil.

 

[pie_man_25]

Fingernail clippers

I should put one of those in my case, but I usually have a small bag of picks, a bag with - I can't remember the name, but they're little pieces of foam that you put into your ears and they take the noise away and protect your hearing - it has those things in them, a set of strings, a tuner, and duct tape.

 

[Pilgrim]

I carry all my tools and accessories in my pedal board case. I have a number of basses and use different cases - so it makes sense to me not to store anything in the bass cases. I leave the strap on each bass and arrange it so that it doesn't interfere with the fit of the case.

On the rare occasion that I don't take my pedal board, I have a separate tuner that I put in the bass case, and I remove two instrument cables from the pedal board case and put them in a storage pocket. When I get home afterwards, the first thing I do is remove the tuner and cables and put them back where they belong.

I discovered years ago that it works best for me to store all my equipment in the same cases, in the same way, every time I use them. As soon as things start moving from case to case, the odds greatly increase that they will get lost or left behind when they're needed.

If I didn't have a pedal board case, I would not put critical instrumentation or accessories in the instrument case - I'd use a separate carry case so that everything could be stored consistently and not moved from case to case.

 

[lowend219]

Here's the essentials:

Xtra batteries
Xtra instrument cable
Multi-tool
Gaff Tape (always comes in handy for something)
FLASH LIGHT
band stickers or business cards depending on the gig

 

[Woofer]

Bass, strap, instrument cable, speaker cable, chord chart, picks (mostly for the guitarist, but a couple for me as well), tuner.

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

Dead squirrels.

But seriously, I only put the bass in the case. I put "other stuff" in a backpack. I never forget the backpack, but I often use different cases. And it works: I never have been without the cords, gear, peripherals I need for the gigs/practices/etc... and I don't have to try to jam all that stuff into the little cubbyholes and compartments in those cases/bags, which ultimately means good things; like cords that stay usable/gig-worthy over the long-term since I'm not trying to ball them up into the smallest little spaces of the cases/bags.

 

[lobey]

Fingernail clippers

Not a bad idea to keep in a case, let alone in the glove box or in a tool box.

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

Fingernail clippers

I only have hesitation about fingernail clippers as sometimes a bassist who gigs locally and also who travels (by plane) might forget to remove those fingernail clippers from said cases/gig bags/etc... and get in trouble with TSA, FAA, etc... for trying to bring or accidentally bring "prohibited" items onboard a plane.

Yeah, I know some might have gotten away with it (purposefully or accidentally), but I thought I remembered something about the clippers being explicitly prohibited. At least at some point. Maybe not now?

 

[Ric5]

What do I keep in my bass case ... nothing at all.

 

[sonicnuance]

strap

cloth to wipe strings (old (but clean ) cloth diaper)

DI box

 

[FretlessMainly]

1 set of used strings, ideally identical to those on the bass;
1 strap;
1 polishing cloth;
1 Tool kit, which includes allen wrenches, truss rod tool for whatever bass is on that night, set of small screwdrivers - regular and phillips head, medium phillipshead, needle nose pliers w/ cutter; fresh 9v battery, pencil, paper, pencil sharpener. Always leave room for a condom, of course, but keep it away from the pliers and screwdrivers.

 

[SpecialBlender]

Cleaning cloth, small hand towel, list of songs I sing with my current band, new set of strings, spare cord in case my wireless packs up, Korg tuner, 3 short patch cords, spare 9v batteries, multi-pack of 75mm nylon picks. Strap gets folded up & fits right into the horn area.

All our stage gear stays in a trailer parked in a heated garage so I don't have to worry about packing amps, mike or patch cords etc.

We practice at 2 different places. One place is mainly acoustic (with a Roland Cube 30 for me) where we work on basic instrument & vocal arrangements, the other has drums and more small practice amps.

Whether going to practice, gig or a jam I have everything I need in my case & really doesn't add much weight to it.

 

[JacksonsMen]

The bass





seriously i dont keep anything else in my cases. All the other "stuff" (strap, strings, cables, tools, microphones, magazines, sun screen, gaff tape, cough drops, phone chargers, wireless packs, extra picks, etc etc etc) goes in my stage box (tool box)

 

[rojo412]

Bass, strap attached
Truss Rod wrench
Batteries
Allen wrenches for bridge (unless they get lost)
Small, tightly sealed container of... inspiration (unless I forgot where it went)

Sometimes, setlists or lyrics end up in there. Sometimes a drop or two of beer. Sometimes a cable.