what makes a bass "gig worthy"?

[sedan_dad]

Gig worthy.
Isn't anything you feel is good enough to own also gig worthy?
Which ever Fender I bring to a job,my Longhorn goes too.
I've seen the Longhorn described as "cheap feeling" or "a toy".
I love that little bass and yes it's very gig worthy.
If you own a bass with structure issues or electronic issues ,fix 'em and play 'em.

 

[jenderfazz]

Reliability and ability to sit in the mix are a given, but when you're rocking out it also helps to have a bass that's comfortable to play and that looks good. My J looks and feels great. While my P gives me a thicker sound, it's a bit harder to tackle. When you're playing in a punk/hardcore/metal band, it's an important aspect.

 

[SBassman]

Some guys just don't know how to put strings on properly too.

Or how to stretch them. I have been amazed at the number of people I have encountered - who have played for a long time - who don't understand the importance of stretching the strings properly.

 

[SBassman]

they are all handled carefully and all appreciated equally ....

Ok, but ...

What if Joe Sixpack knocks it over, and it gets a bad ding, or worse, crack. Would you be ok with that?

 

[Showdown]

As far as I'm concerned, the big difference is that nobody paid to see you play in the garage. Having knobs fall off, strap pins rip out, bridges falling appart, necks warping, electronics short out, jacks fall off or going way out of tune just isn't acceptable when people have actually paid money to see you play.

I've been gigging for 30 years and I've never had any of those things happen on any bass, cheap or not. I almost always take a backup, but I've only needed it once in all those years - because the battery died and I didn't have a spare. Is that kind of thing common with you?

 

[Showdown]

My son owns an SX Jazz... I dont think I'd gig it, w/o a little hot rodding. The tuners are pretty slippery, & I havent opened the control cavity, but I just cant imagine shielded very well.

I've gigged with my SX P many times and never had a problem.

 

[Ed Goode]

Ok, but ...

What if Joe Sixpack knocks it over, and it gets a bad ding, or worse, crack. Would you be ok with that?

Well, as they say, life in the fast lane .........

I would be equally p*ssed off if it was a $300 bass or a $3,000 bass that was damaged, price isn't the determining factor in my mind. If I choose to play in places where stuff can happen to my equipment, than I have to take those risks.

For me, there is no practical value in having a custom built instrument sitting in my rehearsal space at my house. I had it built to play it, not to look at it ....

 

[Johnny Crab]

I Have run into many musicians in my time that are snobs regarding brands and dollars. I'm thinking of one guy in particular who will poo poo any equipment anyone mentions or brings if it is not the top of the line stuff.

I also see a bit of a *cult* at a blues jam I attend. It's - apparently - an unwritten law that Everyone will play Fender guitars and basses. Literally I have been there many times, and every guitar and bass was a Fender.

+1
I've not played 7enders live since the mid-1970's and then it was a butchered 60's one(Gibson humbucker in the neck position, P-pickup stock, Rickenbacker pickup in the bridge position, 5 position switch). I HAVE used the basses shaped like my avatar. Only had a few snooty comments in 30 years. Steinbergers got worse comments("Maybe one day they'll pay ya enough so you can get a whole bass instead of one missing the top!").

I wonder why the conformity factor myself. If it is comfortable TO THE PLAYER, is gig-worthy, and sound fits the music....why not?

 

[Blake Bass]

I don't buy cheap basses so for me, I have to able to play 4 sets in an evening without the weight of the bass killing my left shoulder. I don't care how great a bass sounds, if I'm in pain after two sets, the bass is not gig worthy.

 

[arbarnhart]

I wasn't trying to stir the pot, just wondering if there were non obvious factors with an electric bass, since most of my experience is with acoustic guitars and mandolins. Tuning is one I know well. I was at a jam playing my cheap mandolin one time enduring a lecture from another guy who had a very nice mandolin about the qualities that made it worth the expense. The funny thing is, he was often talking about it between songs while he was tuning and I was not. I don't think he appreciated the irony.

The Scorpion weighs in just under 9 lbs, I think.

 

[PilbaraBass]

To me, gig-worthy = solid, reliable, sounds great in the mix, well-shielded.

all this, but you left out, plays good.

no sense in gigging a bass that's going to cramp your style.

 

[Pennydreadful]

Sounds good, feels good, looks good, won't cut out or fall apart.

 

[Phalex]

Ok, but ...

What if Joe Sixpack knocks it over, and it gets a bad ding, or worse, crack. Would you be ok with that?

Never happened to me me yet. That's not a consideration for me as far as what I gig with. I play a Ric 4003 as my main bass. That's the one I like to play, so I play it. I used to play with a guitar player that had a Squire Strat that he loved. It sounded good, and played good, and that was his instrument of choice.

I see no point in buying an instrument if you don't intend to play it.

 

[McHack]

all this, but you left out, plays good.

no sense in gigging a bass that's going to cramp your style.

Ah, yea,, I guess I did... original post fixt!

 

[BigMikeW]

When the headstock reads "Sadowsky". That's all I need.

 

[12stringbassist]

I know this is somewhat subjective, but I see a lot of posts about basses being pretty good but "might not hold up" for gigging. Sometimes such comments are even made by owners after having otherwise praised the bass in question. What is so different about playing out versus jamming in the garage? Just the likelihood that something might go wrong?

I like a bass that stays in tune, has a solid sound, doesn't have a cranky jack socket and isn't falling to bits!

 

[bucephylus]

Gig-worthy simply means the player finds the bass useful over the course at gigs; no more, no less.

However, there are so many different kinds of gigs that there is no one answer (even if you think it is Sadowsky ). Church gigs, shows, swing bands, orchestra, blues band, etc. etc. and throw in the "band leader is always right" pre-dispositions that you can run into. I think the player needs to try to be aware of all of these factors.

 

[savit260]

I've been gigging for 30 years and I've never had any of those things happen on any bass, cheap or not. I almost always take a backup, but I've only needed it once in all those years - because the battery died and I didn't have a spare. Is that kind of thing common with you?

You've obviously never tried to gig with an early 80's Hondo II or equivilant then. Yes, I've had a lot of that stuff happen with budget instruments many years ago. Started playing out in my teens back about 25 years ago.

Cheap stuff today is light years better than back then.

So much better in fact, that my maing gigging bass for better than the past year has been an SX SPB 62. Countless shows with no problems.

 

[savit260]

Or how to stretch them. I have been amazed at the number of people I have encountered - who have played for a long time - who don't understand the importance of stretching the strings properly.

My point exactly. Especialy on guitar.

 

[Showdown]

You've obviously never tried to gig with an early 80's Hondo II or equivilant then.

That's true, my main gigging basses in the early '80s were a Gibson Thunderbird and a G&L L1000. Cheap basses then were barely playable. But I'm not talking about then, I'm talking about now. Over the last 10 years I've gigged with numerous cheap basses, like an SX SPB-62, Ibanez SR-300, Peavey Milestone II and a Yamaha RBX-250. No problems with any of them.