I'm sure someone has done this thread before but nothing is really new, is it? I mean (except for you fretless guys) we all play the same twelve notes so maybe we carry the same stuff, too? The pile of loot seen in the picture varies but some of it is essential and is in every case I have.
1) Altoids tin. It contains foam earplugs, picks and a few dollars in bills and change. Yes I've tried fancier earplugs and yes the foam plugs roll around with all the other stuff and yes I put them in my ears. My ears, my Altoids tin, my rules. No other mint tins are allowed (I'm looking at you, Trader Joes).
2) Spare set of strings. Spares? But no one ever breaks bass strings, right? RIGHT?
3) Tuner. In a perfect world I'd do it by ear by frankly the tuner does a better job. Besides I have Altoids tins stuck in my ears. WHAT? Note there's also a tuner clipped to the headstock.
4) Short 1/4" cord 'cause you always need one for plugging A into B.
5) Sharpie. Indispensable for when you need to leave someone a big-ass note they can't miss ("Dude, the sax player is in jail AGAIN"). If anyone ever asks for an autograph, I'm ready.
6) Notebook with pages that tear out easily (see #5). Its under the Altoids tin. Not just for big-ass notes, its more subtle (and safer) than handing out your room key. Not that I ever did that.
7) Spare 9V battery in plastic case for active basses. No, the Dano is not active; in fact its barely passive. But we understand each other.
8) Some kind of tool(s). Frequently the sax player is the tool, but he's in jail. In this case (get it?) its a screwdriver with additional heads in its tail. The one you need is missing. And there's always a pocket knife in my pocket.
9) Strap. I'm not fond of leather. Dude I played with in college would sweat more than any other person I've known before or since. His strap STUNK and that spoiled it for me.
10) DI Box. I never used to carry one and I always needed it. Now I always have one and never need it. I keep it in case the keyboard player needs to borrow it.
11) The pill bottle is empty and has been for many years. But it's just the right size for one boiled shrimp from the buffet.
12) My little inspection flashlight is out on a bathroom break. So are both 1/4" instrument cables. A proper 1/4" cable is straight on one end and right-angle on the other ('cause I said so). I like Eneloop rechargeable batteries for the flashlight because they'll hold a charge for years under no load.
And just because I don't have a enough stuff to carry around there's also a small carry on (my wayward son) sized suitcase with about twenty pounds of extra EVERYTHING....cords, multimeter, soldering iron, pliers for when the drummer forgets his drum key, all that stuff. I usually only bring that along for bigger gigs.
How about you? Watcha got?
1) Altoids tin. It contains foam earplugs, picks and a few dollars in bills and change. Yes I've tried fancier earplugs and yes the foam plugs roll around with all the other stuff and yes I put them in my ears. My ears, my Altoids tin, my rules. No other mint tins are allowed (I'm looking at you, Trader Joes).
2) Spare set of strings. Spares? But no one ever breaks bass strings, right? RIGHT?
3) Tuner. In a perfect world I'd do it by ear by frankly the tuner does a better job. Besides I have Altoids tins stuck in my ears. WHAT? Note there's also a tuner clipped to the headstock.
4) Short 1/4" cord 'cause you always need one for plugging A into B.
5) Sharpie. Indispensable for when you need to leave someone a big-ass note they can't miss ("Dude, the sax player is in jail AGAIN"). If anyone ever asks for an autograph, I'm ready.
6) Notebook with pages that tear out easily (see #5). Its under the Altoids tin. Not just for big-ass notes, its more subtle (and safer) than handing out your room key. Not that I ever did that.
7) Spare 9V battery in plastic case for active basses. No, the Dano is not active; in fact its barely passive. But we understand each other.
8) Some kind of tool(s). Frequently the sax player is the tool, but he's in jail. In this case (get it?) its a screwdriver with additional heads in its tail. The one you need is missing. And there's always a pocket knife in my pocket.
9) Strap. I'm not fond of leather. Dude I played with in college would sweat more than any other person I've known before or since. His strap STUNK and that spoiled it for me.
10) DI Box. I never used to carry one and I always needed it. Now I always have one and never need it. I keep it in case the keyboard player needs to borrow it.
11) The pill bottle is empty and has been for many years. But it's just the right size for one boiled shrimp from the buffet.
12) My little inspection flashlight is out on a bathroom break. So are both 1/4" instrument cables. A proper 1/4" cable is straight on one end and right-angle on the other ('cause I said so). I like Eneloop rechargeable batteries for the flashlight because they'll hold a charge for years under no load.
And just because I don't have a enough stuff to carry around there's also a small carry on (my wayward son) sized suitcase with about twenty pounds of extra EVERYTHING....cords, multimeter, soldering iron, pliers for when the drummer forgets his drum key, all that stuff. I usually only bring that along for bigger gigs.
How about you? Watcha got?
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