Why bring 2 basses to a gig?

[Texican]

Here is the bare minimum for any bassist (assuming you have an amp AND front of house support with monitors)…

1.) Bass with strap, and spare battery if active.

2.) Extra set of strings, and maybe snips to clip them.

3.) Tuner

4.) A DI box incase amp fails.

5.) Instrument cable that has been tested prior to gig, but really you should have a spare as well.

This is the bare minimum. Yes, you are irresponsible and unprofessional for not AT LEAST doing the minimum. I’m not talking about showing up to an open jam session at a local bar where the entire crowd is just the musicians waiting to play… I’m talking about the gigs when you’re paid to be a professional. Imagine if you called a plumber out to your house and he showed up with no pipe wrenches.

 

[Marko 1]

Since I started taking a one I’ve never had to use it.

PROOF that taking a spare works!

Is this a monthly poll now?

Seems to work every time.

To be consistent, the car-spare tire analogy works like this:
spare strings = spare tire
spare bass = spare car

I'm not even going to explain how ridiculous that is.

 

[MrLenny1]

Wow, broken A string I've only had a G string break.
One bass for regular bar gigs that don't pay much.
Two if I'm on a real paying stage gig just in case.

 

[vvvmmm]

Here is the bare minimum for any bassist (assuming you have an amp AND front of house support with monitors)…

1.) Bass with strap, ...

Broke a strap end at a jam, once, no extra and no gaffer tape around, neever. Pulled the strap button, ran the screw thru the strap.

I brink a back-up pack of gum and one of condoms, also; don't mix those up ...

 

[Doug P]

Good morning TBer’s. I opened this topic up again and…….
“I’ve never broken a string….”
“Fly away shows, one bass, extra cables, picks, strings, etc…..
Etc…….
Some, “ I always bring a back up, because……”
Etc…..
Sorry I just don’t get it not being ready for that “one time.” Just how I think, and I’m ok with me and others too. Hey, to each their own.
To do a fly away show with backline if your choice, classic SVT or more “modern” rig, you just need your bass(s), picks maybe, and…….
So I’m guessing for that show your payout is not “small” and with a room and food for two nights and flights plus maybe a case of local brew after the set, 5 members, maybe a tech too. It’s not a “cheap show” for the venue / promoter.
So, you only took one bass, and the only time in all your time on stage….. you strap lock fails after being on your body for 1/2 hour. The bass hits the floor and you’re not holding it as you’re getting some water between songs. So yea two strings break but also the tuning gear shaft breaks off.
So now your band mates are looking at you, as well as the paying crowd and your mind goes to….. E and A strings broken no way to fix the tuner shaft……. There was no opening act to borrow from, the backline company has no spare instruments….. it’s your first gig there and you want to come back and what’s you booking agent going to say….future gigs ???
So ok, the strap lock night did happen to me but at a local show and I did as always have an almost identical back up ready. But what if it was one of our fly away shows ? I’m sure a “super” bassist could finish the show with three strings, I don’t know if I could do it and sound ok, maybe.
But after the time to get to the point to try and keep going, your mates, club manager, have a little anxiety. So maybe use your guitarist’s back up 6 string or alt tuning one. Then he needs it back so you use the other guitarist spare or …….
So now however the gig ended, the $50 for the extra guitar case charge out of your cut, say a grand. Will that venue have you back ? What about the booking agency, there are many good tribute bands in the USA doing your act.
Ok sorry, I’m watching sports on tv and typing away.
This stuff does happen every weekend I bet. Maybe not you,
yet ? Maybe never.
The “you” in this are all that carry extra stuff, just not that bass. As a brother in the small world of bass players, I hope your never put on the spot.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

I try to bring a backup when I can. But I’m trained to be paranoid and have a plan B always. I’m a doctor by training and by trade.

I don’t judge any of those who chose or chose not to bring a backup. And while the story of the great George Porter jr. changing his broken string mid song whilst his bandmates heroically play on is the stuff legends are made of, I trust that this maneuver wouldn’t work with a band of a different genre likely outside of the jam/funk scene.

 

[Paul New]

Indeed, good catch. I'll add: 1) The band is a team, and in the case of The Meters, I'll just say that being good at music helps the band to handle any situation and keep the show in motion. 2) With that in mind, handling the emergency is part of the show—the part that becomes a success story that everyone there can tell about George Porter and The Meters. It's a deliberate, real-life choice rather than a rookie move.

If George Porter Jr does it, it is the exact opposite of a rookie move.

 

[briandavismurph]

One with rounds, one with flats.

that's the ticket

 

[RyanOh]

This thread is ass. Again. And it'll be ass in a week when someone else wants to lecture us about professionalism.

Are you referring to the original OP or the pages (I have not read most) of replies?

 

[Ralph Manak]

I'm not even going to explain how ridiculous that is.

Exactly.

 

[JimmyM]

Are you referring to the original OP or the pages (I have not read most) of replies?

Both. I don’t get why people care so much about what others do.

 

[RyanOh]

Both. I don’t get why people care so much about what others do.

Well, I don't care what you do. I got lucky having another bass ready to go in 5 seconds, and have never had this happen before. Cheers....too many other pages to read it all.

 

[bdplaid]

Both. I don’t get why people care so much about what others do.

I agree, but it's good to hear how others handle things.

 

[Texican]

Both. I don’t get why people care so much about what others do.

I don’t think it’s so much that… people are merely discussing things that are bass related. Maybe a discussion forum called “Talkbass” isn’t the best place to have discussions where we talk about bass, but I don’t think it’s that serious no matter which side of the “debate” (lol) one falls under.

Now wrapping a drum set to look like a B-15?… that’s as professional as a man can get

 

[P1KW]

I don't have spare strings, but I do have several basses, in case more than one fails.
I also have a spare van, with its respective driver, you never know.

If the concert is outdoors, I contract another concert in a nearby bar or pub, if it rains the second one is not cancelled.
For this matter I take out "it didn't rain" insurance in order to indemnify the bar or pub.

The most complicated thing is to take a wife, with the respective mother-in-law, as backup in case I get divorced before, during, or after the concert.
This issue is very complicated, it always causes me problems with my wife or with my support, but security is important.

On occasion, at big concerts, with a big star, I've brought a backup band, with their respective backup instruments, their respective backup vans, backup gigs, and assorted backup wives and mothers-in-law.

Jokes aside, I think there are two ways of seeing life, one in which everything is a perfect scenario, in which everything is planned and nothing can or should go wrong. A theater. A nice makeup.
The other way is that things are as they are. If it goes well, ok, if it goes wrong, ok. Let's be sympathetic and tolerant.

As a musician, producer, and event promoter, I believe that if you do things right beforehand, things will generally work out.
As Asterix said, the only serious problem is that the sky falls on us.

Greetings!

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Maybe 8-9 years ago, I saw The Meters at the Austin City Limits theater. In the middle of the show, George Porter (one of the all time greats) broke a string on his P Bass during a song.

The band just kept playing while he walked over to the side of the sage, grabbed a string out of his case, and proceeded to change the string right there on stage. He tuned up, and was right back in the song. No tech, no back-up bass, no stopping the show... he didn't even take the bass off.

SMOOTH!

I get the impression that pausing to put on a new string is a disaster to be avoided at all costs. It's not. The Earth continues to spin.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I just like to play the ones I have so always bring two, always play both. Change at break. All are passives with their own strap so this including the guitar cable I carry I'm covered for about all emergencies.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Here is the bare minimum for any bassist (assuming you have an amp AND front of house support with monitors)…

1.) Bass with strap, and spare battery if active.

2.) Extra set of strings, and maybe snips to clip them.

3.) Tuner

4.) A DI box incase amp fails.

5.) Instrument cable that has been tested prior to gig, but really you should have a spare as well.

This is the bare minimum. Yes, you are irresponsible and unprofessional for not AT LEAST doing the minimum. I’m not talking about showing up to an open jam session at a local bar where the entire crowd is just the musicians waiting to play… I’m talking about the gigs when you’re paid to be a professional. Imagine if you called a plumber out to your house and he showed up with no pipe wrenches.

I must be the luckiest, most unprofessional bass player alive. How else to explain why I don't bring anything but extra strings and have managed to maintain a reputation as decent, reliable player for all these years?

 

[TK1820]

Show off...

Well, if you are going to write this stuff off your taxes you have to use it...

 

[Mildew Jones]

I bring 2 basses to gigs (not fly dates) because I'm that guy that had a passive P bass die mid gig...
MJ