I have broken 3 strings in 20 years, 1 E and 1 A on a Fender Jazz and the E on my Bongo 5, I never used to bring a back up but I always do now, tuned up ready to go!
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Why bring a backup?
- Thread starter savit260
- Start date
I almost always bring two, just for variety. Sometimes I change it up between sets just because I can. The only time I bring one is if it's a real low-key thing and maybe there's already another one at the gig that I can borrow if something goes wrong.
I gigged successfully without incident for 20 years with one bass, the same bass even. Then, I joined TB. I have since added two more basses. TB has shown me the errors of my ways and that I was obviously insane and living on borrowed time gigging only one bass, so I usually take two.
And since the player with the most gear wins, I don't want anyone to think I only have one bass.
And since the player with the most gear wins, I don't want anyone to think I only have one bass.
I have never had to use a back up amp or bass, however I would not leave home without either.
i have my GK MB-500 stacked on top of my GK 1001RB ready to go just in case.
I have been using my new Jaguar as my primary, but i usually bring my Dan Electro Long Horn of a P bass as a back up.
i have my GK MB-500 stacked on top of my GK 1001RB ready to go just in case.
I have been using my new Jaguar as my primary, but i usually bring my Dan Electro Long Horn of a P bass as a back up.
For several months, I gigged without a backup bass. It wasn't by choice, but it was the only bass I had. Now I have two basses, and I take both to gigs. I intend to play both basses live.
I also have a backup amp, spare speaker and instrument cables, spare 9v batteries, tools (wrenches, hex keys, pliers, etc.), and a few other odds and ends.
I also have a backup amp, spare speaker and instrument cables, spare 9v batteries, tools (wrenches, hex keys, pliers, etc.), and a few other odds and ends.
I bring three basses, a back up amp (Sansamp BDDI), spare cables, straps (with strap locks, broke one once), batteries, two sets of strings, tools, and sometimes my own beer!
For me, I don't bring a back-up bass just the same as I don't bring an extra car towing behind me when I go to visit my parents an hour and a half down the road. And be assured cars will break down more than basses.
I think for some its a justification to have extra basses lying around. Not that its bad...but just sayin'. I think if the music requires having two basses with you is sweet...but I've played something like 300 live performances on stage in the last 5-6 years and have neither broken a string nor had a bass "break down".
I have also seen many bar concerts where guitarists break strings and change them on the spot. If I'm playing with my prized Gibson SG, I'm gonna take 2 minutes to slap a new string on way before I whip out my MIM Strat or Epi. Same with someone with a bass. Bass strings are even easier to string up. I bet I could do it in 2 minutes...and I'm sure others can do it much faster. It's a good test for a band to be able to interact with the audience during that 2 minutes. And if its just a house band for a bar, nobody will give a crap. People know the mechanics behind playing music, and unless they are impatient drunks they will forgive you.
Either way, I see the justification for having a backup but I also see alot of guys on tb crabbing about bass weights and amp weights...but are ready and willing to drag around 3 basses to gigs.
I think for some its a justification to have extra basses lying around. Not that its bad...but just sayin'. I think if the music requires having two basses with you is sweet...but I've played something like 300 live performances on stage in the last 5-6 years and have neither broken a string nor had a bass "break down".
I have also seen many bar concerts where guitarists break strings and change them on the spot. If I'm playing with my prized Gibson SG, I'm gonna take 2 minutes to slap a new string on way before I whip out my MIM Strat or Epi. Same with someone with a bass. Bass strings are even easier to string up. I bet I could do it in 2 minutes...and I'm sure others can do it much faster. It's a good test for a band to be able to interact with the audience during that 2 minutes. And if its just a house band for a bar, nobody will give a crap. People know the mechanics behind playing music, and unless they are impatient drunks they will forgive you.
Either way, I see the justification for having a backup but I also see alot of guys on tb crabbing about bass weights and amp weights...but are ready and willing to drag around 3 basses to gigs.
You aren't being paid to visit your parents. When you are being paid it is a good idea to be professional and have a backup.
You might not bring an extra car but I'll bet you bring a cell phone in case of car trouble.... thing is a cell phone won't help when you're at a gig and your bass suddenly starts cutting out in the middle of a song.
Ahaha..I knew that comment would offend people. Oh well, I liked the metaphor. And actually, I never will own a GPS, nor will I ever carry a cell phone because I'm worried about breaking down. I wouldn't buy a garbage bass that would cut out in the middle of a song, nor would I treat a good one like crap so it does start doing that. That's my solution.
How do you know? Maybe I charge my parents by the hour to converse with me. Either way, you didn't get the point. The point was - cars break down more than guitars...so why am I not towing a car behind me wherever I go?
Have you had a bass break down on stage? If so, was it a Squier, an SX, a cheap Fender, or the sort...or something that was treated badly? If the answer is yes...well...think about it.
Yes, I have had a bass break on stage. I mentioned it earlier in this thread. It was not a cheap bass, it was an '87 Gibson IV that had a jack fail causing it to cut out whenever I moved. That was one of the few gigs that I didn't take a backup - and I needed one. Try standing perfectly still for a three hour gig sometime....
I take extremely good care of my basses. I have a '76 Gibson Thunderbird that I bought new and it is in excellent shape after being my main bass for 20 years.
I also had a problem with a Carvin B4, and I broke a Gotoh tuner on an Ergo electric upright (although luckily I was at practice and not on a gig). I have been gigging for 30 years, so it is not surprising that I've had a few instrument failures. I've also had batteries fail, cords fail, etc., but I also take spares of those. I don't take a spare amp, but I do have a DI so that in emergencies I can go through the PA (on small gigs where I'm not already going through the PA).
I treat a gig like any other job. I wouldn't show up to my day job unprepared, and I won't show up to a gig unprepared. This is something I learned from experience.
Understandable. I still will go with not worrying about it that much. If it craps out once every 7 years...well, I will have saved 7 years of backache from lugging multiple everything around, and maybe lost a couple hours of pay. Plus, I don't expect that everyone can afford two basses or amps.
I usually just bring one and I really don't need a backup, quite honestly. First off, a lot of my gigs I'm flying and one bass is hard enough, let alone two. Second, I double on upright, so I've already created a PITA situation for myself without complicating it with an extra bass. Third, I haven't broken a string in years or had a major problem. Fourth, there is no fourth. Fifth, I played for years with only one bass available to me because I was broke so I'm used to it.
Yeah, it will probably bite me on the butt one day, but it's only music so who cares? I don't recommend it to others, but so far I've been OK with it.
Yeah, it will probably bite me on the butt one day, but it's only music so who cares? I don't recommend it to others, but so far I've been OK with it.
Back up is common sense. Aside from crossing borders or carrying around 2 uprights (they both just seem like unbeatable excuses), you're assuming when you don't have back up.
And back up isn't necessarily a junker bass. I suppose though, that by the third set, I wanna change up basses to spark my own interest a little...
And back up isn't necessarily a junker bass. I suppose though, that by the third set, I wanna change up basses to spark my own interest a little...
I always carry a spare, even though I get different basses for different sounds, so if I have to switch, it changes the sound of the song a bit.
My strings are only 4-5 years old, I figure I have a good 3-4 years before I have to start worrying about breaking a string
The spare strings are lightly used, so they are already cut to length and ready to be put on. I'm not sure how long it would take, I've never had to do it
Also, if the gig is important, I will bring a spare. If the gig is moderately important, but a distance away, I will also bring a spare. But, for example, freebies I will not bring a spare. You get what you pay for
I have enough tools with me to repair almost any problem other than a cracked neck. But it would take time.
I also heard of a guy in Nashville, who has his original 1964 strings still on his Fender Jazz. I really like that dead thump sound. I wear boxing gloves when I play, to get that same sound. That way I can change strings every few weeks.
