thebassman Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I have started doing more and more function and corporate gigs, obviously cannot afford to have an amp stop working during a gig. I have been thinking about getting one the new lightweight D class amps to take as a spare. I would love an Orange Terror, but i know i wouldn't bother carrying it with me all the time. I haven't got the option of using the PA as it is only really suitable for vocals and a bit of lead guitar. What does anyone else do? cheers thebassman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I keep a KORG Pandora in my gigbag so that worst case scenario I can use that as a preamp and then go into the PA/Foldback. Carting around even a cheap spare amp (regardless of weight) seems excessive for the very unlikely event that your main amp goes belly up... do those who use a single cab carry a spare cab or at minimum replacement driver? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Spare amp and also Hartke VXL di/preamp thingy just in case taken to every gig. Its being professional i think - we're getting paid to do a job and not let anyone down on the night so we cover most potential problem scenarios. Drummer has a spare snare, guitarist has 2 amps in a roadcase and 2 cabs, i have 2 separate amps and cabs in case one blows, we all have a spare guitar. We did a big gig in Cornwall last bank holiday which involved a lot of travelling, big audience, good pay and got to thinking "what if an amp blows at 10pm - we're stuffed!!" so made a few investments since then. Good for peace of mind i think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 The last time I did an equipment refresh I kept the amp I was replacing (a Hartke HA3000) and relegated it to backup. I've never needed it, but it's there if I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 No. For the simple reason I have a DI box for such things should the worse happen. Also, what happens when your back up also fails, take one for that too? That of course is being pedantic . I suppose if you're in a band that does well paid gigs with loads of gigs and you have a van etc, then it's certainly worth it if it gives you peace of mind. But for a pub band, then no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilLordJuju Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I use a lot of valve heads... I used to take an Ashdown superfly with me - space in the car was always an issue, and it is pretty small really - it was also pretty cheap. After a while of nothing ever blowing I stopped taking it - and you can guess what happened almost immediately.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Behringer BDI21 - should my amp go down, play through this into the PA, have some of it through the monitors. Each band member has a monitor, so all good there for the drummer. The sound from these little boxes is pretty good too, and at £40ish, a great investment to sit in your gig bag and hopefully never need to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 EBS Reidmar, small, light, killer sound, and effin loud!! Unfortunately I love it so much, my Eden is now my backup!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I see not many people are reading the bit about the PA not being able to take the bass, not much use having a DI box! I have a Shuttle 6.0 as my main amp and a Shuttle 3.0 as a spare/for anyone else wanting to use my rig on the night, not exactly hard to carry and both function as no load required DI boxes if that is an option, The valve/FET pre amps can still be used too warm it up a bit. The 3.0 also gets used as my main practice amp with a 1x10 at home, the same or something similar is as they say FTW, not much bigger than a DI box but can get you out of the sh*t where a DI box cant always Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 [quote name='derrenleepoole' timestamp='1341932161' post='1726418'] No. For the simple reason I have a DI box for such things should the worse happen. Also, what happens when your back up also fails, take one for that too? That of course is being pedantic . I suppose if you're in a band that does well paid gigs with loads of gigs and you have a van etc, then it's certainly worth it if it gives you peace of mind. But for a pub band, then no. [/quote] Disagree. I play in a pub band that gets well paid and a back up is an absolute necessity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 No spare amp, just DI box for emergencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I don't have a back up amp, but what about specialist insurance? Does that not get an emergency replacement out to you straight away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 The AA....... Amp Association Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebassman Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1341941795' post='1726708'] I see not many people are reading the bit about the PA not being able to take the bass, not much use having a DI box! I have a Shuttle 6.0 as my main amp and a Shuttle 3.0 as a spare/for anyone else wanting to use my rig on the night, not exactly hard to carry and both function as no load required DI boxes if that is an option, The valve/FET pre amps can still be used too warm it up a bit. The 3.0 also gets used as my main practice amp with a 1x10 at home, the same or something similar is as they say FTW, not much bigger than a DI box but can get you out of the sh*t where a DI box cant always [/quote] That's true Pete, DI through the PA is not an option for me. The shuttle 3.0 sounds like a good option, I will have a look out for one. I have tried out a streamliner 600 and thought it sounded nice. Is the sound similar? Cheers Thebassman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I've got a Sansamp PBDDI that I use as a drive pedal so can use that into PA for smaller gigs should the inevitable happen. However for bigger gigs where the PA would be pushed to take the bass as well I have got an ABM500 head that I chuck in the car just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 It's more of a clean tone than the Streamliner from everyone else's opinions, sure it's not an Ampeg but it weighs less than 100 of them and so what if you have a sans amp with great sounds, if you can't go through the pa we can't hear you obviously you could get a sansamp or similar plus a class D amp if that's the sound your after £40 on top of the amp would cover almost every situation other than a power cut! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Btw before I got the 3.0 I had a Laney head that cost me £100, I just left it in the van unless it was a wedding/function then I would set it up and leave it at the back within arms reach just in case, it was something to do while the speeches dragged on and on ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1341944173' post='1726808'] Btw before I got the 3.0 I had a Laney head that cost me £100, I just left it in the van unless it was a wedding/function then I would set it up and leave it at the back within arms reach just in case, it was something to do while the speeches dragged on and on ....... [/quote] Same as I do, just leave the ABM in the car unless I need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 It was because of my temperamental ABM I started doing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Without wishing to tempt fate, the ABM was my main amp for about 8 years and I never had a single problem with it. So you can guarantee the next time I go to use it, it's probably gonna explode now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 We always carry a spare power amp in the van..... I have a DI box in my bag so in case of emergency I can use one of the monitors and create a temporary bass rig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Playing double bass, my requirements are more modest perhaps but I always have a GK MB200 in the car as backup. It's so small it can fit in the glove compartment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 All depends on how far we're travelling, how I'm getting there, what the PA situation is and how much we're being paid. Reliable kit that you know well, look after and is well serviced usually doesn't break down. I'm more likely to take a spare bass than a spare amp. Strings are the weakest link for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longmayyourun Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 I always take my PJB D200 as backup since my main head died on a wedding gig and I spent the whole evening plugged into a powered monitor (not something I'd want to do again) PJB is ridiculously small and light, but surprisingly loud if you give it a warm signal. (The Trace, by the way, had developed a dry solder joint, now fixed, and has never missed a beat since. I still don't go out without a backup) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godfrey Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 My policy is two of everything. My usual rig involves two cabs anyway so unlikely both will go down together. Spare amp head left in the car and spare bass taken into the venue but usually left in the case. Also carry a bag with spare guitar strap, strings, batteries, cables, fuses, tools, insulating and gaffer tape, etc., etc. To me it's just another element of professionalism. Having never had a problem in years, I let the habit of taking a spare bass slip until I got well and truely bitten in the backside - a failure in the internal wiring meant a 25 mile drive home to get another bass then back again, and the band had to do the first set without me. You can't cover every single possibilty but I think it definitely pays in terms of peace of mind and even cost to do as much as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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