Guest MoJo Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I know there have been threads on this subject before but I'd value members comments A friend's recent comment on Farcebook to the effect that he'd "broken another string" got me thinking. In more than 30 years playing, I've never broken a string. I've never had a bass let me down either. I tend to go for passive basses so there's less to go wrong. On a couple of gigs, I've taken a back-up but never used it. Sometimes it sits on a stand all night or, if space is tight, it'll go back in it's case and get put in whichever room/store cupboard the venue owner has given us to store gear for the night. I'm starting to question whether I need to take a back-up or even keep a back-up. There's no question of 'rotating' my basses. My BB414 does the job perfectly and the back-up, though a great bass, just doesn't do the job as well as far as my current band is concerned. Does anyone else just take one bass to a gig or even own just one bass, leaving no option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingraybassman Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I've broken 2 in 15 years or so. Have had some minor issues here and there, but I always feel better having a back up bass. Even though I hardly ever need it. I went through a phase of having a bass in standard and a bass in Drop C, and a phase of switching basses for different songs as well in old bands. The new Precision is working so well at the moment with my current band I don't feel the need to play anything else, still always take the 'ray though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebass84 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I've never broken a string on stage or had any sort of failures but I still take a back up with me. I used to take two basses with me for different tunings but we now use the same tuning for most songs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I've never broken a string in 35 years of playing, and never had a bass fail on me when gigging. Amps, however, are another matter entirely..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I always take a backup unless the gig doesn't warrant it...and then the question is why am doing that gig anyway? I tune both up and sound check them to decide which one I will use that night. I have a preferred starter but sometimes the other bass sounds better for that gig. Both set-up the same way so it is a pick made purely on the sound on the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Never bring a backup bass but now you have got me thinking maybe I should Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) I have never broken a string in 17 years. I was gigging 4/5 times a week for nearly 3 years straight sat one point and only ever took one bass to the gig (including gigs abroad and travelling by plane and van etc). I did always have a small multitool, spare strings ready to go if needed and always had money in the bank in case the luggage carriers destroyed something and I'd just buy/hire a replacement. Never had an amp, lead, string, cab, strap or anything go wrong at a gig. Edited May 23, 2014 by skej21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I always take a backup, haven't broken a string in years but I like to choose which bass I play on the night. Both are lightweight and are easy to carry in a double gigbag along with all my other gig junk, they are also both cheapys (but nice ones!) so I don't take stands or have to keep an eye on them. I needed a backup quite recently after replacing a barrel jack with what turned out to be a faulty new part which seemed fine at home, would have been screwed if I hadn't had a second bass with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Last time I broke a string, Thatcher was in power...but if I don't take a backup, can you guess what'll happen? I take 2 basses, and like JTUK, I'll choose on the night/at the venue which I'll use. Sometimes, if the wedding/function sets have a dance/rock split between them, I'll use one bass for one set and one for the other. It's good to have stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) Like the OP I've never had bass problems or even broken a string in decades. We don't use alternative tunings (or I don't, anyway) and the extra faff of carrying a second bass just isn't worth it IMHO. If I ever again tour in a band with crew, obviously things would be different - I'd have at least one back-up then. And a couple of flight-cased SVT CLs and 8X10s, too. And probably a motorbike, my own Portaloo and a horse. Edit: I do carry spare strings though, and a BDI-21 in case of amp failure. Edited May 23, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Your horse'll never manage two SVTs with 8x10s... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 [quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1400852808' post='2457567'] Your horse'll never manage two SVTs with 8x10s... [/quote] They'll have wheels fitted... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 [quote name='Muzz' timestamp='1400852808' post='2457567'] Your horse'll never manage two SVTs with 8x10s... [/quote] Ooooo you neigh-sayer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1400852912' post='2457569'] Ooooo you neigh-sayer! [/quote] Can we keep to the mane topic, please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTB Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I have broken 2 strings and had one amp blow up in 30 years. However, I still take a bass guitar as a backup on DB gigs as uprights are fragile things and I tend to feel the show must go on & don't want to be the one who lets the side down. On bass guitar gigs, I somtimes like to play more than one bass per gig so take another more for my own enjoyment than as a backup. Can't remember ever taking a spare amp though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Never broken a string/bass - always take backup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400852997' post='2457570'] Can we keep to the mane topic, please? [/quote] Sorry, I'll stop horsing about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 [quote name='skej21' timestamp='1400853101' post='2457574'] Sorry, I'll stop horsing about... [/quote] Good - we need to rein in the puns as they stirrup too many emotions. Let's keep it all nice and stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1400853367' post='2457579'] Good - we need to rein in the puns as they stirrup too many emotions. Let's keep it all nice and stable. [/quote] In Before The Fetlock... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I always take a back up bass and amp. Never used either but law of sod dictates that if I left one at home, then that would be the very time it was needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Used to take back up basses, amps, all sorts. Whittled it down so now I take 1 bass to all but the furthest away gigs, little room on stage for spare anyway so more often than not it would just sit in the car all night. I still have the backup emergency amp (one of those little crate 50watt jobs, meant for guitar really) but the TE combo just seems indestructable and I stopped taking the crate around with me 2 or 3 bands ago. I have a spare set of strings in the bass bass but never broken on eyet, even the cheapo £5 a set jobs I've been using for the past year or so. I love these guys who turn up to gigs with their entire bass collection and spend nearly as long arranging them and tuning them as they do playing the first set. Ah well, each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I've never broken a string either. Perhaps I'm not trying hard enough! I had a single fender P for about 25 years (still have it) and it has never let me down, but I've been gigging more frequently during the past 5 years or so and not having a spare began to prey on my mind - which was a great excuse to get a second bass (a lovely J, courtesy of Lozz) and is now my main bass. But where does this 'spare' thing stop? Strings, leads, bass, amp, cab . . . .? For me, it generally stops at strings and leads - none of which have ever let me down but I carry spares because, frankly, it's easy and cheap to do so. I rarely take my 2nd bass and I've never taken my spare amp/cabs. Does anyone duplicate everything for a gig and risk leaving half of it in the car or van? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 (edited) Currently my band are doing 30min gigs, where there are 4 or 5 bands on the bill, so keeping gear to a minimum is helpful. I`ve never had a backup amp, but used to take a backup bass along, don`t bother now. Have spare strings and batteries etc, plus my trusty Tech21 VT DI. Amp failure, this goes straight to PA (and most of the time it`s already doing so). plus, most of the time I`m not even using my amp. I do have a spare of every lead in a bag in the boot of the car. Edit - glad to see that Jazz is still going strong, a lovely bass that. Edited May 23, 2014 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I've broken strings twice at rehearsals, which I take as meaning it could have been a few hours away from being at a gig, so I always take a back up bass. I do have a spare amp, but that is for when/if my main one goes to the menders for anything. For gigs I take a Behringer BDI21 by way of insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I have only taken a backup bass once that I can remember - I was gigging my Gibson Victory Artist for the first time in an unfamiliar place and I wasn't sure how well the creamy smooth sounds of the Victory would work live, so I took something I knew worked well along too. It never made it out of the bag. Other than that, sod it. I've never broken a string. Spare strings, spare batteries, spare lead, toolkit, all the belt and braces stuff is in my bag. I do have a DI box of sorts (it's actually a mic preamp, but it can work like a DI). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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