Cinderella or Rapunzel?

[colgraff]

I have recently changed my policy re which bass gets used for what. I used to keep my best bass for recording or gigs with a decent stage to keep the audience away from it. For general pub gigs my cheaper bass was brought out. However this meant that, not unlike Rapunzel, my best bass was little seen and less used and I don't seem to be getting my money's worth from it.

So now, like Cinderella, I use it for all gigs and accept that, over time, it will get dings.

What do you do?

[gelfin]

I use my best / favourite bass for gigging and take a spare. After all it's what they were made for.

[Pinball]

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1453121330' post='2956483']
I use my best / favourite bass for gigging and take a spare. After all it's what they were made for.
[/quote]
Very sensible, I use my precious only for important gigs but as a result end up not playing it as much. I'm getting better though

[neilp]

"Best" get used unless there's a VERY good reason why not. Dings and scratches usually happen when they're not being played, in my experience, so good stands are a must.

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1453121330' post='2956483']
I use my best / favourite bass for gigging and take a spare. After all it's what they were made for.
[/quote]

This. I only have 2 basses. Both of which I would consider brilliant. Certainly both of them are at a value where I would be rather unhappy if something bad happened to them. I just make sure it's supervised at all times.

[TrevorR]

Since my gigging set up with the covers/function/pub band I used to play with was my Mk 1 Wal and my Pro Series Wal, I'll let you guess which side I come down on...

Only took my FrankenJazz if 1) I just happened to fancy a bit of Jazz bass alongside my Mk 1, 2) the aesthetic required a more 60s look or 3) it was a really dodgy outdoors job where I wasn't confident of the likely conditions...

I've always taken care of my basses when playing and they remain in sight at all times so taking my Wals out of the house was never a problem for me.

[bassbiscuits]

I once bought a cheap bass for rough n ready gigs instead of taking by more expensive ones. However, the rough and ready gigs usually turned out to be the best ones, and i regretted not having my regular bass there.

So now I take a good bass, and just keep it safe (i.e. away from drunken punters, grasping hands or spilled pints)

Edited January 24, 2016 by bassbiscuits

[ambient]

I only own one bass, so use it for all my gigs.

I don't accept that it will get dented and scratched though.

A friend of mine is a cellist. Her cello was made in Italy at the beginning of the 19th century. It has survived Napoleon and 2 world wars. It has flown all over the world, and played in orchestras and theatre pits. She's quite avant-garde with regard to playing, using a pick sometimes, or the wood of the bow. While it's most definitely not mint, it's in a lot better condition than some basses you see.

Edited January 18, 2016 by ambient

[Ghost_Bass]

#1 bass gets used the most, sometimes when the strings get old i restring bass #2 and use it for the sake of variety and also to rest my shoulder a bit, it's lighter. It always makes me apreciate bass #1 when i get back to it

[Merton]

I am very lucky in that I have three "best" basses so it depends what mood I'm in

Edit - I'll clarify that.
My ACG Finn 5 is the no 1, the Finn 4 has become no 2 and Status is no 3. My function band tends to have no 1 or 3, Boogie Monsters now has no 2, but Boogie Monsters get more gigs than the function band haha

Edited January 18, 2016 by Merton