Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Best gear at gigs?


Recommended Posts

Being more-or-less retired, I look at my kit from time to time.........

I have some frighteningly good Matamp (valve) 300 watters, which are mint, never having been out.

If I were to consider gigging, I think I'd use my Crown 2000, which is immaculate, but not

irreplaceable if 'something' happened.........does anyone else have kit which is 'too nice to use'?

Or am I just being 'old'?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Depends on what and where. My 1966 EB2 is too fragile and valuable to gig anyplace I might have the chance. I don't gig my drop-dead-gorgeous GMR single-cut in Manchester because I'd be asking to be hit on the head walking back through the city centre to the train station, and I don't gig her at my local om because it would just look like showing off - it would feel like turning up wearing a silk evening gown.

An interesting way of thinking about what my ambition is as a bass player, is to get to the standard where I can play venues where I would actually feel safe gigging either of them.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been using my Fender Jazz 75 American Vintage Reissue for the 30 or so gigs we've done this year and had my Fender FSR 70's Precision sitting on stage as back up. The last few gigs I have used the Precision and it seems pointless having such an amazing, expensive Jazz sitting doing nothing so I'm thinking of leaving it at home and buying a cheap Squire Precision as backup. The chances of me breaking a string is so small and the Squire will be good enough to use if I ever need to. I'm also not precious about my basses and more than happy if they get beaten up but the Jazz is mint and is a discontinued model so maybe I should look after it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most gigs I use my ‘good’ gear but occasionally we play rowdier pub gigs (my favourite gigs as it happens) and for those I use the cheap stuff. I’m not worried about stuff getting damaged necessarily, but playing eyeball to eyeball with an up for it crowd means that inevitably beer can get spilt, mic stands can get knocked etc. 

I look after my gear and don’t abuse it, but I’m not precious about it and if it gets dinged in the line of duty then so be it. I’d just rather the cheap stuff got dinged than the expensive stuff. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't use my 63 P-bass on gigs. Much as I would like to, it's just not feasible in my main band at the moment, and ironically not so either when I dep with others in pubs and stuff. I do use it sometimes when it's viable / safe, e.g. - got a pal's birthday coming up soon which if I'm asked will be ideal for me to play it in the 'house' band ( will take a spare along in case anyone I don't know fancies a blast after a few too many sherberts ).

It kinda goes against the grain a bit for me really, as everything else I have basswise gets used at some time, and I'm not a big fan of keeping stuff that doesn't earn it's keep so to speak. It's just that along with it being quite valuable, its also very precious to me as it belonged to an ex-bandmate who passed away, so I'll never part with it and feel honour bound to look after it and hopefully play it too.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think there's such thing as too good to be used. It's made for a purpose ultimately. Now, there's different gear that I would take to different gigs. But, I've got a brand new (well it was in October when I got it) Aguilar rig, and I've got an Alpher in the process of being built at the moment. That'll be my touring setup, both are pieces of incredible gear so they'll be used to their true purpose. However, I probably wouldn't take them down to a local pub gig. I'd take my Jazz Elite or the P for gigs like that.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

Use it. That's what it was designed/built for. It's not an ornament.

Thats my attitude also, but to be fair I'd think twice taking an origional 65 jazz or something similar down to the dog n duck. If I was a full time pro touring session player in theatres etc then I would!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have semi-retired my old basses. That's mainly to try and stop them getting too beaten up (don't get me wrong, they have plenty of real mojo). I will use them now and again on single gigs. On the other hand, I have Japanese reissue basses for when I'm touring.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only "lesser" item I take to gigs is my Vintage Tony Butler Sig Precision, as a backup to my main US Fender Precision. It`s a perfectly decent bass, will cover me for a gig should I need it and it saves me having to take 2 expensive basses along.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, BigRedX said:

I once took my 3 Gus G3 Basses and and Gus G1 Guitar to a gig. Total value along with the bass rig I was using at the time, somewhere around £25k...

Clucking bell.....I think you win the p*ss*ng contest BigRedX 😊

I take my best gear (Mike Lull M4V + EBS amp & Berg 12" cabs). I work on the principle that most will think my bass is a cheap copy (Mike who..?) so it's relatively safe from the grabbit & leggit brigade

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All my gear is there for me to use, I take a couple of basses as appropriate, most pub gigs I do are blues based, so take my US Standard Precisions (only Ps I have),  the Dead tribute gigs are larger venues, but use my MiM Jazzes there because they suit the music better. I never consider my gear to be at risk at a gig except through my own or a band mate's carelessness. Most of my basses have the odd chip out of the paint, annoying when it happens, but soon become part of the instrument's history.

Any basses that don't get gigged regularly are put up for sale, not room in the house for gear that isn't being used.

I wouldn't buy anything 'too precious' to gig with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, ricksterphil said:

Clucking bell.....I think you win the p*ss*ng contest BigRedX 😊

 

I spent most of the 80s and 90s playing in bands that used lots of synths and other high-tech gear in the days when it still very expensive in real terms. The band I was in during the 90s regularly had £30k + worth of gear on stage - synths, samplers, a digital mixer, and a sequencer to control it all as well as complex guitar and bass rigs, plus the drum kit, consequently using a £5k Gus bass (going into a rig of similar value) at a Terrortones gig didn't really concern me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The bass that makes me feel my best, play my best, sound my best is my Mike Lull T5. It cost me nearly £3k and they now cost about £4.5k new, but I play that bass at every gig.

If I had a £200 Encore that worked as well for me, then I'd play that instead.

It's not about the money ...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, I buy gear to play it, if it gets dinged or worn then that's par for the course. Taken to the other extreme. you now have manufacturers offering "Road worn" new instruments for sale, and charging more for them cos they look beaten up. WTF?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These days, in the current band, I take the minimum amount of gear required to do the job to save on set up time and load in/out journeys.  The expense of the gear doesn't really feature but ironically I'll be  using my 2 least expensive basses fairly routinely (a Mustang and a backup Mustang).  The more expensive stuff seems to be sat in HSCs other than for jams and mid-week noodling but all things change so they can stay put. 

In the past I have taken more of a swap around approach but I wasn't playing as frequently as now and could take more time in 'the occasion'. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...