Do you use your “best” bass on gigs?

[Cat Burrito]

I tend to rotate my basses so whether playing at home, recording or gigging, each one gets treated the same. I can't justify having nice kit if it isn't getting used. An unused bass is a holiday that I can't go on because the money is tied up in an unused instrument. 

[fretmeister]

Yes.

 

No point owning it otherwise.

 

Insure it properly and gig it.

[Lozz196]

I`m not that fussed about damage to my basses - they`re Fenders so not too much that can seriously do them in, it`s more if someone stole them. I`d be annoyed if any of them got nicked but my fave, well if that went walkies it would make me seriously unhappy hence why I don`t gig it. 

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, Cat Burrito said:

I tend to rotate my basses so whether playing at home, recording or gigging, each one gets treated the same. I can't justify having nice kit if it isn't getting used. An unused bass is a holiday that I can't go on because the money is tied up in an unused instrument. 

 

I'll happily forgo a fancy holiday for a lovely bass I will treasure for a life time.

 

Each to their own eh?

[Steve Browning]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

I'll happily forgo a fancy holiday for a lovely bass I will treasure for a life time.

 

Each to their own eh?

 

Indeed, the best bass I bought for 260 quid will pay for a few holidays for my eldest when she gets her mitts on it (and I have no more use for it).

Edited yesterday at 12:11 by Steve Browning

[Mrbigstuff]

15 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Question for everyone:

 

Is a bass only "properly played " at a gig? If you choose to make music on a bass at home is that not "playing" it? Why would that be true for a bass but not a piano?

 

Doesn't that kinda assume that a bass player can only ever play his instrument as part of a live band? What if you're not in a band?

 

 

 

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

Yes.

 

No point owning it otherwise.

 

Insure it properly and gig it.

I guess this sort of view is what inspired @Al Krow’s question. I guess there is more chance of damage on a gig, but I tend to play anywhere between 30-90 mins a day at home, so not far off a common gig duration. My preference is to own mint or excellent condition instruments.

[Cat Burrito]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

 

I'll happily forgo a fancy holiday for a lovely bass I will treasure for a life time... Each to their own eh?

 

Absolutely each to their own, yes. Just to be clear though I was not setting any conditions on bass ownership. If someone has an expensive / rare / irreplaceable bass that they don't want to take out, it is a decision entirely for them. I'm just thinking if I don't play something (home or live), I personally can't justify keeping it - I don't have the spare cash. And sadly, my holidays aren't even fancy! 😸

[Lozz196]

Yeah I get that, I’m going to Carlisle for a long weekend soon and it’s £350 before I’ve spent anything on food/refreshments. 

[MacDaddy]

In reply to the OP, yup! 😁

 

I'm in the 'I buy 'em to play 'em' camp.

[JoeEvans]

I think for me the 'best' instrument - the one I value the most - is always going to be the one I most enjoy playing out with, so by definition I always gig with my best instrument!

[crazycloud]

Sure, why not?

I also played my cheapest 6 at a local village gig a while back. Depends on my mood.

[Lozz196]

I also have another reason for not gigging my fave/best bass, as my back has got rotten I can now only play lighter weight short-scale basses, so a 10lb Precision doesn`t work for me anymore. But as said I play it stacks at home so it`s not being wasted, but even if I were no longer able to do that it has too much sentimental value to move on.

[BassAdder60]

Years back I had a USA PRS Custom which I did gig but started to leave it in its case and played a USA Strat instead for most pub gigs !

With bass I played live every bass I owned 

[fretmeister]

19 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

 

I guess this sort of view is what inspired @Al Krow’s question. I guess there is more chance of damage on a gig, but I tend to play anywhere between 30-90 mins a day at home, so not far off a common gig duration. My preference is to own mint or excellent condition instruments.

 

 

I think that normal use damage / wear and tear and the odd accident are unavoidable for just about everything. 

Even for a sitting down jazz performance at some point a music stand is going to get bumped into an instrument, or the player themselves is going to stand up and collide with something.

 

I gave up worrying about that sort of thing years ago as it was limiting my enjoyment of my instruments.

 

I do my best to minimise damage of course, but some things are just unavoidable even if just playing at home.

[TrevorR]

On 23/06/2025 at 11:44, neepheid said:

I gig all my basses, regardless of how much they cost.  Instruments which don't get gigged get sold.

 

Edit: I'll expand upon my answer.  While none of my basses are truly "irreplaceable" I do own several which would be a monumental PITA to replace in terms of sourcing, plus any mods I've made to make them play/operate the way I want them to.  So while not strictly speaking "irreplaceable", I'd rather bloody not have to!

 

I own basses which make me happy, and I'm happiest when I'm playing them.  So they get played.  I take simple precautions when out and about - not leaving them unattended (there is at least one band member in the "stage" area at all times), using an appropriate stand for the bass (like not trying to precariously balance a T-bird on a mini stand for instance) and just taking the time and care to handle them properly.  Been gigging since 2009, and not once have I had a bass stolen, picked up and mucked about with, knocked over or damaged.  Not saying it's impossible, but with some simple safeguards, chances can be minimised.

I couldn’t have written that better myself. That’s my philosophy exactly. All of my basses get played out because I love playing all of them and I’ve always taken good care of them as you have. For example, this was my gigging set up for a decade playing in pub, function and wedding bands…

 

 

Never had a qualm about taking my Wals out and they never had any mishaps with due care and attention. OK, for an open air gig in dodgy weather I might take my Frankenjazz instead, or I might take it just coz I fancy playing it.

 

My most sentimental bass is my Aria SB700 - my first bass bought new as an 18th birthday pressie by my Mum and Dad. I’ll never part with it but, again, I’ll happily play it out (like at this 80s theme night from last year…)

 

[Rodders]

I do, (Dingwall ABZ) its already second hand over 10 years old, already has plenty of dings etc, like others have said no point in having it and not playing it. 

I have been in that position many times before, when I got my US precision 10 years ago second hand it was mint, I debated selling it for a relic model but in the end it played so well I just accepted that it will (I'm very clumsy) not be mint for long and they are meant to be played. 

[Rich]

Hell yes, no point in having them otherwise. The Shuker comes out for Destroyers gigs, and at the moment it's the Spector (my best currently-working 4) for Skaville gigs. My Wal Pro is up on blocks at the moment, needing some serious electronical fettling, but as soon as it's match fit it'll be coming out to play ska. None of my basses are case queens.

[martthebass]

At the minute I tend to use my cheapest bass on most gigs (a Sandy Lionel) but that's only because it's the most suitable for this band and the majority of the venues we play.  I do have one case queen (a Status CW1) that was bought for me with money left by my Mum so I have a sentimental attachment, however it gets played often at home and is not a wall ornament.

[Jack]

I've had a particular bass for over 20 years that I have a lot of sentimental attachment to, and now I do think about where and when that ones leaves the house. If my house was on fire it would be my childhood teddy bear and that bass that I grabbed first and second.

 

Other than that though it's fair game, if I have bought a bass then it's to play.

[Mrbigstuff]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

 

 

I think that normal use damage / wear and tear and the odd accident are unavoidable for just about everything. 

Even for a sitting down jazz performance at some point a music stand is going to get bumped into an instrument, or the player themselves is going to stand up and collide with something.

 

I gave up worrying about that sort of thing years ago as it was limiting my enjoyment of my instruments.

 

I do my best to minimise damage of course, but some things are just unavoidable even if just playing at home.

True, one of my big problems with gigging in general is it relies on other people. And we all know drummers tend to be the clumsy ones.

 

I took best instrument to mean most expensive, at least for me they’re the same thing. Mine is an Overwater fretless J4.

 

[Bassman1974]

For a rough pub gig / tight space, I'd probably use either a Precision or one of three Jazz basses that I have. I'd likely leave the Ric at home though.

 

Had a 60's Hofner 500/1 for a while, but always felt like it was too fragile to gig. That one's long gone.

[BlueMoon]

Mine all get used. The selection comes down to the type of music being played as the usual reason for final selection. If unknown in advance, then a P bass comes along.

[knirirr]

My best (and most expensive bass) is an acoustic upright so that really ought to come out for jazz gigs. It has only been broken once (neck crack from a fall when unloading afterwards). 
For a local jam in cramped quarters I use an EUB I got cheaply on Ebay. I would do the usual trick of a fancy carved bass for gigs and a cheap laminated one for jams, if I had space for two acoustics.