Do you use your “best” bass on gigs?

[Stub Mandrel]

Performer diddled with for half an hour, then put into it's case for the first time in a long time (I had to repair the handle, and it's few outings in the last ten years have been in a jazz bass case).

[JoeEvans]

Bass players: I'd never take my favourite bass out to a gig, it might get a tiny scratch on it and that would be really upsetting.

Also bass players: just taking this one out the back to go at it with a rusty bike chain and an angle grinder for a lovely authentic-looking relic finish.

[casapete]

I haven’t used my 63 Precision regularly for a while, although it does get an airing every 

now and then on gigs where I know I won’t have to worry about it. When I was doing 

gigs in the theatre band, I was worried that once we’d soundchecked and then gone 

out for a couple of hours in search of food / drink, there was a window of opportunity 

for someone to steal it. This was further reinforced by our laptop getting nicked from

the mixing booth in one venue, and nobody saw anything! 

Ironically the bass I chose to use on those gigs has now become very special to me too-

it’s a P-Lyte and I use it for most of my electric gig / deps etc. I did around 800 gigs

with it in the previous band, so would be a tough one to lose. 

Just started a rock and roll gig in a local club so will be getting the old Precision out for

that I think. Big stage, nice audience and I’m around all the gig so happy days. 

[bassbiscuits]

Yes I gig all three of my basses. But I don’t take every bass to every gig. 
 

I try not to play $h1tholes where my kit will be stolen, but it’s more about evening out the wear and tear.
 

I suspect a drunken Saturday night pub crowd will not appreciate the tonal qualities of a vintage Fender over a cheap and cheerful Yamaha, so why bother taking it? 
 

[Chienmortbb]

11 hours ago, bassbiscuits said:

Yes I gig all three of my basses. But I don’t take every bass to every gig. 
 

I try not to play $h1tholes where my kit will be stolen, but it’s more about evening out the wear and tear.
 

I suspect a drunken Saturday night pub crowd will not appreciate the tonal qualities of a vintage Fender over a cheap and cheerful Yamaha, so why bother taking it? 
 

I took my newly set-up Aerodyne (both my most expensive bass and the one that means most to me, as I bought it with the money my Mum left me). It was a Con Club so no real issues, but I always take it when it is set upwell (7.5in radius neck so very sensitive to slight changes in temp/humidity).

 

My second bass is a Sire Marcus Miller M2. Cost about £400 including upgraded machine heads (hate cheap machine heads). Once it is set up to my liking, I will take my G4M P bass when I am happy with it. It was £150 but has had a new Bridge (£30) and new Wilkinson machine Heads (£30). 

 

[bassbiscuits]

4 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

 

Good work @Chienmortbb.

While I do gig my old precision bass quite often, my main go-to bass is a Yamaha BB604 that cost me £200 about seven years ago. 

Both sound ace, despite probably having a £3k price gap between them. 

 

[12stringbassist]

I'll take any instrument I own to a gig, as that's what I bought them for.
I don't let people get near them unless I know them, and not always then.
I will fend off people saying 'Can I have a go?' as a matter of course.

[police squad]

7 hours ago, 12stringbassist said:

I'll take any instrument I own to a gig, as that's what I bought them for.
I don't let people get near them unless I know them, and not always then.
I will fend off people saying 'Can I have a go?' as a matter of course.

if people ask me, 'can I have a go' and I tell them 'no' and they get funny, I tell them, 'it's like me asking to have a go on your girlfriend/wife/boyfrien/husband/partner'

they usually get the message

[Chienmortbb]

On 02/07/2025 at 14:18, bassbiscuits said:

Good work @Chienmortbb.

While I do gig my old precision bass quite often, my main go-to bass is a Yamaha BB604 that cost me £200 about seven years ago. 

Both sound ace, despite probably having a £3k price gap between them. 

 

I have gigged a £1200 bass £300 bass and a £50 (SH) bass. None have let me down. Ironically, the £50 one is that only one that has had no hardware changes, only new pots and jack socket. 

Edited Saturday at 15:09 by Chienmortbb

[DJ-MTD]

I play all my ridiculously expensive gear on all my gigs. That's most of the fun of having it! Although I do think I look like an asshole showing up with my 535 (and Vigier Excess backup), big ass rig and high end board. But... it makes me happy and I absolutely play better/easier on the gear I use all the time at home... so I'll keep looking like a corksniffing jackass. 

 

Also from a guy on the manufacturer side of things - we make em to be played!

[Stub Mandrel]

Definite yes Saturday: 

 

[Merton]

Yes