how many basses at a gig

[razze06]

one, passive, but i never use the same bass for two successive gigs. This keeps things interesting and varied.

[gazhowe]

Always 2 basses for me. Occasionally played both for different sounds but now the 2nd one is for backup only.

[nash]

i own one bass. so i take one bass. i'd take one bass if i owned two.

[stingrayPete1977]

You would until you were playing at a well paid wedding and a solder joint came undone!

[johnnylager]

One - the Spector does it all for me and it'll go passive if it goes tits up. As regards different tunings, just watch Jared Warren off The Melvins for a lesson in how to retune quickly between numbers.

[noelk27]

Two (a fretted and a fretless), both passive, 4-string examples, and a few sets of fresh strings. Could probably do the whole set on a fretless, but using a fretted allows me to concentrate on my vocals.

[nash]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='918112' date='Aug 7 2010, 04:33 PM']You would until you were playing at a well paid wedding and a solder joint came undone![/quote]

if i was in a wedding band i'd defo have a backup

[E sharp]

2 in a double gig bag .

Never used the spare - ever .

Had a sizable collection years ago , now whittled down somewhat , but in 18 yrs only ever gigged the one .

Always take the spare just in case . And regarding the tuning down mentioned , I can tune down to a C or D manually quite quickly - no need for a 5'er .

[bumnote]

Always take 2
We generally play three sets, play one in one set and the other in the second, and then whatever I feel like after that.
I do have my favourites, but I try to use them all over the weeks.

The guitarist I play with bought a ltd edition expensive les paul last year as an investment, but last week he said whats the point of having it under the bed, theres no fun in that, so he brings that out to play.

[Happy Jack]

Actually, I should mention that the ONLY time I ever gigged without a backup bass, the drummer (not my current one) knocked my bass off its stand and quickly put it back without telling me.

He also didn't tell me that one of the tuners was now snapped clean off.

As luck would have it, the gig was a 10-minute drive from home (assuming a complete disrespect for traffic regulations and the well-being of other road users) so it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but as an elegant example of Sod's Law in action it was hard to beat.

[mep]

I used to take 2 with 1 for a backup, but have got lazy lately and now just take 1. I always keep a spare set of strings in my bag just in case.

On the subject of changing between songs in a live situation it's probably not worth it, except in my case I sometimes need my fretless.

I have installed Hipsot D tuners to both my fretted basses, so which ever 1 it take it can cope with the set.

[Count Bassy]

Two: four string fretted (Used for 20%), five string fretless (80%).

[Ian Savage]

I've never felt the need for different bass SOUNDS (I've only ever been in rock bands on bass, so no fretless/five-string/whatever for me), but back when I only had one bass I snapped a string in two separate gigs in the space of a month. So I got another as a spare as soon as I could afford it, never ever gigged without a spare since - and never broken a string since

I daren't gig without a spare now, as the strings that snapped back in the day (over five years ago now!) were the A and D, which made things pretty uncomfortable to play. Mind you, you hardly ever see double bass players carrying a bloody spare, and their strings are probably about as hardy as my electric bass strings, so I suspect I'm taking two basses into the shower when I should just take one.

[Mr. Quiet]

[quote name='lojo' post='917825' date='Aug 7 2010, 11:24 AM']Assuming a lot of you guys are weekend small gig pubs, clubs and parties like me, just wondering how many basses you take and why (other than for backup)

I love playing my flats when I can, but some of the songs I do with my bands need a bit of brightness (from duran duran to guns n roses etc), so there's a reason for 2 basses

I know at my level, one simple bass would do everything, but toys are toys

Anyone gig a P type and J type bass during a gig?[/quote]

I take two, both 5 string Status Classics, one fretted, the other fretless.
I can change guitars quicker than the guitarist can select the next patch on his mega pedal, and I just LOVE the sound (and feel) of fretless on slow blues songs.
Also, as both guitars are the same colour, it looks very cool.

And finally, I tend to break strings so a back up is great for peace of mind

[JTUK]

2 J5 basses 95% of the time. I can use either sound on all our numbers but I might swap over during the break, if we have one.

Which one I start with might depend on the room..but more that happy with the sounds of either.

[Doddy]

I always take two basses to gigs. I'm using 5 strings nearly all the time lately,but I always carry both a four and five,with at least one of them being a Fender.
It's nothing to do with sound and everything to do with back up. It's way quicker to pick up another instrument than it is to fanny about restringing or whatever. Stuff like that can be done in the set break if needed.

[Chris2112]

Two - my fretted Kubicki and fretless Alembic. If either were to fail, the other could step in and the gig would be saved. They've never failed me yet though!

[molan]

I always take 2 basses, spare leads, strings and my little outboard Sadowsky pre-amp.

I've only ever had one bass 'failure' & that was only an E String that suddenly popped - it was my fault, bass was headless but you could clamp regular strings rather than using double ball end. I'd been a bit 'over enthusiastic' with my clamping technique & had virtually snapped the end of the string off.

Had an amp blow a fuse & the Sadowsky was a life saver, just went straight into the foh instead with a little bass through monitors.

Worst thing that happened to me once was when a lead inextricably failed just as we were about to encore. I didn't carry a spare and the only thing I had was a 1 foot patch lead. Had to play the two encore songs with the bass up around my ears at a crazy angle whilst jamming myself up against the amp & cabs. The band thought I was just 'showing off', lol.

[stingrayPete1977]

I melted the cheap speakon lead that Bass direct gave me with the Genz Benz at the first gig I had with it! Now sorted by bassic-bits with a chunky one.

[Rayman]

Two basses, always, a 4 and a 5.

I've seen some musicians, including our guitarist, and other bass players, with 4 or 5 instruments on stands behind them, which to me, is ridiculous.

[rOB]

always 2 and spare strings.

They are both fretted 4 strings and I only ever play one. I've never had a failure but can't stand the worry of snapping a string mid song and having to change strings on stage in front of a crowd.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Rayman' post='918686' date='Aug 8 2010, 12:43 PM']I've seen some musicians, including our guitarist, and other bass players, with 4 or 5 instruments on stands behind them, which to me, is ridiculous.[/quote]

The day I can afford roadies, I may take a huge fridge of a speaker cab. Or two. And 5 basses. And a tambourine in its own stand. Probably a kazoo as well.

Until then, it's my small lightweight head with one or two smallish cabs (but they rattle walls at 100 paces, I tell you ) and 1-2 basses. Usually 1, in the smaller gigs which is what we mostly do, where if you break a string it's not a big deal to have a 2min break.

I'm looking into these dual instrument gigbags. Like the Ibanez here:

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/ibanez_double_bag_trolley_ebass.htm"]Ibanez dual bass trolley gigbag at Thomann[/url]

they look interesting and not expensive...

any experiences here?

Can it still be carried ok on your back (it'll be heavy, but it leaves hands free... so as long as it's built ok and doesn't break, I am ok with the weight)

[nick]

Just the one usually.
P-Bass with flats for R&B,soul,disco,60's etc gigs & a P-Bass with rounds for 80's,indie,rock gigs. If it's a wedding might take a back-up, though I've never had to needed to. Manage to get get enough variations in tone for what I do from one bass & my fingers or a pick.

Edited August 8, 2010 by nick

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Rayman' post='918686' date='Aug 8 2010, 12:43 PM']Two basses, always, a 4 and a 5.

I've seen some musicians, including our guitarist, and other bass players, with 4 or 5 instruments on stands behind them, which to me, is ridiculous.[/quote]

The guy in one of my bands takes 4,But to be fair his Tele is tuned entirely down half a step all 6 strings for a couple of numbers,His Les Paul is tuned very odd to play the keyboard part in the middle of the Killers when we were young (other guitarist plays most of the main part) Then for most of the set he uses an SG because its light and Raunchy sounding which leaves his Strat for the gentle stuff like the La's and James that sort of shizzle.No one wants to watch a guy retune a Tele after altering all six string do they and with a line up like that there is no style he cant get just the right sound for.As long as he carries it all its OK with me.

[witterth]

[quote name='noelk27' post='918122' date='Aug 7 2010, 04:39 PM']Two (a fretted and a fretless), both passive, 4-string examples, and a few sets of fresh strings. Could probably do the whole set on a fretless, but using a fretted allows me to concentrate on my vocals.[/quote]
Wow allmost word for word what I was going to say!!
Carry on, that man.