2 basses to a gig?

[Vistajohn]

I now own a fretless as well as my standard P Bass. At first I would take either one bass or the other to a gig. But, I am starting to think it would be just as much fun to have both basses with me and I've started taking both. Any body else take more than one bass with you when you play out?

[tommykemmrich]

I always carry two basses. My tobias killer b 5 string and a fender marcus miller signature. Different songs require a different sound and its always nice to have a backup. Recently I was playing in a wedding band and the output jack on my tobias malfunctioned. I just putit down and picked up the fender. No big hassle I just dropped out for a few measures (nobody listens to the bass anyway right). Some people might say the extra effort and room a second bass takes makes it inefficient, but nobody seems to look twice if a guitar player brings 2 or even 3 instruments.

[picker]

What tommykemmrich said. I like the clank of frets on some things and the mwah of fretless on others. Maybe it's because as a guitar player I carry around both Les Paul and a Strat style guitars, as well as 12 strings and acoustics, but carrying around more than one soundis pretty natural.

[rockinredneck69]

I always have a back-up. I learned the easy way though...my E string busted just as I was heading into the solo for "Brown Eyed Girl" one night, happened to be the first time I had a spare on its stand right behind me. Weird thing was that the leader of the band insisted I have a spare that night. The song suffered just a bit, but we managed to keep it together as the lead guitar player caught on instantly and helped with the bass switch over...in the end it worked out. It's also nice to change if you prefer the tone of one instrument over another for a particular song.

[moot]

I used to always take a back up but have gotten away from that lately. Seems I rarely had a need and it was just one more thing to worry about. I carry extra strings in stead and have gotten very fast at changing - 3 minutes tops.

 

[BenLoy]

I live in NY, where bringing two basses means having a back and shoulders that are twice as sore when I get home. I usually only bring one bass.

[getz out]

I have never, mostly for the same reason as BenLoy and also because I would probably finish the set with a broken string if necessary.

[jeremy c]

When I know that the gig will involve some jazz and some funk, I'll bring a fretted and a fretless, unless the load-in to the gig is horrible, such as the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.

[jcadmus]

I used to bring a couple basses, but most of the stuff I do now calls either for my active 5 or my passive 4, so I just bring one.

 

If something cropped up where I needed both, I might bring them both.

[Basshappi]

I've taken a second bass to a gig, but never as a backup. I only bring it if I'm going to play it.

[jeremy c]

I've taken a second bass to a gig, but never as a backup. I only bring it if I'm going to play it.

What he said.

[Phil W]

I think that back-up basses are probably unnecessary. How often do you break strings on stage? Anyway, I could chande a string in a couple of minutes.

 

Bringing more instruments for musical reasons, undoubtedly a fine reason to bring more than one though. I only have one bass but then I'm not a pro if I was I'd have to have more. This means I bring my fretless even to gigs where a fretted would better suit - but I don't get any complaints - fretless is way more versatile than many realise.

[dhomer]

About 3 years ago when I first started playing 5-string I brought 2 basses to the gigs. The 5-string was pure country, and the 4 that I had was much better voiced for the classic rock. I devised a setup using an A/B switch and a couple of compressor pedals so I could just set one down, hit a switch, pick the other one up and go. Once I found a 5-string that could handle everything I went back to carrying one instrument.. I love simplicity...

[Wally Malone]

Since getting my F Bass BN5 it has become my go to bass, but there are a few tunes that beg for my Kubicki. One is a song that my wife and I co-wrote that is based on a funk groove that incorporates open E's. The other song I would use it on is "Back in Love Again". I do that in D and the Kubicki gives me an open low D that works well in the solo I do at the end of the song. If I know those songs are on the set list for that day I will take both basses. Yes, I can play both songs on the fiver as well, just not the same as on the Kubicki. More than having a bass just as a spare on a gig I believe I'd rather have an extra amp head, especially if the PA isn't big enough to go direct if necessary.

 

Wally

[Paul K]

One only. WHenver I get a desire to switch to "the other" is the only time that the bandleader does a quick count to the next tune.....

[Michele C.]

Phew, I do not even have the time to turn the tone knobs before they have counted four. That's what happens with a computer assisted guitarist (CAG).

[Lenny B]

The only time i took a spare bass to a gig I broke a string and needed it.

Which was lucky.

 

The question is, would i have broken a string if i didn't have the spare...?

 

 

[omegamike]

Years ago I performed at a 'battle of the bands' type show and broke a string on my bass. I had plenty of time to canvass other bass players to see if I could borrow a bass - so I think the string broke before I even got on stage (I must have been tuning or something?). Anyway, went from my usual 5er to a four and made some pretty huge screw ups and felt pretty embarrassed. I got a second fiver a few months later prior to a big concert gig opening for Nazareth. Since then I always bring two basses but out of more than 100 shows I've only needed a back up twice - that battle of the bands, and for an encore after my preamp went screwy at the end of the last set of the night.

If I had an F bass (and I hope to soon) that would be all I would carry. I rarely even play three set nights anymore...so I figure the odds are less that a string will break, and if you are doing three sets - you can always cut out early and replace the entire string. I'm not going to let one bad mishap scar me for life.

Sorry for the long post!

[theTragicRich]

I always kept a back-up bass in the trunk just in case a string breakage, or more often, batteries going out. As time went on, I realized I didn't need the second bass. But now that I'm playing a fretted bass on two songs with the current band, when we start gigging I'll have to bring two. Wish I had the money for a double neck... then I'd be set!

[Paul K]

The only time I break a string is with really (really!!!) old strings. And then they break in bunches. Are you string breakers hittin'em harder than me, or are ya'll just as lazy-n-cheap as me?

[Quinn]

I always bring an extra set of strings, but I've never brought a second bass. Loading in my bass rig and helping the drummer with his gear is much more than enough for me!

 

However, I don't play fretless, so the subtleties between my P-bass and Jazz are not going to be noticeable enough in the mix to justify the extra effort.

 

I'm about to get my first taste of touring, so I'll probably break from my usual practice and bring a back-up for the extended trips.

[Nicklab]

Most gigs that I do can be played on one instrument. But sometimes the bandleader wants me to play fretless on one or two songs, I might have a bass set up with foam under the bridge for some material, or I may use my EUB on a couple of things. So as a matter of course I'll bring two basses to a gig. I've got a double gigbag, so that saves trips loading in, but it's noticeably heavier.

 

I have had occassions when I needed the backup bass. I had a battery die in a Stingray 5 and it wasn't easy at the moment to replace the battery. So I was able to go to the backup instrument. Sometimes you can't predict these things and being prepared for the unexpected can be a big deal.

[MvW]

I'll usually bring two, but also not neccessarily as backup. I'll usually have my main J, which I'll play most of the set with, and a Yamaha 5 that I'll use here and there, sometimes kept with an alternate tuning as well. There is one particular song that we are doing in the original rock band that just doesn't sound the same played on anything but a 5 string tuned with a low C - which is easy enough to tune in a hurry between songs, but if that is the only song that requires the 5 that night, no need to not have it ready.

[Luke73]

I take one bass, but always have some spare strings with me.

 

I've never broken a string....but I have some jus in case.

 

I also always have a new 9 volt battery with me, as my single, solitary, last remaining bass (I've recently had a major yard sale) is active.

 

[RhoadBlock]

I play a lot of jazz for my gigs with occasional reggae. I usually bring two basses, a four string electric and my acoustic electric. The acoustic really adds a nice sound to some jazz sound and can sometimes sound more like a standing bass with the right e.q. tuning.

[Gruuve]

I would break a G-string occasionally when I first started playing, but that was because I was using cheapo strings and playing way too hard.

 

I occasionally bring a 2nd bass, but it's generally a fretless when I'm playing fretted on most of the tunes. I'm willing to bring a fretted and a fretless, but not two fretted basses...I'll just choose the one that fits the majority of the songs the best and go with that.

 

Dave

 

[Bob Gollihur]

I almost always take two basses, often it is a fretted and fretless, or perhaps an EUB or URB in combination with another bass, depending on the gig. I'll also sometimes take a pair of fretted fives just for the helluvit (variety) as well as a safety net. It lets me exercise some of my less-gigged axes and introduces a little variety.

[...]

I only take one to gigs that are one set affairs. Most of the time I'll bring two basses to gigs that are longer than one set; and I usually wind up playing both basses during the evening. If I'm feeling particularly jaunty I'll bring 3 or 4 basses to gigs where I know there is a huge stage and I'm going to be playing all night. Having options at a gig is neat.

[Danzilla]

If we're doing more than one set, or are playing something with semi-decent stage space, I'll bring 2 or 3 basses. I could do it all on the Les Paul 5 if necessary; but there are certain songs that I prefer to use the fretless Jazz. And some songs that sound fine on the LP feel a little better on the Lakland DJ5. I feel kinda bad that I haven't given the Specter Legend 4string any stage time; but I can use the 5 strings to do anything I'd do on the Specter.

 

Add in an acoustic guitar on an M-brace, and I'm just a gear hog showing of, right? Especially considering that our guitarist usually just brings one electric and one acoustic.

 

I've never broken a bass string on stage; and the main basses are passive anyway so no battery issues. Used to have the occassional battery die in pedals; now I use a One Spot.

[The Bear Jew]

I always have two basses with me at shows.

It's not a big deal--they both go in the same soft, two-sided Gator case, and that goes on my back for the short trip from the van to the venue and back. I prefer the security of knowing I have a back-up.

 

Plus... my "opposite" basses look cool onstage together.