It’s the event we all dream
of—the one point in our
musical time line that can
define a career. That magical
phone call (or email or text)
asking if you’re available to
hop on a bus and go out on
the road. Are you prepared for
the whirlwind that is about to
happen? If you get “the call,”
things are about to get crazy
for you. If you are new to this,
you may not have any idea
what to expect once you get
out there.
I’m going to let you figure
out the best way to set
up your bunk and deal with
groupies, but I am here to
(hopefully) help you with a
very important part of your
new gig—your gear. You
proved you’re ready to play on
the road, but your bass gear
needs to be ready, too.
The first thing we’ll look
at is your bass. Are you still
struggling with mustering
semi-decent tone out of that
entry-level model? Are you
sure you want to take that on
the road? I’m not advocating
dropping five large on a Carl
Thompson for your first road
gig (well, maybe your second),
but your bass and your gear
are an extension of you, so you
want the bass to sound good.
When was the last time your
axe was set up? Are your pots
scratchy? Intonation a little off?
If you have neglected your baby
for a little while, it’s okay. Just
get her back in top shape before
your new gig. (And don’t let
it happen again!) Remember
how happy you were when you
first got your bass? Recapture
that feeling and channel your
enthusiasm while learning your
new tunes.
And while we’re on the subject,
how many basses are you
taking out? If you can, take a
backup to your main axe. You
probably won’t need it, but
I have been mid-show when
strap buttons break, pickups
die, or input-jack solder points
lose contact. Instead of worrying
about the fix, having
another bass on standby can
save your gig.
What kind of gig is it? Every
bass has its place in the universe,
but a 9-string isn’t the
first choice for a country gig.
Bring the bass that you’re comfortable
with, but remember
what style you’re playing, too.
Use your best judgment. I will
say this, though: Good tone is
good tone, so bring it.
If you can, take a backup to your main axe. You probably won’t need it, but I have been mid-show when strap buttons break, pickups decide to die, or solder points at the jack lose contact.
Now to another crucial part
of this ride—your rig. There
are many variables that come
into play when picking a road
rig, so you have to ask a few
questions before you get ready
to head out. How big are the
venues you’re playing? A club
tour is great, but that means
your two SVT rigs are staying
home. What kind of space
restrictions will you face with
transportation? If you are in a
van-plus-trailer rig or even just
in a van, consider downsizing.
Will the band be using in-ear
monitors or wedges onstage?
How much of your amp is
really necessary for impact and
volume? Will your amp even
be onstage? Sadly, some artists
here in Nashville are slowly
removing stage amps. Don’t
say I didn’t warn you.
I’ve tried to pick out a rig
that can be used in almost any
situation. I use an 800-watt
head along with two 4x10 cabs.
This way, if I’m doing a small
club run, I just bring in one
cab and the rack, which frees
up space onstage and in the bus
bay, but still maintains impact.
I’ve found that having the
cabs broken up also helps for
the smaller touring situations.
Once you are on a bus with a
trailer and the stages are bigger,
bring out your big rig. Until
then, remember space is at a
premium. Since you want this
gig for a while, try to make it
easy on everyone without sacrificing
your tone.
And speaking of tone, what
sort of tone are you sending to
the front-of-house engineer?
I wrote in my August 2009
column (which you can read at
premierguitar.com) about the
importance of having a great
preamp as part of your rig.
You may want to check out
that column to help you get
consistently great tone, night
after night.
All right, so your bass is set
up and sounds amazing, and
your rig is compact, yet powerful
and ready to rock. What
are you going to put all this
in? Ahh—road cases. You will
be on the road, so you may
need these. It’s a little different
than putting your gigbag
and combo amp in your Jetta.
Buying cases is a painful and
expensive endeavor. Generally,
you can find great used cases
for sale in most major cities,
but if that is not an option
you’ll have to do a little shopping.
Remember, you’re protecting
your livelihood, so
make sure spend enough to get
a good case—because it will
get stepped on and thrown
around. The same holds true
for your amp rack. Get something
shock-mounted, because
you never know who has been
hired to load in your gear at
the venue. I’ve seen high-school
kids used as hands on deck . . .
with disastrous results.
Depending on the level of
touring, you may or may not
have support—as in a road
crew. If you do get support,
fantastic. See you at soundcheck.
If not, remember you’re
responsible for your gear being
in 100-percent working order
night after night. That means
a little knowledge of your gear
wouldn’t hurt. Also, keeping
your strings fresh and maintaining
your setup on the road
is a good thing, too. I have a
little emergency kit I keep in a
rack drawer with cables, straps,
and a tool kit containing allen
wrenches and screwdrivers,
just in case. Also, if you have
an active bass like I do, you’ll
want to keep an eye on the
9-volt battery. Do not let a $4
battery ruin a show.
Of course, these are just
suggestions for getting your
new gig started. Each gig
demands different action,
so you’ll want to adapt and
revise your particular needs
accordingly. The key to any
gig—large or small—is being
prepared, not only with your
music, but also with your gear.
I am not recommending you
go out and spend a fortune in
hopes that you get “the call,”
but you should be ready, in
your stylish way, when it comes
in. And that call will come.
Steve Cook is currently
fortifying himself
in the back of a tour
bus, awaiting the low-end
revolution. He can
be reached at
info@shinybass.com until the
coast is clear.