Bringing you Alembic to small gigs

[goran]

I just have a question for you guys, I just ended up to sub for a bass player on a small tour of 10 concerts with some famous band. The thing is that they don't play some major venues, it's always something small. So I'm really scared of bringing any of my Alembic basses.

Do you ever have that feeling, I mean I'll have to bring it to lunch after sound check, then guitars stay in van during night, I always bring it to my room... it's kind of a hassle to worry to much about getting stolen or something.

It's different when there is a security and roadies. Feels like a gamble, so just want see your view on this.

I've been doing tours forever, but always with some bigger bands that I trust they will take care of an instrument, this feels kind of weird because why do I have this bass if I don't play it, and second thought is that I don't want to worry to much while I'm on the road.

cheers

Goran

[edwardofhuncote]

I don't know what the safety/security situation is in your part of the world, Goran, but even out here where I live we say; better safe than sorry. I have left my amp and rig, and even stage clothes in the band truck for extended periods, but absolutely not my basses, and especially not my Alembics. (I know what Jimmy J thinks about leaving a bass in a band truck overnight already!)


It sounds like a fun gig, and you don't want to be without your good bass(es) for that, so maybe just figure out the logistics of keeping your wooden friend with you.

[jazzyvee]

Hi Goran, i had the same thoughts when i first started gigging on bass with my alembic. But at that time it was my only bass and i was doing small gigs. Since getting my first in 2002, all my bass gigs have been with an alembic.

 You are right to be cautious and i don't leave mine unattended or in the van even when we stop at a motorway service station on the way to the gig. Most gigs i carry the bass in a gigbag and keep it with me all the time. i have been in on a tour where our keyboard was stolen from us by stage crew loading our gear into the tour bus, and have withessed and reported to security, instruments been sabotaged by other bands in a communal back stage area. We have had other band's gear loaded into our van by mistake and returned it when we found out. So whilst it is a concern about it getting damaged or stolen by someone in the audience you have to be cautious, even about backstage people sometimes too.

The thing is that i have always been careful and cautious of whatever guitar or bass i take on a gig, regardless of how expensive they have been but i do love playing them on stage.

My advice would be, get good insurance and be cautious and try to keep your bass with you regardless of what your band mates may think.
I have a tour coming up and will be taking my Orion with me.

[JimmyJ]

Hey Goran,

Hope you have fun on that tour.  I understand your concern and you need to assess each situation separately.  But I think it's important to play the bass you prefer on all gigs.  You want to sound your best, enjoy the massive tone every time you plug in, enjoy the ease of playing that instrument, (look extra cool), and get lost in the music.  If you brought a bass you weren't worried about it would make the playing less enjoyable and ruin the best part of the job.  So in my opinion it is worth the extra hassle of hand carrying it if that's what the situation requires.

Here are a couple more things to think about... 
#1. As Jazzyvee said, having good "replacement value" insurance is a wise decision.
#2. Do you need to fly to the first gig, or fly home from the last?  If so you may need a road case plus a gig bag?
#3. You have to get in the habit of carrying it if that's what you end up doing. 

What I mean is, when we have a day off on tour i will often take my bass out of its trunk and with me on the bus.   Now it's with me in the hotel room.  So if I want to step out of the room I'll usually stand it up behind a curtain, in a closet, under the bed, etc., not exactly hidden, just not obvious.  I put a paper note on my door for housekeeping saying "no service today, danke".  AND I lay a little note on the floor just inside the door that says "BRING IT".  Because when I check-out the next day I don't want to leave the bass behind the curtain!!  Don't laugh, I actually did that once on a vacation with my wife.  We drove about an hour before realizing the bass still in our room under the bed.  Luckily we got back in time to collect it, but I never made that mistake again!    

If this is a known band with a great crew it's possible the guitar tech will be able to offer some protection for the instruments.  You'll have to make that call when you get out there.  But the bottom line is - I think its important to always play the best bass you've got and make the best sound.  It's worth any inconvenience, in my opinion.

Have fun!!!
Jimmy J

[gtrguy]

Sleep with that baby like it was your wife while on the road!

[goran]

You guys are right, about insurance, there is non in my country, only if it was stolen inside my house.

I know what you mean Jimmy, I left my old Fodera like that in a restaurant, because I carry my basses always while I sat in the van realised something is missing and came back which was 4 min... worse 4 min. of my life.

And yea you are right extra tone for extra care.

[keith_h]

I never fully toured but in my younger years we would do overnight gigs. None of us left our instruments in the equipment van overnight or when it was not possible to keep it in sight. That included the drummer who was very particular about his snare drum and cymbals. I never considered it a hassle. Even though I did not play Alembics back then my basses still meant a lot to me and financially would have been hard to replace. If others think it is crazy not leaving my instruments unattended that is on them not me. More recently I played my Alembics in every band I was in whether it was a small club or an outdoor festival and would not hesitate to bring one or two with me on the road.

On an side note. The company I worked for before retiring would require me to go on trips several times a year. It was not uncommon to be gone for a couple of weeks to a month. I would bring a bass and headphones with me to have something to do in the hotel room. If I was going out for dinner or some other short period like Jimmy I would leave the bass under bed, behind the curtains, etc. During the day I felt it was safer in the trunk of my rental car and would leave it there when working. There was still some risk of theft but then again there is also a risk to leaving home.

[gtrguy]

In the summer though, cars and vans and trunks can get real hot inside, which is bad for any musical instrument.

[lbpesq]

I grew up in New York.  I NEVER leave an instrument, or just about anything valuable, in a parked car!

Bill, tgo

[jfw]

A few years ago, I traveled with my Alembic for the same reasons as everyone here, and I too would carry that heavy hard case with me to every restaurant, etc. My band mates thought I was being a little ridiculous.

Until the night we were in the club and our van got broken into while parked behind the club when we got dinner after our set. We lost some equipment and my guitarist’s guitar — but not my Alembic!