How many of you take spares to a gig?

thomasross20

I'm talking about guitars/amps/power supplies etc... Used to think I would take a second guitar but really, I don't think I will be...

Jalapeno

Spare Guitar & amp - when you had a string break mid number (with locking tuners), and an amp go pop, you will too

EricTheWeary

Had to use my spare guitar on last night's gig, so yes. I have something I can play through into the PA in amp emergencies. Plus strings, spare strap,etc.

randomhandclaps

In my experience it's always worth taking a spare drummer in case your one get's distracted by sparkly things in the room.

Danny1969

For the big money stuff I've got everything, Spare pre amp, spare power amp, spare effects, we even carry a spare mixing desk in case that goes down. When you and they sign  the contract your committed to fulling the gig no matter what breaks down.

For pub gigs I've got a GT10 I could put through the PA if my amp died and the normal spare guitars, strings, leads and tools. 

thomasross20

Sparkly things lol!?

Spare guitar AND amp!? Even to something like a pub gig? 

Can't you just switch to a song that needs no guitar and change your string in that time lol?

Spare strap, really!?

lustycourtier

I take spare Guitar, Micro terror, POD xt, Strings, Capo, Cables, Microphones. Kettle Leads. 1000s of gigs teaches you, if it can break, it will. Brides just love it when when you stop to replace a string 2 songs into a set.  

Jalapeno

You can listen, or not ...... 

(I used to take wire cutters, a penknife and soldering iron for cables - I just take spare cables now, the OCD has eased a bit )

thomasross20

Wow, what an eye-opener...!! Looks like I'm not done spending Hardly know how I'll fit everything in the car!

EricTheWeary

I have a bag of spare bits and a strap is in there, but I have seen a strap break on a gig. Most likely thing to go wrong with a guitar is break a string. How quick can you replace this and get back in tune? Probably not as quick as swapping guitars.

Danny1969

lustycourtier said:

I take spare Guitar, Micro terror, POD xt, Strings, Capo, Cables, Microphones. Kettle Leads. 1000s of gigs teaches you, if it can break, it will. Brides just love it when when you stop to replace a string 2 songs into a set.  

Ain't that the truth, changing a string just isn't an option no matter how quick you are

thomasross20

I hadn't planned on taking both my new PRS (one as backup) to a gig but I'd rather that than  keep the Torero and use that as a spare. Looks like maybe that'll be the plan. Amp-wise... if I take the Blackstar I guess the Cube could go in the boot. FX... if my pedal-board craps out I can rely on the amp FX and hope that's enough. 

thomasross20

Do you leave the second guitar on some sort of stand waiting to be used or in a case on stage?

ICBM

For local gigs I never take spare gear - just strings, valves, fuses and tools, an extra cable, and one separate pedal as a last-ditch into-to-the-PA solution if everything else has gone down. Taking too much stuff just increases the chance of something getting broken or stolen.

Part of the trick is to only use reliable gear in the first place. OK, I have a slight advantage there because I tend to see what breaks, as my job on a daily basis, and either know how to make it reliable or just not use it.

For more professional gigs I would take a spare guitar, maybe a spare amp - though preferably not a whole combo if I could avoid it - and anything else critical, plus whatever is necessary to hook it up quickly, and try it out beforehand! You don't want to be messing about trying to work out how to connect things in an emergency.

digitalscream

I can usually change a broken string in a minute or two, so for local-ish gigs I just take a spare set of strings.

I do have spares for all my leads, a spare power supply, a few patch leads and a toolkit with pliers, allen keys, screwdrivers, Sinex (really) and a couple of spare preamp valves. I also tend to take a couple of spare mics (one vocal mic in case the singer forgets hers - quite a frequent occurrence - and a Superlux PRA628 in case the sound guy's mic for my cab is really crap).

For bigger/further away gigs, I'll take a spare guitar and spare amp as well.

Jalapeno

Just get an MXR Micro Amp/EHX 44 or a "shoulder bag" head you can hotwire to your combo speaker, don't lug a spare combo - that'd be silly.

Spare guitar - that's trickier - if it's a rough place or you're uncomfortable, then tucked up in its case hidden behind the backline, otherwise on a sturdy floor stand ready to grab in an instant.  If paranoia become too strong - get a s/h PRS SE.

thomasross20

I'll have to figure out how to wire a spare head into my Blackstar's speaker (evidently the two speaker outs then lol - but as this will bypass everything else in the amp I'd best hope my amp AND pedalboard don't break else I'll have no effects). That might be a plan, then. Jal, I've never seen those things in my life - I thought you meant something like a mini head (e.g. orange micro or whatever) - what are the main differences between something like that and what you've just recommended? 

As a backup the Torero might be ok but I'm still not keen on Floyd & EMGs which is a bummer. Could keep it as a spare but also wanted to offload it to recoup some of the cost of the new guitars. An SE might even be preferable as jal suggests. 

John_P

I wouldn't gig without a backup (or two) for everything.   Minimum of 2 guitars but if it's an important gig - someones' wedding, or somewhere you want to impress people then I'd take 3.   There's been many times over the years I've grabbed the spare guitar and snapped a string on that as well.    Not common but I don't wan to let people down waiting for me to fix it.

I don't always take a spare amp - I run my pedalboard and amp so I could finish a set with just one of them if the other dies and then have a dg stomp in my bag any case both break (but any pod type thing will do).

Obvious other things - spare strap, spare strings, spare cable sat waiting to use, space mic, more spare cables etc etc.

ICBM

I would never rely on an EH Magnum as a backup, it's likely to be less reliable than the amp which it has to replace, and then you're really stuffed if it goes down. Make sure that whatever you choose is known to be as close to totally bombproof as humanly possible - mine is an old Peavey PA head.

I wouldn't worry at all about gigging with a Blackstar ID - I haven't heard of a single case of one breaking in use yet, and at least a few I know are in the most demanding possible environment, in rehearsal studios.

Jalapeno

thomasross20 said:

I'll have to figure out how to wire a spare head into my Blackstar's speaker (evidently the two speaker outs then lol - but as this will bypass everything else in the amp I'd best hope my amp AND pedalboard don't break else I'll have no effects). That might be a plan, then. Jal, I've never seen those things in my life - I thought you meant something like a mini head (e.g. orange micro or whatever) - what are the main differences between something like that and what you've just recommended?

Dunno - I take a spare head, have used speaker cabs rather than a combo for a while (lot lighter to shift).

As a backup the Torero might be ok but I'm still not keen on Floyd & EMGs which is a bummer.

So roll it over and get something else then.

thomasross20

So... recommendations for a spare head? 

I agree head & cab would be lighter - hence me initially looking at the Matrix amp and cabs. 

Might well get something instead of the Torero.