Gigging with one guitar....

matt1973

For years now, I've taken two guitars to every gig I've played. However, in the last few years I've seldom bust a string so I'm contemplating dropping down to just a single guitar.

As slim as the risk may be, I can't help but feel a little uneasy about this. I can change a string in about a minute but in that situation, on a gig, a minute can feel like forever...

So who, out there, takes just one guitar out with them and what are your contingency plans for string breakages? Do you swear by locking tuners or string winders or maybe you have another creative way of getting out of that particular corner.

Let me know.

underdog

If you have a second I'd take it, if you're getting paid then you need to be professional. You change a string quick, how fast can you diagnose and repair a broken wire or earth fault? Unlikely to happen I know, but best to have it covered.

NervousJohn

I gig a Rick 12 string. The spare is already fitted.

John_P

The way I look at it is to compare the hassle of taking a spare vs the hassle of not having it, that time you need it.

It's easy to get carried away with having spares for everything at gigs but anything you can duplicate without making it too much work carrying it has to be worthwhile for that one time it saves a gig.

jd0272

Take a second guitar. You can carry it in at the same time as your main gigger. No extra hassle.

Spare amp too. I've a Laney LC15R combo to mike up if needed.

The less live fucking around the better.

usedtobe

take a spare.

thomasross20

I don't but then I play pub gigs that pay us £20 each lol. 

Big hassle and would only do it for more pro gigs. I'm not an amazingly fast string changer.

ICBM

No spare. I can change a string in under a minute, no problem. No locking tuners or string winder - you shouldn't need either if you practice doing a lock-wrap type stringing.

Same with the amp. I can probably get it going again in a couple of minutes, and if not then I'd just go into the PA.

If I was playing proper professional gigs I'd probably take spares though.

But a major part of the trick is to only use gear you know is as near to completely reliable as possible. There is a lot of gear I wouldn't gig with because it isn't.

Sassafras

Never taken a spare as long as I know there's a spare I can borrow if I did break a string which I never have.

richardhomer

When gigged I almost never took a spare.

That said, I've never broken a string when playing live, so I never faced a situation that would make me think I needed to.

monquixote

I used to gig with one guitar because I could only afford one guitar. 

I broke a string on about 3 occasions over lots of gigs. 

Two were multi band gigs and I borrowed a guitar and the other one the band did a song without me while I sorted it.

I always take two now.

Jalapeno

If you have two, take them.

Bucket

Never broken a string but I have bust a power supply, that's a fucking pain in the arse.

I live in fear of breaking a string on stage tbh, because I'm really, really shit at changing them. No way I'd be able to do it quickly. That's part of the reason I HATE breaking strings - I mean, I don't just get a bit annoyed when it happens, I get genuinely angry. It only ever seems to happen on guitars with trems though, almost never with a fixed bridge. It's got to a point where I've actually changed my playing style to make strings last, I usually avoid doing particularly wide bends if I can - instead of doing a whole tone bend, I might slide to the next fret up and do a semitone bend, that sort of thing. I like the sound too, and it's more controllable.

I think I'm just weird though.

Handsome_Chris

Guitarist who do not take two guitars to gig with, do not have two guitars.  Saying that, what can go wrong with a guitar?

underdog

Handsome_Chris;634690" said:

Guitarist who do not take two guitars to gig with, do not have two guitars.  Saying that, what can go wrong with a guitar?

String break, electric fault, headstock break....

impmann

Only ever take one. Normally in pubs there's hardly the space for one let alone two...

rawk100

I've only even taken one guitar when I go gigging and never had a problem.....

darcym

invest in one of these - note the word invest.

http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/accessories-c2/gig-bags-c323/mono-cases-mono-m80-2g-blk-dual-electric-guitar-case-black-gig-bag-p3163

expensive, but a superb case and makes moving 2 guitars no problem at all, has ample storage for a spare lead, battery, tools etc  can even hook the pedaltrain mini or nano bags onto it so you can carry it all at once if that's what you're using.

I use it for gigs, grab two guitars, put them in, have a fold down stand http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/accessories-c2/stands-and-hangers-c70/hercules-hercules-gs402b-w-mini-electric-guitar-stand-with-bag-p6966 in the front pouch, and I'm all set.

the case is expensive, but it's been worth in how easy it's made taking two guitars over the last few years

p90fool

I haven't taken a spare guitar to a gig since the early 80s, although some of the biggest gigs I've done there's been a sort of communal band or roadcrew spare knocking around ready to go.

I always use fixed bridges so if a string does break I can carry on until the end of the song, and I can't imagine an electrical fault where I couldn't get at least one pickup working within a minute or two.

Taking a spare guitar in case you break the headstock off is like taking a spare car in case you crash on the way to a gig IMO.

TimmyO

Interesting that there are so many people here who can restring so fast that the audience aren't rolling their eyes throughout despite that being the only thing I've seen happen as a punter.

Does that string stay in tune too? Same observation.

The bass player whose electrics crapped out at a gig I saw recently probably wished he'd brought one rather than look a fool for the half hour it took the promoter to run home and get hers to lend him. They were probably,only getting a few quid for their pub gig too but I doubt they'll get anything more off the back of it. 

I played on a village hall bill once where the teenage rockers on before us had a guitarist whose Floyd equipped guitar broke a string mid set. They look around at each other - I went up and gave him my Strat to use so they could carry on.

I lent the same guitar to a guitarist whose strap pin dropped out mid set.

You have one, take it. The bravado,isn't cool. 

Handsome_Chris

underdog;634710" said:

[quote="Handsome_Chris;634690"]Guitarist who do not take two guitars to gig with, do not have two guitars.  Saying that, what can go wrong with a guitar?

String break, electric fault, headstock break....

[/quote]

Exactly, although I've never had a headstock fall off, I've experienced string breaks and electrical faults. I also don't like to assume that someone will hand me a guitar if my gear fails.