Do you take a backup guitar?

[Stratcat77]

I've gigged for over 30 years. Most of that was playing electric guitar in bands. In that situation I usually took two guitars to gigs to have a backup.

For the last few years I've just been doing acoustic gigs and have not brought a backup. So far I haven't had an issue but do think about it.

Curious what others of you who gig do.

Thanks as always!

[YamahaGuy]

Two hour or longer shows, I will bring two guitars. If I have my band behind me, I'll go electric one set, then acoustic another set.

I regularly change my strings and do not take a backup otherwise. I've been playing out for over 7 years with no problem yet, other than the occasional dead battery, which I always carry spares.

[jseth]

Never have taken a 'back-up" to any gig, not in over 45 years of performing... I've always found that staying on top of my instruments' care and feeding is the best "back-up" procedure...

(Now, truth is, for the first 20 or so of those years, I didn't have two nickels to rub together to purchase a "back-up"...!)

[amyFB]

Never thought to do it. Now I will always wonder if I will regret not doing it.

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[The Bard Rocks]

I used to do that, use one with more overtones guitar for quieter pieces and another for the rest, figuring that one would always be a backup. But it got to be too much of a hassle, carrying an extra guitar. Now if something goes wrong, I'll just finish it out on banjo, mandolin or autoharp.

[DupleMeter]

I have to admit that I used to always have a backup...but got lazy and stopped. Now I don't really worry about it. I find as long as I have extra strings, batteries, DIs cables and a toolkit for quick adjustments/fixes I'm fine. To be honest I find the things I need extras of are always cables & batteries...not even strings. But I change strings weekly so they're fresh...and I haven't broken a string since 1993 or so.

[ManyMartinMan]

Never used more than one guitar. I've thought about it over the years but can't think of a reason I would need a backup.

[min7b5]

I never bring more than one guitar

[Oldguy64]

I carry a backpack with my DI, extra picks, spare batteries, a guitar stand, notebook, two or three sheets of earbuds for my in ear monitor.

The only time I carry a back up guitar, is if I'm using a new instrument.
Then if it craps out, I can go on.

[Wade Hampton]

I only ever take one guitar, but I also play mountain dulcimer, banjo and mandolin family instruments. I never take less than two instruments to gigs and often three. So if there's a problem with the guitar I can switch instantly to one of the others, and deal with the guitar on my next break.

It happens.

I don't play every song I know on every instrument I play, but can play most of them. I guess I'm fortunate in that it doesn't take me much if any mental recalibration when I switch instruments. To me, all of these stringed instruments are all pretty much the same thing.


whm

[6L6]

Spent 27 years in a successful R&R band and never took a backup. And, I never needed one.

Never take a backup with me to acoustic gigs these days either.

[lodi_55]

Absolutely... I bring two guitars and two amps to every gig. From broken strings to pickups going south.. Too much can happen.

[Still Kicking]

I have to admit that I rarely showed up at a gig with less than two guitars. Sometimes as many as four. Six string dread, twelve string dread, electric (usually a Les Paul), and occasionally a double 0. Played in groups a lot and I used whatever fit the situation/arrangement. Kept things interesting.

During my solo period, a twelve string, plus backup.

The other Paul

[jeanray1113]

A couple of years ag I had the pleasure of seeing Pat Donahue at a small house concert. The pup on his Martin crapped out and it was over an hour to the nearest city with a music store. I don't know just how long before showtime he discovered the problem, but he made do with the Takamine owned by the hostess. Of course, he made it sound amazing. You don't think about a guitar suddenly developing a problem, but it is certainly possible. Still, no doubt many pros travel with one guitarvand are just fine. And then, there's Jackson Browne....

I frequently do, but they're not really "backups" per se. I bring all three, and play them through an SM57, because they all have such different tones. The Yairi, which is a classical, is great for sensitive fingerwork. The Gibson is a powerhouse and drives the band through the fast stuff, and the Epi is great for more "lighthearted" strumming. I'd say 80% of the time I bring only the Gibson and use a wireless, but when the song list seems to be right I'll bring all three and use the mic.

But if we're talking about bringing an extra guitar as a backup anticipating the failure of the first, no.