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View Poll Results: How many guitars do you bring to a gig?
I do not bring/have a backup guitar 27 33.75%
I bring two guitars and play them both 20 25.00%
I bring two guitars; one is a backup 19 23.75%
I bring more than two guitars 11 13.75%
I'll eat both pizzas, thank you! 3 3.75%
Voters: 80. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 03-07-2011, 07:55 AM
jalbert jalbert is offline
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Default How many guitars do you bring to a gig?

I am curious about how many guitars you bring to a gig. I once had someone question why I brought a backup guitar--the insinuation was that I should just buy a higher quality guitar. My reply to that was (and this is the engineer part of me speaking) that if I were to break a string or have electronics go out, there would be only minimal disruption as I switched guitars.
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Old 03-07-2011, 08:06 AM
Ed422 Ed422 is offline
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As few as possible. If acoustic only, one acoustic. If electric only, one electric. If a little of each, one of each. If I need a 12 string (and I'm in one of the periods when I have one) one of them comes along. I don't bring backups.

Ed
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Old 03-07-2011, 08:23 AM
brad4d8 brad4d8 is offline
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I don't gig much, but when I do I usually bring two guitars, a six and a 12, and play them both. In some situations I also bring an electric if I'm backing another performer.
Brad
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Old 03-07-2011, 08:25 AM
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min7b5 min7b5 is offline
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Just one. More and more i'm flying to the gig, so one is the only option anyway...
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Old 03-07-2011, 08:31 AM
GibbyPrague GibbyPrague is offline
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I bring a backup to larger gigs but for pub gigs these days I just bring one.
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:10 AM
tpbiii tpbiii is offline
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Generally two -- the primary function of the 2nd guitar is backup to cover a broken string, but I occasionally use them both. One for finger style and one for flat picking.

Let's pick,

-Tom
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:21 AM
Gypsyblue Gypsyblue is offline
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I bring at least four to an acoustic gig.

1. standard tuning
2. open G tuning
3. open D and also DADGAD
4. Tricone in open G tuning

And if I'm doing an electric set I'll bring:

5. Gibson ES-335

and sometimes:
6. Fender Strat
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:21 AM
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patticake patticake is offline
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i always bring a backup guitar.

i almost never break strings - like maybe 4 or 5 times in over 40 years. but in 1994, i brought a backup guitar to a show, and lo and behold, a string did break. my buddy was there acting as my tech, and he handed me the other guitar as soon as it was feasible, and most people didn't even realize a string had broken.
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:26 AM
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Toby Walker Toby Walker is offline
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It all depends on how far I'm traveling, the means (car or plane) and the type of gig.

I generally bring around 5 different guitars... 6 string, 12 string, National Triolian, National Tri-Cone and a parlor. That's when I'm driving.

When I fly domestically or to Canada I take only two .. 6 string and National Tri-Cone.

When I fly overseas (I'm based in the USA) I have a good friend who lends me his instruments .
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Old 03-07-2011, 09:30 AM
jonathanvaljean jonathanvaljean is offline
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Generally, I take two--one in standard tuning, and a second tuned down a full step. As others have mentioned, it's nice to have a second guitar around in the event of a snapped string.
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Old 03-07-2011, 11:38 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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Usually 1, 2 if I'm playing electric and acoustic in the same gig.

I live in a big city and take public tran to most gigs. There's no room to be a rockstar on the bus. I gotta keep it small and light.
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  #12  
Old 03-07-2011, 11:45 AM
Marc Durso Marc Durso is offline
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3 Ted Thompson guitars: the big T1 (GA) in CGDGAD, the T2 (00) in DADF#AD and the T2C in standard.
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Old 03-07-2011, 12:09 PM
BBWW BBWW is offline
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Depends a lot on the gig for me. I tour with just one guitar, but anything a day from home I'd use two...

or three if I'm playing in the big band with a couple of other guitar players. A 6 string, a high string and an 8 string Tenor.
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Old 03-07-2011, 12:16 PM
EverythingMusic EverythingMusic is offline
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I always carry a backup because if I'm going to pop a string, that is when it will be.
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Old 03-07-2011, 12:48 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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One acoustic guitar, one mountain dulcimer, and if it's a bar gig, one guitar-banjo.

When I play in church it'll depend on the music I've programmed for that Sunday. I virtually always bring one standard six string guitar and my modern National resonator mandolin, and more often than not I bring my McAlister acoustic baritone guitar, as well.

At church I try to keep it down to three instruments, but sometimes the music will dictate bringing along another, which could be a dulcimer, the guitar-banjo, the Larrivée L-03R I had converted to an 8 string with octave courses on the D and G, or any one of a number of other instruments I own and play.

But taking four instruments to church is my absolute limit - that alone means two trips from my car to the sanctuary, and more than that I will not do.


Wade Hampton Miller
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