A bass player’s gig bag is his trusty side kick. It’s their war chest heading into battle. When you’re at a gig there is almost no telling what kind of curveball could be thrown your way. And your only tools are going to be what you’ve got in the gig bag, so you have to keep it well stocked.
A basic tool kit is a crucial gig bag item. When things go wrong out on a gig – and trust us, something always goes wrong – a good tool kit comes up big. You don’t need to stock your entire workbench in there, but a few of the basics will get you out of a few jams.
This GrooveTech Bass kit from CruzTools comes stocked with an LED Flashlight, a Steel Ruler, 15 Blade Thickness Gauge, 8 Hex Keys, Capo, and String Cutters. Right there you’re solving half of the issues you are going to run into. You can order it from Best Bass Gear today for just $48.
CruzTool also has a 10-in-1 multi-tool, and while it isn’t quite as packed as the GrooveTech (trust us, you’ll need a flashlight) it does have the hex keys and screwdrivers that you’ll need. You can pick it up from BBG for $15.95.
So stock up that gig bag, and save yourself from trying to MacGyver something at the last minute without the properly supplies.
Check out the rest of the Gig Bag Essentials Series:
What items do you stock your gig bag with? Have we forgotten anything? Let us know in the comments!
I have a small first aid kit in my gig bag, which has the usual stuff – band-aids, alcohol wipes, etc – and also ibuprofen, cough drops, and super glue in case of callus problems. I also have a towel, a couple of cheap pedals, in case the ones I have should fail, some zip ties in assorted sizes, spare strings, cables, a DI box, some basic tools, and an outlet tester.
I have a Cruz Tool kit for my Harley. Very high quality stuff.
this set is ok for someone who does not have any tools. But you if you have a Fender bass, the phillips screw driver is not the right size for changing or adjusting the neck, also not the right size for adjusting the pickups. The ruler is great as this is the only reason why I purchased this kit as I could not find one. The feeler gauges and allen wrenches can be purchased at any auto supply shop.
How about a pair of plyers