Gear Bag Contents

[NoviceBassist]

Hope this isn't too basic a question, but I was wondering what gear I need to take with me on a gig.

[BOTTOMBOOMER]

Depends on your equipment but there are some absolute basics.

1. Small LED flashlight (check the batteries)
2. Extra strings (you never know)
3. Batteries-depending on equipment (9v for active electronics, wireless and AA for tuner or pedals, etc.)
4. Small, straight and Phillips screwdrivers
5. 50' heavy gage extension cord
6. Power bar
7. Pliers
8. Any instruction manuals for equipment you're not completely sure of (best to know how to work things ahead of time)
9. Extra instrument cords (especially if you are using wireless)
10. Extra fuses
11. Ground lift plug
12. Put any extra wall wart power supplies in your bag (a handy item is a few 8" long wall wart extensions-available at Target-so you can always plug it in to an outlet that already has another power supply plugged in)

These are the basics and surprisingly it isn't heavy and it doesn't take a large bag (I keep it all in a small gun bag and there's plenty of extra space)

Hope this helps!

[John Herzog]

Originally Posted by BOTTOMBOOMER

Depends on your equipment but there are some absolute basics.

1. Small LED flashlight (check the batteries)
2. Extra strings (you never know)
3. Batteries-depending on equipment (9v for active electronics, wireless and AA for tuner or pedals, etc.)
4. Small, straight and Phillips screwdrivers
5. 50' heavy gage extension cord
6. Power bar
7. Pliers
8. Any instruction manuals for equipment you're not completely sure of (best to know how to work things ahead of time)
9. Extra instrument cords (especially if you are using wireless)
10. Extra fuses
11. Ground lift plug
12. Put any extra wall wart power supplies in your bag (a handy item is a few 8" long wall wart extensions-available at Target-so you can always plug it in to an outlet that already has another power supply plugged in)

Add a roll of duct tape (aka Duck Tape, Gorilla Tape). Very useful for taping set lists up or taping various cables down that you might trip on.

[NoviceBassist]

Perfect.

Thanks for the help.

[JTE]

My bag has:

Spare strings
Spare cables of everything I use (e.g. various speaker terminations, guitar cables, etc.)
Spare 12AX7 tube
Speaker fuse
Gerber Multi-tool
Precision screwdriver set (small Phillips and slotted screwdrivers)
Bigger Phillips and slotted screw drivers
Small ratcthet set with varioius socket heads
Allen keys for everything on my basses
Spare batteries
Mini-Mag light
Set of GUITAR strings
Drum key
25' 14 gauge extension cord with a quad outlet box
Power strip
Spare 9VDC wall-wart
Shure SM-57 microphone and cable
GAFF tape (no duct tape goes near any of my gear- it's evil and nasty stuff that leaves a horrible residue, comes apart, and really is only really good for specific applications on duct work- I used to do HVAC and used tons of duct tape, but not on my music stuff!!)
EAR PLUGS!!!
Note pad
Sharpie type markers
Good ball-point pen
Business cards
Self-drying hand sanitizer
Bar towels
Vitamin I (Ibuprofen)


John

[VroomVroom]

Everything that John mentioned, aside from the tube, guitar strings, drum key, & wall-wart. I also carry an extra tuner, a coupla' fake books, and two small Hercules foldable stands. Everything fits nicely in a Mesa Boogie gig bag. Excellent list!

[pasta4lnch]

I never gig w/o a fan! everything else is optional

[TripleDouble]

I'd add guitar picks and a pair of drumsticks in the trunk of your car, otherwise that's all the gear you need. A folding chair/stool you know is comfy in there too, depending on what type of gigs you do. Squeaky folding high school style chairs are rough for 4 hours of cocktail jazz.

Oh, label your spare stuff that could be "borrowed", Monster cables aint cheap.

[3toes]

Not necessarily all in my bag, but here's what I bring:

Leatherman multi-tool
Pocket knife
1L Nalgene full of water
Towel and extra shirt (play a lot of outdoor shows)
Deodorant (gotta talk to the ladies after the show, cant be stankin!)
Allen wrenches
9v batteries
Duct tape
LED flashlight

[speedkills]

...a set of guitar strings, for when they dont bring their own...

[kraigo]

As the drummer on a gig I've lent out guitar straps. NOBODY screws up my gigs.

KO

[Metaltronix]

Don't forget a soldering iron and some solder.

[RedBastard]

In my case:
2 leads
spare 9V battery
screwdriver
1xblack + 1xred felt tip pen
little tin of picks
spare straplocks
tuner
black marker
extra setlist
moleskine staved notebook (doesn't come out at gigs but lives in the case for practice/rehearsals)
tube of Voltaren

[JTE]

I also left out one very very important bit of gear every electric muscian should have. A cheap outlet tester. They're only about $5 and can save your life. It's got the regualr 3 prongs of a grounded plub, and three LED's that indicate the status of the outlet. It'll tell you if the ground is open on that outlet.

Get one, use it!!!

John

[Dehn]

a bottle of whiskey

[2-Sticks]

I use a laptop bag......it keeps everything in it's place.

2 Straps w/ straplocks
SansAmp BDDI (just in case of preamp failure)
Tuner (just in case my rack tuner goes down)
Wah pedal (only pedal I use, no need for a pedal board)
15' Extension Cord
Flashlight
Gerber Multi-tool
Misc screwdrivers
Assorted Allen keys
Earplugs
Spare Fuses
Fresh Batteries
String Winder
Sharpie
Ball point pens
Small pad of stickie notes
2 Spare packs of Strings
spare pack of ciggarettes
pack of Zig Zags
Towel ( Yes, I am known to sweat )
Clean Shirt ( see above )
2 20' guitar cables
2 6' speaker cables
Set List
Guest List

The whole bag weighs in at about 15 lbs, and I have a contingency for almost every situation.

[T-MOST]

backup strings
back up cables
back up bass
back up amp
back up electricity source
back up transportation
back up band
back up club
back up audience... you get the idea.

Seriously though, extra cables, strings, a small tool kit with a pin light and batteries are all I carry. I have never needed more than that.

[pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by JTE

I also left out one very very important bit of gear every electric muscian should have. A cheap outlet tester. They're only about $5 and can save your life. It's got the regualr 3 prongs of a grounded plub, and three LED's that indicate the status of the outlet. It'll tell you if the ground is open on that outlet.

Get one, use it!!!

John

good point! I've been meaning to get one since my gig the other day - my fairly new LMII shut off half way into the 1st tune...it was an outdoor gig running off of one outlet (i think)

needless to say this'll find its way into my gigbag!

[GreggBummer]

Originally Posted by JTE

I also left out one very very important bit of gear every electric muscian should have. A cheap outlet tester. They're only about $5 and can save your life. It's got the regualr 3 prongs of a grounded plub, and three LED's that indicate the status of the outlet. It'll tell you if the ground is open on that outlet.

Get one, use it!!!

John

+1

[NWB]

Originally Posted by JTE

I also left out one very very important bit of gear every electric muscian should have. A cheap outlet tester. They're only about $5 and can save your life. It's got the regualr 3 prongs of a grounded plub, and three LED's that indicate the status of the outlet. It'll tell you if the ground is open on that outlet.

Get one, use it!!!

John

An excellent suggestion that everyone should follow. I'll do it ASAP.

I'm such a minimalist. Don't use effects or an active bass, so no spare batteries for me.

I pack my gig bag pocket with my Shuttle, strap, and the cables for amp power, speaker, and instrument + extra instrument cable. Oh, one set of spare strings. All that rides on my back while I carry in my cab.

The only actual "extras" I bring are a set of strings and instrument cable. Oddly, I've only broken one string in 25 years. It seems cables are the most failure-prone part of the equation.