Justifiable homicide

Brad Johnson · #1 06-14-2005, 07:40 AM

I have a Monday gig in a house band. It's open mic and they usually have a weekly feature act, at which point the house band takes a break. We've already made it abundantly clear that we aren't providing our own personal gear as backline for ANYONE without the individual's permission. I turned my amp and tuner off. I'm running a ThunderFunk head and some custom Nahas cabs.

Last night the feature was a collection of percussionists, along with a couple of guitar players and a vocalist. I saw one of the gp's roll in an amp before we left for break.

When we returned to the back door,we were greeted with a wall of noise that was enough to keep us outside until called back in. Imagine my surprise when I plug in my bass and am immediately hit with a high pitched squeal. I look at my amp and see that both gains are maxed, every knob has been turned and the rig sounds like crap. I immediately confronted the guy who runs this show and he said no, no one used your amp, no, wait... maybe someone did. Why, is something wrong?

I hit the ceiling.

"*** do I have to do to get it through these stupid __'s heads not to touch my ____???"

I was beyond pissed off that some clown decided while I was away that he would abuse my equipment. Plus going through the pocket in my rackbag where I keep my phone and other stuff. Fortunately I hadn't gone back in while he was playing it. *** is wrong with people?

The amp and cabs seem okay. The guy in charge was very apologetic, even though he met my question "When one of these idiots breaks my gear, who is responsible for it?" with a blank look. The same thing had happened two weeks earlier when some guy decided to play my small rig like it was a Marshall stack, cranked farther than I ever would, while I was gone. Apparently they really didn't understand how I strongly felt about that not happening again.

Last night I told the guy in charge "Let me make this simple. If someone, anyone else, touches my gear without my permission, I will ___ them up. Are we clear?"

Took me about an hour to wind down. I make money with my gear and some jackass abusing it pissed me off to no end. It's disrespectful and you can bet that if he broke something it would be "My bad" followed by a dumbass look.

bigbeefdog · #2 06-14-2005, 07:51 AM

Couldn't agree with you more. The sad part is, many trolls figure, "go ahead, he's outside, he'll never notice".

I'm not sure what type of amp you're using, but as you know, many have a fuse that is easily removed (either a pull-type, or a glass cylinder that is released with a quarter-turn of a screwdriver).

In situations such as the one you've described, I've been known to take breaks with the fuse in my pocket.

Brad Johnson · #3 06-14-2005, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbeefdog

Couldn't agree with you more. The sad part is, many trolls figure, "go ahead, he's outside, he'll never notice".

I'm not sure what type of amp you're using, but as you know, many have a fuse that is easily removed (either a pull-type, or a glass cylinder that is released with a quarter-turn of a screwdriver).

In situations such as the one you've described, I've been known to take breaks with the fuse in my pocket.

It's a ThunderFunk TFB420. I'll take the AC cord and Speakons and put them in the car but I seriously doubt anyone is going to be stupid enough to touch my stuff again. That's the first time any of them have seen me like that, I'm usually extremely easy-going.

Some people are clueless. Once, a guy came up to me on a break and said:

"Can I f___ with your bass?"

"No"

steveksux · #4 06-14-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

It's a ThunderFunk TFB420. I'll take the AC cord and Speakons and put them in the car but I seriously doubt anyone is going to be stupid enough to touch my stuff again.

Never underestimate how stupid people are. Its a sucker bet. Better to surround it with chickenwire and take the fuse.

Randy

Gard · #5 06-14-2005, 09:27 AM

Ahh yes, the joys of "hosting" a jam night...

...don't miss that one bit!

When I did that, I had a jam night rig, Peavey T-Max Head, Peavey 410tx. Nothing great, but sounded pretty darn good actually, and if something bad happened...no sleep was lost. (...although limbs may have been for the offending party!

)

My bass was NOT for borrowing under any circumstances though. You didn't bring a bass...then you didn't really want to play, did you?

Intrepid · #6 06-14-2005, 10:15 AM

Back in HS I was in the jazz band and I had a Ric. We usually have a lockeroom to store our equipment, but the main teacher had the keys and was out of town. So I figured it would be fine just leaving it in the band room off in a corner. Since the teacher was out, most of the other bands were just watching videos and sitting around bored. Some dip**** from some other class took it upon himself to play my bass, and get grease all the **** over it. He must have taken a line from Jaco and thought chicken from the cafeteria would make him play better. I was like, ok. I finally locked two of the latches(because I'm lazy) and the ****er opened up one of them and slid the bass out of the case. He didn't even bother to put it back. I finally got fed up and just locked it all the way. Did he think it was the school's bass and he didn't have to give a **** about it? Very annoying how people think they are just entitled to use people's equipment. You wouldn't just borrow my car without asking, would you? Certainly if you did, you wouldn't run it into a corner, test out the rev limiter/fuel cut off, and go rooting in the mud with it.

Meyekul · #7 06-14-2005, 10:40 AM

That's harsh, I'd be seriously pissed if someone messed with my equipment without my permission. Even under normal use, things can break, and if someone else is using my stuff when it breaks, I'm going to go off, even if they did nothing wrong. That's why I don't like to use other people's equipment and thats why I don't like people using mine.

I've thought about installing a hidden cutoff switch on the back of the amp or something, maybe even use a keyed ignition switch from a car. Would be cheap and fairly simple to do... and would definately keep morons off of my stuff.

Wesley R · #8 06-14-2005, 11:01 AM

way back, have some sort of keyed-lock/switch for powering their joint purchased Ampeg?

My main playing for years was sub work. Often time I was asked (or told) to use the existing amp. This did give me a yon of exposure to many amps and speakers. It always made me a bit nervouse. What if fate had that amp or speaker scheduled to fail during my use? I never pushed the amp or speakers hard and always set the controls bak to exactly where they were.

Best of Luck,
Wesley R.

MazeMouse · #9 06-14-2005, 11:15 AM

No such experiences yet. But that's because I don't let my equipment out of my sight UNLESS it's behind locked doors. Had to do some precaution attacks on people trying to get my amp to work (after I took the powercord with me)
Only once there was a band who where TOLD BY THE OWNER he could use my amp for their act... Not in the contract, get your own amp. He ended up playing via DI. I'd rather be a complete ******* as opposed to getting my rig killed by some dip**** who thinks it's cool to play with all settings on max...

And this was only my amp. I'm even more paranoid about my bass. (no-one gets into armslength without my permission.... and being within range doesn't mean you're allowed to touch it. You want to hear how it sounds? I'll play it. You want to feel how it plays? GO TRY IT IN THE SHOP!)

powerslave · #10 06-14-2005, 11:43 AM

that's pretty messed up, i wouldn't be happy either. I'd say take the power cord and leave the rack mount front face plate on until your up then pop the plate and plug in.

it just sucks a$$ anyone should have to do that because some _______ who wants something for nothing wants to abuse someone elses hard earned epuipment.

NJL · #11 06-14-2005, 11:56 AM

no one uses my gear - NO ONE! and for that matter, i don't even bother asking to use others...i'm self contained and proud of it - i'm no longer a millionaire any more, so my gear is all i have.

jive1 · #12 06-14-2005, 12:30 PM

I'll lend someone my cheapo passive DI, but never my rig.
I keep a cheapo DI in my car for emergencies, and if the occasion arises, I'll sell it.

Most of the time, if it's one of those open mic or multiple band shows, the sound man should have an extra DI laying around that someone can use. If they don't sound good through it, then it's their problem, not mine.

As one old wise sound man told me - you always bring "your sound" with you. If you can't get it through what's there, then it's nobodys fault but your own.

NJL · #13 06-14-2005, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jive1

As one old wise sound man told me - you always bring "your sound" with you. If you can't get it through what's there, then it's nobodys fault but your own.

this is why i am self-contained....

now get back to the match, foo!!!

Minger · #14 06-14-2005, 01:27 PM

Only people I let touch my gear are my friends - and I usually let them, because I know the ones at church werhe I play are responsible...and they know that I would probably beat them obside the head with my bass if they screwed anythin, like breakin it...and then I'd make them pay.

Bassmanbob · #15 06-14-2005, 03:17 PM

Wow Brad!

You can't assume that no one will touch your gear again. I think it's a great idea to have a "jam night rig" if you do it often and you are expected to provide the rig. But never trust any one with your stuff. Never.

Muzique Fann · #16 06-14-2005, 03:39 PM

your title made me think of that Holy Mackerel song with Henry Rollins - Delicate Tendrils.

Petary791 · #17 06-14-2005, 04:33 PM

Put special glass over your head and lock it with a padlock.

...or carry a small firearm...

Brad Johnson · #18 06-14-2005, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassmanbob

Wow Brad!

You can't assume that no one will touch your gear again. I think it's a great idea to have a "jam night rig" if you do it often and you are expected to provide the rig. But never trust any one with your stuff. Never.

That's the annoying part... I'm not supposed to provide a rig for anyone other than myself. If someone wants to show up and play, bring your stuff. That's what I'd do.

No more assumptions anyway... I made it extremely clear that if someone touches my ____, it's their ass. Period.

Go ahead... make my gig.

MikeBass · #19 06-14-2005, 05:13 PM

I have a good deal of money tied up in my gear like the rest of you guys.
The best ones are when I'm subbing on a gig and the guys say "hey man, so and so is gonna sit in for a few tunes" as he is walking up to you with his hand out to take your bass. And you DON'T know him!!
This happened on a sub gig and imagine the suprise when I asked where his bass was and he said "They said I could use yours!". And I said "Uhh NO!!".

superbassman2000 · #20 06-14-2005, 06:47 PM

when i go to jams i usually don't bring my gear, although i should because the only bass amp there is a marshall 20 watt bass amp, while the guitar players have these fender princetons and stage 100s and whatnot...good thing its plugged into the board...anyways, one time this one guy brought his crate bass rig...really nice, but i know that i would hate to screw with my stuff, so the only dial i turned was the volume, and i returned it to its original spot when i was done. i'd hate for people to screw with my gear!!