Band Members without Equipment

leftdecay · #1 06-04-2008, 03:40 AM

I have a bit of a situation that I need input from you guys ...

I'm in a 6-piece band. 1 Drummer, 1 Keyboardist, 1 Bassist (me), 1 Lead Guitar, 1 Rhythm Guitar, and 1 Vocalist who also likes to play guitar. We play post-rock/ambient/experimental stuff and have been doing so for quite a while. It started as something just for fun but now we want to be semi-professional (at least). We even put out an EP last year

Now this is the situation:
The vocalist uses my es-175 and korg ax1g cos he didn't have any guitar nor effect. The rhythm guitar uses the lead's spare guitar and gt3 for the same reason. Drummer and Keys have their own equipments. Lead and me are constantly upgrading our equipments (especially in terms of effects) although not too often. But the vocal and rhythm never bought any instruments and keep using mine and the lead's. We (lead and me) don't mind lending our unused gears but the fact that they don't want to get their own , even though they can afford it (this we know for a fact), bothers us. It bothers us because they don't practice and explore the borrowed instruments so their skill never grow; and because they sometime have to switch their guitars on-stage with each other which we think doesn't look professional. We have told/request them a few times to buy their own gears (cos we think if they have their own they would be more incline to learn about the gears and explore more) but so far, they still gear-less, not even a single pedal (and we play experimental music, imagine that

)

The question :
What should be done in this situation? What would you guys do? Should we keep tell them to get their own gear? Should we just take the borrowed instruments from them and lock it away? Should we look for other people to play with? Or am I just stupid to let myself be in this kind of band?

gb2 · #2 06-04-2008, 03:50 AM

get the spare instruments out of the rehearsal room and tell your bandmates you're going to sell them as you need the money. that will get them in a hurry.

leftdecay · #3 06-04-2008, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gb2

get the spare instruments out of the rehearsal room and tell your bandmates you're going to sell them as you need the money. that will get them in a hurry.

that is actually an idea that we have been thinking about. although i don't think I' gonna sell my vintage es-175 anytime soon, but I can always say that I'm gonna get it restored and that it will take a long time to do and that I will store it in a safe place as a prized possession. thanks for the input

cowsgomoo · #4 06-04-2008, 05:31 AM

how did they audition for the band without instruments?

they wouldn't even get in my band... sack them (the freeloading bottom feeders)

leftdecay · #5 06-04-2008, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

how did they audition for the band without instruments?

they wouldn't even get in my band... sack them (the freeloading bottom feeders)

we were just a bunch of friends that wanted to jam

but like i said we want to go semi-pro now (all of us agree about this). still the problem lies in them not getting their own gears

or should we just continue as a 4-piece? the keys can sing but not sure if he can write lyrics ... but i can write lyrics

cnltb · #6 06-04-2008, 05:41 AM

People that are serious about playing music have instruments and maintain those instruments.
Sometimes they even practice

.

leftdecay · #7 06-04-2008, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnltb

People that are serious about playing music have instruments and maintain those instruments.
Sometimes they even practice

.

is this another way of saying that we should just continue as a 4-piece?

**TheMutt** · #8 06-04-2008, 05:52 AM

I've got the same thing going on with both bands that I play in. I have to agree that it is a little annoying hauling around an extra instrument, but unlike your situation these guys can't afford another instrument right now. I don't mind lending them a hand (or in this case, a g****r) but we have previously agreed that as soon as they can afford their own, that I will stop bringing my own instrument for them to play. Obviously they agreed as hauling around a bass, g****r, and my pedalboard is extremely annoying, and they recognize this. My best advice for you would be to follow gb2's advice, or just start "forgetting" the instruments at home. Maybe even look for some replacements if they completely refuse to cooperate. I don't know about anyone else, but if I had the means to get equipment, and instead mooched off of someone else's kindness, it probably means that I was not very involved in the first place. Just my 2 cents.

GreyBeard · #9 06-04-2008, 05:53 AM

I think every band goes through this at one time or another and, I don't think there is any pat answer on how to handle a freeloaders. About all you can really do is tell them how uncomfortable you are about lending them your equipment. Lying about selling it might turn around and bite you on the butt as they may offer to buy it from you and then never pay you! (happened to me)

Vincent P · #10 06-04-2008, 05:55 AM

Another thought you may want to consider is now that you all want to go semi pro is, you'll need to purchase gear to accommodate the different venues. You will all pool your money equally. Have a sit down with all members and begin discussions of what is needed, this will allow you to bring to their attention that personal equipment should be purchased indavidually. This will aslo lead to other discussions such as band budgeting, practices schedules and so on.

Vince P

leftdecay · #11 06-04-2008, 06:19 AM

themutt : it's kinda hard to accidentally forget to bring my extra gear since it stays in our practice space the whole time

beside if i forget to bring the guitar it would look like that i'm the one doing something wrong

greybeard : we're not lying about selling, the lead actually think about selling his pacifica and gt-3 and i'm actually thinking of getting my vintage es-175 restored

vince : we (the 6 of us) actually don't have any problem in terms of collecting money for CD productions and other things, but somehow it's not the case with those two in terms of buying their own gear

cnltb · #12 06-04-2008, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftdecay

is this another way of saying that we should just continue as a 4-piece?

Hmmm...maybe .

It's also easier to get paid if the band is smaller.

Have you thought about having those who don't have their own instruments rent the "spare ones" off you rather than lending the instruments to them?

leftdecay · #13 06-04-2008, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnltb

Hmmm...maybe .

It's also easier to get paid if the band is smaller.

Have you thought about having those who don't have their own instruments rent the "spare ones" off you rather than lending the instruments to them?

never really thought about that, but ... maybe we should

more money to spend on pedals

lukaville · #14 06-04-2008, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftdecay

greybeard : we're not lying about selling, the lead actually think about selling his pacifica and gt-3 and i'm actually thinking of getting my vintage es-175 restored

I think what greybeard is saying is that if the lead guitar player or you say "I need to sell this because i need the money". They will say "Hey man i really like this axe can i buy it from you". Then you are the lead will say "sure" and quote him a price. After you quote the price ,that is the last you will hear of it. They might not pay you.

"Ah man i will catch you next week" sound familier anyone?

I am not saying that they would do this to you but you never know.

Friendships are lost over this kind of thing everday.

lonote · #15 06-04-2008, 07:28 AM

This is silly. If they want to be musicians, they need instruments...if they won't buy instruments (and amps, effects, etc.) they don't want to be musicians. I'd much rather have musicians in my band than kindawannabes.

Jools4001 · #16 06-04-2008, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonote

This is silly. If they want to be musicians, they need instruments...if they won't buy instruments (and amps, effects, etc.) they don't want to be musicians. I'd much rather have musicians in my band than kindawannabes.

Exactly.

Making the jump from jamming in practise rooms to getting out there doing semi pro gigs is a kind of watershed. Every time that a band comes to this type of milestone (could equally be jumping to pro from semi pro) it will test the commitment of the band members. It requires every band member to be equally commited and if these guys are not willing to put some skin in the game forget them and go on as a four piece if you can still make a good sound without them.

I'm not sure what the market is like for 'experimental music' in Jakarta, but since you are saying 'semi-pro' I'm assuming that you either have some paying gigs lined up or are trying to string some together. An alternative would be to do the gigs but when it comes to dividing the money how about these two rent their equipment from the owners for each gig? I'm pretty sure they would soon buy their own stuff if the rental price was high enough

namraj · #17 06-04-2008, 07:45 AM

I lend a bit of gear for band practices that happen at my house, and our singer doesnt own a mic. and i always provide PA. I don't mind execpt when people ashume I will provide it.

51m0n · #18 06-04-2008, 07:52 AM

Say the lone is up at the end of the month.

Be polite but explain that you weant to use your gear when you want.

Enough is enough, either they will put up or get out.

IanStephenson · #19 06-04-2008, 08:19 AM

Just say you want to use the gear for something else - playing at home, lending to someone more deserving, a side project etc. Doesn't have to be a GOOD reason - it's your guitar. Just say you want to play a bit more guitar at home/recording whatever and ask for it back.

I'd be happy to lend out (some of my!) gear for a practise or to help some one out, but these guys are just abusing your generosity.

Ian

**iriegnome** · #20 06-04-2008, 08:29 AM

I will use the imortal words that ring so trur "YOUR FIRED"
No gear, no band. Either everyone is in or not. It does not seem to be much of a problem decision to me.