Band mates won't wrap cables properly

[Lobster11]

Nothing drives me more crazy than the response of "well, this is how I do it." It's dismissive and usually reflects an unwillingness to admit fault.

"I KNOW that's how you do it -- that's why I brought it up!"

Sometimes I just don't understand people. I remember when someone first showed me how to do it correctly: My response was, "Oh, cool -- thanks for the tip." I've been doing it that way since.

 

[yodedude2]

i've always done an 'over/over' but i add a half twist with each loop. inelegant, but effective. the cables last decades, literally.

 

[Sin Nis]

Back hand them unravel their mess and hand it back to em. Then tell them to try agin

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Be thankful they’re loading and unloading the PA. Or tell them to just do the short cables and leave the longer cables to you. The short cables doesn’t matter. Also hope you’re trying to show them how to do it correctly at a band practice and not at 2AM when everyone just wants to go home.

 

[Chef]

I worked television sports production for many years.
Miles of camera and audio cable every game.
Doing it wrong would get you fired.

For people who don't care and are dismissive like that, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[brianrost]

Friends don't let their friends coil up the cables. When I provided PA I never let anybody coil the cables when tearing down. Problem solved.

 

[G On Bass]

Make them use the ones they coil improperly while keeping your stash of properly coiled cables stashed for your use.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

Wait.... Your load out is TWO HOURS?????

That's insane... Venues must love that!

Build harnesses, figure out your sorting system, buy a better hand truck, whatever...

 

[ArtechnikA]

Wait.... Your load out is TWO HOURS?????

Not sure where you got that, 'cause I never said it ...

 

[Chad Michael]

Man, this is 2020. You need to invest in some smaller, lighter gear! If you're still using road cases and rack gear you ain't doin' it right!

Hang on a minute, Two....

Some hold the past near and dear.

( don't own them, but I appreciate what they stand for)

 

[ToneMonkey]

So these are band property? It would seem that consensus and mutual agreement are in order. Asserting that your way is the best way is not conducive to that, even if you might be right.

Personally, I can't do the over-under thing. I've tried a bunch of times. I can't. I won't with my cables.

I try to respect the right of every person to have their property treated with respect, and treated the way they way want it. Therefore, I never coil someone else's cables. Mine last as long as I need them to. I can't remember the last time a cable failed on me. I have several cables that are 20+ years old.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

They don't care because they don't buy them. And even the stuff they do buy, they treat like crp. Seems that there are a lot out there with no idea about caring for stuff.

I've been griping about this stuff for a few years with my current band-mates. And they just don't have the time or effort to do it right about all sorts of stuff. I really think it is because they didn't come up in a time where good equipment was hard to obtain, and folks had to take care of their stuff, cause it didn't grow on trees.

Sorry for my rant....

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

Maybe I am just being picky, but my band mates refuse to wrap our cables properly. We bought a bunch of xlrs and I would like to make them last so I've shown them the over-under method several times (it makes cables easier to roll out and prevents them from getting that twist overtime). Anytime I remind them lightly I'm always met with "the way I do it is faster" or "I've never had problems doing it my way." Coiling cables correctly is just as fast once you get used to it and helps during set up.

It's not really a big deal, it's just cables, but it is a little annoying that they don't bother to try

Greetings All,

Make them buy their own cables. Make them set up and use the ones they wrap.

You spoken to them about it, they refuse. Your reasoning is sound.

 

[john_g]

In my band we all have our own cables, no "band owned" gear. I admit that at 2:10 am I have done a quick wrap (with my own cables) but nothing that would cause damage. But I have made it a point lately to do it correctly so my cables last a long time.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I coil my cables the "right way" because that's how I care for all my other equiptnent also; amp, cabs, effects, basses. I guess I'm just old school and take pride in my equipment... even if it's not considered the best.

 

[40Hz]

Just refuse to pay in a share when they get wrecked and need to be replaced. Repeat you won’t be paying for replacements each time you see them miscoiling cables so you’re on record for it. (BTW, is ‘miscoiling’ an actual word? Well if not, it is now. )

What is it with people? Even a bear eventually gets it:

 

[two fingers]

Hang on a minute, Two....

Some hold the past near and dear.
View attachment 3901773 View attachment 3901774

( don't own them, but I appreciate what they stand for)

I get it.

There's a certain cool factor to vintage cars, basses, amps, etc. But PA gear? There's no cool factor to some 1990s JBL passive mains and half an dozen 50 pound amps in a rack. Nutn cool about that at all. If your band's gear (not including drums) wouldn't fit in the back of a minivan these days you need to explore better options. We have two tops amd teo subs that will rattle the walls indoors anywhere (short of where the Lakers play), three trees of light, mixer, amps, keys, etc. All of it would pack into a regular minivan. And all of it takes about 35-40 minutes to break down and load out. And that's even talking with audience members while we do it. Never mind that in this digital age we can show up to a club and not even have to soundcheck. A snapshot of our band in that venue is saved from the last time.

I'm really just hackin on the guy anyway. Nothing serious. But really two hours to load out is CRAZY these days. If you're still unfortunate enough to have to play 10-2 and drive an hour, it's DAYLIGHT when you get home. Most of my gigs end at midnight and I'm in the bed before 1 a.m. unless I find a good dumb movie to watch to wind down a few minutes.

Sorry. Back to our regularly scheduled program. Reading back through my post it likely came across as my calling the guy dumb. Thay wasn't my intent. My apologies if it seemed that way.

 

[bikeplate]

Been there. Now they can buy their own stuff and ruin it as they please. Problem solved

 

[Rabidhamster]

Maybe I am just being picky, but my band mates refuse to wrap our cables properly. We bought a bunch of xlrs and I would like to make them last so I've shown them the over-under method several times (it makes cables easier to roll out and prevents them from getting that twist overtime). Anytime I remind them lightly I'm always met with "the way I do it is faster" or "I've never had problems doing it my way." Coiling cables correctly is just as fast once you get used to it and helps during set up.

It's not really a big deal, it's just cables, but it is a little annoying that they don't bother to try

it might be faster to cram them in the box today but it shortens their lifespan and makes unpacking an tangled nightmare. Not only should they be wrapped correctly they should be put in in a specific order each time.

When you mess up the cable memory they stop laying flat and people are more likely to trip. Do it right or you’ll be doing it again.


Either that or they carry heavies while you wrap the cords if they’re too inept.
Come to think of it I’ve lost track of the number of pro bands that have one member as cable guy, other members roll up and place at the box for approval. Cable guy packs the box and corrects cable wrapping errors. The other guys have incentive to do it quick and right because they want help lifting.

 

[friskinator]

I get it.

There's a certain cool factor to vintage cars, basses, amps, etc. But PA gear? There's no cool factor to some 1990s JBL passive mains and half an dozen 50 pound amps in a rack. Nutn cool about that at all. If your band's gear (not including drums) wouldn't fit in the back of a minivan these days you need to explore better options. We have two tops amd teo subs that will rattle the walls indoors anywhere (short of where the Lakers play), three trees of light, mixer, amps, keys, etc. All of it would pack into a regular minivan. And all of it takes about 35-40 minutes to break down and load out. And that's even talking with audience members while we do it. Never mind that in this digital age we can show up to a club and not even have to soundcheck. A snapshot of our band in that venue is saved from the last time.

I'm really just hackin on the guy anyway. Nothing serious. But really two hours to load out is CRAZY these days. If you're still unfortunate enough to have to play 10-2 and drive an hour, it's DAYLIGHT when you get home. Most of my gigs end at midnight and I'm in the bed before 1 a.m. unless I find a good dumb movie to watch to wind down a few minutes.

Sorry. Back to our regularly scheduled program. Reading back through my post it likely came across as my calling the guy dumb. Thay wasn't my intent. My apologies if it seemed that way.

So true. There will always be a demand for vintage guitars, amps, drums, etc. Same with some vintage studio gear. But PA gear? You’re doing good to give away the old school stuff. And with good reason.