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Essentials for a tour?

beaglesandbass

Anti-Tort Activist
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Gold Supporting Member
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Aug 14, 2001
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Philly Suburbs
Ok so I know this has been talked about at length, but a search wasn't coming back with any good results (please link me to some threads if you can find them) In august we'll be hitting the road and playing 9 gigs in 11 days. Nothing extravagant but it'll still be quite a workload for a bar band playing 3 50 minute sets every night.

On my list to bring so far:

2 basses
Amp (some venues provide amp, some
don't)
Backup DI incase amp fails
Extra strings
Extra cables
Stage tape
Batteries (9v & AA)
Extra strap
Allen keys incase I need to tweak a setup
Cleaning supplies
Nail clippers

I'm sure there are other things I'm not thinking of.
 
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I can't think of much else. You probably already have a receptacle tester. A pocket-sized flashlight can come in handy.

0620170336.jpg
 
A fan for stages or crappy hotels :) (helps to drown out a snoring roommate)

Finger ease for sticky humid outdoor type weather.

Tums or Rolaids (road food will take its toll)

Earplugs for stage and to shut out noise for naps. (On the road you sleep when you can)

I had a tackle box with my guitar fix it tools (wrenches, screwdrivers, parts, soldering gun)

Pillow to get comfy in the vehicle and nice for hotel rooms.

A small stage towel and hand sanitizer for cleaning crud off your paws

I took a sleeping bag as well as we got stuck in crappy hotels at times, and my sleeping bag got used on questionable beds. Think of it as a big body condom.

Advil for your hands. If you aren't used to playing every night, your hands will get sore, and swell a touch. This is normal. Take the Advil daily and it takes care of that nuisance. I got turned onto this by a killer drummer while touring. It's worked like a charm until your hands get used to the playing. Taken daily it's as close as we get to the fountain of youth.

A bottle of Febreeze. There isn't always a place to wash your stage clothes, and putting wet sweaty clothes in a bag is a bad mix of smells just waiting to happen. Spray them down and hang them after the show. Everyone will thank you.
 
Last edited:
Ok so I know this has been talked about at length, but a search wasn't coming back with any good results (please link me to some threads if you can find them) In august we'll be hitting the road and playing 9 gigs in 11 days. Nothing extravagant but it'll still be quite a workload for a bar band playing 3 50 minute sets every night.

On my list to bring so far:

2 basses
Amp (some venues provide amp, some
don't)
Backup DI incase amp fails
Extra strings
Extra cables
Stage tape
Batteries (9v & AA)
Extra strap
Allen keys incase I need to tweak a setup
Cleaning supplies
Nail clippers

I'm sure there are other things I'm not thinking of.

Wire cutters in case you need to replace strings. And aspirin. Lots of aspirin.
 
I'm sure there are other things I'm not thinking of.
I carry a small tool kit I swiped from an IT guy I worked with 20 years ago. Well....he left it and then left the company, sooo......

Anyhow, it's small to load, has two sized phillips heads/flat heads, small cutting pliers, keep my loose allen wrenches in there for truss rod work. If you're not flying, I also carry a small butane handheld soldering iron and some solder. I've actually needed it once or twice, glad I had it.
 

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