Favorite non-musical accessories?

[Isaac_James]

Do you have any essential gig/rehearsal/practice accessories that aren't explicitly music related, but still make your playing experience better? Could be a box fan, a lucky charm, a drink stand... anything that makes your job a little easier, but that you WOULDN'T necessarily find on Sweetwater or Musician's Friend.

Mine is one of these:

I have developed a case of tennis elbow (really, they should call it bassist's elbow, why should tennis players get all the credit?) and in an effort to not rely entirely on NSAID drugs, I've started using a compression sleeve for my right arm. Turns out compression is not just for your tone, it also helps keep tendon swelling under control. I've found this thing so comfortable that I wear it most of the day, even when not playing.

Bonus side effect, it also prevents my wrist skin from sticking to the body of my bass when playing. I had been using a sweat band to fix that issue, but the sweat band gets itchy after an hour or so on my skin. The compression sleeve I almost forget I have on.

 

[sleddogn]

This, every time. Never lets me down, ever...

 

[DrThumpenstein]

Plugs into the USB port on the back of my amp. Really useful on dark stages:

LiFMIRA Clip on Light Reading Lamp 3000-6500K 10-Levels Brightness Clamp Light Eye Protection LED Desk Lamp 360° Flexible Gooseneck Book Light for Bed Bedside Headboard Home Office (Black) https://a.co/d/e90KgGL

 

[nixdad]

This rolling tool box.
It holds my accessories, the Phil Jones Cub-Pro combo, and doubles as an amp stand at gigs.

 

[FilterFunk]

I got this office chair from Staples last year for my little home studio. It's very basic, but it's very comfortable and it suits my needs. And I got it for under $30!

 

[DrThumpenstein]

I got this office chair from Staples last year for my little home studio. It's very basic, but it's very comfortable and it suits my needs. And I got it for under $30!
View attachment 4800767

Yeah, most rolling chairs have armrests, which of course suck when you're trying to play! Like you need support for the lateral g-forces or something! Great price and good find.

 

[FilterFunk]

Yeah, most rolling chairs have armrests, which of course suck when you're trying to play! Like you need support for the lateral g-forces or something! Great price and good find.

I told the guy at Staples that I was specifically looking for a rolling chair with no armrests that was also relatively cheap, but I couldn't find what I wanted on display. He looked in the back and found this chair, and he said it was a discontinued model, so he was glad to get rid of it, so...win-win!

 

[DrThumpenstein]

 

[FilterFunk]

I forgot about this one...it's a simple wooden folding table I got from Rite-Aid for $7 many years ago. It was advertised as being for eating meals in front of the TV, but I bought it as a place to put my effects pedals when I run my synth through them, and I use it as a stand for my 25-key monosynth. I also use it as a place to set my notes and user manuals as needed. It's very versatile in my home studio, especially for 7 bucks!

 

[Hummergeist]

Plugs into the USB port on the back of my amp. Really useful on dark stages:

LiFMIRA Clip on Light Reading Lamp 3000-6500K 10-Levels Brightness Clamp Light Eye Protection LED Desk Lamp 360° Flexible Gooseneck Book Light for Bed Bedside Headboard Home Office (Black) https://a.co/d/e90KgGL

Excellent, I've been using USB lights on stage for a long time and I'd be reluctant to do without. Tomorrow night I'll be using one straight into the Mac, but also I have the Bright Switch which will power two at once.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

This bow case, not sure where it was originally sold but I got it at a garage sale for $20. Fits two sets of Chauvet 4bar lights.

A case like this, not SKB, for transporting golf bags. Holds light stands, speaker poles, mic stand and one small toolbag. This is the one bit of gear that only comes out of the car and stays in the garage. Heavy but with a handle on one side and wheels on the other it's not bad. $25 local CL find.

 

[Hummergeist]

In fact, here it is, along with the DS Engineering Chronograph. So I can play, charge my phone, tell the time, AND see what I'm doing

 

[Jefenator]

Mic stand drink holder.
SO much better than keeping my beer on the amp - or the dive bar floor!

 

[Isaac_James]

I forgot about this one...it's a simple wooden folding table I got from Rite-Aid for $7 many years ago. It was advertised as being for eating meals in front of the TV, but I bought it as a place to put my effects pedals when I run my synth through them, and I use it as a stand for my 25-key monosynth. I also use it as a place to set my notes and user manuals as needed. It's very versatile in my home studio, especially for 7 bucks!
View attachment 4800785

I think I have the same one. Nothing fancy but it does the trick and folds up nice and compact.

 

[Isaac_James]

Mic stand drink holder.
SO much better than keeping my beer on the amp - or the dive bar floor!

I don't use a mic stand most of the time, but I wish I had a better drink holder than the floor. I tilt my amp back so top of the amp is not an option for me at all.

 

[Nosh2O]

I told the guy at Staples that I was specifically looking for a rolling chair with no armrests that was also relatively cheap, but I couldn't find what I wanted on display. He looked in the back and found this chair, and he said it was a discontinued model, so he was glad to get rid of it, so...win-win!

Probably sold it to you from their break room. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

 

[ebo]

Drink holder. My band mates had them. I broke down and got one. Never looked back. A little over-priced but built to last.

 

[ebo]

Also on the mic stand, an IPad and IPad mic stand holder. No more music books! Having as many charts as I want readily available

is game changing. Life is good.

 

[scott sinner]

A Brother PTD 210 Label Maker.

I used to use a Sharpie to mark crates of various cables, etc. and then it would get messy as things evolved. Wife got me a label maker…ingeniously one that took the same regular 9v pedal power supply. Label the patchbay, snake, mic locker, special power supplies, various boxes and crates, cables themselves for farther runs or behind the rack to recognize each end (just wrap around and stick label to itself), regular gig stuff have simple 1,2,3,4,5 on each thing to quickly check off.

 

[FilterFunk]

Probably sold it to you from their break room. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

It was new and sealed in the box, so I think it's legit!