The last time somebody touched my gear, it cost me $35 to replace the strings because his hands were so acidic. And he played for just a few minutes. So gross. He was a bandmate's kid which is why I relented.
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Has someone ever damaged your gear?
- Thread starter Moe Hickey
- Start date
I should have.
Back than it honestly never occurred to me that there would be people that were either musicians or in music circles that would have animosity towards someone for having nice things, much less show it either verbally or physically like that.
I've seen it in a few other people since than, including people I played music with that I considered friends, "oh there's glocke1 with his bass that costs more than the ceiling in this place".
At this point I consider that behavior to be a sign of disrespect, and have pretty much cut those folks out of my life.
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I didn’t want to read this thread because I knew it would make me squirm. But I read it anyway! I HATE LENDING PEOPLE MY poopie. I won’t do it I tell you… I WON’T!!!
Maybe take a 'Belt deposit' when you loan a bass? Either that or they have to play pantless
Ew! I think I prefer the buckle rash.Maybe take a 'Belt deposit' when you loan a bass? Either that or they have to play pantless
I'd have had a tough time peaceably abiding that.
To-date, all the damage to my equipment has been carelessly self-inflicted. I'm not adverse to lending gear under limited circumstances to certain people and so far, that has served me well.
About 15 years ago I let the bassist for our opener use my Mesa rig. He got incredibly drunk and then hit the stage. Two or three songs in, he decided it would be a great idea to pour and entire pitcher of be into (not just onto) my 400+ amp head. The amp of course no longer worked; it was flooded. He got a few fists to the face and blacked out. He and I were thrown out of the club. Good times.
Nothing intentional, but a few light years ago in a land far far away I was in a band with 2 guitarists who had Gibson Flying V's and we used to go front to back of the stage quite a bit. Sure enough at one point I got the top point of a Flying V into the front of my custom bass - still got the scar. Just a graze really but it has some good memories.
I was at a weekend church men's retreat years ago... the musicians sortof went around with the other folks (two acoustic guitarists) and led worship wherever we were... in the main classroom, we had a tiny PA, two mics, and both of out instruments were plugged in... but since it wasn't a 'worship' space, we didn't have a designated area in this room...
The second night, a guy accidentally tripped over the cable hooked to one of the mic's trying to squeeze through that area in an already tight room....and the mic did a header right into my acoustic. Didn't totally crack the top, but put a huge dent in it.
Honestly, I had a pawn shop Fender acoustic that I took to things like that, for reasons like that, so it wasn't a big deal to me. If I were playing with one of my nicer instruments on a normal gig, and somebody had tried to crawl on stage to make a scene in the middle of a set, that'd be one thing... but this was a dude that was already going through some stuff... didn't need to add to it.
The second night, a guy accidentally tripped over the cable hooked to one of the mic's trying to squeeze through that area in an already tight room....and the mic did a header right into my acoustic. Didn't totally crack the top, but put a huge dent in it.
Honestly, I had a pawn shop Fender acoustic that I took to things like that, for reasons like that, so it wasn't a big deal to me. If I were playing with one of my nicer instruments on a normal gig, and somebody had tried to crawl on stage to make a scene in the middle of a set, that'd be one thing... but this was a dude that was already going through some stuff... didn't need to add to it.
Actual horror story: when I first started playing I had a no-name bass, a FSO, that played OK. At a jam a friend asked if he could play it so I handed it to him and he took it by the strap, which immediately slipped off the front button, the bass fell and broke the neck. Ever since I have used strap-locks and always hold any instrument firmly by the neck. Once bitten and all that.
I've bought a few that were played so hard by mystery maniacs that you could call it abuse if they hadn't taken care of the essentials, the character they exude is worth their price alone.
Damn them for putting you in that position! And they make you feel like the jerk for not acquiescing.
When I was like 14, my little brother, who was about 6 at the time, came running into the room w/ my Squire P over his head King Kong style, and just YEETED that thing at me. Now you can imagine, being 6, he threw it exactly about 3 feet, it fell on a toy of his, and just took a fat divot in the back. Still played fine.
Flash forward a year or two, someone steals the bass, I find out who it is, and have someone retrieve it for me. When I get it back, the person had sanded off the Squire logo and sharpies an anarchy sign there
.
Now I just have the body of that thing stripped down, dents and dings sanded out, ready for a new neck and electronics. But Ive been sayiglng that for almost 10 years so.
Flash forward a year or two, someone steals the bass, I find out who it is, and have someone retrieve it for me. When I get it back, the person had sanded off the Squire logo and sharpies an anarchy sign there
. Now I just have the body of that thing stripped down, dents and dings sanded out, ready for a new neck and electronics. But Ive been sayiglng that for almost 10 years so.
i played in a rock band years ago that shared a 24/7 rehearsal space with another group of people.
I left nothing of mine there, but the other guys did.
guitarist had a rather nice white MIM strat that we came in to discover cigarette burns on the headstock and blood on the pickguard, all splattered from what looked like super heavy strumming.
I seem to recall a guitar amp mysteriously not working one day as well..
a shame that people treat other peoples stuff like that..
I left nothing of mine there, but the other guys did.
guitarist had a rather nice white MIM strat that we came in to discover cigarette burns on the headstock and blood on the pickguard, all splattered from what looked like super heavy strumming.
I seem to recall a guitar amp mysteriously not working one day as well..
a shame that people treat other peoples stuff like that..
Had a few gear mishaps over the years when on the road doing shows. Usually there was someone else involved or directly responsible for it. Never was the due to carelessness or malicious intent. Falls under the heading of:stuff happens when you’re gigging.
So no fault-no foul AFAIC.
Hmm…apparently no “good stories” to tell either.
So no fault-no foul AFAIC.
Hmm…apparently no “good stories” to tell either.
I was involved in a work trade years ago. I worked in a mechanic shop, and guns, crappy cars, and musical instrument flowed like honey... Anyways, in this trade, I ended up with a Red MIM Strat and a Twin Reverb amp... the guitar played nice, but the thing looked like it had acne scars. Pockmarks all over it. Not worn through the poly, but just dents all over it, like a golf ball. I never asked the guy what happened, but I was real curious.
I had a guy play through my $1500 Walter Woods head and my two week old $900 Epifani T112 cabinet one night at a jam session and he blew the speaker. He then bitched at me about my crap gear.
Another guy on a different night at the jam session blew out the tweeter of my Genz Benz cab during his slap solo.
I had a guy smoke my Bassman head by turning it on without connecting the speaker. Luckily it was just some burnt insulation on a few wires.
Another guy on a different night at the jam session blew out the tweeter of my Genz Benz cab during his slap solo.
I had a guy smoke my Bassman head by turning it on without connecting the speaker. Luckily it was just some burnt insulation on a few wires.
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In around 1964/65 our band practiced in the drummers basement. I was in the habit of leaving my bass out leaning against the amp. One of the guys girlfriends tripped and snapped the headstock off on my '62 EBO. I was obviously devastated but there was nothing I could do. It was an accident and I was partially responsible because I didn't put it away. I took it home and my father glued it on and it played fine for another 4 years. Didn't even need a setup. Needless to say, I stow my gear now.
