Lending Gear and Related Ethics

[bobbybass85]

My rule is if you're going to use my gear for a night, I get to be your tech for the night. And your buying my beer.

Other than that, I have a short list of people who I'd lend to, but I'd also let them sleep in my house, drink my beer, and otherwise have privy access to aspects of my life.

 

[Downunderwonder]

On multi band bills, I never say no if someone wants to use my amp. My upright or electric? On the rare occasion someone has asked, I said yes. No regrets. Heck, two different buddies borrow one of my cabs 3-4 times a week. They're pros and friends and if one day I need them to return the favor, I believe they will. I really don't see what the big deal is.

different worlds.

 

[Robroy]

I think of lending gear to people a sort of catch 22 thing. i.e. I would never lend gear to the type of person that would actually ask to borrow another person's gear.

 

[btmpancake]

I don't lend my gear. Period. Ever. Period.

Too many flakes in the music world. Reasonable people don't ask you to lend them your stuff.

+1 robroy and god bless the child that has his own.( and backup).

 

[bdplaid]

 

[Bassmec]

Not lending gear can have disastrous consequences for those that are involved in back line hire.
That's right, you be all doggy in the manger about your own gear and the service industry does better.X

 

[bdplaid]

Not lending gear can have disastrous consequences for those that are involved in back line hire.
That's right, you be all doggy in the manger about your own gear and the service industry does better.X

I'm searching google for a translation of this.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I'll lend this (even to Paul McCartney!):
View attachment 825829

I forgot he is lefty. Touché.

 

[basscooker]

basses/amps/cabs no. not wasting your time with excuses and anecdotes. just no. byo shizzle.

 

[swamp_bass]

I don't like nobody touching my stuff. So just keep your meat-hooks off.

 

[tedious1]

Lending gear is one thing, some folks, no problem, othets...no way. One of the things that the former understand is that they can't lend my gear.

Lots of times I've lent gear to a guy that I've just met, usually cause his has packed it in though. And I drop a limiter in the loop, which I picked up here...

 

[hbarcat]

I make such decisions on a case by case basis. Generally, I don't lend gear to someone like the OP describes who was irresponsible and failed to bring their own stuff.

However, there have been occasions when a guest bass player was asked to play "spur of the moment" and it's understandable that they didn't have their gear with them. I will conditionally lend my bass and amp if I judge that person to be responsible. If the person is intoxicated or gives off some vibe that I don't like, then the answer is no.

Under no circumstances is another player allowed to adjust my amp settings - especially the volume. They must agree ahead of time to keep their fingers off my amp. The foot controller has a mute swith and that's the only button they need.

 

[Kevan Campbell]

Look, this topic pops up here ALL THE TIME...and the correct answer is always the same: You are under no obligation, ethical or otherwise, to loan your gear to anyone, at any time, for any reason EVER. Hence, there is no universally-acknowledged set of guidelines for how to manage such a situation - because it is 100% up to you.

Personally, I wouldn't do it. You've already seen the kind of thing that could so easily go wrong, anytime the gear is out of your possession and/or out of your direct control, even for a moment. This time you apparently got through it without incurring any serious damage to your gear. You got lucky. This time. Next time? Maybe not - if there's even to be a next time.

MM

Amen. Has this stuff been made into a stickie yet?!

This topic does come up every few weeks and while it's mildly amusing to read everyone's stories I only had to pay to buy new speakers once after loaning out my amp to a church group to reach the pretty-much-unanimous consensus here: DON'T LOAN OUT GEAR*!!!

*rent it for an insanely high cash price instead!

 

[Sav'nBass]

I've been playing music for 50 years now. If someone isn't responsible enough to have their own equipment , they darn sure aren't responsible enough to be able to repair or replace yours if something happens to it. If you loan it out , don't expect to get it back in the same condition it left in. If it comes back broken , don't expect "Mr. I can't afford my own gear" to be financially able to do anything about it and if he subs it out to someone else , don't expect it to be taken care of in any way , shape , or form.
Long story short , don't loan gear (or anything else for that matter) out. The least that will happen is you will get pissed off. The worst that will happen is a broken , unusable piece of equipment will be returned to you and you WILL get stuck making and paying for repairs.

 

[TOOL460002]

St. Patty's I had to turn down a guy who broke his bass somehow and wanted to borrow mine. Never seen him. Probably never will. And I offered strings, tools, and help to fix anything really quick but he just mumbled and was short with me. Don't blame him. He had to find an alternative. Then I went outside for a few minutes to avoid being asked again. Sucks, but all I know about him is he managed to break a bass on stage in under 10 minutes and he wants to play mine now. No thanks.

 

[VinnyIuspa]

I have great gear, but depending on the circumstances I'd let someone use it on a gig if they didn't have something. I myself was in a situation once without an amp. I played this venue in queens and brought my rig. The promoter tells me not to bring my rig next time because space is limited. A few months later I'm booked to play there again. I forgo bringing my amp specifically because I was told not to. Turns out the house amp blew up. So I had no amp. I really wish the other guy had let me use his amp, but he wouldn't let me. I had to use a 110 crate combo for a monitor and go through the pa only. Couldn't hear myself at all, but the audience could at least. There are extenuating circumstances, sh*t happens. Because of that I'd let someone else use it if they didn't have an amp for some reason. I wouldn't let a whole bill of bands use my stuff though.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I have great gear, but depending on the circumstances I'd let someone use it on a gig if they didn't have something. I myself was in a situation once without an amp. I played this venue in queens and brought my rig. The promoter tells me not to bring my rig next time because space is limited. A few months later I'm booked to play there again. I forgo bringing my amp specifically because I was told not to. Turns out the house amp blew up. So I had no amp. I really wish the other guy had let me use his amp, but he wouldn't let me. I had to use a 110 crate combo for a monitor and go through the pa only. Couldn't hear myself at all, but the audience could at least. There are extenuating circumstances, sh*t happens. Because of that I'd let someone else use it if they didn't have an amp for some reason. I wouldn't let a whole bill of bands use my stuff though.

where do you draw the line? That was OP's dilemma and nobody has given an alternative to flat NO. It's the only option unless you have a magic marker solution.

Anothed vote for a sticky where each installment is appended.

 

[Humbled]

You folks must have too much to live for.

Two weeks ago I was fairly-much begging a long-time bandmate buddy to take two of my G&L ASATs home with him, knowing that it would inspire him to come back with tasty bizarre chords and lines that I don't know how to play. How cool would that be? He only took one, so I guess I'll only get half a guitar lesson.

Here's the one he didn't take...

 

[Kirk Bryant]

I have a standard answer to this question when asked by strangers. You want to borrow MY gear, let's see, sure just let me hold your Visa card while you use it, and if NOTHING is damaged after you play my rig, I'll return your card. So far no one has taken me up on it. And yes I have said this more than once and I'm dead serious.

 

[Spectrum]

I don't understand musicians who show up with no gear, expecting to borrow someone else's, unless you were told specifically not to bring it ahead of time. This happens to drummers sometimes, because the headliner doesn't want to move his kit or whatever. But even when I'm told I don't need my amp, I bring it anyway. I also bring a mic cable and microphone even if I don't need it, and I also bring extra picks and guitar strings because my guitarists are, well, guitarists. It's not hard for me to do this, why is it hard for anyone else?