Well said. Agreed. If you're gonna do the gig, then do it your best.
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Low paying gig...take the cheap gear?
- Thread starter john_g
- Start date
This is one of my biggest pet peeves is when someone in my band says something like this my blood boils. If the money isn't worth your best effort, don't accept the gig! You don't give a half fast effort because you don't like the pay - and that includes your equipment. I'll never understand this mentality if I live to be 100.
Im not worried about things being stolen, pretty much at any gig. I dont leave my stuff unattended. The tight space does concern me a little, but thats bandmates not paying attention. I completely agree about taking whatever that makes me happy though. The cheaper stuff will work fine if thats what I decide too.
I have, in the past, politely escorted people off stage when they mess with the gear between sets.
But I also just grabbed a beer once and silently watched a guy spend 15 minutes adjusting my pedal board, trying to get the microphone (turned off at the mixer) to work so he could sing.
It's a bass. No one (except perhaps another bass player) will notice what kind of bass you play.
If #2 stays in tune and sounds good, you're golden.
If #2 stays in tune and sounds good, you're golden.
For sure. One of the biggest gigs I ever did was at some huge club in NYC in the early 90s. Industry showcase with all the major labels. Huge stage, killer sound system. Plenty of space. Someone yanked a cable and sent my Guild B301 (only bass I owned) face first off its stand onto the floor below the stage (about 3 feet off the ground). I thought for sure it was done but it just had some scars and was out of tune.
I think that's the point, at least for me. I take cheap but good gear to almost all of my gigs and have a blast. I save the better stuff for recording in a studio.
Ditto my sentiments regarding my concerns of the venue - you'd play with fools who don't respect your gear enough to be careful? Or man up and replace/fix anything they might damage?
Glad I'm not hanging in your environment...
I understand what you are saying. I absolutely give 100 percent no matter the gear. Just wondering if anyone else felt this way. Ive used my expensive stuff at lots of lower paying gigs, this one is about minimum on space and pay.
Just in the past month or so I have seen straplock failures twice that resulted in Les Pauls crashing to the ground; both were full decapitations and both happened on large stages; one was a huge venue here that seats thousands and the other was a show I played a couple of weekends ago with a decent sized stage and plenty of separation from the audience. You just never know.
Wow, that's a lot of restraint - 15 minutes? I'd have been in jail.
Hmmm....i didnt say they were swinging dead cats around knocking over gear at every gig. Small gig with lots of gear its easy to pull on a cable or trip over something, not that its happened with my band yet but still can be a concern for anyone.
Depends more on stage/room size and PA situation. Rig size, not $$.
I bring my beaters if I'm worried about weather or if it would be easy for someone to walk off with my gear at any moment.
Here's another story to consider. A few months ago I ran into an acquaintance while I was out listening to my husband's band play. It's a swing band with an upright bassist, etc. This acquaintance is someone I know through the local music scene. She liked my husband's band and wanted to hire them for a private party.
During our conversation she mentioned that she is involved in an effort to restart an annual jazz event here, which featured local bands playing jazz in venues across town. My husband's band would be a natural fit for that.
Anyway, long story short, they did the gig at the private party. I didn't tell them about the other possibility because my husband gets very nervous when he thinks things are stressful and I didn't want to burden him. But the bassist/band leader got it into his head that this was a throwaway gig and almost cancelled it at the last minute; then decided to just take his uke bass. Everyone just treated it like it was a burden to be there that day.
Needless to say, they did not impress, and didn't ever hear back from those folks again. I was a little peeved at them because I felt connected to the situation as I'd introduced everyone, but hey, people live and learn.
During our conversation she mentioned that she is involved in an effort to restart an annual jazz event here, which featured local bands playing jazz in venues across town. My husband's band would be a natural fit for that.
Anyway, long story short, they did the gig at the private party. I didn't tell them about the other possibility because my husband gets very nervous when he thinks things are stressful and I didn't want to burden him. But the bassist/band leader got it into his head that this was a throwaway gig and almost cancelled it at the last minute; then decided to just take his uke bass. Everyone just treated it like it was a burden to be there that day.
Needless to say, they did not impress, and didn't ever hear back from those folks again. I was a little peeved at them because I felt connected to the situation as I'd introduced everyone, but hey, people live and learn.
Is your objective to keep your gear like new or to sound your best and have the confidence that you’re the best player/band for the job?
Wow, that's just disrespectful to whoever hired you as well as your audience. I would be livid.
Unless you are opening for Gwar or some other group where fluids go flying, take whatever.
Basses are not as fragile as most think, they are thick wood and wire.
I often pluck my Dingwall while mowing the lawn on the riding mower.
Basses are not as fragile as most think, they are thick wood and wire.
I often pluck my Dingwall while mowing the lawn on the riding mower.
