Low paying gig...take the cheap gear?

[jdh3000]

Only if it's gig worthy equipment. My cheap gear is good enough that I would take it on any gig, if I had to.

I usually only take this stuff on outdoor gigs and dives where there's a chance of a huge fight breaking out, beer bottles being thrown, or the roof is likely to start leaking...

 

[MikePlaysBass]

As long as it sounds good, that's fine.
Always remember that every gig is an audition for future gigs. You never know who's in the audience or what will be passed on to others. Bands that treat small or lower paying gigs like they don't matter and play half-assed often only keep getting more small gigs and wonder why.

 

[stringthrough]

Here are my only adjustments

Small venue? Bring my small 2x8 cab
Seedy crowd? Bring the least valued equipment (in terms of $$ and/ or sentimental value)

 

[JRA]

But, do any of you think this way? Yeah I know, first world problems lol

i agree with you that it's definitely 1st world stuff. no, i don't think this way at all. on a real gig: i play my best when i'm playing the best instrument for the job (not that there's a lot of difference between my axes: they're all exquisite! ).

if i think my stuff could be damaged or messed with = i protect it more (e.g., keep an eye on it, put it in a case/bag when not in use, etc.). but i wouldn't leave something at home because i'm 'paranoid' about playing it on any gig. that doesn't make sense to me --- if you wouldn't take any ax to a gig because of any 'danger potential' = why would you go your own bad self?

the only time i'd take my "beater" to a gig is to test its worthiness in case i've made changes to it. but i would take my beater to any event/jam where i thought i'd be passing it around all night or having to lean it up against a tree or where extra boat paddles might come in handy ......

 

[lfmn16]

I can certainly understand making certain gear choices if the gig was an outdoor gig with questionable facilities and weather. I'd like to think I could put on as good of a show in that circumstance as I normally, do even with a cheaper bass and amp rig.

That said, the last few times I've had outdoor gigs with questionable weather forecasts, I brought the good stuff anyway.

Weather concerns are valid. OP lead with the problem being low pay. In my opinion, that's not valid.

I played guitar on a gig last month with iffy weather. I brought my custom tele, which I play on EVERY job, regardless of pay. It started to rain, I put it in its case. It's not rocket science.

 

[SLPimp]

Yup. Not taking anything nice to a gig that refuses to pay.

 

[funkmaster p]

When I play in a venue that has a really cramped stage, I often bring my 30" scale bass. It's very inexpensive, but it sounds fantastic (with the modifications I made to it). It is much easier to deal with.

 

[foolforthecity]

All I know is low-paying gigs, but the good stuff is always there

 

[deste]

(...)
I would say bring your best game, but avoid in general this kind of gigs.

Fully agree.

 

[LBS-bass]

I pity the fool who would take a cheap bass to play a gig, any gig, and especially for a nationally televised performance someone important may be watching. Playing a cheap bass under those circumstances would be like tying your left and right shoestrings together before running a marathon.

It's not about cost or worth. It's about bringing your best, whatever you feel that is. It might be your most expensive stuff, or it might be that old, worn in bass that fits you like a glove.

 

[fdeck]

For a decade, I've owned two upright basses. One is my "nice" bass, and the other is an old dog house. I kept the dog house for outdoors, rowdy bars (yeah, right), etc. During that time I've had it out of the house once. Every other time, I get to the point of heading to a gig, and ask myself which one I'd enjoy playing more. The "nice" bass wins every time, and has been with me through thick and thin. In fact I've decided I don't need two basses, and have found a taker for the dog house, who will enjoy having it.

I play for myself, the audience, and the music. The pay doesn't enter into whether I bring the right gear for the job.

 

[El Güero]

It's not about cost or worth. It's about bringing your best, whatever you feel that is.

There are many posts/opinions in this thread against taking the "cheap" stuff/gear, and that gives me the impression that it is about cost to those who feel that way. If not, why would they use the word "cheap?"

I feel that the best comes from within (sounds corny), and the difference between the OP playing the gig with his favorite bass or #2 wouldn't be enough difference to make a difference.

Why take an unnecessary risk if it can be avoided with no detriment to the performance?

 

[logdrum]

Well Jazz musicians do this regularly - take expensive gear to not high paying gigs. Yeah the crowd is well behaved but they do not pay as good as cover or dance bad. lAYamaha tenor sax before the expensive mouthpiece is like 3500. Even the budget horns from Taiwan are 2K or more. You can get some no name maybe for 1.1k. But I see people with even more expensive Selmer Paris saxophones or Yanagisawa. Then the bass player probably paid 5K for his double bass and those little bop kits are more expensive than regular kits and probably 1.5k is riding on the cymbals (no pun intended). If a piano is not provided the piano player will need a piano-hammer action keyboard. I estimated that the 4 piece I was playing with years ago probably had 30K worth of gear for a $300 gig.

 

[LBS-bass]

There are many posts/opinions in this thread against taking the "cheap" stuff/gear, and that gives me the impression that it is about cost to those who feel that way. If not, why would they use the word "cheap?"

I feel that the best comes from within (sounds corny), and the difference between the OP playing the gig with his favorite bass or #2 wouldn't be enough difference to make a difference.

Why take an unnecessary risk if it can be avoided with no detriment to the performance?

I agree with you. But I wouldn't say that Paul made some conscious decision to take his "cheap" Hofner to that show. He took what he liked, what worked for him. That's been the other point a lot of us have been making here. To think in totally transactional terms about your gear seems a little awkward in a setting where we're making art with the tools of the craft. We do what needs to be done with the tools that suit what needs to be accomplished. It's been pointed out that if you're going to skid row, maybe you think about theft or something, but maybe you also think twice about playing that show.

As JRA said, if I think I'm going to a jam and I'm going to be passing around my bass to other players, that might give me a reason to not bring my best. But if it's just about my own performance, I'm doing what i'm comfortable with. I'm also not bringing a $10K instrument because I don't own one. My #1 bass I bought for $1500 used and that's about the top of my comfort zone in terms of spending. Spending more would be for different purposes, likely not gigs unless I was doing very high level gigs, which I am not.

 

[sawzalot]

I only take the cheap gear to gigs where I'm worried about my stuff getting damaged or stolen.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I used to play at a open mic or jam. I took my inexpensive stuff. Problem now it is I got so used to it, its the only one I play at paying gigs! Make sure your 'cheap' gear is good. (If it stays in tune, looks & sounds good, I would not call it cheap.)

 

[El Güero]

But I wouldn't say that Paul made some conscious decision to take his "cheap" Hofner to that show. He took what he liked, what worked for him.

I wouldn't say that Paul set out to bring a cheap bass to the US either. It's a good example to prove a cheap bass isn't a liability to success. Paul took his bass, which happened to be a Hofner. It didn't cost him anywhere near what a Fender or Gibson would, not to mention that a left handed model was probably next to nowhere to be found in England or Germany in the early 60s. The Hofner was a "cheap" bass, sounded great, and was available in a LH version.

 

[40Hz]

My feeling is: Be professional. Use whatever you need to to use in order to play the best you can.

 

[TTA]

This is interesting question and I had this kind of discusion with my colegues couple of times. From an artist point of view, you bring your best equipment and do your best show. But from a enterpreneur and economics point of view, you don't want to depreciate your equipment if the return is not good enough.
I would say bring your best game, but avoid in general this kind of gigs.

if i had a 10k bass i would want my moneys worth out of it. Any excuse to play my stuff. If one gig puts wear on tear on anything but strings you are doing it wrong.

Besides… most of my gigs are me in my house playing to an audience of me. I always play my best stuff… which is all my stuff. I bought it to enjoy!

 

[40Hz]

Would you drive a new Vette to the flea market, and park it, and get out and walk around?

Sorry. That's what's called "false analogy."

Leaving an expensive car unattended at a flea market is not related in any way to the act of bringing an expensive bass to a gig at a small club.

Maybe that analogy sounds like it's making a point. But it doesn't really hold up on closer inspection.