I spend a lot of mine on beer and burgers too! Got a day job and I gig 3-4 nights a week so I've got MUCH nicer gear these days then when i just gigged for a living.
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No Gig Money
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
I've taken very good care of my finances over the years and don't need gig money to buy gear. If I see something I want, I'll just buy it without thinking twice.
In fact, although bass is my main instrument, I went to the music store once last year to return a rented PA and walked out 30 minutes later with a $2000 acoustic guitar...
In fact, although bass is my main instrument, I went to the music store once last year to return a rented PA and walked out 30 minutes later with a $2000 acoustic guitar...
I've made enough to buy some bass strings here and there, but I don't use gig money exclusively for gear anyway.
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
Hmmm - I'm not the only one who used to restrict my GAS response to gig money (or gear selling), eh?
funny.
And yeah - my last few gigs were promo things that were zero pay.
I havent had money from a gig in a while it seems like at the most we make 60 $ split 3 ways thats only 20$ and i usualy save mine for gas to the next show since the guitarist never has money to put up for anything yet expects a cut of everything. I have bought all our merch and he still thinks he deserves a cut of the merch profits. Hell I even did all the art work on it.
I just got a e mail from the GP in my band. He was asking if we wanted to do a "pay for play" gig. :scowl:
One would think that a Major league baseball team could throw a few bucks to a band to do two 45 min sets entertaining the crowd before a game. Yes it is good exposure but come on
One would think that a Major league baseball team could throw a few bucks to a band to do two 45 min sets entertaining the crowd before a game. Yes it is good exposure but come on
Last paying "gig": July 2010. Just got some studio pay, but with no day-job none of it went to gear. I'm also in the "so broke right now" group, and in the last year or so I've had to sell a bunch of gear w/no replacement - I am officially at a gear bare-minimum, and a little sad about it 'cause I could really use another fretless for studio work ATM.
-Donations accepted-
-Donations accepted-
I'm shocked at how many of you are not making money playing. I have been getting paid since the late 1970's. I've done many benefits without pay but have made a lot of money over the years. I've played around 3,000 gigs and been paid as little as $100 and as much as $2,000. Average has been around $300. If you do the math, the comes out to around $900,000 over the last 33 years. Some years I made a lot more and some years a lot less. Not a bad way to supplement your income. Having said that, I have only done a couple of gigs in the last few years. I have extensive touring experience and decided to take some time off due to illness.
I haven't had the need to buy new gear in a long time but if I see something I like I buy it.
I haven't had the need to buy new gear in a long time but if I see something I like I buy it.
Well I have pretty much spent every dime i made playing bass tofund my GAS. then one day a non profit asked me if i could DJ an event for them, now I know most of you are rolling your eyes at this point, and I'll say I'm a musician first, but, I make 5 times for 1 dJ gig then I ever made playing and that's after i pay my son a $100 for helping. So now I DJ for the money, and play bass cause it's my passion.
this may not work for everyone, but it works for me!
this may not work for everyone, but it works for me!
Yes, I make some dough playing 2-3 gigs / month....not enough to pay for new gear in its entirety but my wife doesn't know that. How do I convince her that I only paid $325 for my Zon 5? Seriously, it's a hobby that doesn't quite pay for itself but cheaper than restoring vintage automobiles or maintaining...God forbid...a boat. My wife's PT Cruiser is the first post-2000 vehicle we owned.
Riis
Riis
Calebmundy
Supporting Member
- Apr 5, 2007
- 1,133
- 811
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- Endorsing Artist: DNA Amplifiers, Lākland Basses
Make a (relative) ton of money playing music. But I'll get too hungry, homeless, and carless if I buy gear with it.
i don't know you, but judging by your profile picture and posts on TB I think we could be good friends. haha!
i've actually done pretty well gig money wise. the church i play at give us a Christmas bonus each year for playing, which is nice but not needed. I do a lot of P&W gigs and those usually pay pretty well. Atleast 100 bucks a person.
Me and a drummer put together a 3 piece band and learned 20 songs in about 2 weeks to play a benefit gig. We were asked how much we charged, so we said 300 dollars to ensure 100 bucks a piece and the guy said they were under budget and had to spend more or they'd lose it so we got paid 900 for that one.
When I add up all of the money I've made playing gigs over the years, and subtract the cost of the gear I have bought and driving expenses, I have broken even. As the gigs are getting harder to find, paying, less, and the cost of gas is going through the roof, it's only getting worse. The band is a non-profit organization. 
I haven't bought a bass since some time in 2009. Last amp I bought was summer 2007. The pair of 210s I use have been in my hands since 1999 and 2004, respectively.
I used to get GAS pretty bad and would buy and sell gear all the time. But in the last few years I've tamed that a bit...
I've always made good money gigging when I was playing in bands, and I've always had a full time job, so having money has never been a problem for me... my real problem is that playing bass isn't my only expensive hobby! I just bought another motorcycle a couple weeks ago, and since then I've bought $700 worth of riding jackets, gloves, an exhaust, a tank bag, etc. I also golf, so my last major purchase before this bike was a set of +2 custom irons. I miss the days when bass was my only love!!!
Jacob
I used to get GAS pretty bad and would buy and sell gear all the time. But in the last few years I've tamed that a bit...
I've always made good money gigging when I was playing in bands, and I've always had a full time job, so having money has never been a problem for me... my real problem is that playing bass isn't my only expensive hobby! I just bought another motorcycle a couple weeks ago, and since then I've bought $700 worth of riding jackets, gloves, an exhaust, a tank bag, etc. I also golf, so my last major purchase before this bike was a set of +2 custom irons. I miss the days when bass was my only love!!!
Jacob
Lately I've found other/(better?) things to spend money on. I'm seriously considering a bass gear liquidation (getting down to the essentials).
I just got a e mail from the GP in my band. He was asking if we wanted to do a "pay for play" gig. :scowl:
One would think that a Major league baseball team could throw a few bucks to a band to do two 45 min sets entertaining the crowd before a game. Yes it is good exposure but come on
Gotta pay Mauer somehow.
From age 14 - 22 I played in a couple metal bands. Never made more than a few pennies or just got paid in alcohol. The last couple years I even owned the band truck, so gas put me in the negative. Last year (I'm 31 now) I joined a country rock cover/originals band. The last 4 months of gigs have paid me more than I ever had been paid for playing in my entire life.
I'm on the back end of a three month gig out of the country. My pay is direct deposited back home, we're staying at a 5 star hotel where everything is comped and the dollar goes a ridiculously long way should I want to spend any money. We get into most clubs for free and are treated extremely well. So no, I'm not.
Been fortunate enough to keep a pretty good schedule of decent paying gigs over the years and at this point I'm not even close to needing any gear anyway. Have way more than I need.
Most my gig money goes to paying off the credit cards and other stuff arround the house. Gone are the days when shinny new toys were purchased as soon as they came out (though I really did have to do some hard convincing NOT to get a new Genz Sreamliner and Uber212... that took some hard disipline).
