I've loaned my amp a few times with no problem, and when my amp blew up due to loose parts inside (poor shipping most likely) I had to borrow an amp. I could tell the guy was kind of angry about it, but I was still grateful.
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"No, you may not use my amp."
- Thread starter Fawkes007
- Start date
We have the opposite problem around here. All the bands want us to use their drum kits, and bass rigs. The drummer and I haven't spents years saving for our gear, to use someone elses.
i have let people borrow my amp but i do not enjoy doing it. If it was really necessary i would feel bad if i didn't allow someone to borrow it but i would honestly rather help a band load in that share gear. Just about anyone i have been in a band with felt the same. especially drummers.
The only time I've asked to borrow another bassist's amp was when mine blew a cap during warmup. IMO sharing amps isn't that big a deal, especially at small venues. That being said, nobody has asked to use my amp before, so perhaps there's something I'm missing.
Sharing instruments, however, is a whole different ballgame.
Sharing instruments, however, is a whole different ballgame.
"You can't use my equipment, but I can play your set if needed". Has been my answer for a while now, no takers yet.
couldnt disagree more!
I do have a few friends in bands we play with that I will let use my gear if needed, but they have more than half a brain, which is why they are my friends..
but TWICE, and the only two times I did this, I let some schmuck use my amp who for one stated reason or another didnt have their own that night, but which later became obvious as to the reasons. BOTH TIMES the i set up the amp for them and gave them a quick tutorial on the amp and a very clear list of 'do not do this' with my amp..(such as crank the gain to ten, or crank the bass EQ to ten.. yada yada.) and both times, both schmucks waited till I turned around or they thought I went to get a beer and cranked the gain so high that they blew up my rig! Both schmucks exited stage left and hid too.. total douchebags..
now, if you ask to use my rig, and youre not in the close circle of learned bassists... ya better find a washtub and broomstick quick cos you aint touchin mine.
Im mindful of bass karma, but I wont put my pearls before swine again.
I do have a few friends in bands we play with that I will let use my gear if needed, but they have more than half a brain, which is why they are my friends..
but TWICE, and the only two times I did this, I let some schmuck use my amp who for one stated reason or another didnt have their own that night, but which later became obvious as to the reasons. BOTH TIMES the i set up the amp for them and gave them a quick tutorial on the amp and a very clear list of 'do not do this' with my amp..(such as crank the gain to ten, or crank the bass EQ to ten.. yada yada.) and both times, both schmucks waited till I turned around or they thought I went to get a beer and cranked the gain so high that they blew up my rig! Both schmucks exited stage left and hid too.. total douchebags..
now, if you ask to use my rig, and youre not in the close circle of learned bassists... ya better find a washtub and broomstick quick cos you aint touchin mine.
Im mindful of bass karma, but I wont put my pearls before swine again.
If that's standard practice at the club, maybe you should just write up a rental invoice and present it to the club owner before the show? With damage deposit!
+1
I should add that my tale of woe has a good karmic ending in both counts..
-the first was a new ampeg that was under warranty and I took it in to be repaired at our local shop and they talked to the ampeg rep who gave me a new amp the same day, no questions asked!!
-the second one.. and this is golden... I took it into a different shop for repair, just cos it was on my way to work. Anyway, I was telling the shop owner the story of how it got blown and he asked what band I let use it. I told him, and he says "really?? well then, the guy who blew it up is one of my employees. I'll fix it, and the repair bill will come out of his paycheck!!!" Two weeks later I had the amp back, totally fixed at no charge.. I couldnt believe it!!!
-the first was a new ampeg that was under warranty and I took it in to be repaired at our local shop and they talked to the ampeg rep who gave me a new amp the same day, no questions asked!!
-the second one.. and this is golden... I took it into a different shop for repair, just cos it was on my way to work. Anyway, I was telling the shop owner the story of how it got blown and he asked what band I let use it. I told him, and he says "really?? well then, the guy who blew it up is one of my employees. I'll fix it, and the repair bill will come out of his paycheck!!!" Two weeks later I had the amp back, totally fixed at no charge.. I couldnt believe it!!!
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
My apologies for not reading the responses, just want to share my experience and don't really care what anyone else has said. 
The unthinkable hath happened to me. I let a band use my amp, it was a really big show, 3 bands showcasing with 4 songs each at a reunion party for a really popular club that had closed down a decade earlier. There were 400 people in attendance, we were all soundchecked, I hit the stage, curtain went up, bass amp crapped out.
I never had a problem saying no after that. Not true, I feel bad sometimes, but I just tell people, "I got burned once and vowed it would never happen again. Sorry, but I don't let people use my gear."
The unthinkable hath happened to me. I let a band use my amp, it was a really big show, 3 bands showcasing with 4 songs each at a reunion party for a really popular club that had closed down a decade earlier. There were 400 people in attendance, we were all soundchecked, I hit the stage, curtain went up, bass amp crapped out.
I never had a problem saying no after that. Not true, I feel bad sometimes, but I just tell people, "I got burned once and vowed it would never happen again. Sorry, but I don't let people use my gear."
Played a show in some punk club in Iowa a few years ago. First band goes on and by the end of their third song their bass player has managed to break multiple strings on his two basses because he decided to play excessively aggressive to hear himself instead of turning his amp up. Also because it was "punk" to do so it seems.
He comes up to me and asks if he can borrow my bass, I had to decline because my bass was still buried under drum equipment in the van (true). He then gets pissy and storms off.
I honestly don't understand people sometimes.
He wasn't a bass player.
A good friend..well..I THOUGHT was a good friend..called me once about a gig. Blues battle of the bands at Buddy Guy's club just a few months ago.
"I need you man. Bring your bass!" ....oh cool I thought!... "So and so's bass is broken and needs to borrow yours."
I hung up. Havent spoke to either person since.
"I need you man. Bring your bass!" ....oh cool I thought!... "So and so's bass is broken and needs to borrow yours."
I hung up. Havent spoke to either person since.
When confronted with someone I don't want touching my gear, here's my usual line, "I'd like to help you out but letting others use my gear is not in the policy, can't do anything about it, my hands are tied."
If that doesn't work, a growled "No." through gritted teeth accompanied by a "Clint glint" usually does the trick.
If that doesn't work, a growled "No." through gritted teeth accompanied by a "Clint glint" usually does the trick.
My bass is already borrowed, so I wouldn't even think of borrowing it to anyone else. Even if it was mine, instruments are more personal, an "extension of the body", so to speak.
Had to borrow a combo from a friend to play in a gig, but as the bass' electronics was screwed at the time, and mis-calibrated, had to turn the volume almost to the max. He was a bit scared when he say it turned up like that, but I explained the situation.
If I'd borrow my amp? Probably not. Okay, it's a somewhat cheap GK combo, but still it's mine.
Also there're situations when multiple bands playing in the same gig have to share the drums and the bass amplifier, even if the bassist and drummer bring their own equipment, because the drum set takes time to put up and the bass sounds always the same, but the guitar player can and has to use his own. Happened last year (Wasn't in that band yet at the time), and it only shows how people despise bassists and the general bass sound in a song.
Had to borrow a combo from a friend to play in a gig, but as the bass' electronics was screwed at the time, and mis-calibrated, had to turn the volume almost to the max. He was a bit scared when he say it turned up like that, but I explained the situation.
If I'd borrow my amp? Probably not. Okay, it's a somewhat cheap GK combo, but still it's mine.
Also there're situations when multiple bands playing in the same gig have to share the drums and the bass amplifier, even if the bassist and drummer bring their own equipment, because the drum set takes time to put up and the bass sounds always the same, but the guitar player can and has to use his own. Happened last year (Wasn't in that band yet at the time), and it only shows how people despise bassists and the general bass sound in a song.
This is a bit off topic but why do "other" bass players get accused of blowing someone's amp up? I mean, how the hell do you do that?
I can understand a head blowing up at a gig but why blame the person using it? To me it sounds lie it could happen to anyone at any time and if someone is playing through it at the time i cant see how it was accomplished by that person.
sorry, its just something ive read many times, normally in the lending gear threads and just cant figure it out.
Oh, and a big no to lending gear without prior agreement, mainly based on if im lower down the bill im not hanging around until everyone has finished playing.
I can understand a head blowing up at a gig but why blame the person using it? To me it sounds lie it could happen to anyone at any time and if someone is playing through it at the time i cant see how it was accomplished by that person.
sorry, its just something ive read many times, normally in the lending gear threads and just cant figure it out.
Oh, and a big no to lending gear without prior agreement, mainly based on if im lower down the bill im not hanging around until everyone has finished playing.
Every show we play, the opening acts want to use my amp.
I sit there thinking, "why would you ask to use this amp that you KNOW cost at least $3,000, when you're rolling in here with your combo amp your dad found in your dead grandmas basement?!"
My amp is my baby, I worked my ass off to get it. I work my ass off to maintain it. I don't want to give that tone or look away to some dude who can't get his gear straight.
I just tell them I would normally be cool with it, but my tubes are almost dead so I need to save em.
No one ever knows enough about tubes to dispute it, and if they DO dispute it... EAT (brown oatmeal) IT'S MY AMP!
I sit there thinking, "why would you ask to use this amp that you KNOW cost at least $3,000, when you're rolling in here with your combo amp your dad found in your dead grandmas basement?!"
My amp is my baby, I worked my ass off to get it. I work my ass off to maintain it. I don't want to give that tone or look away to some dude who can't get his gear straight.
I just tell them I would normally be cool with it, but my tubes are almost dead so I need to save em.
No one ever knows enough about tubes to dispute it, and if they DO dispute it... EAT (brown oatmeal) IT'S MY AMP!
its simple.. (this is what both fellas did to my rigs..)
you take the gain or the bass frequencies and bump em up soooo high that the "clip" light stays on constantly with even the lightest played notes... you will basically overload the amp and overheat it. that light is there for a reason.
this is something fellas with crappy gear..ie gear with little available volume or less than desirable bass response will do because they think its what they need to do to be heard. They dont understand EQs or that there is a big difference between their crappy 100 watt clearance amp and an 1100 watt ampeg.
when the one fella blew my ampeg, he cranked it in the middle of a song while i was at the bar, i heard the difference and looked over and saw the clip light blazing. He was doing it to get ALOT of grit and feedback, and before I could even get to the stage to turn it back...(you bet I was gonna walk up on stage mid song and do it!!) there was a crazy loud pop and smoke rolled out of it..
you take the gain or the bass frequencies and bump em up soooo high that the "clip" light stays on constantly with even the lightest played notes... you will basically overload the amp and overheat it. that light is there for a reason.
this is something fellas with crappy gear..ie gear with little available volume or less than desirable bass response will do because they think its what they need to do to be heard. They dont understand EQs or that there is a big difference between their crappy 100 watt clearance amp and an 1100 watt ampeg.
when the one fella blew my ampeg, he cranked it in the middle of a song while i was at the bar, i heard the difference and looked over and saw the clip light blazing. He was doing it to get ALOT of grit and feedback, and before I could even get to the stage to turn it back...(you bet I was gonna walk up on stage mid song and do it!!) there was a crazy loud pop and smoke rolled out of it..
