• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

"No, you may not use my amp."

#101
eyeballkid said:
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..
Click to expand...

I would seriously remove his bass from his body and smash him right in the dome with it. then sell it to pay for repairs.
 
#102
godofthunder59 said:
Sigh, I work way to hard for my gear to loan it to some unprepared idiot. Your amp is dead? Don't you bring a back up? Your cab is blown ? What no back up? I broke a string and don't have any extra. What no back up ? Rule #1 be prepared. It is not up to people you do not even know to be your back up. On occassion we open for major acts. I was approached once by one bands toadie, he was drooling over my rig. Any chance so and so can use your rig he would really love it. *** you have to be kidding me, I of course said I bet he would but I'm sorry the answer is NO.
Click to expand...

+1 There was a club in eastern Iowa a few years back that booked locals and national acts - mostly up and coming grunge/alternative artists, and well known late 80's hair metal bands. We had played the night before one of the hair metal bands, and had came back the next day at noon to tear down. The roadies and soundman for that night's headliner showed up, spied my three Ampeg rigs, and begged me to let "XXXXXX" basist run through my gear. I politely declined, and they said they didn't really blame me. They just thought it would be easier on them since they were allready rigged up, and they thought "XXXXXXX" would think they looked cool.
 
#103
Interesting story I thought I'd share.

I had a show once where we were the opening act, and the other 2 bands had the same bassist. Of course being the opening act, we sound checked last, and by this time the FOH guy had had his fill of miking and mixing amps (never mind the fact that I use the D.I. out of mine...) and told me that I had to use the amp that was set up. I told him I wasn't comfortable using someone else's amp, but after the other bassist said it was OK I agreed because I wasn't going to waste the lovely 10 minutes they gave us for the whole setup/soundcheck.

I plugged in to the amp and we started to SC... all of a sudden the amp begins popping randomly. This prompts the other bassist to come get in MY face and starts yelling at me. I told him "I'm sorry but I haven't even touched your amp's settings." I unplugged, pulled out my amp and started to setup. Then the FOH guy got in my face saying he wasn't going to go through the setup. I told him he could cut our band the check for the night now and we'd save him the trouble...

I won the battle, but not the war... bastard buried me in the mix... if I was in there at all. So much for professionalism, won't play there again
 
#104
Lowbrow said:
I
This worked out to the benefit of all. BUT the key is in communicating BEFORE the gig rather than ambushing other bandmembers. The communication also helped create an inter-band dialogue that worked to make everyone act responsibly with one another's gear. I can say I never had a problem.
Click to expand...

Yeah, exactly the same situation here. Even the drummers communicated before, to check whether there's all they need (my drummer always takes the doublepedal, cymbals and snare with him) and so fourth.

Anyway, I have a nice story too:

There was this new line of public transport (a tram, like a bus but on rails - no idea what's it called in English :smug: ). Anyway, there was this huge tent with a nice stage where we played. We have agreed to let the band before us to use our equipement. I always give the other bassist a proper introduction to my gear. When I showed him my rack, it was like this:

I: "This is the amp, plug in here, everything is setup fine"
He: "What's this?"
I: "It's a power conditioner"
He: "What's a power conditioner?"
I: "Well, it's basically a power supply unit"
He: "Ah... and what's this?"
I: "It's a compressor"
He: "What's it for?"
I: "It controls the dynamics, it compresses"
He: "Ah... and what's this?"
I: "It's a tuner"
He: "Then I have to plug in that one"
I: "No, it's wired in the back"
He: "Where do I have to plug in then?"
I: "Here"
He: "What's that?"
I: "It's the preamp"
He: "Ah... and what's this?
I: "It's the power amp"
He: "Ah... so I just basically plug in here and that's all?"
I: "Check"
He: "Check?"
I: "Ever played poker?
He: "What has poker to do with that?"
I: "Well, nevermind the DI is already set up and line-checked"
He: "DI? Wha... I'm asking a lot of questions am I?"
I: "Yes :D"

Then he played and was very happy with the sound. At the end of the show he came and thanked. I said that using the amp was for free, but the introduction would cost something. He grinned over the whole face and said: "Well, I already forgot what these things were for, but it sounded awefully good so I need no further information from this vodoostuff" :D

It was actually quite fun :p
 
#107
onosson said:
I would add that I have and do lend my amp to other working bass players that I personally know, and where this is worked out between us beforehand, as I know they will treat my gear with the same respect they treat theirs. But that's it, if I don't know the guy he should have his own equipment.
Click to expand...

I've done this a few times with bassists/guitarists that I personally know, and I know are good for the money. My combo is actually at a friend's place as we speak, but only because I know and trust he is treating it like it were his.

I will -never- loan or rent my stuff to an unknown party at a gig. I've seen one too many people walk off with guitars and basses to ever do anything like that, not to mention amps and combos can be very expensive to repair and replace.
 
#112
Im a student. I have no money. I saved up and got myself a killer amp which suits my tone perfectly. I invested said money so I could sound how I want to sound, not so every other bass player at the gig can sound exactly the same. Its one of the things I love about festivals, seeing all the different setups and rigs and how differently they sound.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MrBKerth
#113
zachoff said:
If the other band's bass player is a friend of mine I don't have a problem with letting them play my rig and/or bass but I hate using a house rig. Thankfully that hasn't happened since the last (and I mean last) battle of the bands I played a few years ago.
Click to expand...

+1 I have loaned and borrowed amps, only for & from friends, and usually in emergency situations only, but I loath playing through most "house bass amps" as well.
Now I always bring my SWR Headlite to every gig, even if I'm using my regular PJB setup.
The headlight is my back-up "security blanket" when playing my PJB rig, its the head for my small venue rig, it is my amp whenever the house rig has a separate head & speaker, and it is my preamp/direct signal when the house rig is a combo amp.
Best of all, the headlite fits in the accessory compartment of my bass case. One of the best purchases I've ever made!
 
#114
If I don't know you, and you're not playing at my jam, then you may not use my rig. Period. I banned a guy from our jam because he would not respect my gear. (He's a guitard...not guitarist, but guitard.) He came back pleading. I told him that he must only use his gear (guits refused to let him on their stuff, either), and must not ever touch anyone else's. "If you see a piece of equipment on stage, and its not yours, and you feel tempted to use it, don't. It might be mine, and if you touch my sh** ever again, you will go to the hospital. If you're lucky." I made him cry. In public.

You wanna be a grown man who cries in public? Mess with my stuff. I'll reduce you to a crying 3 y.o. in half a minute. In front of your friends.

Cherie
 
  • Like
Reactions: Killed_by_Death
#119
I never let anyone (unless good friends or family) use any of my gear anymore. In fact I generally don't even like people touching my gear or messing with it. Do I have the best gear you can buy? No, but I learned my lesson at a gig I played where I let another bands bassist use a couple of my cords and as you can guess I never got them back. Him and his band just took off after their set, good thing I played before them. I have had other bassists actually get mad or defensive with me when I say no to them. Ahhh high school kids in bands (no offense). To be honest I actually don't even try or ask to borrow other peoples stuff just for the simple fear if something would happen, however some people out there have no fear or shame.
 
#120
Skitch it! said:
I don't mind now and again, as long as the user is, personable?
I actually like to hear it's character from an audience point of view and see how it's performing, if I'm getting the fundamentals I *think* I'm getting.
Click to expand...

Actually, I agree with this. If I think the guy is a monkey who doesn't know anything, the answer is 'No'. It's mostly the speakers I'm concerned about. If someone is not ready to play my rig by my rules they can do what I did and bring their own. It's pretty hard to relax when some strange person is playing through my rig at stage volumes, so I like to avoid it. It's as simple as not agreeing to that arrangement without some kind of premium. Club owners and managers don't care about anything but the gross receipts.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back