Yeah, if anybody can figure out my wireless switch AND tuner mute AND Amp mute, they are welcome to it... I guess...
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Others playing your bass between sets or other
- Thread starter TH63
- Start date
That's awesome and just plain adorable! I think I'd end up just giving my basses to people who ask to play them to keep and regretting it the next day
Thanks! I'm not sure I'd give up any of my instruments just because these kids ask though...they've gotta work the crappy hourly jobs like I did to afford my gear when I was younger!
Thank you! It's a lot of fun, but sometimes things can go sideways pretty quickly...after an outdoor show I found my guitarist-at-the-time giving advice to teenage boys on how to get groupies into bed. I'm still not sure if he was doing irreversible damage or if he was the best friend/older brother that these boys never had giving useful advice that would benefit them for years to come.
I also pack (not to derail the topic or get this thread banned, but I'm licensed and trained to do so...Mods, I'm happy to edit this post if necessary) but I don't think I've ever been pushed anywhere near far enough that I would even think about using it, at least not over GEAR. The time a creepy guy was hanging out around the band and entourage after an outdoor show and physically pulling each of us to his cargo van to see his "purple snakes" (his EXACT words)...well, that time came close. And the time we pulled our RV and trailer into a Walmart parking lot and around 5am some people outside tried to get inside.
My guess is that the OP just decided not to let anyone mess with his gear and abandoned the thread.
Man, I've played some pretty crappy bars in my 30 years of doing this. Never once has anyone ever grabbed an instrument and started playing without asking.
The front man's mic? That happens all the time.
But never an instrument.
(As a sound guy, one of my favorite things to do is leave the front man's mic hot in the monitors but not I'm the FOG. This leads to entertaining scenarios when the offender can't figure out why nobody is responding to his/her babbling over the mic. They just get madder and madder thinking they're being ignored. Eventually security takes care of them. But, until then, it's a riot.
)
The front man's mic? That happens all the time.
But never an instrument.
(As a sound guy, one of my favorite things to do is leave the front man's mic hot in the monitors but not I'm the FOG. This leads to entertaining scenarios when the offender can't figure out why nobody is responding to his/her babbling over the mic. They just get madder and madder thinking they're being ignored. Eventually security takes care of them. But, until then, it's a riot.
)
Man. I can’t even imagine my reaction. I’m a peaceful dude but I train in bjj and Muay Thai at least 7 hours a week. I never use it because violence is stupid, but that may be the situation I have been training for all this time!
If a person is dumb enough to touch a musicians instrument they need not be drinking at a show. I don’t even ask. Heck, I feel uncomfortable playing a friends instrument unless they offer.
If a person is dumb enough to touch a musicians instrument they need not be drinking at a show. I don’t even ask. Heck, I feel uncomfortable playing a friends instrument unless they offer.
Since I only play 21 to 24 inch scale basses, I often get questioned at a gig, but never asked if they could play it, certainly never played it without asking. The only time someone did play mine was at rehearsal when a small group of junior high kids visited. One girl asked about my mini size bass and I handed it to her. She actually played very well for being so young. I think I influenced her to get a small one herself.
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On occasion I've been asked at gigs but always refuse, with a degree of politeness in line with that of the request.
Unfortunately, some people are rather offended by a refusal, almost as if they're entitled to a go and asking is a mere formality. This tends to keep me away from some jams where I fear I will be asked.
If I wasn't at a gig and the request came from someone I knew who was sober, had clean hands, and didn't seem likely to abuse the instrument, then I'd allow it.
Unfortunately, some people are rather offended by a refusal, almost as if they're entitled to a go and asking is a mere formality. This tends to keep me away from some jams where I fear I will be asked.
If I wasn't at a gig and the request came from someone I knew who was sober, had clean hands, and didn't seem likely to abuse the instrument, then I'd allow it.
ive been reading the responses. I didn't expect so many. A lot of the pubs that hire western bands can be real dives. Some of the other bars are pretty cool. But it only takes once for someone to mess things up.
It only takes one jerk to screw things up. So the lock works. I actually got the idea from my guitarist. He was angry that someone was using his amp. One of the bars we played at had a practice room a lot of bands shared. Some of the guys would leave equipment there for weeks at a time. My friend put a small lock in the little holes in the power cable so nobody could plug it in. Problem solved.
This happened to me or bands I was in exactly zero times. I cant imagine the gonads someone would have to have to do that...especially since I am 6'2'' and about 250.
Rock on.
Rock on.
No one has ever played my bass without prior arrangements and it was someone I knew / know their ability. Nor has anyone tried to pick up and play our instruments... Have had a dippity doosh walk by my keyboard, reach across from the wrong side, and bang on the keys though... pissed me off and I made sure he knew it. Actually, I made sure everyone in the venue knew I didn't appreciate it (over my mic).
However, when I go to a venue to hear friends play, I'm usually asked to sit in for a few.
The post about kids being interested, now that hits close to home. I've only played a couple of 'all ages' gigs over the years, it is really something to see kiddos having a good time... and I do believe I'd let them try my bass while I was right there to oversee
However, when I go to a venue to hear friends play, I'm usually asked to sit in for a few.
The post about kids being interested, now that hits close to home. I've only played a couple of 'all ages' gigs over the years, it is really something to see kiddos having a good time... and I do believe I'd let them try my bass while I was right there to oversee
that's a bar fight waiting to happen. NOBODY grabs Alexandra, Mabel, or Betty except me or with my express permission... EVER. I've slapped someone with my headstock before for reaching and grabbing at my bass mid-set... I'll do it. I'm not even myself on stage... lol...
I had a friend that his guitar was either in his hands or in the case. I did the same until I switched to a gig bag.
I also have a Boss VE-5 vocal effect on my mic stand,
which the LCD display has a rude message that puts off most uninvited wanna-be vocalists.
Lol! The vocalist I worked with would set his to massive vocal processing and auto transpose, when the band took a break. If someone jumped up to sing, what came out was a cross between a camel and Barry White
which the LCD display has a rude message that puts off most uninvited wanna-be vocalists.
Lol! The vocalist I worked with would set his to massive vocal processing and auto transpose, when the band took a break. If someone jumped up to sing, what came out was a cross between a camel and Barry White
Okay, The last band I was in the lead singer was the old bass player, he was always eyeballing my gear, and unfortunately, one of the downsides of TB gas is you have a lot of cool gear! He would always comment "I love your Bass". It was a Fender JB special I had done a lot of upgrades on. The drummer would always chime in "Yeah! That bass is beautiful! Triple black they would say.it's all black: black finish with matching headstock, all black hardware, & black strings too. anyway, I would often catch him coveting my bass ( taking pictures of it, talking to other people about it, since I would tell him what all the latest upgrades were. It creeped me out. like hearing a guy talk about how beautiful Your girlfriend is! My first mistake was letting him play it, once (because I didn't know a requested song at a gig. so, after a lot of pleading I gave in). He took that as the greenlight to always have permission to play it! ARGGH!, so during the 1st break at that gig. while I left to relieve myself & get a beer. I hear a bass playing along with the BG music in the bar! I come back & find the singer on stage playing my bass! "Duude!!"
I Shouted at him! He looks back at me guiltily, he says sorry and starts to put my bass back on it's stand. after that he would often ask, if he could play it. "come -on dude" I I had to draw a line.It's hard when someone compliments you on your gear! "Your Basses, always sound so awesome ."i love your Tone!" I hated being that guy Who's basses were too Precious to touch! But come on enough is enough! He got the point and started to bring his own bass & rig to practice. cool, but the Problem started over when I blew out the speaker in my Amp and I had to use his rig for a couple of weeks. It was just so annoying seeing him reach for my bass on its stand I had to tell him NO!, because " you changed the tone knob setting last time. & "it took me forever to dial that in!" He apologized, but relented. problem solved. lesson learned. just Never tolerate it . & just say, "No, I am Not comfortable with that, & Did you wash your filthy hands! ***, No!" and Make sure they know you're creeped out by that (start wiping down the fret board manically, helps, too). GL
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Completely agree, I just meant we would both wait for the police, me willingly, the purlpetraitor unwillingly I would imagine! I would let them deal with the situation upon their arrival...I've only ever had to clear leather once. It was a very stressful situation with a very aggitated young man. Just the presence of a, uh, "tool" completely diffused the situation, thank God!
You've got to wrap the cable around the drums! "Don't you know you always have to lock-in with the drums!"
