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People wanting to use your rig

#22
Dave W said:
Maybe your singer should hire players that actually have what they need to do a gig.
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We have a winner!!!

If you want to loan gear to someone you trust, that's fine. I've done it. I've even done it and had the gear damaged (the borrower was honorable and made everything right) and I'm still willing to do it - for people I trust. I also think borrowing gear is something you do in a bind; perhaps your rig has a problem and you need something to get you through a show or you're sharing a bill and it makes no sense for both bands to bring a full rig... whatever. That's not the same as borrowing a rig because you just don't have one. What kind of s*#t is that?

Hauling it for them?!? Now we're really pushing it! Tell your singer's bass player to put on his big boy pants and buy himself a rig if he's a gigging musician.
 
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#23
Hotblack said:
No. No. and Hell No.
Gear only gets loaned out to dear, close friends that I trust and who I know will compensate me should any misfortune befall my gear. On top of that, those friends would never ask me to inconvenience myself as if letting them borrow my gear was a privilege.
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I should have read the thread more carefully. Hotblack said exactly what I did, but he said it better!
 
#25
I can appreciate that you don't want to look like a dbag to your singer friend, but I wouldn't want my brand new gear played either. I'd literally say "brother, I didn't mind loaning it out last night, but it's brand new and I want to be the one breaking it in". If you loan out the old rig--up to you.
 
#27
How can any musician be in a band and not have their own rig? You have paid your dues and now have a professional grade rig. Let them rent one from a music rental store. Not you. You don't owe them anything and they have a lot of gaul to ask you to cart your rig around at your expense because they aren't professional enough to buy or at least rent their own equipment. Proper answer: I don't think so, Homey don't play that game! :):laugh::cool::hyper:
 
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#29
I've loaned my many various rigs out to people many times over the years and there's never been an issue. I always figure- at some point I'm going to need someone's help so I might as well do something nice for someone. Besides, it's quite difficult to damage heavy duty Ampeg equipment.

If it's really an issue, just simply say no.
 
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#31
If you want to try to remain a "nice guy," just make up a story:

"I loaned my amp out for a gig and it blew up and I was out $500. I can't loan another out."

or

"I loaned my amp out and the guy spilled a beer on it. When he brought it back I had to kill him and bury him in a shallow grave on the edge of town. So I really can't loan this amp out since I lost my shovel and don't want to dig another grave by hand..."
 
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#32
Whenever somebody wants to borrow my instruments, I simply tell that I've had bad experiences before and not lending them anymore. I also don't borrow anybody's instruments for the same reason. They usually understand and say "thank you" anyway. I've one bass that I take with me everywhere. It is a squier p. That's the only bass I'm comfortable people playing.
 
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#33
Do you know the bassist personally and think he's a quality dude?
No? Then don't do it!!
Is he gonna pick up the rig and bring it back?
No? Don't do it!!

I'm all for helping out friends, but i'm not gonna leverage that much gear on a strangers' kindness.
On top of that, it's plain insulting to ask you to schlep the gear for him.
 
#34
No, never.

Let's say the other band are willing to pick it up and drop it off the next day, and there are many warm feels between everyone as they pick it up and head to the gig... until something unforeseen happens to YOUR gear while in THEIR possession. One of two things:

1. They replace your old gear or compensate you fully for it within a short period of time without you having to nag, follow up with phone calls, or threaten them. BTW, this has probably never happened in this situation, not even on TV.

2. You're screwed without ANY compensation and then the subsequent animosity builds until there are personal problems between you and them and you get to share that love between you and the other band with your mutual singer in the middle. YAY!

Remember: if they could recompense you in a reasonable amount of time they would not need to ask to borrow it in the first place.

Tell them to buy a used Sansamp or comparable direct box and run it through the FOH. Cheap and done.
 
#36
I've been house bassist in open mic situations. In that case its my amp on the bandstand, so by default I am "loaning" it to other players. That said, I'm sitting in the audience when they're using it (as they'll only be up for usually 2 tunes) so if they're really out of line I can shut them down. That said, the current jam is a jazz situation that is held in a church so volume and substance abuse (no drinking allowed) aren't issues. Past ones were "jazz/blues" in bars where it could get loud and sloppy.

I never let anyone use my bass unless I know them. Really well. An amp is a commodity. My basses are much harder to replace.
 

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