Seeing others play barefoot scares me.

[Axtman]

A friend posted a picture of himself on Facebook playing barefoot. I told him that was dangerous and he replied very negatively to me. I have seen a few amateur performers perform barefoot and it scares me. Another guy I know plays through a tube amp and he always plays barefoot.

If you know anything about tube amps or even solid state amps, then you know the high voltages in those things. Modern amps (or properly refurbished amps) have a 3 prong cord. The third prong is ground for safety DON'T EVER BREAK IT OFF! I would still recommend wearing shoes.

 

[Axtman]

I have had to hobble over to my next door neighbor (a physicians assistant) to have him dig glass shards out of my foot without anesthetic. That experience made wear shoes any time I was outside.

 

[Oddly]

I've seen a barefoot singer cut her soles to shreds after stepping on broken glass from a bottle thrown on stage.
There was a lot of blood lost, followed by infection. She lost 2 toes.
Your friends are idiots.

 

[Axtman]

Lost two toes?! I sure hope it was a good gig! ;-) But seriously, I am very sorry to hear that.

Not to long ago, I was shocked by an ungrounded old two prong cord vintage Magnatone amp in a music store. I was leaning over to checking out the speaker and I touched the "hot" chassis (the amp was not even on!). Had it not been a carpeted floor and had I not been wearing shoes, I might be dead. It was a healthy jolt!

 

[StyleOverShow]

I'm from California where shoes are optional most months of the year.

I come from a tradition of dressing up for the gig so most of the time I wear shoes.

I don't think that shock is the major threat, although broken glass as cited can be painful and dangerous.

Only time I've been seriously shocked was in Ames IA at an outdoor concert, in the rain, where the stage was wet and I had my hand on my guitar strings and my lips on a mic. More tingling than shocked.

Its a preference thing?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

A singer in France was killed performing barefoot:

Barbara Weldens - Wikipedia

"An Invalid Link Removed confirmed that she had been electrocuted; she normally performed barefoot and apparently trod on a defective piece of electrical equipment."


If you really care about this friend tell him he's being stupid & stubborn.

 

[two fingers]

A friend of mine plays bass in another band. A couple of years ago he took a long vacation from work....5 weeks I think. During that time he traveled and played several gigs. Including loading in and out at those shows he swore (and his band members never saw them) he went barefoot from the time he clocked out until the morning he went back to work.

 

[Oddly]

Another scary story for you...not gig-related but close.
I was early to rehearsal a couple of weeks back. Parked outside the rehearsal room and watched about 6 guys wearing flip-flops moving heavy steel catering equipment out of a warehouse into a truck.
My health & safety sensibilities were badly shaken.
Where I work steel- capped safety boots are an absolute requirement. I've seen them save guys from serious injuries and indeed I've sent people home for not wearing them.
I guess sometimes you just can't fix stupid, though.

 

[Axtman]

A singer in France was killed performing barefoot:

Barbara Weldens - Wikipedia

"An Invalid Link Removed confirmed that she had been electrocuted; she normally performed barefoot and apparently trod on a defective piece of electrical equipment."


If you really care about this friend tell him he's being stupid & stubborn.

Wow!

I remember reading about a preacher who was electrocuted during a baptism. He typically used a wireless mike but used a wired mike that day. Of course this is an extreme example.

You must respect the electrons!

 

[Killed_by_Death]

When I was young I'd go wherever I could barefoot. I'd ride all the way to the pool w/o shoes on a rat-trap pedal* bike (10 miles away).
Then one night I stepped on an axe in the dark & that cured me of going barefoot & brought me around to boots with safety toes.

No one has worn them for years, but I've still got a couple pairs of tall boots with safety toes.
Heck, I have have some sneakers (trainers) with safety toes

*This is a rat-trap pedal:

I had a little trick where I'd use the ball of my foot on the spline.

 

[catcauphonic]

I admit in summer I only carry my shoes around in my car in case I have to go into a business or something. I grew up traipsing the rocky swimming holes & creeks in northeast PA (or 'cricks' as the locals call them ), so they're pretty well conditioned for rough turf. Not only cuz it's a very freeing feeling, but sock tan looks freakish.

I have played a show on a stage using a tube amp barefoot a few Halloweens ago, but that was before reading a few of the horror stories here on TB. Therefore, will likely revise proceeding with that idea on the future.

Daaammmmn to the gal singer who lost 2 toes mentioned a few posts above

 

[Milo Spleen]

I remember reading about a preacher who was electrocuted during a baptism.

Even though we get electricity from water, you can't mix electricity and water.

 

[Honch]

I don't think that shock is the major threat, although broken glass as cited can be painful and dangerous.

Broken glass and other debris are far more worse danger than anyone electrocuted. The OP said nothing about the floor OR CARPET you stand on. If the carpet is of rubber, and you play with active EMG pickups no big deal that you're even going to be electrocuted no matter how barefoot or WET you've become.

I would say that playing in rain, and a wet stage and barefoot is the ... harzardous side of this. But as fast you run through pedals, wireless, or said active pickups, chances are slim that you're in a hazardous position.

BTW Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree plays barefoot. Just to be able to adjust his pedals with his toes while playing.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Even though we get electricity from water, you can't mix electricity and water.

I think the majority get it from coal.

 

[Honch]

Oh BTW seeing others playing barefoot doesn't scare me at all. I am not the one who gets the jolt. If they want some EXCITEMENT or RISK, or even VOLTAGE in their life, please be my guest.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

play with active EMG pickups no big deal that you're even going to be electrocuted no matter how barefoot or WET you've become.

until you touch any of the knobs on your bass

 

[Honch]

I think the majority get it from coal.

Naaaah... in Scandinavia it's equal split by nuclear and hydrogenic, very little, if any from coal. If so, then it's gas. Maybe Norway gets some from oill. Iceland from the ground up due to (or really thanks to) volcanic activity.

 

[Honch]

until you touch any of the knobs on your bass

Nope. EMGs are not grounded through the bridge or the knobs. You make assumption that the knobs are of metal and not plastic. If they're plastic it's a no brainer.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

On EMG drawings I've seen the pots are grounded, so if you have conductive knobs on it, Zap!

and Scandinavia is not the majority of electricity users

That is awfully efficient of them though, too bad we can't follow their examples.

 

[AdamK]

I never thought of this, which is kind of surprising because of my electrical engineering interests. I think playing barefoot on rug is pretty awesome. I've never done it, but I envy those who do. I'm not sure if there is any truth to these dangers, but I know that you feel more connected when you can feel the ground below you. I don't know if there are really any grounding issues to worry about with everything being three-pronged these days and modern guitars being properly grounded. Anyway, barefoot playing is quite prevalent in the jam band world.