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Should I Lend out my Rig?

#61
jmattbassplaya,

If you let out your gear, then everyone and their brother with a sob story is going to be knocking at your door wanting to borrow your gear!

I would only lend out my gear if I personally knew the person, liked the person, respected the person and attended the gig. Also I would lend out gear that I would not freak out if it got damaged. Even if the bass player is the nicest guy in the world and respects your stuff, accidents happen. Some idiot drunk will spill his beer, barf, then knock it off the stage. Oooooops!
 
#62
BigBud said:
I'm going to remember the "I'm annoyed that you even asked!" line. That could turn the moocher abruptly away. Truly, you have no reason to find excuses or feel fault with yourself. Few of us come by our gear easy, and NO ONE respects your gear more than yourself. Had a guy ask to play my Ric at a local jam.....cause he had broken a string on his bass. Yea, like I'm going to watch him thrash my Ric all over the place! But even if his request was for his grandma to stroke it with a felt pic, the answer is NO! Bud
Click to expand...

You could go one step further and say: "A professional would never ask."
 
#63
fdeck said:
You could go one step further and say: "A professional would never ask."
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I made that point the second time he called. If they're so professional they'd have gear and transportation already planned out.

And yes, the second time he called. The first time he hung up on me when I told him no and to stop forcing this on me... Once again I question why I'm putting up with this guys nonstop BS.
 
#65
I'll be the only one to say yes. Lend your $3000. rig to some perfect strangers and, when it is drowned in beer, you'll look like a really nice guy to the rest of your band; if you can control your anger. I, for one, would not entertain the idea, but you sound like a nicer person than me. It's taken too long to get my rig the way I like it, to take that risk. Even if you're lucky, and it doesn't get damaged, you'll have to go pick it up. Who would travel to a gig without a rig???
 
#66
Where do you guys even FIND these people?! Common human decency apart from being a musician (I won't say 'professional' because just getting money doesn't make one a professional) should keep your guitar player from even promising your gear to people! I can't even imagine doing that to anybody! It ain't that he's a "guitard"... HE'S NOT EVEN A CONSIDERATE HUMAN BEING!

Didn't you say he's loaning his rig? Well, I hope his gear gets thoroughly soaked by the drunk frat boys and he's out a few grand! I'm sure his "professional" friends won't reimburse him.
 
#69
If you lend your equipment, I will make the following prediction if your stuff gets damaged.

Your guitarist will say, "It's not my problem"

Obviously, my position remains - Do not do it. I would personally be upset with the guitard for putting me in this position.

Also, does your guitard have other friends? If so, I can see it now, "Yea, sure, I can get you some nice bass gear to use at your gig. Sure, my bass player won't mind. I will pick the stuff up on my way to work and then drop if off on the way home".
 
#70
fdeck said:
You could go one step further and say: "A professional would never ask."
Click to expand...

There's actually a big league reggae bassist out here who pulls that kind of crap every time he plays at the club I mix in. He only lives an hour from here, but he doesn't own a rig -- really?

I personally SAW a bass rig in the band van one time, even. So we devised an escalating strategy, and the last time we made sure the "provided backline" didn't show up until after soundcheck. The check was done with just DI, which he proclaimed "acceptable" if need be.

His employer was not too amused though, and his attitude in general seemed to be better adjusted after that chastening. Next time he can rent and take it out of his pay, or we will rent and charge him for a two hour roundtrip to the store a mile from where he lives. Or he could just pull his own amp out of the van. His call, it's all good!

At times like this I'm glad I play homemade stuff. Very few actual pros want to risk that, except maybe a few of the ones I've worked with in the past, all of whom are more than welcome to use my stuff on their gig if I'm already going to be there. But hey, guess how many have asked to do that? One, a well known touring TB'er who I would be delighted to hear playing through my stuff, as it turns out.
 
#72
lazyone2 said:
Just curious, how long have you been in this band.
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Pretty young band. - about a month and a half with 3 legit gigs under our belts and 4 frat keg parties. But I've been playing with this guitarist for around 9 months now in 3 different bands, including this one.

And in case it wasn't clear, I'm a founding member of this band.
 
#75
Passinwind said:
There's actually a big league reggae bassist out here who pulls that kind of crap every time he plays at the club I mix in. He only lives an hour from here, but he doesn't own a rig -- really?

I personally SAW a bass rig in the band van one time, even. So we devised an escalating strategy, and the last time we made sure the "provided backline" didn't show up until after soundcheck. The check was done with just DI, which he proclaimed "acceptable" if need be.

His employer was not too amused though, and his attitude in general seemed to be better adjusted after that chastening. Next time he can rent and take it out of his pay, or we will rent and charge him for a two hour roundtrip to the store a mile from where he lives. Or he could just pull his own amp out of the van. His call, it's all good!

At times like this I'm glad I play homemade stuff. Very few actual pros want to risk that, except maybe a few of the ones I've worked with in the past, all of whom are more than welcome to use my stuff on their gig if I'm already going to be there. But hey, guess how many have asked to do that? One, a well known touring TB'er who I would be delighted to hear playing through my stuff, as it turns out.
Click to expand...

I'd borrow your DIY gear. In fact, I've got a gig coming up... :hiding:
 
#76
Maybe we should all have "our" rig and then a spare "lender" rig. Our rig would consist of pro level expensive gear. The lender rig would consist of some ratty cabinet that looks like it went through a war and smells like cat urine. The head would be some under powered amp head with half the knobs missing and a fire hazard power cord.

That way if someone asks to borrow an amp you can say...."No problem, let me go get it from behind the dumpster."
 
#77
jmatt - add another voice to the angelic chorus of "no" as well as to the "guitar player needs to eat a few more prunes with his wheaties and find the number to the gear rental place".

Wow. Hang in there, amigo, it's just one weekend, it will pass, and your bandmate will either regain a clue, or you can provide him with some percussive maintenance with the clue stick.
 
#78
"Hey Cherie! A buncha guys you don't know, who are such pros they can't manage to lug their own gear around, want you to lend their bassist your rig for a frat party. I already said you would. So you will, right? I'll just call you and annoy you until you say yes?"

OH!!! HE11!!! NO!!!!

How dare your guit offer up your rig like that!!! He needs to be slapped hard until he is a human again!!!

If that other bassist is such a big pro, he would not ASK a stranger to lend a rig! He would rent one.

Cherie
 

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