So close to a new rig, until my guitarist had a "great" idea.

[FighttheSilence]

Ok, so I had $1600 saved up for a new rig, enough for a Carvin B1500 and a Carvin BRX4.10, which I had wanted for a long time. I was about to buy it when my singer called me up to go to Sioux Falls (about an hour away) to get more PA speakers for a show we were throwing. This was 2 day before the show. So we got to a local music store and bought 2 Yamaha 1x15s to use as main speakers. I lent him $100, which didnt bother me, cause I know he could pay me back in about a week.

The day of the show....

We were headlining and there were 2 other bands. We had all the gear pretty much (the other bands used our half stacks and PA). Our guitarists both have Crate Solid State Heads they bought used from the same guy, and our lead guitarists head had always acted up but he never bothered to go our and buy a new head. Day of the show (about 5 hours before the show) his head acted up, so he brings his Crate 2x12 combo and thinks he can plug in straight to the mixer.....IN A MIC LINE!!! He blows the power amp for the PA!!!! So me and our singer (who was very pissed, cause it was his power amp) had to run to the closest Guitar Center. It takes an hour to get there and and hour back, needless to say sound checks were going to be much shorter than we thought.

So were in the GC, our singer didnt have money for a power amp (as he had bought new mains a few days ago) so I lend him $500 for a new power amp. Then I call our guitarist and I agreed to lend him $300 and buy him a new head while we were there. So now our singer owes me $600 and our lead owes me $300. Anyways, the we got back, we put on a great show, got a good crowd and such.

But at the end of the night I went from being able to buy myself a pro level rig, with alot of power, to not having near enough for it. So, looks like I'll be using a Fender Rumble 100 combo (against 2 half stacks) for a while longer. Theres not really a question, just a story, hope it makes you guys feel better about your lead guitarists.

 

[BillySid]

You're a better man than me. Power amp, no problem. New head for the guitarist....I wouldn't do that. Sounds like you are putting up more cash than you should.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Why don't you just buy a VT Bass and plug straight in to that nice new PA of yours (your money, right?).

 

[DBTOYS]

Yah! why is it bass players are always the ones with the money
i now own all most all of our equipment!

 

[kander]

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be"

 

[oerk]

Day of the show (about 5 hours before the show) his head acted up, so he brings his Crate 2x12 combo and thinks he can plug in straight to the mixer.....IN A MIC LINE!!! He blows the power amp for the PA!!!!

Man, I didn't know you could blow a power amp like that. What did he plug in? The speaker output of his combo? Anyway, I'd have guessed the PA tops or the mixer to go first.

If he already has a 2x12 combo, he probably has enough juice to get by until he gets a new head. Especially if you as the bassist only have a 1x15 combo. Hell, our guitarists don't use anything bigger than a 1x12, and I still need a big rig to cut through.

You're a good man, but don't let the others take advantage of you.

 

[stflbn]

No way in hell I'd shell out money like that for guys who obviously are not motivated to spend on their own for their own gear.

IMHO you'll be lucky if you see 1/2 or more of that money back. Friends or not... people are jerks when it comes to owed money.

Best of luck.


.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Uh...

You lent HOW much to *musicians*?

Hard lesson learned: Musicians are *flakes* - particularly guitarists and singers.

Kiss that $$ GOOD BYE and call it tuition.

 

[TheNightLife]

yea good luck with that. i payed for my guitarists part of recording ($600) and this was in april and i still havent seen anything from it yet. i was gonna go buy and svtvr head with some of that money but i guess not lol i dont think ill ever see it again.

 

[millsbass5]

I'm very fortunate to be in a band with enough gear to make two,maybe three, separate,very high-quality,P.A. systems.But,it always wasn't like that.
No matter what our earnings are for the month,we ALWAYS,ALWAYS put $250.00 into the "kitty"(band savings account).I'm very proud to say,that over the years (almost 15 yrs together),we've managed to save well over 10 grand.
I'm the "youngster" of the band at 42 yrs old.
We are W-A-Y past the "making it big" dream.Two of the four members of our band have successful businesses,which really helps on running this business.The band.That's the way it's treated.Like a business.
We've had papers drawn up by a lawyer stating if we were to "break-up",monies are to be divided up 5 ways (yes,including the soundman,he's priceless!).
If I were you,I would consider this to the rest of the guys in the band.It's really the only solution to keep things like your situation in check.

Good Luck

 

[MIJ-VI]

^ This.

 

[lorenk]

Damn...you are one brave individual.

I hope you get that money paid back. In the mean time are you holding onto (what is basically) your equiptment?

 

[Korladis]

I maybe would have helped buy a new power amp, but screw the guitarist, it's not your fault he's an idiot who breaks his gear.

 

[Jim C]

Sounds like all the gig money goes to you until it's paid back

 

[FighttheSilence]

Lol, I'm confident they'll pay me back. And If they don't, I'll have a nice new power amp, guitar head, and other things I'll take as "interest" (smiles at the though of my guitarists $700 Schecter).

 

[basspro]

Sounds like all the gig money goes to you until it's paid back

+1000...This is what they should be doing,offering you their
part of the gig $$ until your paid back.

 

[Akami]

Sounds like all the gig money goes to you until it's paid back

Absolutely the right thing to do!

I will say though that I have never had a problem getting paid for items sold to 'professional' musicians. It's always been the flakes that I've had problems with. Now you get to find out who's really in your band!

 

[Nightlyraider]

I have found myself in similar situations, not really lending out money, but owning all the equipment.

Why do my buddies all have even more screwed up finances than me?

 

[David Jayne]

Sounds like all the gig money goes to you until it's paid back

+1000...This is what they should be doing,offering you their
part of the gig $$ until your paid back.

Absolutely the right thing to do!

I will say though that I have never had a problem getting paid for items sold to 'professional' musicians. It's always been the flakes that I've had problems with. Now you get to find out who's really in your band!

There you go. You are going to find out who your friends are rather quickly. I hope it goes well.

 

[Gintaras]

Why don't you just buy a VT Bass and plug straight in to that nice new PA of yours (your money, right?).

or just plug in the 'line out' from your Rumble into your new pa