• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Spending priorities

New band, what to spend $750 on?

  • Sub for the PA

    Votes: 18 27.3%

  • Pedals for bass magic

    Votes: 5 7.6%

  • Tenor guitar for the singer

    Votes: 2 3.0%

  • Marketing

    Votes: 12 18.2%

  • Me

    Votes: 16 24.2%

  • Carrots

    Votes: 13 19.7%
  • Total voters
    66
#45
I chose Marketing but would have also chosen Me if I could pick two.

I would put some toward the marketing if the rest of the band would do the same in my position and/or spend the rest in myself.
 
#46
man...this is a tough one!

i'd say sub if all the PA gear was already yours and you were adding to your stuff. but since it's not, i wouldn't. i own our bands PA and it works best so i can use it for all my projects and if anything splits, there is no question who's gear it is. and it'd be annoying to just own a sub. if i was in your position, i'd go sub - because i need one - but we're in different situations.

i was also leaning towards the marketing thing. but as others have mentioned, it should be a shared expense.

i think i'll vote tenor guitar. but an acoustic one. i have one and love it! i tuned it as a bass and use it to practice bass on. it's nice to have something i can play on the couch while watching the kids or TV. it has really helped my playing. and if the band breaks up, you get to keep it.

another option is to keep $250 and put $500 in a band account (or vice versa). then have the others in the band do the same. when the time comes, and you have a band purchase, or want to make a demo, or do some marketing, the cash is there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hrodbert696
#51
Singers are their own thing, as far as I can tell. I'm going to make an attempt at being serious instead of the usual. It will be tough, but here it goes.

1. You don't already own a PA, so if you don't have a use for subs if it all goes south, those aren't a great idea. And, will you need them? The band hasn't formed completely, so those are a question mark as to whether they are even necessary.
2. If you use pedals and the like, then that's fine, but $750 worth of pedals is a lot of pedals. I don't use 'em much, so consider the source when I say don't waste the cash on pedals.
3. A tenor guitar is the best idea as far as equipment. It's a combination of things, including getting an instrument you wanted anyway. That's a good way to go.
4. Band marketing is great, too, so long as everyone else pitches in. Free riding is a recipe for problems down the road.
5. Save it - probably the best idea. That way you have the cash when the real answer reveals itself.
6. You - the second best idea. It's your money, so blow it on your family, your house, your psyche, whatever.

And, carrots are always good. Dammit. I can't stay serious for a whole post.
 
#53
hrodbert696 said:
Just figured I'd see how the TB collective mind would respond to this. I sadly got the boot from my classic rock power trio, so I'm reconnecting with some old friends to put together a new cover band, more dance oriented. I saved gig money from my last couple of months of gigs with the trio so I have $750 to put toward music/band related expenses.

I am pretty much set on my bass rig.

The singer has no gear to speak of.

The drummer has his kit, and also has lots of PA gear from when we were in a band a couple of years ago. He also has a lot of guitars and amplifiers that used to belong to his late father, just sitting in the house. The PA is adequate though not high-end, but there's no sub for it.

We need to recruit a guitarist, who I assume will be set for gear him- (or her-) self.

I don't want to get beyond four members, to keep it maneuverable and be able to take smaller gigs and still collect $100 a person.

So the question is - where would that $750 be best spent? Options I'm thinking of:

1) Get a sub for the PA. Interested in recommendations for one that fits the budget, the good ones I often hear of seem to be $1200 or more.

2) Invest in pedals and such to enable me to fill out and vary sound; I've built most of a Royal Blood-type setup where I can bi-amp and effectively play like bass and guitar in unison; something like an EHX B9 or C9 would expand that still further, or maybe some other options.

3) The singer doesn't play guitar, she will occasionally do a little background keys but doesn't want to be locked behind a keyboard (which we have). I've thought about teaching her mandolin chords (which are easy) and getting a tenor guitar she could borrow to play rhythm guitar on for some songs as needed. That will take some persuading to get her to do. I'm interested in Eastwood's electric tenors anyway, so it might be fun just to have.

4) reserve the money for marketing needs - banner, website, photography, etc.

5) screw it all, it's my money, just spend it on a new bass or something for myself.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
NEVER buy equipement for other members unless they are members of your immediate family (or friends close enough you treat them that way).
Even if it is perfectly clear that it is a LOAN (either the equipment or the money for it) it will end in tears - almost certainly yours. The instrument will get lost/stolen/broken and the person won't want to replace or pay for it or they will quit and never give it back.
As for the PA - if it's someone else's PA - similar rule - sure you can have YOUR pieces so it's less complicated, but leave it as is. Also - is the PA actually heavy duty enough to NEED a sub (ie the whole band's going through it so it need to produce low frequencies from you and/or keys) - if not, a sub is just more stuff to carry.
Bass pedals would be VERY cool and you'll be (potentially) able to use them in other situations.
But if it is gig money from a previous band that is now over - spend it - if you are truly happy with your rig, just get a couple pedals and spend the rest on other things like taking your wife out to dinner or something - or get YOURSELF that tenor guitar.
 
#54
Don't know your financial situation but, I would hang on to it. My old work car, which is paid for, is about to throw a rod & thankfully I have another car but I'm also making a car payment on it. So, now I have to decide on fixing it for $$$ or go into debt and have two car payment's
 
#56
tgriley62 said:
Don't know your financial situation but, I would hang on to it. My old work car, which is paid for, is about to throw a rod & thankfully I have another car but I'm also making a car payment on it. So, now I have to decide on fixing it for $$$ or go into debt and have two car payment's
Click to expand...

My family can pay the bills out of day job paychecks without too much stress and without too much extra. The deal with my wife is that I keep the music hobby self-sustaining rather than draining the family bank account with it. Occasionally, at need, gig cash does go to family purposes, but that's not currently a standing concern.
 
#59
You won't convince a singer to learn a new instrument.
If she already plays keyboards but wants mobility get a keytar.
Deduct the cost from her share of gig money until it's paid for.
Then buy yourself a tenor.
6a00d83452989a69e201156fa2b865970c-800wi.jpg
 
#60
Update: thanks for the input, everyone. I had decided that a sub would be the priority, when the new guitarist emailed to say he has one. Problem solved! I think we'll cover marketing as a group or reimburse it out of gig money. The tenor guitar is on my GAS list still and I'll see about persuading the singer to learn it, but right now it's pedals. A Broughton LPF just arrived, I picked up a Pitchfork, and a B9 organ pedal and a kill switch are on their way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ajapses

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back