Yep. That's another advantage of having a 7-string.
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This guy wants to sit in...
- Thread starter Brad Johnson
- Start date
Never.
We have a pretty strict policy on "sitting in".
I played with a guitarist, fun guy.
Someone asked about doing that. He explained that he loved his guitar like the guy probably loved his wife. The guitarist asked if guy would mind if he "sat in" with his wife, wink wink, nod nod?
The guy went away perplexed. I had a hard time keeping a straight face......
No. Never. That’s my take on this. Be nice, but say no. If this becomes a big issue then something else is going on.
Some lively discussion here. 
I'll share a couple stories as well...
I have a pretty strict personal policy against letting people use my gear, but I'm also fortunate that the band leader for my main project realizes that we've worked very hard to put our show together, and has a policy of no one on stage who's not a member of the band.
I can only remember one exception to my personal rule: at a multi-artist ticket we were headlining, the bass player for the band before us showed me his bass, with a tuning peg broken in transit. I could see the look of pain and panic in his eyes, and my heart went out to him. I could tell he was desperate, and the look of relief on his face when I said sure was all the thanks I needed. And even though it wasn't a $6000 bass (limited edition MM Stingray 5), he still babied it. Plenty of stage space, no rogue cymbals (lol), no problems.
On flip side, I was sitting in for an opening gig with a band I've subbed regularly for, and the headliners asked to borrow our band's backline gear. The drummer and guitarist knew ahead of time and had agreed, but our band leader clearly stated that since I was just subbing and also didn't know about it, I had no obligation. I was a little uncomfortable with the situation and said so. The band leader had some discussion with the venue contact and the main band, and you know what we saw? Their bass player went right by us and got his bass amp out of the band's trailer. They were borrowing our gear simply because they didn't want to set up and tear down their own. Needless to say, our BL had more (and less diplomatic) words with the venue contact.
@Brad Johnson, I'm a little surprised that the band leader asked you as the sub if "some guy" could sit in on your gear. Seems more than a little presumptuous on his part, but it sounds like you handled the situation quite diplomatically.. I agree with others, anyone asking to sit in most likely doesn't belong there. I've never asked to sit in, but have been asked... big difference!
5sg.
I'll share a couple stories as well...I have a pretty strict personal policy against letting people use my gear, but I'm also fortunate that the band leader for my main project realizes that we've worked very hard to put our show together, and has a policy of no one on stage who's not a member of the band.
I can only remember one exception to my personal rule: at a multi-artist ticket we were headlining, the bass player for the band before us showed me his bass, with a tuning peg broken in transit. I could see the look of pain and panic in his eyes, and my heart went out to him. I could tell he was desperate, and the look of relief on his face when I said sure was all the thanks I needed. And even though it wasn't a $6000 bass (limited edition MM Stingray 5), he still babied it. Plenty of stage space, no rogue cymbals (lol), no problems.
On flip side, I was sitting in for an opening gig with a band I've subbed regularly for, and the headliners asked to borrow our band's backline gear. The drummer and guitarist knew ahead of time and had agreed, but our band leader clearly stated that since I was just subbing and also didn't know about it, I had no obligation. I was a little uncomfortable with the situation and said so. The band leader had some discussion with the venue contact and the main band, and you know what we saw? Their bass player went right by us and got his bass amp out of the band's trailer. They were borrowing our gear simply because they didn't want to set up and tear down their own. Needless to say, our BL had more (and less diplomatic) words with the venue contact.
@Brad Johnson, I'm a little surprised that the band leader asked you as the sub if "some guy" could sit in on your gear. Seems more than a little presumptuous on his part, but it sounds like you handled the situation quite diplomatically.. I agree with others, anyone asking to sit in most likely doesn't belong there. I've never asked to sit in, but have been asked... big difference!
5sg.
If Prince wanted to borrow your prized guitar would you have let him?
In Dick Move, Prince Smashes Other Guy’s Guitar on ‘Fallon’
Kirk Douglas: The Epiphone Interview
In Dick Move, Prince Smashes Other Guy’s Guitar on ‘Fallon’
Kirk Douglas: The Epiphone Interview
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I guess I'm lucky, because, no bass player in the 50-years of me playing bass has asked to sit in with the band that I was playing in. ... But only twice, in those 50-years, when I've asked to sit in and I was refused, (by the bass player), it was because the bass player wasn't that good. ... Insecurity is one disease that can be cured.
Dang, just remembered the time I broke an E-string in a New Country band...the BL is a talker, so I am able to re-string...the bassist in the band before us takes my bass to retune & gives me his bass. When my bass is tuned, I just wave him off & finish the set with his.
He was very cool about it.
Tony Hawkins is his name. Thanks, man!
He was very cool about it.
Tony Hawkins is his name. Thanks, man!
I don't loan my bass out. I did one time with my 1965 Jazz Bass back in 1972 for "a couple of songs" and got it back with one of the strings pulled off the saddle. That did it for me. Also loaned out my amp one time and got it back with a cigarette burn in the handle. I pointed it out to the fellow I loaned it to, who was an excellent musician with an excellent reputation and he replaced the handle. I don't loan my amps/cabs out either.
My 1965 Jazz was stolen in 1976 and it took me almost 10-years to find another Jazz bass with the same neck profile as my '65. Not about to take another 10-years trying out hundreds of basses to replace it. I did let my son use it once for a performance in San Francisco...
One of the bands I play with hosts an open mic night on Friday nights. If a bassist needs to plug in, I pull out my WTDI (DI with and Eden preamp in it); plug him into it; and run him through the FOH. If he wants more than that, he's got to bring in his own gear. And in actuality, the FOH does a decent job with a bass.
I’d never ask to sit in, but I’m happy to lend my bass after making a judgment about whether they’ll be careful with it. Last time I lent it to the BL of a Ukulele group, yeah rock n roll! This guy had already shown me the Ukes he had with him, some of which were very beautiful and amazingly expensive. I thought he’d look after it ok. He played it well too, hmm maybe too well!
I know a guy that was playing solo at a gathering. He told me there was one guy that kept pestering the crap out of him, wanting to play his hollow body guitar. He kept putting him off and thought he was done. He came back from a break to find the strings knocked out of their saddles and binding chipped away from the neck. The dude was no where to be found.
Well, all that said...my mouth was forming the word "no" while I was reading the thread title, before the language centers bothered to inform my conscious what it meant.
And that sums it up. The fact that you asked to sit in, especially if we don't know you, is de facto proof that you shouldn't be allowed to.
There was that one guy who wanted to come up on stage and rap with us, and the more we said "no", the more he insisted. Which is stupid, because the more he insisted, the more "no" we became.
[edit] I've actually offered to let people play my basses many times, when they come recommended by musician friends and I'm in a good mood, but for some reason when I tell them the whole bass is detuned a whole step 100% of them change their minds. I've never had one person accept. I mean, is it *really* that hard to play up a whole step?
And that sums it up. The fact that you asked to sit in, especially if we don't know you, is de facto proof that you shouldn't be allowed to.
There was that one guy who wanted to come up on stage and rap with us, and the more we said "no", the more he insisted. Which is stupid, because the more he insisted, the more "no" we became.
[edit] I've actually offered to let people play my basses many times, when they come recommended by musician friends and I'm in a good mood, but for some reason when I tell them the whole bass is detuned a whole step 100% of them change their minds. I've never had one person accept. I mean, is it *really* that hard to play up a whole step?
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Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
For whatever reasons, I've been "volunteered" as a sit in candidate by friends or even bystanders a number of times over the years. They usually seem to tell the band person that I am asking to sit in, not that it's their idea. My local scene is pretty tight and this all only plays out with bands from out of town, usually late at night when I'm relaxing after my own gig. Charlie is not amused, although a few pretty cool jams have actually come of it. I love sit-ins in the right setting, which a corporate gig would rarely if ever be. And I am perfectly happy to let friends play any of my stuff, or to decline. No need to get into our reasons, yes or no is plenty IMO.
I was at a jam in a club. I brought my ax but the bassist that was hosting had a Fano bass. I'd never seen one in nature and asked to play it. He said no he never let's anybody play his stuff. I was a little hurt but respected his decision.
About 15 minutes later I see him hand it off to one of his "buddy's" to play. I was a little angry now. About 3 minutes into their jam "buddy" drops the bass. And from the audience I hear this loud laughter, it was me
About 15 minutes later I see him hand it off to one of his "buddy's" to play. I was a little angry now. About 3 minutes into their jam "buddy" drops the bass. And from the audience I hear this loud laughter, it was me
Back when I regularly gigged, I let two people sit in. Both were personal friends and good bass players. Once I let a younger player borrow my amp, but same deal, he was a friend and so were the others in the band. They invited me to sit in.
Other times, people have asked to borrow my gear, nope. Strangers, nope.
Worked too hard to let some goob tear it up and all I get is a " sorry man " .
I wouldn't even presume to pick up gear belonging to the guys in my own band and noodle around without asking first.
It's a code of honor to me.
Other times, people have asked to borrow my gear, nope. Strangers, nope.
Worked too hard to let some goob tear it up and all I get is a " sorry man " .
I wouldn't even presume to pick up gear belonging to the guys in my own band and noodle around without asking first.
It's a code of honor to me.
I don’t blame you, with a high dollar bass, I was at a rehearsal 1 time, with a new guitar player, we were working in, he brought his son, to listen, who “played “ bass. Me, be courteous, I could tell the son, wanted to do a song, with his dad, I offered him to the opportunity too play, I had a ($5500.00 Ken Smith) the son was really carful, but, after he was done, there were indentations on the back, from buttons, zipper, belt? IDK, but it wasn’t from me, I never said anything, and I was able to get them out, by steam, (wet towel & iron) worked well. I won’t offer anymore, especially on a high dollar instrument.
My brother was at an open jam one night. He’d just finished his turn and was having a cool beverage when the jam meister walks up and asks “hey man, can this Hendrix dude borrow your axe?” While pointing over shoulder with a thumb, at a young guy in authentic Hendrix getup complete with a can of lighter fluid in his vest pocket. Needless to say, my brother refused the honor of having his strat blessed by the ghost of Hendrix past.
Instruments are only slightly less personal than toothbrushes. I rarely ask to play someone else’s instrument, mostly because I own my own world class instruments.
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