what does the term "Pro Gear" mean to you?

[Time Consumer]

that is just your personal appreciation of that guy's sound...

PRO GEAR means that you have the required equipment to play the gig that you are applying to.

True but you hadta hear it to know what I was talking about, didnt word it good but guy was sticking out in the mix like a sore thumb and his tone was a lil abrasive, it was like I Markus Miller solo tone in a rock band setting. Just saying I'd like to not sound like crap if I spent that much money but, I see what ur saying, its probly more his style of play and eq making it sound that way and not the gear now that I think about what im saying.

 

[sedan_dad]

Something good looking ,dependable and loud enough without any excuses haveing to be made.


If you have to ask ,you don't have it.

 

[waleross]

Pro Gear = SVT

 

[Ric5]

Pro gear = small amp 5 string bass and an xlr cable to go into a BIG pa system.

 

[MonsterTruck88]

"Pro Gear" to me means whatever gear is sufficient to fulfill the demands of the performance. That could mean a single 12" combo if you're part of a coffee shop acoustic project, or it could mean an SVT and fridge combo if you're doing a classic rock tribute band in a large venue.

"Pro Gear" in a craigslist ad means Fender + Ampeg... and it also means the guys you'll be playing with probably have very little knowledge about bass gear.

 

[Staccato]

Gear played by a pro

1. Beginner
2. Intermediate
3. Pro

There's a big fuzzy line between each category!

 

[LiquidMidnight]

Yes, though the term "Pro gear" is subjective, in practical, realistic, and general terms it means:
1. Your rig is in excellent working condition and does not have chronic breakdown issues.
2. The sound your rig produces is consistent with what would be expected of a professional working musician, for the type of music and ENVIRONMENT you are playing.
This basically means, for example, that if you are expected to have a clear and clean sounding rig, you do not show up with a muddy rig that distorts and is underpowered.
If you are auditioning for a top symphony orchestra, you typically would not show up with a $500, plywood bass.
The brand is irrelevant. Ampeg, Aguilar, ...yes, we all know what the big boys use but a great player does not HAVE to have that brand unless the band insists upon it.
I'd also like to add, that as a pro player, I get many compliments on my tone. I am told that I am often preferred over other bass players, in part, because I have a better tone than an amateur or even other pros that I'm replacing. Tone counts and certain equipment will help you achieve a PRO level tone.
I'd also like to mention that a keyboard player who has subbed in my Top 40 band is put at the bottom of the list because he shows up with a lousy, Casio keyboard with the cheesiest sounds. His tones are embarrassing at times and we only use this guy when no one else is available. Tone counts and certain equipment will deliver that tone but a specific brand is not necessarily needed unless you are trying to impress a producer or artist who is hung up on brand names.

+1

For bass gear, I would also add that professional gear provides a consistent and solid tone through the frequncey spectrum, high fidelity, tightness in the bottom end, good note definition, and does not introduce extraenous noise into the signal chain (not counting the 60 cycle hum of single-coils, of course ). Lower-end gear, in my experience, often is not consistent through the frequency spectrum, often emphasizing more ugly frequencies that may be impossible to dial out. As well, lower-end gear usually lacks the fidelity and note definition of higher end gear and can often be very flabby sounding. Not all lower-end gear introduces extraenous noise into the signal, but the chance of higher-end gear adding noise is less likely unless there's a manfacturing defect in the product that slipped past QC.

 

[randall p]

If you're loud enough to make them say "the bass is too loud!", you have pro gear.

 

[Fiset]

It means the people posting the ad on craigslist are douchebags.

Yeah...okay.

 

[panama]

Whenever I have put a listing on CL I've never said anything about requiring "pro gear", but I do always mention that the guy(s) I am playing with and myself all play with "professional equipment".

That said when I see "pro gear, pro 'tude required" in an ad I move on. It's usually some godsmack sounding meatheads.

 

[BassmanPaul]

I am a bit hesitant on responding to these "Must Have Pro Gear" adds. Are these guys just looking for something powerful enough to fit in the mix, or are they looking for tricked out ricks thru orange and mesa stacks?

thanks!

You will find that many people placing ads have a preconceived notion about what the term means. It's not us you should be asking but them. Many folk think that Ampeg is the only bass gear a pro would use while others would consider it to be Aguilar, Mesa, GB or any other bit of gear they themselves are familiar with.

Paul

 

[Kwesi]

gear that doesn't suck big ones.

 

[panama]

You will find that many people placing ads have a preconceived notion about what the term means. It's not us you should be asking but them. Many folk think that Ampeg is the only bass gear a pro would use while others would consider it to be Aguilar, Mesa, GB or any other bit of gear they themselves are familiar with.

Paul

I think it's safe to assume that most people who say "pro gear" mean Marshall, Fender, Gibson, and Ampeg. Maybe Ibanez. Most musicians (including bass players) are especially clueless when it comes to high end, boutique, or excellent but lesser known companies.

 

[Unrepresented]

Unfortunately your gear says something about you even before you play. I was once judged as a player before I was heard because the equipment I owned, (still do). I was using old Acoustic 370 and they had never heard of it, and didn't want to give me the time of day. I have more up to date stuff now, but I was new on the scene and that was the way it was. I have proven myself as a player and have the equipment to do the shows I get. My old 370 with cabinet is still my baby, but I don’t get to use it much. I was told by one of those people from back then that they didn't know I could play.

+1 about gear saying something about you.

"Pro gear" as a prerequisite for a band will typically

1) Weed out new players. Typically, musicians don't upgrade until they have a little time under their belt, or run into a situation where they're forced to (like needing to have "pro gear" to play in a band.)

2) Demonstrate that you're committed to playing since you're investing in pricier gear and in theory will wish to recoup some of that cost.

3) Demonstrate that you're financially more viable to the expenses that bands will accrue -- you've come up with money once, in theory you'll be able to do it again.

As for what "pro gear" is. It's going to be relative to the gigging situation. I agree that there're going to be some common factors though:

a) It's reliable, preferably with a contingency plan or two to back it up when even the most reliable amp, instrument, etc. fails.

b) It's properly suited to the volume needs of the band.

c) It achieves tonal levels desired by the gig, which is going to change from artist to artist.

d) It fits with the image of the band you're auditioning for. Again, very subjective, but still a requirement. Going back to Woody357's post, the right look is important for any live performer, and typically they'll want someone congruous with the rest of the band's image. We've had guitarists audition for us who apologized for having certain brands of head because of the genre stigmas associated with it, and realizing that it may limit their viability in terms of having "pro gear" outside of that narrow genre the brand was known for. For instance, a guitarist who came in for an audition with a Krank head and a 7 string was incredibly talented (and we almost picked up) but he was avoiding using both (and trying to ditch the head for a Marshall) because of the pigeon hole that it had on his playing opportunities.

 

[ChrisPbass]

Pro Gear - Sufficient gear to allow bass to be audible in it's respective live setting.

ding ding ding.

 

[Stick_Player]

Pro Gear = Gear that'll earn its cost back after 1, maybe 2 gigs. And then, can be depreciated to offset income.

 

[Lester4string]

They just want to make sure you are loud enough, so they can tell you to turn down

 

[michaelgilleran]

To me the Thing that really separates pro gear from great gear is solid dependable construction. In other words, tone and volume could be identical, but the pro amp is the one that will still play loud and sound great after heavy duty use. Basically, gear that can play fast loud and hard for hours a day for several years.

Although I'm totally aware that the following things are completely arbitrary to whether or not an amp handles pro playing, there are certain visual things I connotate with pro gear (amps specifically). A neutral color scheme (dark colors like black, deep blues, and dark red come to mind);
very few and very small and very unnoticeable logos; simple eq layout (simple on that another pro could easily dial in.a sound on your eq with no prior experience with that eq). In general, an understated appearance is what I think of

Also, +1 to being judged by your gear. Someone who shows up with pro gear is telling everyone that he is committed to what he is doing because he has at least made a large money and probably time investment into it

 

[ga_edwards]

I'd also like to mention that a keyboard player who has subbed in my Top 40 band is put at the bottom of the list because he shows up with a lousy, Casio keyboard with the cheesiest sounds. His tones are embarrassing at times and we only use this guy when no one else is available. Tone counts and certain equipment will deliver that tone but a specific brand is not necessarily needed unless you are trying to impress a producer or artist who is hung up on brand names.

I think with things like keyboards there is more a defined line between amateur and professional quality. The bass and guitar are much more 'organic' instrument, and even low end models can be fettled and modded to play to a 'professional' standard. A keyboard however either sounds good or it doesn't.

(I am aware that professional keyboard players will often use cheap instruments like stylophones, and cheesy sounding 8bit synths to get certain vibes and tone, but you wouldn't expect one to use only low end gear at a regular top 40 covers gig).

 

[michaelgilleran]

^i agree with what you said about basses and guitars being more organic than synthesizers, but if you put pro electronics, fix up the neck so that it plays professionally then is it not a pro bass? Arguably, it is 2/3s. Closer considering the only part of the instrument that is not to pro standards is the body

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the line is blurry, but there IS a line