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"your rig or the gig is cancelled"

#103
I think letting people borrow your rig depends on how much you value your equip and how well you know the folks you sharing a gig with. I have a few friends that I would let borrow my rig. Borrow, meaning, I'd set it up and attend the gig.

The problem is that a lot of musicians aren't tech minded to know how to run an amp efficiently. My brother's band had one guy who had a big-ass Eden rig like me. Unlike me, he'd use almost no mids in the signal. To compensate for lack of body, he would crank the gain, which would have the amp clipping all night.

Another thing, I have my amp Eq'd to my settings. If you're borrowing someone's amp, don't mess with their EQ. It's similar to your neighbor's dog crapping on your lawn, and them not picking it up.
 
#105
groooooove said:
thats right. was asked to do a local bar gig with 5 or so acts. was asked if they could all use my amp (brickhouse cabinets and markbass heads. not an inexpensive rig.) i politely replied that im sorry, but nobody but me uses my rig.

i was then brigaded with rude text messages about how far the one band has to drive to get to the gig, and how if i don't let them use my rig the gig is off.

i've gotten heat for my "my amp = just me" policy over the years, but this is by far the worst.

looks like i dont have a gig that night..
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+1

I would just let the gig get cancelled. If your rig gets damaged will they agree to have it fixed (or replaced)? I doubt it.
 
#106
I don't remember ever playing a gig in 25 years where I did not have to bring my own amp..... If I can bring my amp.... so can you... Enough of expecting other people to provide for you and giving them an ultimatum to threaten them into doing it.....
 
#107
Our band supported another band a couple of times. They have their soundguy and bring their own backline, which they kindly let us use to avoid extra setup fuss between the shows. I had brought my own amp, but I was glad to play through their (better) gear. I also didn't mess with any amp settings, as I figured that the soundguy would take care of the PA sound anyway, and I could hear myself just fine on stage and that's what counts for me. It was also a similar style of music.

I'd be happy to return the favor and let them use my rig if there's a chance. But let just anybody use my rig? No. At least not after reading the stories in this thread :ninja:
 
#108
I let someone use my rig - once. I booked a show at a new venue and arranged all the acts. The guitarist from one of the bands that we've played with a few times texted me saying "Our bass players amp is too small for the venue. (PA was for vocals only) Can he use yours?" The bass player seems like a cool guy, plays well and takes care of his equipment (as far as I can tell). I told him sure, NP. They went on before us - I set my rig up, adjusted the gain for him and kept a close eye on it.

Would I do it again? Maybe, but not too likely. He has a little combo amp, but it would've been plenty loud for the venue we played at. He sounded much better on my rig but really had no need for it. BUT - had someone asked me to use my amp as the backline for several bands? Not a chance in h*ll.
 
#109
Dirk Diggler said:
Maybe I'm crazy but I've been in that situation and always did it. My rig was far better than the other bands anway. :) No one ever damaged my gear either.

I guess another thing is since you are all friends would be the first reason why you should do it.

To me an amp is one thing, a bass is another, although I let people try mine that I make all the time too, so I guess I'm in the minority here.

Do you really think whatever basses these other guys will be playing will damage your rig, really?
Wow that is one fragile rig you've got there.

Sorry man, I'd take that gig, it's about music not gear. :)
Cranky old man signing off. LOL
Good luck,
Dirk
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If someone is going to damage my rig it's going to be me! When you pay thousands on a rig you don't want someone else using it. Plus they are friends which means if something did happen they may not feel the need to pay for the damage since they are " buddies". Nah it's just a bad situation a cabinet is one thing but a whole rig is something different. Not to mention everyone wants to dial in their tone. I busted my ass to get my sound where it is and I'm not going to let you mess with everything so i have to sit down a do it all over again because you couldn't bring your own stuff. Turning all my knobs and changing my graphic EQ? No thank you. And it's not the equipment that damages it, it's the people because they don't know how to use that gear. I trust no one with my rig but me!
 
#110
I was asked the same as you for a six band outdoor event.
At first, I politely declined and ate the grimaces that followed. The opening band had a novice bassist with a nice Jetglo Ric and I was curious to hear what it would sound like through my rig (SVT-7 and 610HLF). The girl said she didn't know anything about amps so I agreed to let her use the amp provided she allow me to adjust her settings until she was happy. No problem. After her band's second tune, she was done and promptly unplugged her bass, let the cable drop on the lawn and walked away causing me to scramble to the amp to shut it off hile it mitted a horrible hum. Fortunately, no damage.
There was one band following us, a group of former semi-pros that use this event as a yearly reunion. As I was packing up my rig, the bassist walked over to me with his cable askking where he could plug into my head. When I told him that I was taking the rig home and he coudn't use it he went into a screaming fit. I told him showing up without a rig, unless there is house gear, was akin to going to school without a pencil. They ended up plugging him into a SWR combo and the house sound.
As if to prove my point for me, at the end of the set the dude unplugged his bass and tossed the cable aside leaving the PA and the combo humming and causing the soundman to run like hell to kill it.
Lesson learned.
 
#111
MikeBass said:
But I gotta say this to a lot of guys who posted about your settings getting all messed up by someone else....is you amp so nutty that it takes you for ever to get it back to where it was?
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It's about protecting the speakers! Also many amps can overheat and shut down by having all the knobs dimed by some idiot.

It doesn't surprise me that so many of 'these types' of bands and 'musicians' need to 'borrow' gear! It's probably because they totally destroyed whatever they did own!

Amateurs at best! If you don't have your own gear, you should not be playing!

I don't loan my gear to anyone including friends! If anyone touches/uses my gear without my permission, expect a swift kick in the arse or punch in the mouth!
 
#112
DWBass said:
It's about protecting the speakers! Also many amps can overheat and shut down by having all the knobs dimed by some idiot.
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This is the big one for me. If I bring out the SVT and 8x10, I'm very conscious about volume going into the cab (the cab is a 72 with all the original speakers rated for 240 watts). I don't know that someone else - even if I tell them to keep and eye on the levels and listen to the speakers for any overloading - will do the same.
 
#113
I'm cool with letting like one other band use my rig. It isn't worth much. I'd have to duct tape a piece of cardboard over the front so he can't touch the dials, ever, and I'll be the one adjusting them for sound check if need be. Band genre context for me would be rock and metal.

But a band showing up to a bar without knowing if there's a backline and expecting to bum off another band? Uh no, come on band. Why can't some people cover their own arses.
 
#115
Every year my band has done the Oyster Bay fest and every year I'm asked if the other band can use my amp. For the first couple of years I said yes but it was always the same result. I would tell the bass player I have one rule. TURN THE VOLUME DOWN BEFORE YOU UNPLUG YOUR PATCH CORD. Easy enough right? Not a chance! Year after year it was the same thing till I just said NO.
I became the bad guy but I didn't have to worry about my speakers getting damaged anymore.
 
#116
I work for a live sound company. Many times, when bands are flown in for a one-off, we provide backline for them. If there's an opener, we'll ask the headliner if they're ok with sharing gear, usually the drum kit and bass rig. The bands will all have their own guitars and effects, and share amps, which are ours anyway. Sometimes the headliners will be travelling with their own techs, who will set everything the way their band wants it, and then we'll put a strip of tape down to mark down settings, so that the opener can make any changes they want to. Plus, for any gigs like this, at least one or two of our own employees will be at the stage during the whole show. Of course, this is all a much more professional environment than it sounds like the OP is in. We're contracted by the promoter, and we get in contact with the bands via their managers, who then pass on our requests to share gear. And the only gear they're sharing is what's being rented from us anyway. I'm sure there have been times that bands we've worked with shared personal gear, but I can't think of any off the top of my head, and for the most part they're down-to-earth people who know something about treating gear properly. Hearing some of the stories people have been telling, I can appreciate being able to share gear in a civil manner with reasonable people!
 
#118
I once let another bass player use my rig to sit in with the band for a couple of songs. He brought his own bass, so I thought what the heck?

When he plugged in, I helped him do a quick soundcheck. I set the gain and master.

He played an active Ibanez.

Well, when he started playing, he must have had some overhead on his volume knob which he proceeded to open up and send the amp in to full-on clipping for about 10 minutes straight.

I remembered why I normally don't let others use my gear, and that was the last time I'll ever do it. Even McCartney had better give me a signed bass as collateral; the price of a damaged rig wouldn't be worth the thrill.
 
#119
electracoyote said:
I once let another bass player use my rig to sit in with the band for a couple of songs. He brought his own bass, so I thought what the heck?

When he plugged in, I helped him do a quick soundcheck. I set the gain and master.

He played an active Ibanez.

Well, when he started playing, he must have had some overhead on his volume knob which he proceeded to open up and send the amp in to full-on clipping for about 10 minutes straight.

I remembered why I normally don't let others use my gear, and that was the last time I'll ever do it. Even McCartney had better give me a signed bass as collateral; the price of a damaged rig wouldn't be worth the thrill.
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I had a similar situation, it wound up killing my SWR SM-400. The repair cost would have been more than the amp was worth, I loved that amp. Plus, the guitarist from that same band lifted 2 SM-57's from us. I will not let anyone use or touch ANY of my gear because of this.
 
#120
miltllama said:
I work for a live sound company. Many times, when bands are flown in for a one-off, we provide backline for them. If there's an opener, we'll ask the headliner if they're ok with sharing gear, usually the drum kit and bass rig. The bands will all have their own guitars and effects, and share amps, which are ours anyway. Sometimes the headliners will be travelling with their own techs, who will set everything the way their band wants it, and then we'll put a strip of tape down to mark down settings, so that the opener can make any changes they want to. Plus, for any gigs like this, at least one or two of our own employees will be at the stage during the whole show. Of course, this is all a much more professional environment than it sounds like the OP is in. We're contracted by the promoter, and we get in contact with the bands via their managers, who then pass on our requests to share gear. And the only gear they're sharing is what's being rented from us anyway. I'm sure there have been times that bands we've worked with shared personal gear, but I can't think of any off the top of my head, and for the most part they're down-to-earth people who know something about treating gear properly. Hearing some of the stories people have been telling, I can appreciate being able to share gear in a civil manner with reasonable people!
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Yeah, there is a whole other level. I have had 2 or 3 bands destroy, or attempt to destroy gear, usually a drumkit, but they get billed if damage is done (and all were on the heavy metal where are they now tour) but all in all with hundreds of experiences on both sides of backline, playing, working for a company and I guess renting my rigs on occasion no problem.

In OP's position, I probably would not loan the gear, unless I was hanging out. I always demand pay for the use of my rig, willful damage gets a bill. That has never happened to me.
 

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