"your rig or the gig is cancelled"

[Russell L]

At my day job I say, "If you don't want me to hurt your feelings, don't ask to borrow my tools."

Last time I let multiple folks use my rig, my cord got broken by somebody bumping into it while it was plugged into my amp. Thank goodness it didn't hurt the jack in the amp. But, another time recently I let a guy who is sitting in (to possibly replace me) in one band use it, though. But, he was a responsible fellow, and I was right there, so all was well. Otherwise, anymore, I'll say no to anyone using my stuff.

 

[Bardley]

I have a couple friends that I would loan gear to and have before only because I know they respect their gear and they know how to take good care of it. I've been at other gigs where I have refused and watched some teen punk walk up and thrash whatever amp was there. I have used other peoples rigs before but only after discussing it well beforehand or being told by the event organizer that we were all using so-and-so's amp but I still had my rig available. Those situations were only because of quick changes between bands and I would have been happier using my rig anyway. I was also at a gig where all the bass players got together and talked and decided who's rig we wanted to use and everyone was cool with it. We had a good time hanging out and talking gear, too. That was a unique, but fun, situation.

It all comes down to the person.

 

[JmJ]

I did a charity (unpaid) gig in a local NYC club which provided a backline. I brought my LMII and used their 4x10 Avatar cabinet (great set up) afterwards the headlining bands leader asked me if his bass player could use my rig. I had not planned to stay for the whole event (weeknight, late show, far from home, had to get up early etc.) I told the bass player and leader that they had some decent amps and speaker cabinets for bass and showed him where they were. Their bass player was clearly disappointed. I then helped him bring the Ampeg combo they had to the stage only to discover that their "bass player" was playing bass lines on his electric keyboard.......
I vote: don't lend gear unless you can afford to and are willing to repair / replace it yourself.

 

[Baird6869]

I had a similar situation a couple of years ago. Talked the bar owner into forking out $80 or so to rent a SVT and 4x10 cab for the night/weekend from a local music store.

He wasn't to worried about it.

I told him he could use my gear but to be prepared to pay me $3k if anyone blew it up, spilled a beer in it, knocked it over, etc.

 

[groooooove]

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.

that is my point extactly.

as it stands now the gig is on and theyre just going to have to bring their own rig. a far-fetched concept, i know

 

[sloppy_phil]

I've never had any trouble sharing anything I've mine, and I've actually done quite a lot, I realize. My band hosted an open mic for a year and a half where we would play sets every night, but large portions of the evening were open mic jamming. We'd be the house band, or if we needed a break and someone else was in the house (the music went straight from 10-2, so a couple small breaks were definitely needed) they'd sit in. I lent my bass, amp, and pedals out to lots of people. Some occasionally brought their own bass, but most wouldn't. It was a cheap amp which I didn't care about too much, but it was my beloved P, and nothing happened to it. Sometimes the amp got turned up too loud, but it was never a big problem, and no damage of any note was ever incurred to anything of mine, which in hindsight (and due to plenty of horror stories within this thread) I realize is a small miracle.

A couple times I have lent out my nice bass amp, or even my guitar amp, and again I've never had any problems. Usually there is dialogue in advance about whether its an option, but once was for an all-day festival where we ended up trading use of one band's drums for use of our/my bass amp (our drummer was having big trouble getting his gear down there). I know there are lots of disrespectful musicians on the prowl, but either I've been lucky, or they just don't roll in the same music crowds as I do (mostly reggae, funk, and blues-rock).

This all said, I agree that the OP was totally within his right to refuse; that situation was bollocks. We all have that right should we choose, I just don't mind sharing if the people seem fine to me.

 

[will33]

To clarify a little, the gear borrowing thing used to happen a lot when I was a little younger, trying to be rockstars doing 45-60 min. sets of originals on 3,4,5 band bills. That's when I came up with the big deposit thing knowing these guys didn't have the money. Most the time the guy who ends up using your stuff is some Johnny Leatherpants who spends more time looking at himself in the mirror posing with his bass than he does playing it and thinks things like clipped amps and farting speakers sound cool.


Nowdays I'm doing more party covers type stuff where we are the entertainment for the night and I'm in full control of equipment. There a few friends/players here I do let use stuff because I know it won't get abused. I like this especially at small clubs where everything isn't in the pa. It lets me hear my stuff with a good player on it and other kinds of basses I don't have.

There's also a circle of friends that do jams/parties now and then in which case we all play each others rigs, basses, guitars, drums, everything but we all know and respect each other and it's use, not abuse. At my place it's my tmax, diy cabs and a P, another guys house it's an 800rb, eden 410 and a MM Sabre, another is a marshall jmp, berg 610 and a stingray with flats, fun stuff.

 

[JehuJava]

Yep, no gig.

After many requests like this I started telling people it required a $2000 cash deposit, refundable after said rig was given a clean bill of health by a (insert manufacturers name here) authorized service/repair center the cost of which would be deducted from their deposit.

The requests stopped.

What kind of band travels with no gear?

This is perfect for the no notice request. I plan on using it

I'll let someone borrow my gear if it's preareanged before the gig or someones gear crapped the bed during the show (this has happened to me and have been saved in the past)

 

[Gearhead17]

.
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?
Hell, you can do whatever you want to my amp setting wise. I can have it dialed back to where I had it in about 10 seconds.
I kinda know where my settings are so I really wouldn't even need to be plugged into it to do it. Plus they change to a degree depending on the room/stage anyway.

+10
Yeah, I too can not figure out this whole "don't mess with my settings". If you are trying to avoid the other bass player boosting the low end or master volume too much and killing the speaker, understandable. But if you can not remember how to set your own gear to sound the way you want, who's fault is that? Plus, YOUR PRECIOUS TONE sounds different in every room you play in. It will not matter in the end.

So if everyone is keeping score here, the key to using someone else's bass rig is to be polite, ask ahead of time, and ask the owner to dial in a tone that you can live with on stage. It is NOT ok to leave your rig at home and expect to use the other band's gear. If the other band will not let you use their equipment, deal with it!

 

[AwkwardLoudness]

With a refundable cash deposit up front for the cost of my bass rig plus an hourly fee, I would let strangers use my rig for an evening.

Some of my vintage tube amps would be off limits regardless.

 

[codethechode]

Ya know, you can at least bring your amp and back line a cab.
I still don't understand the expectation of using someone else's gear. Hell, I'd rather bring my own rig. I'm not that lazy.

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?


I agree with you I'd rather have my own rig than use someone roses because I want the familiarity of using my rig. I also agree its not always hard to get your tone back if your playing straight from the amp. But When getting into more complicated set ups it's harder to find because there are so many variables. To some people it's not worth the aggravation.

 

[maxiegrant]

I always bring my own amp even to gigs where one has been offered. After the first two times I played like that, I realized I hated using other peoples' gear because I don't know it, I don't know the tones, I don't have time to learn it 2 minutes before a show. So I bring my own amp ALWAYS. Who wouldn't?

The only answer I can imagine is: someone not very serious about their craft. Getting a good tone takes several hours or days worth of work with the instrument and amp, and your ears. Trying to fake it in 2 minutes during sound check is ridiculous.

 

[Addison]

I would have said yes and handed them over a Peavey MicroBass at the end of your set.

When they looked at you like you just stole their lunch money, say, "Oh, yeah... this MicroBass is my rig and you can borrow it, no problem. I'm actually renting the Mark Bass rig by the hour, so I need to bring it back right away."



Seriously, though...

I've been in your situation many times and I always say no.

The first time I let someone play through my gear was fine... he was a serious player, knew his stuff and asked all the right questions.

The next two times I said yes I watched the clipping light on my brand new SWR Bass 750 flash for over an hour straight while I sat there and cringed.

I haven't done it since.

Recently, one of the bands I was in was opening for a mid-level act coming through town and I was asked about fifty times if the bassist could use my gear. Each time it was a different reason... he forgot it... it broke...

I kept saying no.

It turns out that he had his own rig and it was just fine... the band just didn't feel like unloading their truck.

:scowl:

 

[funkometer]

No gig!!

 

[Sunn]

I usually tell people that it is REALLY very expensive and is about to break. Then they back off and ask someone else.

 

[Fuzzbass]

I've never had any trouble sharing anything I've mine, and I've actually done quite a lot, I realize. My band hosted an open mic for a year and a half where we would play sets every night, but large portions of the evening were open mic jamming....

This all said, I agree that the OP was totally within his right to refuse; that situation was bollocks. We all have that right should we choose, I just don't mind sharing if the people seem fine to me.

+1 and +1. I've had absolutely no problem allowing other bassists to use my rig when my band hosted either an open mic night or a multi-band showcase. I always tell the borrower that they can change settings however they like -- I can turn them back, what's the big deal? If the player seems young or inexperienced, then I also suggest that they be careful with volume.

That said, in all situations I was around the entire time. I would be nervous about lending my rig if I wasn't around to keep an eye (or ear!) on it.

 

[BobaFret]

Mike Gordon from Phish let me use his rig or "my" show wouldn't have happened (opening for them).

Bass/Amp the whole enchilada.

I'm not saying you should or shouldn't let people use your stuff but I've been on both sides ( and he saved my ass ). If they seem like a complete stooge I'd be hesitant but I mostly have come across pretty solid people in general.

I err on the side of letting people use my stuff because of this situation.

 

[BassmanPaul]

I too am part of a band that hosts an open stage. I must admit that I prefer that folk don't use my amp but that's part of the gig. I could play the place with a single 2x10 but with others using my amp I compensate with a second. This is my usual set up anyway so it's no extra work. To use my system while I'm not there I have to be very sure about who is using it. There's also the "you break it - you pay to get it fixed" rule.

 

[Rockin Mike]

the guitarist of the NJ based band..

i get what theyre saying and all, but whats worse- me not budging - or them taking an out of state gig and not being willing to bring an amp..

i have a feeling its not the band that said "we cant bring a rig." i think the guitarist whos a friend of mine was just trying to help them out and never even asked if they could bring an amp.

What does the distance have to do with it?
Loading and unloading can be a chore, but so what? It's part of the job. That inconvenience is the same no matter how many miles are traveled after it's loaded.

The only reasons I can see to share a rig are when:

a) it's somebody that you know how they play and you trust them not to abuse your gear
b) it's a multi-band gig and sharing a rig saves time when switching bands. Saving time is good for the audience, but if somebody's making money on the gig, some of that money needs to come your way if you're providing gear to other bands. Also not forgetting your risk, a replacement-cost cash deposit needs to happen up-front.

This thread is making me think about getting a sturdy rig in addition to my fancy rig, for just those occasions.

Maybe a Fender Rumble or a Peavey TNT combo.

 

[will33]

I too am part of a band that hosts an open stage. I must admit that I prefer that folk don't use my amp but that's part of the gig. I could play the place with a single 2x10 but with others using my amp I compensate with a second. This is my usual set up anyway so it's no extra work. To use my system while I'm not there I have to be very sure about who is using it. There's also the "you break it - you pay to get it fixed" rule.

+1

The few I can trust to use it while I'm not there I also send off with enough rig they'll be told to turn down if they do get anywhere near the point that would strain anything