kit share live

[Salt on your Bass?]

I'm not sure if this is a recent trend but more and more I've noticed with kit shares for gigs that people are prepared to share their cab but not their head.

Just wondered why that was - if I'm taking my rig (and I know the other bands) I'm happy to share the lot. If I don't then I'm less likely to share anything.

My main thought on it though was with abuse or no volume restraint, surely it's easier to blow a driver than it is to blow up an amp?

Curious about others experiences and reasons for preference

[charic]

Personally I won't share my rig, my insurance doesn't cover me in the instance of someone else using it and I can't afford to replace it if it was to go wrong in that scenario

[Beer of the Bass]

If I'm sharing my gear I'd usually prefer that the head and cab were used together, since I'm using a GK MB200 at the moment which would have a hard time blowing the drivers in my larger cab.
Lately I've been going off the idea of sharing (except in specific situations with bands I know), both from having my gear abused and from turning up and finding that backline the other band offered to share was a 20 watt practice combo at a gig with vocal PA only!

[neepheid]

My cab can handle over twice the power my head can throw at it (I do realise that it isn't all about power before someone jumps on that). I am comfortable with others using my entire rig, as long as some manners have been applied (i.e. I was asked in advance, and preferably there's some sharing the other way, drum stuff or whatever) and NO DRINKS are placed on top of it. Those are my only rules. I know my settings so I don't care about people changing them and don't get annoyed about it. Next shared outing for rig will be at a private party I'm playing a week on Saturday, 4 bands, I'm playing in two of them, will be a good laugh, certainly won't be worrying about my bass rig - that's for sure.

[JTUK]

I don't tend to do gigs where gear share HAS to be the thing and I am pretty confident that my rig will trump what else is
up there 99% of the time in the event of a staged festival anyway, certainly for me... ( it is why I use it )
If someone asks, I will probably weigh them up there and then and decide, but they need to ask, and unless I know
them, I am not looking to do it.
However, since my bass playing friends tend to like my sound, I think I'd enjoy letting them use it ..but again, just because
they like my sound, doesn't mean they will get one out of it. Good sounds come from the bass and the player, IMO, and
a rig is just a way of getting that sound up in the most pleasing manner. It can't fix everything though

[mrtcat]

Wouldn't share my kit with anyone. Too many morons out there who would happily trash it. It's the main reason I hate multi band gigs and rarely do them. When I do I go self sufficient and lightweight so I can load in and out super quick. If others want to share with each other that's fine and I'll make sure I'm out of their way super swift.

[JTUK]

But.... that is not what my A rig is for.

If I want light and quick, the gig isn't that discerning, and larger stages shouldn't or aren't
that AFAIAC..
As it happens, I haven't taken out my B rig for much of the summer... and it is so relegated
that I may as well sell it.

[Bassman Steve]

I tend to be pretty easy about sharing my gear. On the one hand I am quite evangelical about it and so like the idea of other people getting the experience (or my version of it anyway - others will hate it I know). Principally though, I've never had a bad experience with someone using mine.

I fully understand those who are at the opposite end of the scale and have no criticism of them whatsoever.

[Salt on your Bass?]

Yeah, I'm generally happy for people to share my gear as I don't think most throw as much as I do at it so I'm pretty comfy - after sizing people up of course!

Why would you share your cab and not the amp? Is that weird or am I missing something?

[Roland Rock]

We are usually playing with non-rock bands such as soul/reggae/hiphop etc and I fun that these players tend to have a lighter touch, so I don't mind sharing.
Strangely enough, the only misuse came from a professional act, when Finlay Quaye's percussionist decided to use my power amp as a drinks table. Needless to say he won't be doing that again.

[Lozz196]

In my current band this happens a lot, due to both the organisers trying to engineer quick changeovers, and a lot of the bands themselves who seem only too happy to turn up without any gear aside from instruments.

So far I`ve had no problems, most say thanks, though not all do. The most appreciation I`ve had was from the bassist in XSLF - they travel without amps as they fly, so I knew in advance I`d be lending my amp to him, and he was really praising of my set up - and the bassist from Peter & The Test Tube Babies who I gave a plectrum to as he`d lost his. He was so grateful, I thought maybe I`d misheard and given him my amp by mistake. And it just shows that the so called "names" may well have the name due to not only being able to play, but also not being ill-mannered.

The only no-no with my gear is putting drinks on it. I`ve walked on stage whilst the bands are playing who`ve done this to their amazement, moved the drink, then walked off. No need to get snotty with them, point made, none have done it again. These have also usually been most apologetic afterwards, not cos I`m big or hard or anything, just remembering their manners and that I`d helped them out/not got snotty or angry at the mistake.

[stingrayPete1977]

Last time I did a rig share the guy looked a bit upset when I finished my sound check with the all singing all dancing Shuttlemax 9.2 head with Genz 2x12T cab then popped the little shuttle 3.0 on top and swapped the power lead and speakon lead over for him, "there you go mate you can fiddle with that all you like and leave it where you want as I will only need to use it if mine goes pear shaped later". If he could afford a silly hair cut and a vintage Fender P bass then he can afford a little MB200 head to put in his gig bag can't he? They nearly did not go on as their drummer refused to play our drummers kit because he normally uses one with with two rack toms instead of one! They finally went on after moaning about having to turn our drummers left handed drum kit around before and after their set and it not being up to their standard (Pearl Export with Remo skins and a full set of Zildgian (sp) cymbals), a few Nirvana covers and they were done

Edited August 11, 2014 by stingrayPete1977

[MoonBassAlpha]

The last gig I did, one of the other band's bassist said to me "I didn't know what the situation with gear was, so I didn't bring mine" I did laugh out loud at that, but did let him use my stuff as our drummer also plays for them.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 28, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[icastle]

When I get involved in a shared stage gig I make it perfectly clear before the gig is accepted that I won't be using venue provided kit and likewise won't provide mine for that use either.

Musicians are there to do a job in the same way that a plumber is and I don't expect to book a plumber and then provide him with a spanner.

It's usually accepted with good grace and on the odd occasion where the organiser grumbles about it, I just don't get drawn into negotiations over it.

[jazzyvee]

Most of my gigs have a back line provided by the venue so it's rarely an issue. Where I've been asked to share my bass rig, the answer has always been a polite "No" which is usually met with a surprised stare. I have a hard earned clean and powerful rack rig with a QSC power amp into mesa boogie cabs and that amp will easily trash my speakers in the wrong hands. I've read stories on line about people who after having shared their rig had problems getting damage paid for. So for that reason also it's not worth the risk. I also prefer not to use other peoples gear.

On one gig the band on before us was a band we knew and they kindly left their gear for us to use. However at soundcheck the bass rig was not up to much so I just used a DI into the PA and monitors.

[Ed_S]

[quote name='Jus Lukin' timestamp='1407797966' post='2524204']
[b]Edit:[/b] Always having stuff on hand, I never did turn up to a gig where no-one had brought any gear. I'd love to see how it went down at the ones where that was the case though. It [i]must[/i] have happened somewhere!
[/quote]

Happened to me once - there'd been emails flying about to organise the gear share and one guy had said that he needed his rig to get his sound so would be taking it irrespective and everybody was welcome to plug in. Quick check that the head had an fx return and I was happy to just rock up with my Sansamp. Come the evening in question, however, there was no sign of the rig; the guy had decided to "use the house rig or whatever for this one" despite the whole point of the email trail being that there was nothing provided other than PA.

I actually offered to let everybody use my Sansamp through the PA, but the other bands didn't like the idea so one of their guys disappeared for half an hour and came back with a Peavey MicroBass borrowed from a friend that lived locally and everybody else opted to play through that, mic'd.

These days I always at very least have a lightweight 1x12 and the means to power it, even if it ultimately stays in the car.

[gadgie]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1407743302' post='2523406']
Personally I won't share my rig, my insurance doesn't cover me in the instance of someone else using it and I can't afford to replace it if it was to go wrong in that scenario
[/quote]

How would they know who was playing it at the time

[charic]

[quote name='gadgie' timestamp='1407822510' post='2524252']
How would they know who was playing it at the time
[/quote]

Very true, but I'd know and I don't like being dishonest

[r16ktx]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1407827257' post='2524283']


Very true, but I'd know and I don't like being dishonest
[/quote]
Me also, although it's fraudulent rather than dishonest and insurance companies tend to frown on that for some reason ☺

[mcnach]

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1407749530' post='2523488']
Wouldn't share my kit with anyone. Too many morons out there who would happily trash it. It's the main reason I hate multi band gigs and rarely do them. When I do I go self sufficient and lightweight so I can load in and out super quick. If others want to share with each other that's fine and I'll make sure I'm out of their way super swift.
[/quote]

That's pretty much my attitude too.

There are too many selfish and careless people out there, and I'm not in the business of supplying gear.
I sometimes do share mine, but it's rare. I only do it with people I know and trust, and maybe some others get in there that I don't know but give me a "good vibe" that they're not going to behave like idiots. Sometimes my band has hosted events, and in that case we know the bands we invite, and I would supply my amp/heads if they want to use it, as it sometimes it involves a bit of travelling for them.
I have in the past been asked to supply an amp in a multi-band event thing, but it means you end up showing up earlier than anybody, and are held hostage until it finishes... We now have a policy that if you ask us to supply backline, you have to give us something in return, whether it is a better and longer slot or whatever. That generally goes for drums, because my position is "no, I don't supply bass amp for others, but I'll bring my own", and my band knows it.
On paper, it could work, if everybody were "nice" and respectful, but what you see is people being lazy, just wanting to be free of hassle... and sorry, I'm not going to do extra work for you.
Don't have an amp? Well, I guess your band needs a new player then. Tough.

I always bring something with me, whether a rig is supplied or not: the number of times I had to play through underpowered crap-sounding combos is amazing (like playing an outdoors festival type gig with a 30W combo that was totally drowned out on stage... there was a line out to the PA so out side it was ok, but I could hear nothing onstage).... So I make sure I bring something I know and like.

I can carry my rig in one go, using one hand for each cab, bass on my back and amp head on the side. It takes me less time to set up than it takes the drummer to fit his cymbals and adjust the kit. If space is an issue or I simply don't need two cabs, I bring just one and a head, or the little Markbass combo... and take it away with me.

Fortunately we don't play as many multiband gigs anymore, and certainly not the "35min slot" types with tickets and sh*t
Soon after I join my current band I said I was just not prepared to do that kind of sh*t gigs. I could do still do them, but in that case 1.) don't bother with early soundcheck that keeps us hanging for hours afterwards, just show, line check and play, 2.) we don't have to bring equipment, maybe the extra guitar amp or two as we have three guitarists, 3.) I will not sell tickets: I won't make people over-pay to see us play a short slot when I have no say about the quality or style of the other bands.

It's a shame, because I wish it could all be more relaxed... But people are people and you get a substantial minority that will spoil things for the rest, and I don't want to get caught again.

[mcnach]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1407794133' post='2524162']
Last time I did a rig share the guy looked a bit upset when I finished my sound check with the all singing all dancing Shuttlemax 9.2 head with Genz 2x12T cab then popped the little shuttle 3.0 on top and swapped the power lead and speakon lead over for him, "there you go mate you can fiddle with that all you like and leave it where you want as I will only need to use it if mine goes pear shaped later". If he could afford a silly hair cut and a vintage Fender P bass then he can afford a little MB200 head to put in his gig bag can't he? They nearly did not go on as their drummer refused to play our drummers kit because he normally uses one with with two rack toms instead of one! They finally went on after moaning about having to turn our drummers left handed drum kit around before and after their set and it not being up to their standard (Pearl Export with Remo skins and a full set of Zildgian (sp) cymbals), a few Nirvana covers and they were done
[/quote]

... and I rest my case: do this kind of experience encourage you to share gear?
Idiots.

Multiband gigs: make slots sufficiently long to allow for gear swap, or the promoter hires out the backline.

There is a venue in town that we stopped accepting invites to play at because it was invariably a situation of having 5-6 bands play short slots, they wanted you to be there early (our band now is an 8-piece with two trumpets and a sax, so a little sound-check is convenient!), and then treat you rudely once you're there: stressed soundguy (who is the owner of the place, it turns out) rushing you about and ignoring requests during soundcheck ("please, some vocals on this monitor, I can't hear any here")...
They think having 5-6 bands will bring more people than just getting 2-3 in that time. But it's a ridiculous operation. Get one decent band that you know has a following, and get a local band, maybe two, to do support slots. You'll probably end up getting at least the same number of people, with less hassle, and you might even change the reputation of the venue from being a crapshoot, where you could see a great band next to an abysmally bad one, to one where you always have decent music on.

Ok, rant over

[mcnach]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1407795033' post='2524174']
The last gig I did, one of the other band's bassist said to me "I didn't know what the situation with gear was, so I didn't bring mine" I did laugh out loud at that, but did let him use my stuff as our drummer also plays for them.
[/quote]



Yeah, I have encountered those too. And everything was ok because, surprise surprise, I had my rig, right?
Not anymore.

Sometime last year there was a gig with another two bands I did not know, all local, and there was a big thing about us sharing gear. By us, I mean my band... we were the second band to play, a 45min slot, when the "headliners" were in for 90min. However, we were asked to supply kit and bass amp *at least*.
I refused. Some of the conversations (facebook) I had seen made me think I did not like the tone of the whole thing. So I was just bringing my things and that's it. The day before the gig, we were asked to be there VERY early. Almost suspiciously early. The first band was not going to do soundcheck, they said. It was just us, and the other band. They would soundcheck first. I showed up... without my amp (it was in my car ), and I made it clear that "my amp is not with me yet, it may not be here until our gig".
I noticed there was no bass amp on stage either, and I located their bass player looking worried. I did not mix, I hanged out outside knowing the other band was going to check first. Eventually a tiny battered Ashdown combo was brought in, in some hurry
When they finished, I brought one cab and my head and used that. Then unplugged and put it away.
I am convinced they were thinking "we'll ask these guys to come in early, they will have a bass amp, and ask them to use it". No you bloody well not use my amp after I said no already. And... they DID have an amp, they just preferred not to bring it because, as I heard later "it was kind of sh*t".

[gadgie]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1407827257' post='2524283']
Very true, but I'd know and I don't like being dishonest
[/quote]
Well I take my hat off to you. Given as they would tend to bend you over backwards and do strange stuff to you rather than pay out.

[Beer of the Bass]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1407794133' post='2524162']
Last time I did a rig share the guy looked a bit upset when I finished my sound check with the all singing all dancing Shuttlemax 9.2 head with Genz 2x12T cab then popped the little shuttle 3.0 on top and swapped the power lead and speakon lead over for him, "there you go mate you can fiddle with that all you like and leave it where you want as I will only need to use it if mine goes pear shaped later". If he could afford a silly hair cut and a vintage Fender P bass then he can afford a little MB200 head to put in his gig bag can't he? They nearly did not go on as their drummer refused to play our drummers kit because he normally uses one with with two rack toms instead of one! They finally went on after moaning about having to turn our drummers left handed drum kit around before and after their set and it not being up to their standard (Pearl Export with Remo skins and a full set of Zildgian (sp) cymbals), a few Nirvana covers and they were done
[/quote]

Ah yes, the guys who rock up with no gear expecting to use yours (but don't discuss it in advance), then express disappointment that what you've brought doesn't suit their particular requirements. That drives me nuts!
I've had it a couple of times - one was with my bass rig when a guitarist in the other band brought a Marshall and 4x12" cab and cranked it. I don't carry a rig that can keep up with that and I don't need to as the guitarists in my band use 1x12" combos. I've had some moans about my guitar amp too - it's a 1x10" 15 watt valve combo which I built myself. It gets fairly loud but doesn't have the biggest bottom end in the world and it has only one channel which is clean when played quietly and gritty at volume, so it really doesn't suit every style but it's perfect for my needs.
I feel like I shouldn't have to select gear for anyone else's tastes but mine. On the occasions where I've arranged in advance to use somebody else's gear and not liked it, I've kept my mouth shut, made the best of it and thanked them after the gig. And I'd have been pleased to arrive to a Genz rig in that situation, whatever the model!

Edited August 12, 2014 by Beer of the Bass