Definitive thread on kit-sharing...

[peted]

In my local originals bands days there were unwritten common etiquette rules about headline bands providing the backline (not without the courtesy of being asked though!). I have lent my gear to people I know as a favour. Fortunately my amp rig isn't particularly high value so it's not irreplacable. I won't lend my current rig to strangers because I'm running an overpowered head into the cab.

I've lent a bass to a support band in the past as they broke a string mid-set and I had a my cheap backup bass. I wouldn't lend my Warwick out as I couldn't afford to replace it straight away.

If I made a habit of lending my gear out again I would definitely get it insured!

[JakeBrownBass]

I\'ve considered one of these in the past





just to keep kids hands of my amp

Although i usually lend my amp at gigs, its pretty much, you break it, you pay for it. Always need asking before hand. If they start clipping it or red lining it i have nothing stopping me just getting up on stage and turning it down, I\'ve done it before and i\'ll do it again!



Jake

Edited October 30, 2008 by jake_tenfloors

[Merton]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='317795' date='Oct 29 2008, 05:52 PM']Worst was when my gear was 'borrowed' at one shared billing at the Clapham Grand and I went absolutely mental at the promoter after I came down from the dressing room. I was watching the twat playing through it redlining the power amp section.

Luckily for them both there was no permanent damage.[/quote]
Good ol' Feedme Music. i told them once under no circumstances whatsoever was my stuff to be used by anyone else, only to experience a very similar thing - bass player with huuuuge distortions practically f**king up the tweeter right in front of my eyes. "er, what?"

"Oh yeah, he just sort of plugged in".

Well he f**king shouldn't have done. So I told him to sod off.

[dave_bass5]

I started a thread recently about lending gear and im glad i did.
The people that responded made me see that the players borrowing the gear were just taking it for granted because i had never said no in the past.
Its now stopped although they have full use of my old MAG combo if they want it.

While i've been happy to lend my rig out to people i know if im not using it I will always say no to my Bass alothugh no one has ever asked.
I feel that amps and cabs are built to be handled roughly and i doubt much harm would come to them. My Bass though would scratch or mark quiet easily and i feel that would really bug me more than the same amount of damage to a cab or head. I still wouldn't be happy but it would just feel different.

Fortunately though all my gigs are private functions and social clubs so we dont share the stage with anyone. If that was to happen i guess i would say yes to another player using the rig but keep an eye on the clipping and levels and insist they go through my BBE Opto-stomp to protect my speakers.

just my thoughts.

[bremen]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='318367' date='Oct 30 2008, 02:03 PM']While i've been happy to lend my rig out to people i know if im not using it I will always say no to my Bass alothugh no one has ever asked.[/quote]

Your bass is a bit more personal than your gear, isn't it.

I mean, I'd lend my coat but not my underpants (although no one has ever asked).

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='bremen' post='318378' date='Oct 30 2008, 02:17 PM']Your bass is a bit more personal than your gear, isn't it.

I mean, I'd lend my coat but not my underpants (although no one has ever asked).[/quote]

Yes i agree but thats not why i wouldn't lend it out.
Its more that i find a bass can get damaged a lot easier than my rig. If i was to get a small chip in the headstock for example, that would really annoy and bug me (and its happened recently).
Its not like its broke so its not something i would spend money on but i would hate this to happen.
With my rig if it got marked i wouldn't really care too much. Its at the back of the stage in darkness, it gets things put on it etc, its going to get marked. I dont by amps and cabs to look pristine.
If it got broken it can be fixed hopefully.

As to the underpants. funny enough we were playing a Holiday camp recently and there was a Hen night in and one of the girls did in fact ask to borrow my underpants. And i said yes although it never came to that as i think she got enough from blokes in the crowd and we were on stage at the time.

[Ou7shined]

I use Schaller strap locks on mine and I'm 6'2" and like to have the bass fairly low slung so my strap is as long as it can possibly go and it's a total pig to reset. So unless they've got the same system on their strap or have arms like a gibbon it's of no use to 'em.

[Delberthot]

No one ever gets to use my gear. its mine, I paid for it and if you want to advertise yourself as a bass player then you need to have the tools of a bass player.

You wouldn't get a driving instuctor walk round to your house and ask to use your car to give you a lesson would you?

But - I always hate using other people's gear in case I break it. Especially when it is something that I wouldn't trust like Behringer which i have had bad luck with in the past.

There's a guy i know used to do a jam session on a sunday and he always supplied the bass gear but I trusted it cos it was a Hartke 7000 head with a couple of Trace cabinets. I've owned all that and know what it can do.


Now as far as my bass goes. there is no way in the world that anyone would ever get to play my bass. If someone asked then I would say "yes, as long as i can take your car to a demolition derby"

[Jarhead]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='318391' date='Oct 30 2008, 02:30 PM']I use Schaller strap locks on mine and I'm 6'2" and like to have the bass fairly low slung so my strap is as long as it can possibly go and it's a total pig to reset. So unless they've got the same system on their strap or have arms like a gibbon it's of no use to 'em. [/quote]
Same with me, nice big strap, hangs round my waist or thereabouts, rhythm put it on for laughs, practically on the floor with him. On the subject of sharing, I'm pretty happy to let anyone use my current amp. Why? because i got it free from my dads mate. They can do what they like with the settings, it sounds the same no matter what lol. And my bass, well, not as much, but there's enough battle scars on there for me not to care any more though. But i make anyone who uses it promise a new set of strings if they break one. So far they all figured its not worth thrashing it about, because i like expensive strings i do .
Zach

[yorick]

Rig, yes. Bass, no!!!

[Protium]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='318097' date='Oct 30 2008, 12:37 AM']I generally don't mind it (in fact I often offer). Although I'd never just let someone borrow my rig or guitar without me actually being there and I have a strict [b]"No beer bottles/glasses on me rig"[/b] policy.

When I was gigging with my Ashdown gear I'd always check with the supports whether their basses were active or not - often I'd get a blank stare in return or a helpful "Dunno" then I'd sort them out with the correct inputs and character settings. Once a guy at a pretty packed bill night who obviously didn't know who I was snarled [b]"Why wot the f*** has it got to do with you?"[/b] at me for asking, I spotted that his was passive and walked away - he could do his own feckin settings, he was lucky he had an amp to play through that night. He was evidently still up his own arse later on even after he'd found out he'd bad mouthed the headliners. His band won't get a share next time.[/quote]

+1 on the drinks.

Wasn't the bassist but the lead guitarist of some band we were playing with who I got attitude from. I was just showing their bassist the basics on the ABM and he comes over: "Who the f*** are you?". I informed him that it was my amp and asked if he could still play guitar with the headstock 3ft up his arse

I never lend stuff out when I'm not gona be at the gig, and very rarely let people use my amp. I never let anyone use my guitars

[josh3184]

ugh yeah, recent gig (hang on, that was about 5months ago. Jeebus my new band needs to start giggin soon. Anyway...) I brought my rig, nowt super impressive, mostly MAG ashdown stuff and I set it up. About 10 mins later I realise that every other band on there is playing through my amp and they didn't even ask! I mean, I'd probably have been fine with it tbh, but none of them had the common courtesy to maybe come to me first. The cheek.

As for my basses, same as Rasher80, noone would want to borrow em as they face the wrong way

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='josh3184' post='318464' date='Oct 30 2008, 04:12 PM']About 10 mins later I realise that every other band on there is playing through my amp and they didn't even ask! I mean, I'd probably have been fine with it tbh, but none of them had the common courtesy to maybe come to me first. The cheek.[/quote]

Could that not have been the organiser or promoters fault? Maybe he told them all they could use it.

[Doddy]

I don't let anyone use my rig. It cost me a lot of money,and I try to keep it in good condition.
If you are playing a gig you should take your own gear. On the occasion I play in a multi band situation I always carry,at least, a combo and a DI box.
I don't see any reason why someone would not take their own amp to a gig.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Doddy' post='318554' date='Oct 30 2008, 05:40 PM']I don't see any reason why someone would not take their own amp to a gig.[/quote]
Often the person organising the event (or the member of your band in contact with said person organising the event) will tell you not to bring one as the backline will definitely be provided. Often the person organising the event (or the member of your band in contact with said person organising the event) couldn't win an arse from elbow quiz with extra clues and is prone to making up answers to questions they don't fully understand.
Unless I know for sure that the house rig is up to the job, I take mine anyway.
One venue we play at (a bloody good one btw) will not tolerate band gear on the (rather tiny) stage unless express permission has been sought first by email. Everyone must use the house gear and observe the "Don't fiddle with the amp settings after the sound guy has set it up, as a swift kick in the nuts often offends" rule.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Merton' post='318357' date='Oct 30 2008, 01:49 PM']Good ol' Feedme Music. i told them once under no circumstances whatsoever was my stuff to be used by anyone else, only to experience a very similar thing - bass player with huuuuge distortions practically f**king up the tweeter right in front of my eyes. "er, what?"[/quote]


I f*cking hate Feedme music with the bigest amount of passion possible they are c*nts seriously c*nts if they ever offer you a gig tell them to f*ck off because they are c*nts

/rant

[kevbass]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='318665' date='Oct 30 2008, 09:18 PM']I f*cking hate Feedme music with the bigest amount of passion possible they are c*nts seriously c*nts if they ever offer you a gig tell them to f*ck off because they are c*nts

/rant[/quote]
\
Hmmm, interesting, but what sort of people are they?

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='kevbass' post='318667' date='Oct 30 2008, 09:32 PM']\
Hmmm, interesting, but what sort of people are they?[/quote]

I couldn't possibly say.

[tombboy]

I tend to read people well. I mostly always will lend my rig to those who are polite and ask before a gig and show good etiquette. I will always lend a bass to someone who snaps a string mid set and doesn't carry a spare (even re-stringed for them while they play... no drama, like to think someone would do it for me!!).
However... seeing as I've entered 'boutique' territory and with no back-up rig to support... you'd probably have to have slept with me to have another fiddle now!!

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='318665' date='Oct 30 2008, 09:18 PM']I f*cking hate Feedme music with the bigest amount of passion possible they are c*nts seriously c*nts if they ever offer you a gig tell them to f*ck off because they are c*nts

/rant[/quote]

so what are you trying to say?

[bassbloke]

If promoters want to use a shared backline, they should hire one,rather than sponging off one of the bands. I've played plenty of gigs for greedy promoters who ask one of the bands to provide backline even though there's plenty of time for changeovers and you can guarantee that the money saved on equipment hiregoes straight into their pockets.

[Musky]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='318665' date='Oct 30 2008, 09:18 PM']I f*cking hate Feedme music with the bigest amount of passion possible they are c*nts seriously c*nts if they ever offer you a gig tell them to f*ck off because they are c*nts

/rant[/quote]

Sorry to go OT here, but what is the deal with Feed Me? I saw their name crop up recently in connection with pay 2 play, but no details.

If anyone wants to chip in feel free to PM me if you'd prefer not to post here.

[Muppet]

[quote name='tombboy' post='318670' date='Oct 30 2008, 09:37 PM']..you'd probably have to have slept with me to have another fiddle now!![/quote]

You weren't that good the first time to be honest

Reminds me, we need to sort out 15th. My turn to bring the gear??

S

[phil_the_bassist]

FeedMe never seemed that bad when I did a few gigs with 'em, they actually paid us the right amount based on ticket sales and everything!




Anyway, back to subject:

I f***ing HATE lending out my gear, and will only do so BEGRUDGINGLY by prior arrangment, and I don't expect to pay for a single drink that night, and preferably I'll have at LEAST a (fully refundable, if you don't break anything!) £50 security deposit pre-gig. I've spent too many hours watching some dickhead beat all hell outta his bass thru my amp to let anyone near my gear willingly nowadays.

And my bass is MY bass. No m*****f***er's gonna be allowed to gig it unless i know for ~SURE~ you know how to handle a quality instrument, and I like you, and you let me have your girlfriend for the night, cos that's how it feels.



overprotective? moi? Never

[budget bassist]

Around here the majority of the bands are comprised of teenagers under 20, and a lot of them can't afford a decent bass/rig, let alone a car to get it there! So i don't mind letting them use my rig too much, my band's equipment tends to be used by everyone on the night, because (i don't like to be big headed or anything) we have fairly good equipment in comparison to most other people's. Sometimes other bands bring their own stuff, sometimes they ask to use mine, and that's fine. The ones that don't ask, and then act like a prick to me afterwards, they're the ones i don't like and don't get to use it again. Fortunately i've only encountered a couple, and we didn't play with them again. Nobody borrows my basses though. If they can't bring their own bass, then they're not a bassist, and if they beat the hell out of their own bass and break it on stage, they sure as hell aren't getting their hands on mine!