Disrespecting other musicians gear

[Crikey]

I used to apply green glow in the dark spray paint on the ends of my cables, power strip and the lockable box that I carried that stuff in.

I put silver duct work tape. The alumininum stuff on my cables. Easy to see

 

[StrummerJoe]

You missed an opportunity for a teachable moment.


You're much nicer than me. Read my sig...

 

[Beryllium-9]

 

[radiomatts]

So I played a gig on Saturday and I brought out my heavy guns:

- Recently purchased brandnew Silver Jubilee Halfstack

- American Professional 2 75th Anniversary Commemorative Telecaster (what a mouthful)

- My Pedalboard with over 1000 Euros worth of pedals + the Strymon Zuma power supply

Looked like this:

View attachment 140854


Now I'm not rich, I work hard for my money, I save up for things and I collected lots of stuff over the years. Mostly used, traded, snagged some good deals etc.


We were the main act and had a band open up for us, they are friends with some of the other guys from my band.


First thing that was a bit weird was my guitarist approaching me 2 weeks ago and asking if I could borrow my amp to the openers guitar player so he could play. Basically share a backline. I was sceptical as I don't know the dude and also I thought to myself "Why don't you offer him your Kemper?".

Wanting to be a nice guy and all I agreed to let him use my BluGuitar Amp1 Iridium I was bringing as a backup anyway, but not the Jubilee since the amp and the cab are brand spanking new. Alright.


So we get to the place, set everything up perfectly, do a sound check, the levels are fine, I can hear myself and the rest of the band, the mix is great, all is good. I shut off my amp and look forward to the gig.


The other band shows up, the guitar player walks in, we talk and the conversation goes like this:

"So your guitarist told me I can use some amp of yours? Just not the Marshall?"

"Yeah I have an Amp 1 as a backup, you can use it as dedicated amp or as a poweramp, whatever you need. What gear are you playing?"

"I have a Boss GT 100."

"Oh ok, cool. Do you have your presets on that? If so you can give me your signal out into the FX return of the Amp1, it has a 100 watts and a recording out for the mixing console so we can amplify that no problem."

"I have no idea, I don't really know how that stuff works..."


Ok. So I play soundguy for the dude since he seems clueless. I plug his GT100 into my Amp1. I send a signal to FOH so he can hear himself through the monitor on stage. He plays and gets all kinds of feedback and squealing as he doesn't know how to adjust levels.

So I feel sorry for him and unplug my cab to amplify the Amp1 so my 412 is now his monitor. Same problems. Suddenly FOH gets wonky levels. I plug my Two Notes Cab M between the Amp1 and my 412. FOH has better signal now. He is still struggling to control his levels on stage. It was like watching a trainwreck.

In the end he brings his combo amp from the car and plugs the GT100 into that, we set up a microphone in front of his speakers. Again problems, problems, problems. Turns out his volume pot is scratchy and kills the guitars signal midway. So his guitars are also in terrible shape.

They took twice as long to soundcheck until they finally managed to get a halfway decent sound. In the end they played half as long as us and everyone in the audience agreed that we were the clearly better band.


Now here comes the thing that made me furious:

I had everything perfectly set up, I unplugged my stuff to help out and had to set up again before our set. I have no roadies, I do this all by myself.

The FUCKER puts his beer on the monitor box, right next to my pedalboard. He even jokes "let's hope I don't spill any". I tell him to move it away.

He puts it on the ledge ABOVE my Silver Jubilee, the monitor box and my pedalboard.

I move it myself.


I told him THREE FUCKING TIMES to keep his beer away from the gear. He didn't really care. So I tucked the amp away under the ledge and tried to move my stuff as far away from his beer as possible.


End of the night luckily nothing happened to my rig, but our mixing console that was used for the whole show got some spillage from a few drunken idiots. We probably need a new one which makes this whole deal a losing game financially even though the place was packed.

I can only imagine had he spilled his beer over my stuff, he would have eaten a knuckle sandwich.


It's pathetic that someone sees my gear I have saved up for over years and I'm happy to have and I worked my ass off to aquire and they do not even care enough to keep their fucking beer away from it. And here I am, the idiot trying to help and all I get is a big middle finger.




To sum up I learned a few things that night:


- I will never again bring my A rig to a gig where there is even the slightest possibility of a shared backline. If we're the only ones playing and I know my stuff is tucked away safely, sure.

- I will never again tear down my setup once I have checked levels and set up everything.

- I will never again say yes to my fellow guitar player in regards to borrowing my stuff to somebody I don't know. I am sure the sneaky fucker knew the idiot and that's the reason he wanted to give my rig away to share instead of his beloved Kemper.

- Keep an eye out on your stuff. Last open air gig I did I left only my Marshall cab on stage and when I came back to play our gig a couple of hours later somebody had ripped off my logo from the cab.

- I refuse to give a hand to people who don't even know the basic fundamentals of their gear, what an FX loop is, that scratchy volume pots need a shot of WD-40 or DeOxit and some wiggling to fix real fast or who think that liquids belong anywhere near electrical equipment.



The gig was great fun and I had an amazing sound. I don't do this for a living so it's not a tragedy the mixing console got damaged, it's still not exactly pleasant.


I don't mind lugging a 412 around if I get rewarded with great sound, but for future gigs I'll probably bring my cheaper stuff that's replaced more easily should something happen. I have a fucked up Marshall JCM 900 cab now with a missing logo anyway.




Watcha say guys? Ever had that shit happen to you? Share your stories.


Can't stand scumbags that don't respect other peoples possessions because they are jealous or can't manage to get their hands on better stuff. And no, I don't think you need a rig as expensive as mine. I could be playing a Harley Benton through an Orange Solid State combo, I still wouldn't put my beer anywhere near another dudes gear.

Just say no. I never share any of my gear.

 

[HarmFamily]

Ahhhh, yes, the old "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" addage. I'm sorry you made the mistake of giving the benefit of the doubt to what appears to be the guitar equivalent of a homeless vagrant lifer.

Why are you bringing unprofessionals to open your show is the real question. Seriously, no disrespect whatsoever. We always setup our own shows, lined up all opening bands and brought them in on our gigs, handled all negotiations and payments. To even be considered your band had to be a net positive (good draw, professional stage-ready musicians, and at least 1 member had to have their business shit together.) The moment I was approached by anyone with "the opener needs your amp..." two weeks before the gig, it would have ended there: "<pause><loud laughter> Hell no man, and they're not opening either, wtf?" ....and booked another band to fill the slot.

I'm sorry ya got shat upon brother. Always trust your gut, I suspect you knew the moment this "guitarist" opened his mouth you knew it had bad news written all over it. Being nice is admirable, but always hang appropriate weights on the risks and possible outcomes of doing a good deed, and decide from there.

Maybe I'm just a jaded old curmudgeon too and completely full of shit. Either way...

 

[BRMarshall]

Glad your stuff made it through unharmed - except maybe for the mixer. You tried to help out someone who didn’t appreciate it. Previous poster was right, if you have to be a dick about keeping idiots away from your stuff, especially with a drink/beer , then do it. Bring a third, real cheap guitar just in case, … it’s needed. Hope the next show is less aggravating.

 

[Plexitim]

It's pretty unfortunate that the other player was acting like a tool. I suppose you did all you could to get him to do the right thing, while being civil. That said, good gear is meant to be played and enjoyed. And a Marshall projects some musical expression that you are creating. Don't let anyone steal your fun or make you leave your good gear at home.

 

[fuzz/karl]

- I refuse to give a hand to people who don't even know the basic fundamentals of their gear, what an FX loop is, that scratchy volume pots need a shot of WD-40 or DeOxit and some wiggling to fix real fast or who think that liquids belong anywhere near electrical equipment.

Sucks that happened to you.
I have had people spill beer on my stuff, that’s why I have what I call “Bar gear” now. lol
But for the love of God!! Please don’t EVER spray WD40 in you pots

 

[mickeydg5]

People playing professionally should be responsible for themselves. If not, the venue should scratch and not pay them.

Never let someone you do not trust use your gear, any of it.

On a side note, do not trust anyone you do not know or does not share with you.

 

[Mrmadd]

Yea, I have had a few days like that.

You were too nice to that book.

The Marshall and Tele in your photo look awesome

 

[Mrmadd]

That boob .
Spell checker attack

 

[Webslinger]

First off, I hate Hate HATE playing in multi-band events. I used to play a annual summer picnic, and a few benefits & memorials. I stopped all that. I could write a whole page of horror stories, about sharing the stage area and subsequentialy my gear. Having to re-adjust my micstand, missing cables/stands, other guys plugged into MY power strip, changing all my knob settings, placing beers on my amp, knocking over my guitars, guys asking if their young kid can play my rig, or if we can play "Bobby McGee" so their girl can sing it., or biker dudes want to sing "Born to be Wild", or non-musician/non-soundman newbies working the board & cut your vocals midsong, or guys too lazy to bring their own amps ask to borrow yours, then say they dont like how it sounds, or borrow your guitar then say it has no "tone". Or guys that forget a cable/strap/stand/picks, or bands where one guy HAS to go on a run for cigs/booze/drugs 10 min before they're supposed to go-on, and now he's lost, or GFs that drink-up the bands comp-tab, or ......well you get it by now...LOL

 

[mickeydg5]

Most people are shitty.
Save yourself and people you trust first.

 

[StrummerJoe]

That boob .
Spell checker attack

I know right?

Trust me, I have never intentionally called anybody a "can't".

 

[Jason deBroux]

I feel ya man. After I bought my first big amp, a JCM 2000 TSL 100 and a 4 x 12 1960A, I spent hours dialing in all 3 of those channels to get everything I wanted, took notes of all the settings, I wouldn’t let anyone else touch that amp to do anything except flip the power switch on to let the tubes warm up.

if anyone was going to wreck that amp it was going to be me.



Some how I always knew if someone fucked with it. Most people knew better than to mess with the obsessive hockey player lead guitarist of a punk/hardcore band that owned that amp.

 

[Azmedian]

If you ain’t got your own gear to play out dont Play out

 

[Georgiatec]

Don't mind sharing a stage, but gear NO. If you are not in a position to bring your own, you shouldn't be on the stage, simple as that. Shared drum kits are different, but even then, if the drummer doesn't bring their own snare and cymbals, then you 'aint playing.
I let bands use my stuff in the studio, but that's different. Even then I set it up for them as I can get a good sound a lot quicker than someone who's never used the amp before. I also have a couple of "beater" guitars that folks are welcome to use.
Drinks are allowed, but only in the break-out area...no alcohol, or weed on the premises.

 

[John Stedman]

I had a horrible experience loaning my '61 SG Reissue to the guitar player in a band we opened for at a 3 band bar gig. He broke a string on his guitar just as they were about to start and he didn't have a backup guitar, so he asked if he could borrow my SG. I'd seen him around before, but didn't really know him. He seemed sober and respectful so I said, "sure". Little did he know (and it had completely slipped my mind) that my band was tuned down a half step. I'll never forget the look of horror on his face a few bars into their first song and watching him struggle to tune up a half step between power chords. Poor guy.

I was super embarrassed that it didn't occur to me we weren't in standard tuning and that might be an issue - a complete brain fart. He managed to get in tune and they finished their set (really good original songs too) and I apologized profusely afterwards. I run into him once in a while and we always have a good laugh about it, "Remember that time I borrowed your SG?"

 

[Maarten Aerts]

I always have spare cables because 90% of the guitarists I know are technical noobs. Don't mind that. As long as they are nice guys.
when I played guitar at gigs I only had one set, but that worked. (jcm900)

Only lend my bass rig once, a very very long time ago to one of my students. he got to play a mayor metal outdoor festival (Headliner was Metallica, so nice to be at the same festival
My big expensive Dynacord rig was indestructible anyways, so I thought .
Well he had a nice show and I bought new replacement speakers . Since I took the risk myself I didn't mind. But no more lending out
A well...cant lift those heavy things these days anyway

 

[purpleplexi]

We topped the bill at a festival ( I know - I'm so big time) when we were doing the Zep tribute. The drummer in the band before us turns up with 2 sticks and a battered cheap snare. Our drummer has the orange perspex kit like Bonzo used. He asked our guy if he can use his kit. Our guy says no. There's a big argument with the whole lot of them demanding to use his kit. I said where do you live and the guy says 12 miles up the road. I said well we've done a 300 mile round trip to this gig so fuck off home and get your own shit. They played some weird trippy shit that I didn't like. The only good thing was they had a very attractive dancer. I was sitting in the dressing room and she walked in, stripped down to a tiny pair of panties and sat there doing her make up and eventually getting dressed in her stage outfit.....