Equipment overkill

C

Clive Hugh

New member
Had a gig on Thursday at a pub, I carted in 3 guitar amps (2 Twins, 1 NZ made 70 watt) for me, 2 Strats, a PA with 2 cabs and 2 foldbacks. 2 stands, pedal board, 3 large toolbags and one plastic box of mics. assorted leads, power leads, multiple plug boxes and two mic stands, and that was my own gear we have another PA with all it's own crap which we use to mic drums only.
I can remember when I started in my first band in 1960 aged 16 I had one guitar, an amp, and one guitar lead. Things sure get complicated don't they.
 
Clive Hugh said:
Had a gig on Thursday at a pub, I carted in 3 guitar amps (2 Twins, 1 NZ made 70 watt) for me, 2 Strats, a PA with 2 cabs and 2 foldbacks. 2 stands, pedal board, 3 large toolbags and one plastic box of mics. assorted leads, power leads, multiple plug boxes and two mic stands, and that was my own gear we have another PA with all it's own crap which we use to mic drums only.
I can remember when I started in my first band in 1960 aged 16 I had one guitar, an amp, and one guitar lead. Things sure get complicated don't they.
Click to expand...
I dunno it sounds pretty mild still... you did not mention racks for instance! :)
 
Clive Hugh said:
Had a gig on Thursday at a pub, I carted in 3 guitar amps (2 Twins, 1 NZ made 70 watt) for me, 2 Strats, a PA with 2 cabs and 2 foldbacks. 2 stands, pedal board, 3 large toolbags and one plastic box of mics. assorted leads, power leads, multiple plug boxes and two mic stands, and that was my own gear we have another PA with all it's own crap which we use to mic drums only.
I can remember when I started in my first band in 1960 aged 16 I had one guitar, an amp, and one guitar lead. Things sure get complicated don't they.
Click to expand...
Well I remember those days .... played my first pro gig with a an old epiphone guitar ... a 10W tube amp w/o reverb and we were using a very old shure PA system.
 
Clive Hugh said:
Had a gig on Thursday at a pub, I carted in 3 guitar amps (2 Twins, 1 NZ made 70 watt) for me, 2 Strats, a PA with 2 cabs and 2 foldbacks. 2 stands, pedal board, 3 large toolbags and one plastic box of mics. assorted leads, power leads, multiple plug boxes and two mic stands, and that was my own gear we have another PA with all it's own crap which we use to mic drums only.
I can remember when I started in my first band in 1960 aged 16 I had one guitar, an amp, and one guitar lead. Things sure get complicated don't they.
Click to expand...

2 twins!!!!!!!!!!! you must be one strong motherfucker..............do either of them have JBLs in?? if so I'm glad I'm not your back
 
If your back is hurting at the end of the night then you might have too much stuff.

On the other hand, I just have my bass combo amp, bass guitar, and mic+guitar stands nowadays. I'm done breaking down before everyone else and then start hauling PA eq. My poor back! So maybe I don't have enough stuff?
 
EddieRay said:
If your back is hurting at the end of the night then you might have too much stuff.

On the other hand, I just have my bass combo amp, bass guitar, and mic+guitar stands nowadays. I'm done breaking down before everyone else and then start hauling PA eq. My poor back! So maybe I don't have enough stuff?
Click to expand...

obviously a fine line

I went the route of line six...................30 odd million amps, effects & mics & the variaxe has at least the same all in one yeeha

if I play in a band I use a musicman 112RD with an EV driver & it's heavyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
 
slidey said:
2 twins!!!!!!!!!!! you must be one strong motherfucker..............do either of them have JBLs in?? if so I'm glad I'm not your back
Click to expand...
One is in a head and speaker box set up, but I use a trolley/cart for everything apart from lifting them in and out of a trailer or car, then it's wheels all the way. I don't have to use them both but as I have them I do.
 
Yep, I remember the days when we could load the entire band and all the gear (including drums) in an old Ford Fairlane and head out to the local bar for a gig. Set up in about 15 minutes and have a ball doing it. I guess those days are gone forever. Now I need more space than that old Ford just to haul my gear, and I try to keep my stuff to a minimum. Of course "back in the day" we had a really small PA, small combo amps, 3 piece drum set and no lighting, audiences have grown to expect you to look like a concert, set up in a hole in the wall bar.
 
i ended up waiting outside a venue for what was going to be 2 hours or something rediculous in the pouring rain a month or two ago (i'd had to meet a friend early, she couldn't get a lift any later) and we were sat on the wall waiting for maybe ten minutes, when the band pulled up. turned out i knew the bass player, so i got him to chuck us his bass and his amp, on the deal that if we carried them upstairs for him, he'd let us be 'band members' for the setup time, so we didn't have to sit outside. probably ended up being the most entertaining part of the night - lots of dodgy covers for sound check :rolleyes: :p

i've got to say, i quite enjoy the buzz of setting up for a practise or gig. got a certain 'potential energy' about it - everyone just a teeny bit excited about getting to play. which makes packing up possibly even more depressing. :( :p

Andy
 
Yeah, back in the day we all sang through our Fenders too.

I've really gotten away from heavier gear over the last few years and on those occasions I'm in a band I try to avoid using my stuff........better to know the guy with a boat then own it. Mostly I use a Bose PAS these days.
 
yeah too right! drums are getting louder. One day, in about 50 years time, a Marshall Mode Four 350 at full kick won't be heard!
 
Yep drums are louder (and bigger) and so are the rigs most bass players use. It,s too bad most bars haven't enlarged their stage area. (Just set the gear on the stage and stand on the floor [yeah right])
 
Clive Hugh said:
One is in a head and speaker box set up, but I use a trolley/cart for everything apart from lifting them in and out of a trailer or car, then it's wheels all the way. I don't have to use them both but as I have them I do.
Click to expand...

aye that makes sense
 
philboyd studge said:
Yeah, back in the day we all sang through our Fenders too.

I've really gotten away from heavier gear over the last few years and on those occasions I'm in a band I try to avoid using my stuff........better to know the guy with a boat then own it. Mostly I use a Bose PAS these days.
Click to expand...

my ol' man is 61 & he told of a dude that put his guitar & vocal mic into a Vox AC30 & then mic'd that up through the PA
 
Call me crazy, but my favorite time of the night is packing up. The club is almost empty, I'm usually pumped up after a long and exciting night, (we usually do around 40-44 songs) and I'm drinking a fresh Poland Springs from the bar and waiting for my $$$. I've always loved that time. I also get a kick out of watching the bouncers 'assist' the last few drunks that just won't leave. My least favorite time is when I pull in the driveway at 4:00 AM and have to unload my truck. :eek: That is when I really wish that I played acoustic at happy hour. :D
 
I hated that 4:00am thing too. After we graduated to having roadies on the payroll it got a little easier and it was still a grind. In those days we packed out an 18 foot truck. Then the problems changed from moving equipment on the road to moving under age girls across state lines .... roadies are crazy lot. More than once we had to deal with the FBI trying to locate some jailbate that the roadies packed with the equipment. It seems funny now, but it wasn't so funny then.
 
gbdweller said:
Call me crazy, but my favorite time of the night is packing up. The club is almost empty, I'm usually pumped up after a long and exciting night, (we usually do around 40-44 songs) and I'm drinking a fresh Poland Springs from the bar and waiting for my $$$. I've always loved that time. I also get a kick out of watching the bouncers 'assist' the last few drunks that just won't leave. My least favorite time is when I pull in the driveway at 4:00 AM and have to unload my truck. :eek: That is when I really wish that I played acoustic at happy hour. :D
Click to expand...
Yes we pack up a lot faster than we set up. The downer is that some time before the next gig you have to sort all the stuff out so it goes easier next set up. As far as playing acoustic in a bar, nah, I like loud rock 'n' roll.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top