Question: What do you take to a gig these days?

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
Just curious. I have a pretty massive load out due to bringing a PA unless its an All Star Trio gig.
 
I'm very interested in this as my cover band will have it's first gig a month from now. For original band gigs, I just bring my guitar stuff and the venue supplies the PA.
 
For me there is:

Guitar Rig

2 guitars
amp
pedalboard
vocal monitor ( Mackie SRM350 powered speaker)
mic stand
vocal mic - Sennheiser e935
guitar cab mic - Sennheiser e609


Current pedalboard:

10325660_10152464469547425_8760990511765381660_n.jpg


Obvious cables for everything, picks, spare strings and restringing tools. This reminds me that I need to get a new roll of black gaffers tape. I also bring a couple different lengths of extension chord, a power strip and a little mini power strip that I bought at IKEA for $3. Its amazing the jams the little power strip has gotten me out of. I also have a second set of cables for my guitar rig (power, speaker and instrument) in the bag and an extra mic cable.

PA is now

2 Mackie SRM 450 mains
speaker stands
Mackie 808m powered PA head
cable bag

The SRM350 that I use as a vocal monitor belongs to the drummer in All Star Trio. At some point I'm going to buy myself a pair and then use my Mackie 1402 mixer for gigs so I don't have to tear the classroom apart every weekend. Until that point I also have a pair of Community passive wedge monitors that I bring for the other guys that need to be powered from the 808m.

I will also be investing in a pair of these to bolt to the top of the SRM450s. We use them in All Star Trio and its amazing how much it helps even in bar gigs since most venues here have no real lighting and on private gigs its a solution to having to bring an actual lighting rig:

51KTDZL-JZL._SY300_.jpg
 
  • 2 guitars (one is a backup that almost never leaves its case)
  • pedalboard
  • 3 cables (2 for real, one for backup)
  • guitar stand
  • power strip
  • cheat sheet if I need it
  • camera
 
I had to list all the gear we are bringing to Del Mar yesterday on our confirmation sheet.

Pretty easy gig since the PA is already there along with the mics.

For me:

Strat
Contemporary tele
JC55
HD500
Cables
Power strip

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I should add that my smartphone is important too as a marketing tool. Pictures, facebook updates and whatnot are all part of my gig too.
 
For my usual solo gigs:
  • 2 guitars (12 and 6-string) and stands
  • PA
  • mic and stand
  • netbook and table
  • cds
That sounds simple until you are loading and unloading it all. :rolleyes:
 
Two guitars, Mesa/cab, backpack full of cables, picks and my tuner and channel switch. Beer if it's not a bar. Water.
 
This discussion reminds me of a thread at HCGJ years ago. You guys remember Bionic Muffins? I don't remember his other aliases but he was basically a good guy. Still, every once in a while he'd get really strident and insist that no one ever needed to take two guitars to a gig, and if you couldn't change a string on the fly in between songs then you had cooties or you were a big doodoo head or something along those lines.
 
dmn23 said:
This discussion reminds me of a thread at HCGJ years ago. You guys remember Bionic Muffins? I don't remember his other aliases but he was basically a good guy. Still, every once in a while he'd get really strident and insist that no one ever needed to take two guitars to a gig, and if you couldn't change a string on the fly in between songs then you had cooties or you were a big doodoo head or something along those lines.
Click to expand...


Stella Joop Bio Muffins was a tool.

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dmn23 said:
This discussion reminds me of a thread at HCGJ years ago. You guys remember Bionic Muffins? I don't remember his other aliases but he was basically a good guy. Still, every once in a while he'd get really strident and insist that no one ever needed to take two guitars to a gig, and if you couldn't change a string on the fly in between songs then you had cooties or you were a big doodoo head or something along those lines.
Click to expand...

Mark still has nightmares about that thread. :grin:
 
Drummer has a van that he brings his kit, the PA, lights and bass rig on (he and the bass player are next door neighbours) so I just have to sort my guitar stuff out mainly which is currently:

  • 3 guitars - Jackson Infinity XL, Yamaha Pacifica 812s and Wesley Strat.
  • Hercules Guitar Rack Stand
  • Proel Boom Microphone Stand.
  • 2 x Trace Elliot Super Tramp Tube 1x12" 100W combos
  • Crate of stuff including:
    • AKG Wireless System.
    • Nobels MS-4 Midi Switcher for channel changing.
    • Rolls MP128 Midi Foot Pedal to control the Nobels MS-4.
    • Nobels latching footswitch for enabling/disabling vocal effects on the mixer amp.
    • Clip on Tuner.
    • Guitar/Mic/Midi leads.
    • Spare strings and tools for fixing stuff.
    • Gaffa tape.
    • Spare T-Shirt.
 
A guitar, an amp, two cables, some picks, a strap, and sometimes my music. But I don't have any responsibility for the band's PA or other live sound equipment.
 
Nice timing on this post.

I have not gigged out in a very long time but on May 31st I have a gig in Arlington, MA with MAVARA ( http://www.mavaraband.net/ )

Here is what I am taking:
  1. Fractal Audio Axe FXII
  2. Behringer Europower EPQ900 Power Amplifier
  3. Two 12 inch PA speakers loaded with a SAMMI CX-12 AW200G Coaxial Speaker in Each
  4. Fractal Audio MFC101 Midi Foot Controller
  5. Two Boss Expression / Volume Pedals
  6. Speaker Stands
  7. Amp Rack Stand
  8. 2 Guitars (Jem and ???)
Fractal_Rig_Stands_01.jpg


Fractal_Rig_Speakers_00.jpg
 
One guitar
Mic stand
bag of cords
tacklebox w/ harmonicas, capos, etc.
suitcase-sized pedalboard
and a bag of lights if we're doing lights. Someone else brings the PA.
And we've got a couple of numbers the rest of the band can do without me if I break a string.
 
I well remember the two guitar threads. I have never brought more than one guitar until I started using both 6 and 12-string guitars in my show. I never needed more than one, but I can see that I now have options if the need arises. So far, 48 years without a broken string on stage. I guess I'm about due.
 
dmn23 said:
This discussion reminds me of a thread at HCGJ years ago. You guys remember Bionic Muffins? I don't remember his other aliases but he was basically a good guy. Still, every once in a while he'd get really strident and insist that no one ever needed to take two guitars to a gig, and if you couldn't change a string on the fly in between songs then you had cooties or you were a big doodoo head or something along those lines.
Click to expand...


I was THE biggest doohead of them all :embarrassed:
 
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