Live Gear Essentials

[Two hands31]

I'm working on starting a band (or two) and possibly doing solo shows, and I'm wondering if anything in my rig will need upgrading or if there's anything I'll need to be able to play gigs as smoothly and easily as possible? Like, bigger amp? More pedals? More accessories? Another guitar for alternate tunings? Give me the benefit of your experience and tips that you've learned.

What I have now:

Guitars:
Squier Strat (w/ DiMarzio Super Distortion) - good quality, no complaints other than maybe fixing dirty wiring
Schecter Revenger-7 - good quality, again dirty pots, maybe better intonation/thicker strings?

Amp:
Line6 Flextone II (60-watt, 1x12 combo) w/ floorboard - do I need something bigger/louder?


Bass:
Fender Jazz Bass V

Amp:
Yorkville 50-watt 1x10 combo (definitely needs to be bigger)


Other:
Laptop w/ lots of music software (FruityLoops, Acid, Cubasis VST, Gigastudio24, etc.)

JVC Kaboom! stereo (great portable CD-player, could be used for backings, etc.?)

Korg Toneworks AX-1G (use occasionally with guitar, more often with bass for simple effects)

crappy Kawai keyboard (sounds like crappy midi, but works)

[screamndemon69]

whatever guitar your comfortable with will work fine.
it's funny - you can prepare EVERYTHING for a gig and there are always unknowns that you learn about and the easiest ways to overcome them by actually gigging. be ready for anything - and always stay positive no matter what comes your way!! i'm sure there are some horror stories that have been told on this site and many more to come!!
i use the boy scout motto: always be prepared!! i bring extra EVERYTHING!! cables, strings, lots of picks, mics & stands (i don't even sing!!), 2-3 guitars and repair kits with extra misc parts for those really unexpected times of need.
you'll probably mic your combo - so as long as your amp works as a stage monitor - you'll be fine. the line 6 might even have a direct out to make things easier.
if you aren't using a p.a. - that is a whole different ball game- the quieter the better.
good luck!

[davester1234]

listen to screamndemon69.

Gigging is full of unknowns. Make sure you have at LEAST 2 guitars ready in case you break strings or malfunction. Your amp should be sufficient...most of the time your pa'd anyway.

Keep pedal board setup EASY as possible.

Tools for your instruments are neccessary.

Make sure your equiptment is in working order. LOL!

[jim777]

I'd think your amp should be loud enough. As has been said, have a guitar tuned and ready to go quickly should you need to switch mid song. And, make sure all of your cables work perfectly and quietly. Get some contact cleaner for your pots and make them silent, and make sure your cable connections on your amp and guitar are nice and tight, and also silent. If you use a wireless, put a new battery in the guitar transmitter and put new batteries in whatever else you have that uses them. Get one of your buddies to come along as your "roadie" and tell him you'll get him on the guest list for it (this is usually really easy, and fun for all). Then show him how to change a string quickly and use your tuner.
As you play more and more gigs, you'll learn which pieces of your rig are not up to stage life, and you'll replace those pieces. It might be a guitar, the amp, a rack, it could be anything. So, if you didn't know that that was coming, now you know.
As a last non-equpiment thing, just remember to relax, and have fun. Stage time is rare and wonderful, so ALWAYS treat it with respect and treat your audience members with respect. Don't go out drunk or anything and don't slowly get that way during the gig
Did I say have fun out there (and make sure you have a new extra cable)?

jim

[Drew]

Yeah... Here's what i usually have in my case/gig bag/whatever when I play a show:

-set of spare strings (preferrably two)
-wire cutters/string winder
-extra picks (usually sitting on top of my amp, so they're within easy reach)
-spare cable
-allen keys
-tuner
-notepad
-spare battery (if using my wah)
-slide (in case the mood strikes and i don't have a handy beer bottle.)


And, non-guitar stuff:
-deodorant (think about it... you sweat a LOT on stage, right?)
-condom(s) (hey, you never know )

A spare guitar is usually a good idea- i gig with both my 6 and my 7, and if i break a string or goout of tune on one, i can usualy finish a song on the other. Spare tubes and fuses are something I probably SHOULD gig with... Also, if worst comes to worst, a roll of duct tape is probably a good thing to have around. Throw it in your drummer's case and then pretend you don't know what it's doing there- drummers are weird, people expect stuff like that of them.

-D

[Algiman]

I take all of the above but have 2 amp heads - I never fancied trying to swap valves in the middle of a show. More importantly, I try to remember to pack beer money too!

[BucketBot]

For the most part of the last 6 months I've just been taking 1 guitar and my Pod(and now the Tech 21s). And of course spare strings, tools etc.
Oh yeah, beer money too. (good call, Algiman)

edit- If I do happen to have a spare guitar with me, It's much nicer to have it hooked up and ready to go via an A/B box.

[Algiman]

I live in hope for the day the drummer buys a round! He's too busy doing strange things with duct tape.

The other thing I'd recommend for playing live is an RCD. Many clubs have dodgy electrics, it is well worth the £10 for a cheap RCD to protect your kit and you.

[BucketBot]

Originally Posted by Algiman

I live in hope for the day the drummer buys a round! He's too busy doing strange things with duct tape.

Tell me about it! And our drummer make $80,000 a year with his day job!

[screamndemon69]

"RCD"? what in the world is that?

[Algiman]

Residual Current Device

You can think of it as a fast acting electronic fuse. In simple terms if the current into and out of whatever it is plugged into is unbalanced or excessive it trips out, protecting you and your kit.

They usually plug straight into the wall then you plug your stuff into the RCD. You can also get multi adapters with built in RCDs.

[Algiman]

http://www.boon.co.uk/products/elect..._rcd_adaptor_/

for a very cheap and simple example. I guess they may only be called RCDs in the UK.

[Two hands31]

Sort of like a power conditioner or surge protector?

[Algiman]

Not really. It doesn't do any power conditioning, and it protect against more than surges. It is more like a very fast fuse - it will blow before a wire one will.

[musicdr]

A decent extension cord and a small flashlight are a couple of other things I bring.