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When playing gigs, I take my guitar in a shoulder bag, my amp and my gig bag.
The gig bag, an American Tourister shoulder bag, has been part of my gear for over 30 years and exists in anticipation of problems that may arise at the gig.
The contents of the bag are:
A box of picks
3 or 4 packs of strings
A six receptacle power strip
50 foot heavy duty extension cord
Two guitar straps
Volume pedal
Six guitar cords (two 5 foot, four 10 foot)
Two string winders, needle-nose pliers, wire nippers
Digital tuner, spare batteries
Small zip-up tool kit about the size of a book ( jeweler's screwdrivers-Phillip's and standard, three small crescent wrenches, eight blade Allen tool, eight sockets and driver handle)
My electric guitar bag also has a small zip-lock bag of picks and a spare set of strings. My acoustic guitar cases each have plectrums and thumbpicks, 2 sets of spare strings and a capo.
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05-05-2014 11:54 PM
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black gaffer's tape (duct tape)
Last edited by cosmic gumbo; 05-06-2014 at 01:56 AM.
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Mighty bright clip on LED
i also carry a little box of various adapters, Y cable, patch cords, ear budsLast edited by Michael Kaye; 05-06-2014 at 03:12 AM.
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two music stands, two music stand lights, extra bulb for the 120v lamp, vase suitable for tip jar with identifying sign and "seed" $$...
...spare gig books (three ring binders of tunes i play)...
...business cards (really old fashioned, i know) and display holder...recordings for sale or giveaway...
...something easy to eat (granola bars, whatever)...
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Man, that is so much preparation vs my bag.
Tuner, set of extra strings, hopefully a pick or two, pencil, strap, cable, and whatever sheets I was working on that day.
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Tuner, strings, picks.
Music stand & light if necessary and charts as necessary
Spare cables
Small tool kit with pens, spare fuses, spare tubes and assorted tools.
6 outlet 25 foot extension
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Music stand with clamp for Ipad.
Mike stand with clip for picks
Guitar stand
Gig box containing:-
2 guitar leads (if it's a quartet gig and I'm using pedals, always 1 more lead than I actually need)
2 mains leads (or if PA being used - always 1 more lead than I actually need)
2 mike leads
Microphones (SM58 plus a spare)
small bag of tools
2 spare fuses for amp being used plus extras as applicable if taking the PA
4-way mains block - 30' cable; plus adaptors
medical bag (paracetamol, antacids, plasters, etc. - but nothing illicit!!)
Clip-on light
Snark tuner
Spare set of strings
and if performing with the duo:
Stool
Oh yeh, and the guitar! That always comes in handy.
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2 snicker bars and a fifth of Glenlivet . . . just kidding
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clothes pegs for attaching music to stands etc
finger ease .....
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Ibuprofin.... at my age it trumps picks and strings and all that other crap.
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+1 on the clothes pegs
Originally Posted by pingu
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Agreed. I'd never thought of that (-we call them clothes pins here) but as soon as I read that I thought, "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Originally Posted by 3625
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4X
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2 rubber bands for holding music on the stand.....that way I can just slip the music to the back after finishing it, and the next one is up!
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Cab fare. Some gigs don't even make that and it's too late to take the bus.
Welcome to the world of the music I love.
And I NEVER go anywhere without earplug filters, gig or not.
Spare batteries, for effects, tuners, lights, etc. and extra patch cords...these things I've had and lent to others on the bandstand more than for myself.
Trusty Sony PCM-50
Nail file, buffer and clippers if like me, you're a fingerstylist. Superglue and clear nail polish for repairs.
Bag of toothpicks, wires, chopsticks, metallic objects, alligator clips, corks, mini clothespins and brushes for you players whose effects box is a prepared guitar. For me, THAT's being prepared!
DavidLast edited by TH; 05-28-2014 at 06:55 AM.
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I don't gig that regularly now. So I don't have a bag with all the things pre-packed.
But I've made myself a list of all the things that I might need. (only thing that wasn't mentioned before: a bill to get payed)
So if I have a gig, I just pack in all the things from top to bottom.
This way I can relax and don't have to worry "Do I have my Capo...?" etc.
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I see a lot of you carry spare fuses. So here is my question: How many times did you actually need one?
(I 've never blown a single one in >2.500 gigs)
I think an extra lead should be as standard as a spare set of strings. I have one of the latter in every guitar bag.
Since I decided to have/use only one pick at a time I never lost a pick again.
When it's worn out I throw it away and use a new one. That never happened previously because I'd lost them before they where done. (However in case I should lose it one day, there are two spares in my purse).
Only extra I carry is a tiny little spray bottle with clear water and a yellow microfibre cloth to clean the guitar after play or refresh sweaty hands. I insist on it being yellow, don't ask me why. :-)
PS. Now that I've written the above, most probably I'll blow one on my next gig on Friday... :-)
PPS /Edit/ 2014-06-17 Three gigs played since I wrote the above - no fuse blown so far ... :-)Last edited by DonEsteban; 06-17-2014 at 07:14 AM. Reason: typo
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Since I play through a Bose compact, I need processors (Zoom for acoustic, Digitech for electric) for eq, tone, reverbs, etc. So, power adaptors, short cables, long cables, mic, mic cable, music stand in trunk always, 4-way 25' extension in trunk, always, guitar stands (little fold-up Fenders), mighty brite light, tool kit and batteries for everything, all in a shiny metal carrying case from Home Depot with dividers and sturdy handle, $20. Good to have a little foldup 2-wheeler as well. Can get into and out of the gig in one trip with careful planning and 2-wheeler, even with two guitars.
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Ya know the fibre board cases that drummers use, I have a fibre board bongo case and its a perfect size and can expand a little if necessary. I holds all my pedals, cables, my utility bags with the typical odds and ends everyone has mentioned. Back in my hardcore playing days I had a guitar trunk I inherited from a tour it would hold about six guitars in their cases, and most important would fit down a #1 baggage chute at the airport, airlines hated I would fly the thing as luggage. Back then giving a skycap a good tip you could get away with flying all sorts of things. Sometimes I would carry a spare amp, or a head and adaptor so I could connect to the speaker in my main amp.
Learned the hard way to carry a few band-aids. No Nut Sauce back then so used to carry ChapStick and used it for nut lube if bending caused problems. Had music stands just in case and a bar stool that I used mainly as an amp stand. Only time was kind of hosed was when playing bass and I actually broke a low E string at the nut. No spare, but dug around and found a used a couple used bass strings used one of those.
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Originally Posted by DonEsteban
Fuses - Just once, 20 odd years ago. Worst of all, it was for the PA amp and so the entire gig was under threat. Luckily, our harp player had persuaded a mate to turn up to see us and this guy was a sparky. Ten minute round trip to the guys house and he's got exactly the right fuse for us. Bought him beer all night, but it was worth it.
But, never been without spare fuses since. Don't get bit by the same dog twice.
(EDIT: for those not familiar with UK slang for tradesmen, "Sparky" = Electrician).Last edited by mangotango; 06-19-2014 at 07:10 AM.
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Once in a 6 month old Deluxe Reverb. I suspect the fuse acted as a circuit breaker to electrical issues at the venue. Bass player had a spare fuse luckily. Now I carry a spare.
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My self-sufficient rig for guitar+vox wherever, whenever:
- Washburn J6
- Polytone MegaBrute
- Shure SM57 mic
- Mic stand
In the bag:
- Extra strings
- Extra picks
- Guitar cable
- Mic cable
- Power strip
- Tuner
- Trashbags in case of rain
- Towel to wipe off hands in hot weather
- Business cards
I like the idea of adding in some electrical tape and an extension chord.
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After participating in this thread I checked my workhorse amp (Cube 80XL)..... doesn't have an external fuse. Must be one inside for sure, but I wouldn't unscrew and open an amp on stage.
My Vox AC30 (main amp but frequently orphaned by me because it's weight) has two fuses I checked.
Edit:
While this thread is called "Be Prepared" I want to add something non-guitar centered. Crucial thing I always carry with me if I'm supposed to sing: One of these foam anti pop thingy you pull over the microphone, because
a-> saved my life once where there was mains current between my guitar and the mic
b-> hygiene
the latter being irrelevant if the former wouldn't work :-)Last edited by DonEsteban; 07-12-2014 at 10:27 AM.
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Stop me if you've heard this one before.....
Q. Why is duct (gaffa) tape like " the force " ( from Star Wars ) ?
A. Because it has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.....
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Sorry I couldn't resist, but Be prepared always reminds me of this.
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