When you gig do you bring your own stool/ guitar throne ?

[electricfactory]

I'm considering buying one of the drum/ guitar stools they sell at Guitar Center for an upcoming jazz guitar performance, has anyone here bought one of those and are they any good ? Do you bring your own stool to gigs ?

[lawson-stone]

Didn't Tal Farlow have a chair or stool with an amp built into it? That'd be kind of cool.

I have often thought I should, back when I was playing out more. Now, whenever I'm playing, I keep the car at the exit with the motor running...

[wintermoon]

only if I'm not sure they have one @ thee venue

[KirkP]

I think a lot of musicians use the Ikea Franklin folding stool. I've got one, but I rarely bring it to gigs as I prefer to travel light.
http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/40199211/

[Cunamara]

I've never brought a chair to a gig, I use whatever is handy there. If that's nothing, I use a strap and stand.

[neatomic]

the candleholder stands each have 2 tens..

haha

only good thing about playin bars is they have stools!

the great gabor szabo used a toby amp..sat right on it..true!



cheers

[Toat]

Guitarists should stand when they perform.

[neatomic]

Guitarists should stand when they perform.

tell that to django..



hah..but i get ya


remember an old rock era bit..they asked ted nugent what he thought about robert fripp of king crimson..who notoriously sat on a stool while playing...and ted said "he's ok, but i'd kick the stool out from under him"..haha


cheers

[MarkRhodes]

And Wes. And Joe. And Herb....
Attachment 28460Attachment 28461Attachment 28462

[Herbie]

Here starts my decorational side to be alarmed. A stool or a chair in the stage under an amp looks somehow anti climaxing or something. And quite often they are wrong shaped to be trusted.

There was times I gigged with a light case for the amp, it is perfect for rising it upper – but I always had a black piece of cloth to cover the case.

Nowadays I try not to carry anything extra with me so I install tilt back legs to my combos.

[neatomic]

all joking aside..segovia didn't stand!..there is something to correct sit down positioning that allows one certain benefits..all the old jazzers sat...so a stool or armless chair is something to look into..but alas i still like to be on my feet..technique be damned! hah

tho lightnin hopkins never stood..and he was the hippest




hah

cheers

[MarkRhodes]

tho lightnin hopkins never stood..and he was the hippest

You think Lightnin' was hip? Yeah, me too. But you wanna talk about hip, THIS is hip. (John Lee Hooker often played seated too.)

[lawson-stone]

Somewhere I read a liner notes article on a Barney Kessel album where the writer started off by saying "Barney Kessel plays his guitar sitting down..." as if this marked him out as a formidable jazz player, which of course he was. I'll have to find that...

[neatomic]

yeah well..hooker..here's 2 guys sittin

cheers

[neatomic]

ps-
not too many pics of wes standing either..hah

cheers

[lawson-stone]

"Barney Kessel is a guitarist in the great tradition of jazz guitarists... Like all great jazz guitarists-and unlike the majority of the younger men who have turned to the instrument in recent years-Kessel sits down to play. The hallmark of the jazz guitarist, even before he has strummed a chord, is a chair."

Alun Morgan, Liner Notes to Barney Kessel's Autumn Leaves.

[electricfactory]

Thanks KIRKP, the price is right but how sturdy are they ?

I think a lot of musicians use the Ikea Franklin folding stool. I've got one, but I rarely bring it to gigs as I prefer to travel light.
FRANKLIN Bar stool with backrest, foldable - 29 1/8 " - IKEA

[KirkP]

Thanks KIRKP, the price is right but how sturdy are they ?

Mine's very sturdy. It's rated for 220 lb. It doesn't rock or squeak. There are two sizes. The 24-3/4" seat height is best for me. I can put one, both or no feet on the bar and easily reach the floor with the other. It's also a nice height if you like to alternate between sitting and standing.

A friend who plays upright bass (and is also rather tall) prefers the higher stool.

http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/40199211/

[henryrobinett]

I always bring a stool unless I know for a fact they have one I can use. And about a quarter of the time I leave it after the gig, it seems.

[ah.clem]

I use the IKEA stool for double bass and guitar, but recently I tried an Alfred stool/guitar stand combo and it is sturdy and provides great support for the guitar. On my list to pick up the next time I'm at my LGS.

[Hep To The Jive]

Maybe playing serious, 'concert' jazz, it's fine to sit, but I saw guys sitting down playing in a club for dancers! Not a big band, just a combo. It kinda looks ridiculous, for swing and trad jazz.

I hate playing sitting down, I like moving and grooving while playing, and also it makes me feel old!

[JazzNote]

I guess most of the "best" jazz guitar playing was done by players who were sitting down - who cares how it looked when listening to the music of Wes, Tal, Barney, Grant Green, Johnny Smith ..... endless list ....

BTW i usually bring my own stool (K&M) which is at the height of a bar stool, and has that thing to rest a foot on, similar to the guitar stools which fender had in their catalog in the seventies. Same construction like a drum chair but lighter than the current models. Cant't find it in the internet now so i guess it's not produced anymore.

[coolvinny]

"Barney Kessel is a guitarist in the great tradition of jazz guitarists... Like all great jazz guitarists-and unlike the majority of the younger men who have turned to the instrument in recent years-Kessel sits down to play. The hallmark of the jazz guitarist, even before he has strummed a chord, is a chair."

Alun Morgan, Liner Notes to Barney Kessel's Autumn Leaves.

I dig Barney, but this Morgan guy sounds like a fool. The hallmark of a jazz guitarist is a chair? Oooh. Sounds clever. I was 3 feet from Peter Bernstein standing during a 2 hour gig, and I'm pretty sure he was playing jazz.

The hallmark of a jazz guitarist is playing jazz on a guitar.

Anyway, I have no problem with people playing sitting and in fact I have brought my own chair to big band gigs (where I sort of have to sit)...but for everything else I stand.

[pubylakeg]

Thomann have an entire section of them.

Stools - Thomann UK

[gspirro1]

Maybe playing serious, 'concert' jazz, it's fine to sit, but I saw guys sitting down playing in a club for dancers! Not a big band, just a combo. It kinda looks ridiculous, for swing and trad jazz.

I hate playing sitting down, I like moving and grooving while playing, and also it makes me feel old!

I AM old! I don't give a sh#t what the audience thinks...well at least what they think about whether I sit or stand!
I saw King Crimson in 1970 and Fripp sat for the whole show. Jeff Baxter sat when he played. Hey, let the lead singer be the dancing monkey, they ain't schlepping 8# of gear on their shoulders for 3-4 hours!
But seriously, I bring my own bar-stool height chair, I ALMOST look like I'm standing, even at solo gigs! I find that keeping my posture consistent keeps the pain at bay the next few days.