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Topic: Tools |
Mark McConville
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 12:35 pm |
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I'm mostly an at home player, but have been playing out more recently, and I'm curious what y'all have to have with you on gigs tool-wise. A tuning wrench and a set of extra strings are obviously a must, and I always try to have a flashlight and some extra cables...
Any other ideas for tools I might want to have with me at a gig? |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 2:16 pm
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Screw driver
Hex keys of the correct size
Duct tape
Pen and paper
Lubricant spray |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 2:22 pm
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| Needle nose pliers, cresent wrench, side cutters and strong whiskey. |
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Jerry Horch
From:
Alva, Florida, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 2:47 pm
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Another guitar
_________________
Franklin D10 /Walker Sterio Steel JBL's /DigiTech Quad4/ Korg Toneworks/ Dobro DM 1000 / Santa Cruz Guitar VA |
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Johnie King
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 3:50 pm
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| A good 2000 pound Bridgeport milling machine. 😆 |
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Jack Turlington
From:
Toccoa, GA, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 4:58 pm
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Always take extra picks, shaped and ready to slip on and go.
I started taking headphones so I could tune up while the sound man played loud dance music between sets or if I broke a string and needed to tune up during a set.
A tuner to get in the ballpark
Stringwinder
Penlight
Wire cutters
Tums
Allen wrenches
Tuner |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 5:20 pm
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Extra volume pedal
and an extra shirt (lesson learned the hard way) |
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Dan Robinson
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 6:38 pm
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Duct tape!
Extra tuning wrench, allen wrenches, various pliers, string winder.
Locking forceps (indispensable when a string breaks and the ball-end falls into "the works").
LED flashlight, spare AA battery (it uses just one):
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 6:40 pm
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Been lucky with shirts, but ripped the crotch out of my pants during my tune up before a gig. Besides the tools mentioned above, with me being a diabetic, I also carry some glucose tablets in my seat.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Dan Robinson
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 7:35 pm
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| Richard Sinkler wrote: |
| ... ripped the crotch out of my pants during my tune up before a gig. |
Another good reason to have duct tape in your pack-seat. Black, not silver.  |
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Richard Alderson
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 7:41 pm
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Yes, pretty much what everybody else is saying... flash light, extra bar, extra picks, anthing needed to change the strings such as tuning wrench and extra strings; and then the electronics: some extra cables, a spare volume pedal, a spare extension cord, an adapter, and an extra tuner in case the main ones crap out; extra batteries for tuners or effects; Spare bottle of something or other never hurts....... Tape or duct tape always comes in handy too; I’d like to see the guy who brings an extra guitar to all his gigs; I hope he drives a U Haul or a tour bus.
_________________
Derby SD-10 5x6; GFI S-10 5x5; GFI S-10 5x5; Zum D-10 8x7; Zum D-10 9x9; Fender 400; Fender Rumble 200; Nashville 400; Telonics TCA-500.
Last edited by Richard Alderson on 24 Apr 2019 8:42 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 24 Apr 2019 7:58 pm Tools
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There is a good listing of tool needs in the above posts.
Carry 2 or 3 extra nylon tuning nuts.
I carry a full set of strings, Plus extra 3 rd. and 5th strings.
Carry 3 or 4, 3 prong to 2 prong electrical plug adapters.
I carry an extra volume pedal in vehicle.
Carry a 25 ft. 3 wire, 12 Gauge extension chord, to plug amp, and effects in.
I suggest you carry an extra set of fitted picks. And a bag of picks old and new. If someone wants to play your steel give them the bag to get a set picks. You want no one bending on your fitted picks. |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 12:43 am
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every gig , the gig bag comes, Steel gigs both the seat and the gig bag come out.
Whats in the gig bag ? Lord only knows at this stage. Tools,strings, cables, bandaids, batteries, flashlight, picks, tape, etc..it's pretty much the primary storage, there's more items in the gig bag than at home. If I need something on a gig, if its AT HOME it's a bust. Whats in the seat, same deal. Stuff I may never use but may need even ONE time.
Mr Haney taught me well.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 5:26 am
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| Dan Robinson wrote: |
| Richard Sinkler wrote: |
| ... ripped the crotch out of my pants during my tune up before a gig. |
Another good reason to have duct tape in your pack-seat. Black, not silver. |
The pants were black, so that would have worked. Fortunately, my wife's mother was there (wifey was the girl singer), so she drove to our house to get me another pair. Still had to play 2 sets. And yes, People did notice.
As Bobby does, I carry extra strings, picks, volume pedal, cords, nylon nuts. Also extra brass "dog bones" for my Carter (you never know when one will break - always on a gig for me). But, if someone wants to play my guitar, they HAVE to have their own picks, and preferably their own bar.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 7:55 am
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An extra amp, preferably a small combo.
Not only for yourself, but for somebody else, like the guitar player.
It doesn't need to be a boutique hand made model.
I have seen Peavey Bandits go for $30 on Craigslist.
What's really sad is the Bandit is worthy of being your MAIN amp as opposed to a back up.
And it doesn't need to be a Peavey or a Bandit.
There are a lot of used amps out there that can sometimes go for next to nothing.
For that price range no one should be without a spare amp on a gig. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 9:31 am
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| Quote: |
| no one should be without a spare amp on a gig. |
I've carried a backup amp for at least 45 years to every gig (except those with fixed backlines). I've needed it maybe 12-15 times - but bailed out bandmates at least 50 times!
IMO it's an absolute must. My bare minimum list (preface any normal item with "spare"):
Spare amp
guitar cables
strings
picks
bar
tuning wrench
needlenose pliers
wire cutters
dry Teflon lubricant
phillips and flathead screwdrivers
Allen wrench set (metric and SAE)
flashlight
25', 16 gage extension cord
outlet tester (this is a MUST to check for properly wired and grounded outlets)
gaffer's tape
superglue
paper towels
clean, soft cotton cloth (for string wiping)
rag or dishtowel(for other uses)
notebook/paper/pencils
booklight
smartphone (another absolute essential!!!)
[/u]
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 9:34 am
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| Quote: |
| An extra amp, preferably a small combo. |
Agreed. Ever since my Evans pooped out on me one evening, I take one of my Cube 80XL amps to every gig.
_________________
Lee, from South Texas - Down On The Rio Grande
There are only two options as I see it.
Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.
Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat |
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Danny Letz
From:
Old Glory,Texas, USA 79540
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 10:20 am
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| I play Sarno preamps plus components & neo speaker because of a bum back. Although I couldn’t get exactly the tone I wanted on a GK Mb 200, at 2 1/2 lbs it sure makes an easy to carry standby & it’d sound mighty good compared to nothing. |
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Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 10:36 am
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"I’d like to see the guy who brings an extra guitar to all his gigs; I hope he drives a U Haul or a tour bus."
With what gigs pay in Florida, they're lucky I bring one at all!
"An extra amp, preferably a small combo.
Not only for yourself, but for somebody else, like the guitar player."
Yeeeaa...I don't see that happening anytime soon.
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 10:53 am
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I'm with Jim Sliff on this. I sometimes use a Pod or DV Mark Micro 50 as the spare amp. It's just as useful if left in the car, you don't have to drag it in. Occasionally something of mine screws up, but just as often it bails someone else out.
Beyond what Jim states:
- 2 needle nose pliers because sometimes I need them to deal with intransigent pedal rod extenders
- Spare bar, lots of spare cables, picks, single strings
- For a pedal steel only gig, I generally have a small lap steel in the car in case something goes crazy
- Spare tubes since I often use a tube amp
- Spare One-Spot, since I have had wall warts die on the gig
- Fire tablet for set list and song notes with a gizmo to attach it to the leg of my steel
I have a pretty good sized rectangular wheeled suitcase as a gig bag, it goes with me to every gig. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 1:11 pm
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I had Rick Johnson build a cabinet for my NV400 chassis, and use the Black Widow in the cabinet for the speaker. I have a case for the head with enough extra room for my MarkBass amp head (just in case). If my speaker goes out, so do I.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Ned McIntosh
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 6:41 pm
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A few years ago several of us Aussie steelers looked at our gig-bags to see what we took on a job. Here's what's in my gig-bag:-
and another view:-
Clockwise from the top: canvas tool-roll with string-cutters, allen-keys, spanners (aka "wrenches"), a Leatherman tool,a dusting-brush and a big tuning knob, multiple outlet electrical extension lead, music-stand light, spare cord for volume-pedal, spare tuning-nuts or collars, small Torx screwdriver (for the Carter, I think), amp and earpiece (for foldback or in-ear monitoring), power-supply ("wall-wart") for TC Electronics Phaser, spare cables, insect-repellent (audience repellent??) in a spray-can, Mothers Metal Polish.
In the four plastic boxes, spare picks, bars, batteries, then spare strings, below that row (L to R) a TC Electronics Phaser, more spare batteries, spare Carter brass pull-pins ("dog-bones"), more spare picks and cotton-buds ("Q-Tips").
There was a thread on this a while back I recall.
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being. |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 25 Apr 2019 7:52 pm
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Pain killer ... no, not the liquid kind.
Aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, something to ease the pain of a bad headache, backache, etc. It's not mucn fun to play when you are in pain. |
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