Tools and spares for gigs - coping with breakage/emergencies

robinbowes

I saw this in another thread:

ICBM said:

One guitar. One amp. One pedalboard. (And obviously tools and a few carefully-chosen spare bits in case of emergencies.)

...and thought it would make a good thread-starter:

What tools and spare bits do you take to gigs?

R.

viz

Just looking in my toolbox:

 

Underarm deoderant

Set of Allen keys, Screwdrivers, Pliers

At least 1 spare lead for every type of lead, including speaker cable which you will break when you yank the amp head off the cab without remembering to unplug it first

Plectra

9V battery

Pedal PSU

Lots of 4-gang mains leads

That funny little lead that links an iphone to a desk - stereo 3/8 to stereo RCA

Spare t-shirt

Lots of little adaptors for extending mic cables, joining 12v power cables, big-to-small and small-to-big headphone adaptors, etc.

Spare strings, spare guitar

 

 

 

 

not_the_dj

Two guitars (quicker to pick up a second guitar than change a string while the dance floor clears)

Two cabs (both 2x12 stacked one on the other, but I'd easily do the gig with just one, has the benefit of raising up the top cab as well) 

Two heads (main head is a Blackstar HT-50, with an Orange Micro Terror as back-up. When my previous main head failed during a sound check a few months ago I used the Orange with both cabs and it performed fine, we got a repeat booking and a party booking from that gig) 

Plus plenty of cables/kettle leads/strings/pedalboard PSU/patch leads/batteries/strap. 

guitarfishbay

Similar to the above posts plus I always have electrical (coloured)/masking/gaffa tape in my spares box. You never know when you'll need it, and in my experience it is often another band mate in need, but when you do you'll be glad you carried some!

ElectroDan

As well as the above mentioned tools. It's a good idea to get a soldering iron and accessories (eye protection is essential), and familiarise yourself with it enough to repair cables ends and connections.

I carry spare valves for my main amp too.

Another cool addition to your kit is a basic multimeter. It helps to be able to check continuity in fuses and leads etc.

I also carry a plug in mains socket tester.

ICBM

guitarfishbay said:

Similar to the above posts plus I always have electrical (coloured)/masking/gaffa tape in my spares box. You never know when you'll need it, and in my experience it is often another band mate in need, but when you do you'll be glad you carried some!

And carry a cheap spare lead, so that if someone needs to borrow one you can lend them that instead of having them 'forget' to return your good one at the end…

Surprisingly enough I don't take a soldering iron. Even for me that's a bit too much faffing for backstage normally. Just a couple of screwdrivers, pliers (with wire cutters), small multimeter, battery, two sets of spare strings plus extra top Es, the right fuses, a spare valve or two if the amp can't be run on less than the full number, and cables.

The choice of gear matters in the first place too. I try not to use anything which is even slightly questionable as to reliability, and if possible I like things which can be re-configured to get you through even if not with all the sounds you would normally use.

midlifecrisis

spare guitar
loads of strings
loads of leads
micro terror head to plug my laney vc30 combo speakers into if needed.
I use to take a spare pa amp but since we moved to powered speakers and mixer i dont.
dont bother with valves or fuses as i think by the time i figured out what was wrong id be quicker plugging in a spare amp.
a behringer v amp to plug into pa if both amps failed,

Danny1969

I got spare guitar and amp plus a gt10 if I had to di into the PA. I got strings, loads of leads, spare buds for ears and other stuff

Tools wise I got a Weller solder station, Fluke 77 DVM, torx set, allen keys, screwdrivers, molegrips, pliers, cutters

Spares wise I got fuses, jack sockets, XLR sockets and plugs plus just about every gender changer under the sun. 

digitalscream

Strings (Elixirs and a set of D'Addarios in case anybody else needs one)

String winder

Pliers

Screwdriver set

Allen keys

Multimeter (especially helps if we have to use different cabs - I never trust the impedance on the back panel)

2 x12AX7 and 2 x 6L6 valves

4 x spare mono jack cables, 1 x spare stereo

1 x XLR cable

Spare guitar (my N4)

AMT C2 for DI into the PA in an absolute emergency

Of course, almost none of this is useful during a gig except the spare guitar - our set is usually 30-45 minutes, so it's pretty pointless trying to repair stuff in the middle of a set. It's mainly in case anything goes wrong before/during the soundcheck.

RocknRollDave

Aside from various things already amply covered above, a Sharpie and some A4 are my latest additions, for last minute setlist changes...

Cirrus

I've always gone under the rule that as long as I can get an electric guitar to a certain volume the night isn't totally lost.

To that end I have spares to make sure that no matter what breaks I always have;

A guitar (I usually have three, sometimes two on short gigs)
A guitar lead and a speaker lead (Spare kept in little silver dj case)
An amplifier (Wangs 15 watt head - tiny, light. I've also used a crate powerblock and ehx 44 calibre, but one sounded flat and the other broke.)

Spare cab I don't bother with. It's just so unlikely I'll blow a speaker and most gigs there's already a house cab I've shunned.

Then I've got spare strings, a couple of ecc83s, gz34, quad of EL84s, little patch cables, and a spare 9v adapter. These are for fixing problems that happen when I've got time to fix problems. I also carry an SM58 and a boom speaker stand though I usually leave the stand in the car. I got fed up of shitty venue stands that fall over or droop if you don't know the right incantations. ANd the '58 has been with me since we shared a bill with the most flu'd up, snooty spitty singer I've ever seen. THere was no fucking way I was going near that mic when he was done with it.

benvall

not_the_dj;258355" said:

Two heads (main head is a Blackstar HT-50, with an Orange Micro Terror as back-up. When my previous main head failed during a sound check a few months ago I used the Orange with both cabs and it performed fine, we got a repeat booking and a party booking from that gig). 

@not_the_dj how does the micro terror perform? Is it loud enough or do you need to put it through the PA?

not_the_dj

benvall said:

not_the_dj;258355" said:

Two heads (main head is a Blackstar HT-50, with an Orange Micro Terror as back-up. When my previous main head failed during a sound check a few months ago I used the Orange with both cabs and it performed fine, we got a repeat booking and a party booking from that gig). 

@not_the_dj how does the micro terror perform? Is it loud enough or do you need to put it through the PA?

Through two 2x12 cabs it coped fine with a pub gig without going through the PA. We're a single guitar band though so might be different in a different line-up. I used it with a Catalinbread DLS pedal upfront and it sounded fine. The rest of the band didn't really notice I was using something different.

drwiddly

My usual gigging 'amp' is an Axe FX and a power amp into two 2x12 cabs. I always carry the usual spare guitar, speaker and mains cable, a small tool kit, gaffa tape and spare strings. Because I use a digital preamp, I also carry a spare midi controller, a Digitech Genesis 3 (in case the Axe fails) and spare midi cables. I also bring a Crate Powerblok as a spare power amp. I always bring at least two guitars so I'm covered on all fronts.

I know that the Digitech/Crate rig ain't gonna worry Fractal but it will make a loud noise and get me out of trouble if the worst happens. In the last seven years, since I bought the Crate, I've needed it twice and I've never used the Digitech or the spare midi pedal.

ICBM

drwiddly said:

Crate ... will make a loud noise

A loud pop followed by an acrid burning smell, usually…

DiscoStu

Here's one I read about in a magazine many years ago:

a packet of Rizlas.

In the event of any knobs coming loose (guitar/amp/pedals) due to the teeth on the spline wearing down then wrap a fag paper round the shaft and push the knob back on. In a similar vein to packing a screw hole with a matchstick when a screw has come loose.

Danny1969

DiscoStu said:

Here's one I read about in a magazine many years ago:

a packet of Rizlas.

In the event of any knobs coming loose (guitar/amp/pedals) due to the teeth on the spline wearing down then wrap a fag paper round the shaft and push the knob back on. In a similar vein to packing a screw hole with a matchstick when a screw has come loose.

Plumbers tape works better for that, can help stripped threads as well

My fav weapon is a hot glue gun

drwiddly

ICBM said:

drwiddly said:

Crate ... will make a loud noise

A loud pop followed by an acrid burning smell, usually…

Lol!

Whilst I bow to your greater experience @ICBM, I bought my Crate in 2007 when Turnkey were knocking them out for £49. It's never given me any trouble, got me out of bother at two or three gigs and a few rehearsals and I've gigged it a couple of times too (don't ask!). I think it may well have paid for itself by now so if (when) it does go pop, I won't feel too ripped off. :-)

failed_astronaut

Well, I must be the only one running the gauntlet with 1 guitar, 1 amp, pedalboard and probably a spare lead and packet of strings! I don't have a car so whatever I'm taking to a gig generally has to be ultra-mobile (something in each hand and on my back) and not take a lot of faffing to get out of a taxi. Depending on the nature of the gig I'll cram a guitar stand and music stand in there somewhere.

Anyone else in this situation?

ICBM

drwiddly said:

Whilst I bow to your greater experience @ICBM, I bought my Crate in 2007 when Turnkey were knocking them out for £49. It's never given me any trouble, got me out of bother at two or three gigs and a few rehearsals and I've gigged it a couple of times too (don't ask!). I think it may well have paid for itself by now so if (when) it does go pop, I won't feel too ripped off. :-)

They probably don't *all* go up in smoke, but it (and a couple of other less serious faults) seem fairly common. That's my point really - I fully admit that I detest the sound of them, but I could even live with that if they were totally reliable. But I would never choose anything with that sort of question mark over it as a backup, because then you need a backup backup . Although that's always wise anyway, and I guess you could just plug your Digitech into the PA.

I suppose it's only the same as me driving a Renault and not agreeing with everyone else who says they're junk . Mine have all been fine…

failed_astronaut said:

Well, I must be the only one running the gauntlet with 1 guitar, 1 amp, pedalboard and probably a spare lead and packet of strings! I don't have a car so whatever I'm taking to a gig generally has to be ultra-mobile (something in each hand and on my back) and not take a lot of faffing to get out of a taxi. Depending on the nature of the gig I'll cram a guitar stand and music stand in there somewhere.

Anyone else in this situation?

No, that's what I do too - with a bit more than spare strings, but only tools and fuses really. I do have a car, and I still normally only take one guitar, one amp and one pedalboard. But I have chosen them very carefully, especially the amp.

It's a four power valve amp which can run on two; it has switchable valve and solid-state rectifiers; two channels; two speakers; FX loop which can be used as an emergency input - so there is almost no conceivable failure short of one of the transformers going up in smoke (extremely unlikely with a Mesa) which I couldn't fix and have the amp going in a minute or two with just spare fuses and knowing what to pull out. So that's all I take. (I think there's a spare preamp valve in my toolkit too, but I can't remember.) OK, I wanted it because it's my favourite-sounding amp ever, but all those things just make it even better as a gigging amp.

Guitar - one which is likely to survive a gig. So generally I won't gig with a Gibson, because a headstock break can't be patched up and get you through. Most else can. Best of all is my Rickenbacker, which has two pickups, two separate sets of controls and two output jacks, so there's no failure which will stop it working on one pickup. (That applies to my Rick bass as well.)

On top of that I could DI my pedalboard if I had to, or get away with just the amp if the board died. All those different sounds are cool but not essential.

I just don't like taking more gear than necessary - I'm lazy and paranoid . The less you have to carry, the less there is to break or get stolen, and the less you look like a wannabe rock star with half a guitar shop on stage...

drwiddly

I think if my Axe FX, power amp and the Crate all failed at the same gig, I'd just pack up and go before I had a heart attack!

I've had two Renaults die on me and I'd never have another - they're junk! ;-)