SaintJelly Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Hey all, my band is going to start touring frequently pretty soon and I was wondering if you could give me any advice on gear/equipment I need or any other necessary items. Also, any websites with relevant info would help alot. Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 what do you mean by 'touring frequently'? Opening for Clapton, playing 'Vans Warped', playing local gigs, regional gigs? "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 ( Where are A String and Elwood? They aughtta weigh-in here on this... ) Any and every kind of "back-up" that you can have on hand would be good. Load for bear, expect the worse, prepare against Murphy's Law: spare tubes of the exact same type and specs as you've got in your amp, tuner/control cleaner spray with extra "little red straws", spare patch cables, SPARE POWER CORDS THAT FIT YOUR GEAR, spare power-supplies for pedals and the like, some kind of AC power-conditioning, DUNLOP OR SCHALLER STRAP LOCKS, loads of spare strings, a worthy guitar-stand, a good tuner and a peg-winder, a backup-guitar for each of your main instruments, real cases and- if needed- ATA approved flight/road cases for your guitars and gear (no "gig bags"!), tools and supplies for quick repairs to guitars and electronics, a DMM, soldering-iron, desoldering wick/braid, Gaffer's/duct tape, electrical tape, heat-shrink tubing and a heat gun... What guitars have you got, that you'll be bringing? Have your guitars professionally set-up to your liking, and have all the measurement-specs written down to refer to (action, relief, nut-slot/bridge/tailpiece/pickup/polepiece heights, saddle radii); then learn how to check and duplicate those specs, and take a set of set-up tools: truss-rod wrenches, Allen wrenches, screwdrivers, nutdrivers, radius gauges, feeler gauges, a capo, a 6" machinist's scale or a string action gauge, dial-calipers, some clear Teflon gel, some toothpicks and white/wood/hide glue, conditioning fretboard oil, The Guitar Player Repair Guide and How to make your electric guitar play great!, both by Dan Erlewine... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 My two rules for touring: - Eat whenever possible. - Sleep whenever possible. Not necessarily in that order, and count on always being hungry & tired in spite of observing the above. Oh, and if you're in a committed relationship just plan right now on it being a lot more difficult to keep that garden tended. Scott Fraser Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisSiteSucks Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 And an outlet checker...way back when, I roadied for a top 40's band, Skywave if anyone heard of them This drummer hooks up with a hottie that owns her own bar in W. VA. If we only had known... Plugged the amp rack into a wall outlet on-stage...crackle, fizzle, smoke. Yep, wired 220. CHECK ALL OUTLETS. At least she paid for the new amps and we were there earlier enough in the day to find new amps. However, she neglected to tell us about the "occasional" drive-by shootings at her bar. Yeah, nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. A. Donis Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 The only thing I plug my amp into is my power conditioner. Power conditioner gets plugged into the outlet and has a nice voltage display. Monster Power Conditioner I second the Dan Erlewine Guitar Player's Repair Guide. I have that and it is a well done book. Maybe go to Stewart MacDonald and browse through their stuff to see what might come in handy that you never would have thought about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 And an outlet checker... Yes! How could I have forgotten that? Good idea. An outlet-tester, and a DMM, and even a cable multi-tester... Be prepared! And a hand-held shock-test probe to check mics with would be a good idea, as well. Nothing like wearing a plugged-in instrument and getting seriously zapped by a mic; it can be very painful, even burning or *LETHAL* in worst-case but very possible scenarios... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Welcome aboard SaintJelly, wishing you a fun time touring the country...just make sure you package everything to avoid breakage and have plenty of room to ride in comfort even if you have to invest in an equipment trailor that can be parked near and offsight, if it's a hassle getting it in close...this way you'll still enjoy the ride if you have long distances to travel without being cramped...but it all depends on how big a band you have, how big the gigs are, etc...take a few test trips...IMHO. Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintJelly Posted March 3, 2010 Author Share Posted March 3, 2010 Thanks so much for the responses everyone! SO to try to answer everyones questions: We're touring with 2 LTD EC-1000's, 1 LTD MH-1000, and a 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom. Orange 4x12's, a heavily modded(and beautiful sounding) Peavey 5150, and a Soldano SLO 100 for amps. All have cases. We have a van, and are purchasing a trailer soon(getting a GREAT deal from a friend who's band just broke up). We're doing regional touring (north east) to start with every intention of touring as much as possible across the country. We've all been on tour in other bands and a little with this one,s o we know what to expect for the most part. I guess what I was looking for was advice from experienced touring guitar players, roadies, techs, etc... And I definitely got some good ideas. I'm definitely checking into the power conditioner! Great idea that I never even considered. I actually own all the books you mentioned and most of the tools between myself and our other guitar player. Thanks for all the advice guys and all the ideas. Keep them coming! I've already seen a few things I hadn't really thought of before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Okay, the typical van tour scenario, besides the obviously sage advice from Scott... power cords, boxes of strings, spare everything that you can carry, don't forget batteries. Try to keep the rig simple and generic so that if anything breaks you can replace it wherever you are, or borrow from another band and be able to make it work. Try to keep your rig light as possible and as contained as possible, because your trailer will be a target, and loading in is not always a few steps from the trailer to the stage and you won't always have security to keep the locals from emptying your trailer while you push in the first load. Anything that is really heavy? Put it on wheels. Don't buy cheap wheels, either, because as soon as a box rolls, you'll pile 500 pounds of stuff on top of it. I made my entire local gig rig, minus backups, small enough that i could carry it in one trip. A Reverend Goblin amp in one hand, a guitar in another, and a shoulder bag with everything else... amp stand, strings, picks, capos, pedals, cords, power cables, guitar stand... were I to take that on the road I'd add a large utility case to hold three guitars and all the junk in a top tray, toss two amps on top of that and be done again in one move (not counting clothes.) "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Four to six foam squares, usually for sound damping, and/or several blankets so when you find out there`s barely enough room for all the stuff you can wedge things against each other without scratching, banging and denting the hell out of them. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertbluesman Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Bring 3 amps each and three pedal boards each (If you use pedals) And set up at least two of the three amps on stage, one as a backup, one in the truck as an emergency backup. Pack extra anything that might go bad. dbm If it sounds good, it is good !! http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=143231&content=music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virtual Jim Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 http://www.tapeop.com/magazine/bonuspdfs/avoidtheft.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisSiteSucks Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Not really "band" necessity, but one for me (if you can afford it). Get a GPS Not only can you get driving directions door-to-door, but on most models you can mark points of interest: places to eat, places to sleep, MUSIC STORES for last minute or emergency items; even places to visit to chill out before a gig And if you're towing something, make sure it has a damn good lock on it too. And a hitch lock...I've seen trailers that aren't protected disappear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Guy Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 An iPhone. No, really... loads of usefuk info whenever you need it! Where am I? What day is it? Where's the nearest music store? Where can I eat/sleep/park? Plus Apps for tuner (as a 'spare!), chord bank, news... and you can even use it to call your Mom! Guitar hand trainer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisSiteSucks Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Wow desertblues, "3 amps and pedals"? Do you have a horror story to tell us? LOL That's going to get pretty expensive if you want 3 copies of your "main rig" and that cost you $3,000 I can see having a backup guitar (or two). Even a (one) backup amp setup. The band I worked for was cheap LOL..all guitars and bass only had one amp/cab and we beat the shit out of them moving them and filling a 20 foot truck. Of course, the lead guitarist had like 6 guitars with him, but only that one Marshall head and 4x12 cab....did over 100 shows with not problems (except for the amp rack fiasco in W. VA) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Along with various toiletries and your shaving stuff/toothbrush etc, take hand sanitizer, a spray can or bottle of Lysol, and some paper towels, etc. SPray the lysol/whatever onto the paper towel and wipe down your microphone every night before putting your mouth on it. Pack cold and flu medicine, aspirin/Tylenol/Advil/Aleve or whatever you use, and some aloe-coated Kleenex. Get a good multi-vitamin and take it daily. Pack some antacids, Pepsid Complete is the best I've found. Take along some laxative pills and Imodium. If you think this is gross stuff to talk about, try dealing with the flu, diarrhea, or constipation on the road if you don't have anything to treat them with... Get some exercise above and beyond hauling equipment every day. Walking, running, calisthenics, spinning, whatever you do, keep it up or get it started. You will have more energy all around, and nobody thinks watching a sleepy guitarist is very exciting. Stay away from the booze and dope, it's expensive and makes you stupid. Do not EVER take drugs from anyone you don't know very very well. That's playing with your life. And, you're better off staying away from the road skanks completely, especially if you have a lady back home. But boys will be boys, and a condom may not be as much protection as you think it will be, but sex with strangers without them is playing with your life, so get some, and remember they don't protect you from the crabs or scabies... Take some kind of string cleaning rag or whatever, and make a habit of wiping your guitar's strings, neck and fretboard down every time you put it in & take it out of the case. If you tend to break strings, have extras of the ones you break most often, as well as a few complete sets, and replace them as soon as possible after you use them. Change your strings after every 2nd or 3rd nights of playing, and you'll save yourself and band mates some unwelcome middle-of-the-song surprises. Keep at least one brand new guitar cable still in the package, and never use it except for checking out connections when something in your chain isn't working. One cable that you are sure isn't shorted or messed up can be an invaluable tool. Also, cut one connector off any cable that doesn't work. Save the connector and fix the cable when you can, but cutting the end off will save you from grabbing the same messed-up cable that looks just like all your other cables every time you set up. A small tool kit with allen wrenches, wire cutters, Phillips and flat screwdrivers of various sizes, maybe a few box-end wrenches and/or sockets w/socket wrench. If your guitar or amp has a fitting that needs a tool to adjust/dismantle/etc, have a tool that fits it. You might also pack a soldering iron if you know how to use one. If you don't know how, learn. The ability to make a clean solder joint has saved many a show. You might want to carry one or two spare tuning machines if you can. Learn as much as you can about setting your instruments up, in case your axe craps out on you when the nearest tech is a hundred miles away. Get a tuner. They are just too cheap not to have one. Get a spare guitar if you don't already have one. Travel with them in hardshell cases, flight cases if you can, but not bags. Bags are okay for playing around town, but they are asking for a broken instrument on the road. Pack a small amp modeler like a Pandora or Mini POD, with a few well-programmed patches. If your amp cooks, you have something you can play through the PA with that won't sound like total crap, at least till the end of a gig. I know of a guy who flies to gigs all over the country with his guitar and a Pandora. He doesn't take an amp out at all. Pack spare batteries of every sort you use. Extra wall wart power supplies can save your life too. Extension cables of various lengths and gauges are often very handy, and don't forget at least one power strip with surge protection, preferably made of metal not plastic. Get a spare of every electric cable you use, and replace whatever breaks as soon as practicable. Keep a couple of dollar's worth of change in your pocket at all times. You never know when you might need to make a phone call. Don't keep all your money in your wallet, they get lost or stolen. It isn't always possible but if you can, keep a $100 bill stashed someplace you can get to it easy if you need it, and don't spend it on anything but emergencies. It can be a long walk home carrying your gear... That's all I can think of for now. Your body and gear are your bread and butter. You can't play if you're so sick you can't think, and your gear won't work if it's busted. Take care of your body first, and your equipment immediately after. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisSiteSucks Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Good Thread! Nice ideas Picker...I do believe they make one of those plastic cans with Lysol disposable wipes (like the Amorall ones for cars). Completely forgot about a basic tool kit...duh! And the Pod-like device as backup...you can even get a 30 or 50 watt Line 6 modeling amp for not too much...probably would get you through a show if your Marshall head were to buy the farm Maybe even a CB radio in one of the vehicles on the road. Most local and state police will monitor a channel for emergencies. They usually will get a signal if you're out in the booines (been there, done that) and a cell phone couldn't catch a signal if it tried. Just be careful on the CB too Oh, don't forget the "care kit" for your vehicle(s). Tool kit, flares, blankets, flashlight, jumper cables, extra cans of oil, tranny fluid, anti-freeze, fix-a-flat etc.. Even an annual subscription to Triple-A. Nothing blows more than a perfect gig and then getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere! And when I roadied, it was me and usually the soundman going home in the truck full of gear. Married guy would go home, a coupleof guys may hang out at bar, invariably the bass player would hook-up with a girl and spend the night with her. But, you should have one person/vehicle following the gear truck...just in case! A lot of times we pulled into home base at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00 in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintJelly Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 You guys rule. So many great ideas. This thread has a lot of useful info, and I was unable to find any related info anywhere on the web. Thanks so much guys! Keep those ideas coming if you've got them, I'm sure I'm not the only one who can benefit from this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 If you take batteries, have a whatchacallit-multimeter? to make sure they actually work. Go rechargeable wherever possible and in fact, try not to leave a trail of trash any more than really necessary. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 If you take batteries, have a whatchacallit-multimeter? to make sure they actually work. Go rechargeable wherever possible and in fact, try not to leave a trail of trash any more than really necessary. The problem with rechargeables is that most don't attain the spec'ed voltage. An AA rechargeable generally puts out 1.2 volts at full charge, rather than 1.5. At least this was true of the NiCads I used on tour in the 80's. In pro settings you never see rechargeables. Scott Fraser Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Yes, I`ve heard about that-I kind of added the `wherever possible` with that in mind but I wasn`t specific. I meant more for flashlights or other such items. All the more reason to have a multimeter. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Dear lord, how did I forget a flashlight? You definitely want one of those, and spare batteries to go with. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisSiteSucks Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 LOL...add in one of those cigarette lighter air pumps to go along with the fix-a-flat; 10 or 15 psi is better than 0 psi. It'll get you to a gas station without ruining the rim! And, of course, a good first aid kit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Food, Water, Sleeping bag, shovel...gets cold out there and if you breakdown, you may get thirsty and need something to snack on...the shovel is for digging your way out or burying your gold... Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisSiteSucks Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Food, Water, Sleeping bag, shovel...gets cold out there and if you breakdown, you may get thirsty and need something to snack on...the shovel is for digging your way out or burying your gold... ..or your bass player ha,ha,ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Iverson Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 You might consider bringing good reading material, a pocket chess set, or DVDs and DVD player, if you're touring on a bus or taking long flights. Even if you actually enjoy TALKING to your bandmates, once in a while you need a break, LOL. Oh, and a deck of cards... maybe some loaded dice to fleece loaded bandmates...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. A. Donis Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Get some roadside assistance. Either through your vehicle's insurance or maybe AAA. Record all your equipment serial numbers and/or take video of them just incase some scumbag decides he likes your stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strategery Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Picker..... You the man! hahahhahhhaa I think you covered it all. The wife and I watched..."A league of their own", again the other night...about women's baseball during WWII. I remember towards the end when the 2 kids asked Tom Hanks/Jimmy Dugan, to autograph their baseball. Hanks says..... [video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7oAmtk0GQ0 "Just play!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Iverson Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 There is an item on jet airplanes called a Ground Proximity Warning System, that emits loud beeps whenever a plane is flying too low to the ground, in order to prevent crashes. Maybe you need something similar for your band, to warn you when a guitar solo is about to CRASH AND BURN...... or train your bandmates to emit loud beeps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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