Would you play, or skip it?

[6StringSling]

You guys still crack me up. Do any of actually read the posts in a thread before replying or do you just skim through a few and then conclude that the whale in Moby Dick is a robot?

 

I've posted IN THIS THREAD what it is I do. Why so many of you have the idea that this is a "gig" that I've "promised to play" is beyond me because NO WHERE do I ever say or even imply it.

 

It's Karaoke. I wait my turn. The KJ calls me up and whoever is singing with me. I already know what song we're doing so I grab the guitar I use for that song. It's pretty simple - no one is sitting around waiting for me to "change guitars". Afterwards, I let the KJ know what song I want to do next. If someone picks a song from my list, the KJ lets me know that because I always give other patrons priority over what I've chosen myself. Then I wait for my turn again.

 

I currently have 25 guitars. And, despite what Modulus Man says, they are not all "pawn shop specials". Just because I paid very little for most of them doesn't mean that they're toys or worth only what I paid. 15 of them I purchased new, either locally of from ebay. 2 of the used ones were purchased locally, 1 from a co-worker, the other from CL. The rest were ebay. I have one vintage guitar - my Guild S300-D. It's a 1979 and worth about $1000 at the moment. I paid $100 w/hsc for it in 1997. I've taken it to the bar a couple of times but I pretty much play it at home. I get 3-4 random offers per year for that guitar. It's NOT for sale.

 

What I DO NOT have, are gig bags for all of them. How many people, when bringing extra/backup gear to a gig mention that they bring extra cases/gig bags? No one I ever heard of. Because you don't really expect to ever need them. If I had HAD extra gig bags, this whole thread would have been moot - I would have taken 7 guitars just like always - 6 of them would have been the designated backups to what were sitting at my friend's house, all of which I have used at the bar in the past. I plan on picking up extra gig bags now - one per month and by years end I won't be in the same dilemma again.

 

Here's what I take over to play:

 

A strat-style HSH w/Floyd & lock nuts tuned 1/2 step down.

An LP-style HH w/push/pull bridge PU (this is the MK)

An LP copy

A hollow body

A strat-style HSS with standard trem outfitted with a Tremsetter.

A Tele copy

A 12/6 double neck

 

And I still have to re-tune some of those for some songs.

 

I'm not Rick Nielsen but I still see no reason why I shouldn't take as many guitars as I can manage. I'm not under any restrictions. They're mine and I like to play them. Why some of you seem to think that IF I played in a band that I would insist on bringing a buttload of guitars is again, beyond my comprehension. I played in a band for a little over two years from 87-89. I had my Marshall JCM 800, my custom 4x12, my FX and a Washburn G2-V with a Wonderbar tremelo. If I were to play in a band today, I'd opt for a Line 6 DT50 and JTV-59 Variax to go with my Pod HD500. In fact my next guitar is very likely to be a JTV-59 Variax because if I am going to start playing Guitaraoke around the PDX area for pay, I may NOT be able to bring 7 guitars into each place I play.

[jimiv]

Of course, no Cheap Trick concert is complete until Rick busts out his 5-neck

 

I totally forgot about that guitar.....I wonder how much that weighs?

[Hegmatronicon]

What I DO NOT have, are gig bags for all of them. How many people, when bringing extra/backup gear to a gig mention that they bring extra cases/gig bags? No one I ever heard of. Because you don't really expect to ever need them. If I had HAD extra gig bags, this whole thread would have been moot - I would have taken 7 guitars just like always - 6 of them would have been the designated backups to what were sitting at my friend's house, all of which I have used at the bar in the past. I plan on picking up extra gig bags now - one per month and by years end I won't be in the same dilemma again.

 

I dont get that part? What exactly are you trying to say? That not all your guitars have cases or gigbags?

And that you think it's common to have guitars without them?

 

Or am i reading it wrong?

 

I have a case or gigbag with every single one of my guitars. Because umm...each guitar needs one! I would have thought that was common sense.

I may have been reading your post wrong tho

[6StringSling]

I dont get that part? What exactly are you trying to say? That not all your guitars have cases or gigbags? And that you think it's common to have guitars without them? Or am i reading it wrong? I have a case or gigbag with every single one of my guitars. Because umm...each guitar needs one! I would have thought that was common sense. I may have been reading your post wrong tho

I have 3 7-guitar stands and some single stands. Very few guitars that I have purchased have come with a case and/or gig bag. Until I started playing out 4 years ago, I didn't worry about it because for 18 years I hadn't ever needed them. When I started playing out, I bought enough to take out the number of guitars I wanted.

[ckcondon]

The problem I see is that you're arguing with a bunch of gigging musicians who really just can't wrap their heads around why anyone would go through that much effort to play a few songs along to backing tracks for free!

We do all we can to simplify our rigs/drumsets/PA etc. You prefer to take a bunch of unnecessary (Yes, it's unnecessary!) gear to an "open mic" situation.

It's your decision and if you're happy doing it that way, more power to ya!

[New Trail]

 

The problem I see is that you're arguing with a bunch of gigging musicians who really just can't wrap their heads around why anyone would go through that much effort to play a few songs along to backing tracks for free! We do all we can to simplify our rigs/drumsets/PA etc. You prefer to take a bunch of unnecessary (Yes, it's unnecessary!) gear to an "open mic" situation. It's your decision and if you're happy doing it that way, more power to ya!

 

 

And......scene....

[modulusman]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around GSpointer bringing 4 different basses/ amps and cabs to a bar job because he needs different sounds. I'm all for having different amps/guitars for different situations but in a band setting little differences in tone will not be noticeable. The sad part is he may be playing through a POS PA which is what I would be concerned with.

[gspointer]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around GSpointer bringing 4 different basses/ amps and cabs to a bar job because he needs different sounds. I'm all for having different amps/guitars for different situations but in a band setting little differences in tone will not be noticeable. The sad part is he may be playing through a POS PA which is what I would be concerned with.

 

While I have seen worse, I definitely need to upgrade it. I have been researching and am getting close to pulling the trigger.

 

I Use this in the smaller clubs.

 

 

This is an old photo, I have changed boards again, and have been using an 01V96VCM for a bit over a year now.

 

When the capacities get to 150+ I bring these speakers. I have another 2-18 sub, and one of the "upgrades" I am looking into is another pair of the srx4733's and getting 4 of the 2385 horns as used in the "F" models to reduce the horizontal dispersion of each of the HF's from 90 to 60 degrees.

 

[raagam]

video of James Taylor in his guitar vault (cases included):

 

[video=youtube;LNnuUZ_lSg4]

 

 

[Austincowbell]

 

I'm still trying to wrap my head around GSpointer bringing 4 different basses/ amps and cabs to a bar job because he needs different sounds. I'm all for having different amps/guitars for different situations but in a band setting little differences in tone will not be noticeable. The sad part is he may be playing through a POS PA which is what I would be concerned with.

 

 

yeah, that's actually the craziest thing on this thread. I'm sure he's a good bassist but to the audience a bass sounds like.... a bass. If you want to bring a fretless and a fretted I completely get it but 4 heads and cabs? That's overkill for anyone.

[modulusman]

While I have seen worse, I definitely need to upgrade it. I have been researching and am getting close to pulling the trigger. I Use this in the smaller clubs. This is an old photo, I have changed boards again, and have been using an 01V96VCM for a bit over a year now. When the capacities get to 150+ I bring these speakers. I have another 2-18 sub, and one of the "upgrades" I am looking into is another pair of the srx4733's and getting 4 of the 2385 horns as used in the "F" models to reduce the horizontal dispersion of each of the HF's from 90 to 60 degrees.

 

I stand corrected on the PA. I would imagine it sounds good. I would hate too move those subs though.

[gspointer]

I stand corrected on the PA. I would imagine it sounds good. I would hate too move those subs though.

 

I have caster plates for the subs. Some entrances are pretty tough to get into.

[Austincowbell]

 

You guys still crack me up. Do any of actually read the posts in a thread before replying or do you just skim through a few and then conclude that the whale in Moby Dick is a robot? I've posted IN THIS THREAD what it is I do. Why so many of you have the idea that this is a "gig" that I've "promised to play" is beyond me because NO WHERE do I ever say or even imply it. It's Karaoke. I wait my turn. The KJ calls me up and whoever is singing with me. I already know what song we're doing so I grab the guitar I use for that song. It's pretty simple - no one is sitting around waiting for me to "change guitars". Afterwards, I let the KJ know what song I want to do next. If someone picks a song from my list, the KJ lets me know that because I always give other patrons priority over what I've chosen myself. Then I wait for my turn again. I currently have 25 guitars. And, despite what Modulus Man says, they are not all "pawn shop specials". Just because I paid very little for most of them doesn't mean that they're toys or worth only what I paid. 15 of them I purchased new, either locally of from ebay. 2 of the used ones were purchased locally, 1 from a co-worker, the other from CL. The rest were ebay. I have one vintage guitar - my Guild S300-D. It's a 1979 and worth about $1000 at the moment. I paid $100 w/hsc for it in 1997. I've taken it to the bar a couple of times but I pretty much play it at home. I get 3-4 random offers per year for that guitar. It's NOT for sale. What I DO NOT have, are gig bags for all of them. How many people, when bringing extra/backup gear to a gig mention that they bring extra cases/gig bags? No one I ever heard of. Because you don't really expect to ever need them. If I had HAD extra gig bags, this whole thread would have been moot - I would have taken 7 guitars just like always - 6 of them would have been the designated backups to what were sitting at my friend's house, all of which I have used at the bar in the past. I plan on picking up extra gig bags now - one per month and by years end I won't be in the same dilemma again. Here's what I take over to play: A strat-style HSH w/Floyd & lock nuts tuned 1/2 step down. An LP-style HH w/push/pull bridge PU (this is the MK) An LP copy A hollow body A strat-style HSS with standard trem outfitted with a Tremsetter. A Tele copy A 12/6 double neck And I still have to re-tune some of those for some songs. I'm not Rick Nielsen but I still see no reason why I shouldn't take as many guitars as I can manage. I'm not under any restrictions. They're mine and I like to play them. Why some of you seem to think that IF I played in a band that I would insist on bringing a buttload of guitars is again, beyond my comprehension. I played in a band for a little over two years from 87-89. I had my Marshall JCM 800, my custom 4x12, my FX and a Washburn G2-V with a Wonderbar tremelo. If I were to play in a band today, I'd opt for a Line 6 DT50 and JTV-59 Variax to go with my Pod HD500. In fact my next guitar is very likely to be a JTV-59 Variax because if I am going to start playing Guitaraoke around the PDX area for pay, I may NOT be able to bring 7 guitars into each place I play.

 

Just so I understand... You started a thread asking whether or not you should play a gig that isn't a gig where you are not expected and isn't important to you or anyone else...right? Because when anyone answers that you should play it you get mad and say it doesn't really matter and you just play it for fun... So, what exactly was the purpose of the thread?

[kmart]

All the different guitars (most custom made) are a gimmick Neilsen established years ago. It wouldn't be a Cheap Trick concert if he didn't change guitars for every song.

Exactly:

PHOTO BOOKS have been published covering Nielsen's extensive (no, REALLY extensive: more than 2000) guitar collection.

The point is not that any of them he uses in concert (usually the custom/crazy ones, of course) sound different at all; they all sound like he's playing them, though.

 

MY personal favorite is the one on the right:

 

But I'm also partial to Uncle Dick:

[New Trail]

 

If you saw Ricky Nelson with Cheap Trick, that was more than several years ago. Rick Nielsen Big difference...

 

 

THANK YOU for someone finally seeing that. I did that on purpose just to see who's paying attention. Yeah, big difference for sure, I WAY prefer Ricky Nelson (Rick then I think) if only for "Garden Party" a most subversive song wrapping a ditty melody if ever I heard one!

[Vito Corleone]

 

THANK YOU for someone finally seeing that. I did that on purpose just to see who's paying attention.

 

 

I saw it right away. I just figured you had a brain fart or it was more of a typo than anything, and we both knew who you were talking about, so I don't see any point on calling people out on such errors usually.

[wardjames]

 

You guys still crack me up. Do any of actually read the posts in a thread before replying or do you just skim through a few and then conclude that the whale in Moby Dick is a robot? I've posted IN THIS THREAD what it is I do. Why so many of you have the idea that this is a "gig" that I've "promised to play" is beyond me because NO WHERE do I ever say or even imply it. It's Karaoke. I wait my turn. The KJ calls me up and whoever is singing with me. I already know what song we're doing so I grab the guitar I use for that song. It's pretty simple - no one is sitting around waiting for me to "change guitars". Afterwards, I let the KJ know what song I want to do next. If someone picks a song from my list, the KJ lets me know that because I always give other patrons priority over what I've chosen myself. Then I wait for my turn again. I currently have 25 guitars. And, despite what Modulus Man says, they are not all "pawn shop specials". Just because I paid very little for most of them doesn't mean that they're toys or worth only what I paid. 15 of them I purchased new, either locally of from ebay. 2 of the used ones were purchased locally, 1 from a co-worker, the other from CL. The rest were ebay. I have one vintage guitar - my Guild S300-D. It's a 1979 and worth about $1000 at the moment. I paid $100 w/hsc for it in 1997. I've taken it to the bar a couple of times but I pretty much play it at home. I get 3-4 random offers per year for that guitar. It's NOT for sale. What I DO NOT have, are gig bags for all of them. How many people, when bringing extra/backup gear to a gig mention that they bring extra cases/gig bags? No one I ever heard of. Because you don't really expect to ever need them. If I had HAD extra gig bags, this whole thread would have been moot - I would have taken 7 guitars just like always - 6 of them would have been the designated backups to what were sitting at my friend's house, all of which I have used at the bar in the past. I plan on picking up extra gig bags now - one per month and by years end I won't be in the same dilemma again. Here's what I take over to play: A strat-style HSH w/Floyd & lock nuts tuned 1/2 step down. An LP-style HH w/push/pull bridge PU (this is the MK) An LP copy A hollow body A strat-style HSS with standard trem outfitted with a Tremsetter. A Tele copy A 12/6 double neck And I still have to re-tune some of those for some songs. I'm not Rick Nielsen but I still see no reason why I shouldn't take as many guitars as I can manage. I'm not under any restrictions. They're mine and I like to play them. Why some of you seem to think that IF I played in a band that I would insist on bringing a buttload of guitars is again, beyond my comprehension. I played in a band for a little over two years from 87-89. I had my Marshall JCM 800, my custom 4x12, my FX and a Washburn G2-V with a Wonderbar tremelo. If I were to play in a band today, I'd opt for a Line 6 DT50 and JTV-59 Variax to go with my Pod HD500. In fact my next guitar is very likely to be a JTV-59 Variax because if I am going to start playing Guitaraoke around the PDX area for pay, I may NOT be able to bring 7 guitars into each place I play.

 

 

This explanation changes everything. Yes...when I go to karaoke night at the local diner I usually bring 5-6 guitars, so now I see where you're coming from. If I couldn't have that many, I just wouldn't go...so to answer the thread title...I would skip it.

[dan88z]

I've started bringing all my keyboards to gigs. I set up my Nord Stage compact and S90ES in front of me, then to my left I have my Roland JX10 and on top of that my Emu MK6. To the right I have my Yamaha PSR vintage 1990's keyboard and Nord Electro 73. I run everything into a Peavey 24 channel mixing board, into a rack with 6 EQ's, 4 reverb units, 2 delays, 9 compressors, a 5 way crossover, and 3 CS800's, which runs into 2 custom made 3 way cabinets with 2 18"s, 2 15"s, 2 10"s, and a bank of 36 piezo horns in each. I also have 2 Leslie cabinets that I put offstage in a storage room or in the kitchen, or if it's a small gig, leave in my cube van and mic them up for organ sounds. I use 8 mics on each Leslie, and run them into their own 16 channel submixer and then take 4 sends from those into my main board. I've been toying around with the setup to find the most efficient way of setting them all up, and this is it. It only takes me 4 hours to set up since I have everything labelled. I try to use every keyboard on every song as best I can. People come up to me on my breaks and admire my setup and ask me questions and ask when I'm getting more keyboards and stuff, and I like that, it makes me feel important and like a rock star.

[mstreck]

 

I've started bringing all my keyboards to gigs. I set up my Nord Stage compact and S90ES in front of me, then to my left I have my Roland JX10 and on top of that my Emu MK6. To the right I have my Yamaha PSR vintage 1990's keyboard and Nord Electro 73. I run everything into a Peavey 24 channel mixing board, into a rack with 6 EQ's, 4 reverb units, 2 delays, 9 compressors, a 5 way crossover, and 3 CS800's, which runs into 2 custom made 3 way cabinets with 2 18"s, 2 15"s, 2 10"s, and a bank of 36 piezo horns in each. I also have 2 Leslie cabinets that I put offstage in a storage room or in the kitchen, or if it's a small gig, leave in my cube van and mic them up for organ sounds. I use 8 mics on each Leslie, and run them into their own 16 channel submixer and then take 4 sends from those into my main board. I've been toying around with the setup to find the most efficient way of setting them all up, and this is it. It only takes me 4 hours to set up since I have everything labelled. I try to use every keyboard on every song as best I can. People come up to me on my breaks and admire my setup and ask me questions and ask when I'm getting more keyboards and stuff, and I like that, it makes me feel important and like a rock star.

 

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

[Vito Corleone]

 

I've started bringing all my keyboards to gigs. I set up my Nord Stage compact and S90ES in front of me, then to my left I have my Roland JX10 and on top of that my Emu MK6. To the right I have my Yamaha PSR vintage 1990's keyboard and Nord Electro 73. I run everything into a Peavey 24 channel mixing board, into a rack with 6 EQ's, 4 reverb units, 2 delays, 9 compressors, a 5 way crossover, and 3 CS800's, which runs into 2 custom made 3 way cabinets with 2 18"s, 2 15"s, 2 10"s, and a bank of 36 piezo horns in each. I also have 2 Leslie cabinets that I put offstage in a storage room or in the kitchen, or if it's a small gig, leave in my cube van and mic them up for organ sounds. I use 8 mics on each Leslie, and run them into their own 16 channel submixer and then take 4 sends from those into my main board. I've been toying around with the setup to find the most efficient way of setting them all up, and this is it. It only takes me 4 hours to set up since I have everything labelled. I try to use every keyboard on every song as best I can. People come up to me on my breaks and admire my setup and ask me questions and ask when I'm getting more keyboards and stuff, and I like that, it makes me feel important and like a rock star.

 

 

Until you've got pictures of you playing with this setup in your bathrobe, I'm not sure I'll believe you.....

[dan88z]

 

Until you've got pictures of you playing with this setup in your bathrobe, I'm not sure I'll believe you.....

 

 

I'll have to buy a bathrobe.

[gspointer]

 

I've started bringing all my keyboards to gigs. I set up my Nord Stage compact and S90ES in front of me, then to my left I have my Roland JX10 and on top of that my Emu MK6. To the right I have my Yamaha PSR vintage 1990's keyboard and Nord Electro 73. I run everything into a Peavey 24 channel mixing board, into a rack with 6 EQ's, 4 reverb units, 2 delays, 9 compressors, a 5 way crossover, and 3 CS800's, which runs into 2 custom made 3 way cabinets with 2 18"s, 2 15"s, 2 10"s, and a bank of 36 piezo horns in each. I also have 2 Leslie cabinets that I put offstage in a storage room or in the kitchen, or if it's a small gig, leave in my cube van and mic them up for organ sounds. I use 8 mics on each Leslie, and run them into their own 16 channel submixer and then take 4 sends from those into my main board. I've been toying around with the setup to find the most efficient way of setting them all up, and this is it. It only takes me 4 hours to set up since I have everything labelled. I try to use every keyboard on every song as best I can. People come up to me on my breaks and admire my setup and ask me questions and ask when I'm getting more keyboards and stuff, and I like that, it makes me feel important and like a rock star.

 

 

Excellent!, although I am surprised you like the piezos. I am thinking of mounting my rig on 2 wheeled carts, I think it will speed things up for me.

[gspointer]

Holy crap, I just re-read your post. You use 8 mics on each Leslie? Have you tried an X-Y stereo set-up? I would think you could get by with 2 pair per cab.

[Vito Corleone]

[dan88z]