Members bassthumpintwin Posted February 28, 2010 Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 Had to do a little electrical trouble shooting in my basement, so I figured the easiest/fastest way was with an outlet tester and a voltage indicator. Found some no name "combo kit" at the local super walmart, in the small electrical section for $20. Comes with a small canvas zip-up carrying case too. It's no bigger than a small book, so it will easily fit in a glove box, guitar case, gig bag, gear bag, or toolbox. I'll probably go pick up another just to keep in my car. I'm not gonna say it's top of the line equipment, because it's not; it's all made in china. But I've tested everything, and it seems to work pretty well for average DIY use. I think everyone should at least have an outlet tester in their bag. A DMM even comes in handy from time to time. Definitely takes some of the guess work out if you go to a practice space and your gears not working right/powering on, etc... Plus you can test your batteries and power supplies to make sure they're working right as well. I'm sure any local hardware/box store has the same type of kits for similar prices, but I thought I'd just pass it along. It's not Fluke, but it's better than nothing when your on a budget. And you can't beat the size/price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J the D Posted February 28, 2010 Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 And it needs to be in my gear bag becasue......???? Personally I try to carry as little as I can get away with. That's why I play a rig that I can carry in by myself in one trip from the truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassthumpintwin Posted February 28, 2010 Author Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 Well, like I said, you don't have to just keep it JUST in your gear bag. It will fit in your glove box or under your car seat. But if you're like me, you run into a bad outlet, tripped breaker, bad power supply, faulty fuse, or half dead batteries that get mixed in with the good ones from time to time, and it's nice to have an electrical tester on hand from time to time to rule things out and narrow things down. Granted, with my electrical background, I probably do a lot more of my own troubleshooting/repair that the average musician/sound tech knows how to do, so I suppose this may not be a viable accessory for everyone, although I think everyone should learn how to use a basic multimeter and understand SOME basics of electricity. Especially since it surrounds so much of what we deal with/work with everyday. And since this weights all of 1lb and can just about fit in a pants pocket, I don't see what it would hurt to shove under a car seat, in the back of a rack case, or in a case or gig/gear bag. And it's cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zon5string Posted February 28, 2010 Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 I carry an outlet tester, but not voltage. I really don't care if I'm getting 112 or 122 volts, but it had damned well better be properly grounded, or at least improperly grounded in the same way that the PA is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gspointer Posted February 28, 2010 Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 I carry a fluke 87, and a soldering kit. They have been used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zeromus-X Posted February 28, 2010 Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 We test the outlet at all the places we play. It has come in handy more than once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members engage757 Posted February 28, 2010 Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 I agree. We always keep a similar set of tools in the trailer. NEVER hurts to have them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members perrydabassman Posted February 28, 2010 Members Share Posted February 28, 2010 I carry a fluke 87, and a soldering kit. They have been used. Yeppers, plus a couple of screwdrivers, pliers, batteries, strings and spare cords.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassthumpintwin Posted March 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Yeppers, plus a couple of screwdrivers, pliers, batteries, strings and spare cords.... Mini Mag-lite or similar doesn't hurt either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Reverend179 Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 As far as a gigging toolbox goes, I have a checklist. 1 Roll, Gaff Tape1 Roll, Masking Tape1 mini-MagLite.1 box, fuses, assorted (in my case I have 2 of every type my rig, and my guitarist's rigs use, as well as a few others in case anyone else blows one)2 sharpies, silver and black1 set of extra strings (they're usually the set from the last time I changed, coiled up)1 multimeter (as cheap as I can get away with)1 outlet tester 1 extra strap (cheapie)2 extra 20' patch cables1 pair wire cutters1 6-piece screwdiver1 2-pack of 9v batteries1 extra IEC power cable.1 bag, assorted zip tiesIt all fits in a backpack, and it's saved my ass on a few occasions/made me a hero at a gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassthumpintwin Posted March 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 A leatherman multi-tool is never a bad option to have either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members engage757 Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Gaffing tape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.