Tips and tricks and what you MUST have in your gig bag besides normal gear?

[deeaa]

Any ideas, maybe we could collect a list of items a guitarist should have in the gig bag to survive. I'll start with the most obvious, feel free to add to list:

- Duct tape
- 9v batteries
- flashlight
- multitool like a leatherman, or at least 2 screwdrivers and a knife.
- a rubber bicycle watchamacallit with hooks at end, for instance for securing a guitar case stays shut if the lock breaks
- spare lead
- some superglue for quick nut fixes, etc.
- magnesium tablets if you are prone to cramps
- some sort of D/I guitar device for amp backup in extreme cases

 

[Heywood Jablomie]

- strings
- string winder

 

[poodlesrule]

Beer opener!

Calling cards


On the light side:
A snack for the occasional munchies
Rabbit foot for good luck

 

[deeaa]

oh yeah, calling cards - good call!

also:

- your account number/tax info

 

[Robert]

Ear plugs
(if you are playing with "that kind of drummer"...)

 

[sumitomo]

You need to see what your doing,GLASSES!!!!! Sumi

 

[tunghaichuan]

An inexpensive (digital multimeter) DMM. Preferably with a continuity tester.

 

[deeaa]

Ear plugs
(if you are playing with "that kind of drummer"...)

I'm inclined to believe a light-handed drummer is an urban myth, basically...

 

[deeaa]

An inexpensive (digital multimeter) DMM. Preferably with a continuity tester.

Good one! If that fails, however, a simple cable test buzzer would be handy too.

 

[deeaa]

And oh yeah - thinking back to when I was single still - a big pack of condoms...

 

[Robert]

Some Advil/Aspirin perhaps?

 

[sumitomo]

And oh yeah - thinking back to when I was single still - a big pack of condoms...

Don't forget the cattle prod,just in case she passes out on you or if you want to livein things up! Sumi

 

[Katastrophe]

Here's what I carried in my gig bag the last time I played out...

Wire cutters for string changes

String winder

Cheapo tuner

About a dozen picks

My own power strip (like the idea of an extra fuse between the amph and the venue)

One extra guitar cable

Pack of strings

It was with a country band, and the drummer played an electronic drum set, so it was eerily quiet on stage. We could talk a tad above normal inside voice and be heard, so no ear plugs. If I was playing rock, these days, I would have a set.

 

[Zip]

Spare speaker cable, in addition to guitar cable and short patch cords

Gaffer tape (so you don't have to clean off the gunk Duct tape leaves behind)

Permanent marker and a roll of masking tape

A tuner for tuning up backstage, where you don't have your pedal tuner

Spare amp fuses, in addition to tubes

Bottle opener

Small xtra guitar stand in case someone steps on yours moments before you open

 

[6stringdrug]

lighter and licks...

 

[bigoldron]

Flashlight comes in handy in dark rooms. Fast Fret helps too. Maybe a rag for wiping down the guitar, especially if you're sweating like a pig.

 

[gordy_sg_no1]

a towel ........... sweaty halds n arms are the bain of my life
weight lifter chalk .......... nice n grippy
a capo n slide
a car seatbelt cushion. this comes in handy when the shoulder and neck get gripey because of the strap
solderless jacks
a soldering iron (although a backup guitar is prefferable)
spare control knobs
amp power lead, even if its a fuse change its still quicker to swap the lead
oh and some light reading.......... beats doing nothing behind the stage

 

[Jx2]

Ive never gigged, but I was sort of a unoffical guitar tech for a couple local metal bands back in the day. Of course I didnt have the role of a true tech, but I helped make sure these guys had everything they needed and then some.

You guys have most of it covered, but I use to have them pack extra demo's/ep's in with their stuff incase whoever was in charge of that forgot or if they ran out. Came in handy a few times.

Another thing, extra picks....we all know how easy those are to misplace. Having a ziplock bag with a half a dozen or more of "backups only" can really save the day. No one likes to play guitar with the wrong pick.

 

[Spudman]

And oh yeah - thinking back to when I was single still - a big pack of condoms...

Sort of. I prefer a pack of big condoms.

 

[deeaa]

:dance I rather go for a small bag of BIG condoms :dance yep that's a good one!

 

[deeaa]

So here's the list so far. Anything we could maybe eliminate as obvious, and/opr add to it:

GUITARISTS' MUST HAVE GIGBAG GEAR v.1


9v batteries
a rubber bicycle watchamacallit with hooks at end, for instance for securing a guitar spare lead
A snack for the occasional munchies
a soldering iron (although a backup guitar is prefferable)
a towel
A tuner for tuning up backstage, where you don't have your pedal tuner
amp power lead, even if its a fuse change its still quicker to swap the lead
Bottle opener
bunch of your demo CD’s
Calling cards
car seatbelt cushion
condoms (large size)
Duct tape
ear plugs
flashlight
Gaffer tape (so you don't have to clean off the gunk Duct tape leaves behind)
glasses
lighter and licks
magnesium tablets if you are prone to cramps
multimeter or continuity tester
multitool like a leatherman, or at least 2 screwdrivers and a knife.
One extra guitar cable
painkiller pills
Permanent marker and a roll of masking tape
Rabbit foot for good luck
Small xtra guitar stand in case someone steps on yours moments before you open
solderless jacks
some light reading.......... beats doing nothing behind the stage
some sort of D/I guitar device for amp backup in extreme cases
some superglue for quick nut fixes, etc.
Spare amp fuses, in addition to tubes
spare control knobs
spare picks
spare power strip
Spare speaker cable, in addition to guitar cable and short patch cords
spare strings
String winder
weight lifter chalk
Wire cutters for string changes
your account number/tax info

 

[Bloozcat]

You forgot the U-Haul truck to haul all of this stuff....:thumbsup