Pro Gear?
So I see alot of adds saying must have pro gear! I can understand that as it pertains to amps. Can't really show up with a piggy back or 15 watt practice amp and expect to get the job ( well maybe in some instances )
If you show up with a squire or epi or what ever that ain't High end gear. Does that mean it isn't pro gear?
Or are they really advertising for someone who has a pa/sound system so they can play out?
Just wondering what is really meant by that statement!???
If you show up with a squire or epi or what ever that ain't High end gear. Does that mean it isn't pro gear?
Or are they really advertising for someone who has a pa/sound system so they can play out?
Just wondering what is really meant by that statement!???
Comments
It could also mean that you should own some element of the PA gear a gigging band would need - a decent board, amps, cabs/mons, fx/processors, whatever.
As far as gear that isn't \"high-end\" - remember that quality gear does not a player make. You're more likely to be chosen if you rip on your $300 Squire than if you can't tune your $3000 LesPaul Special.
You should also have cool clothes, so that hott groupies will flock to you and you can set me up with them. 8)
If it means anything beyond that, I think the terminology is wrong. When someone tells me that I \"must have pro gear\", I assume they have pro gear. Not that they expect me to provide it. If they have parts of a PA, I'll contribute what I have if needed, but I'm not going to provide the whole thing.
gear for the most part that you can get from a musical instrument store,
although places like GC sell a certain amount of outboard gear and microphones that would crossover and people are expanding all the time.
It also means that devices have balanced line level inputs and outputs that will work at +4 audio levels and use for the most part XLR connectors
or TRS 1/4 inch connectors for interfacing. You'll see many riders or advance sheets specifically saying no Peavey, Mackie mixers for example
as road guys have shown up at gigs and the promoter in some off the beatin trail town hired the local music store owner to do the sound and the gear isn't gonna cut it. Another example is EAW which is a professional
audio speaker manufacturer is now under Loud Technologies which is really Mackie. While Mackie maintains the consumer end of audio gear,
EAW is the Professional end. There is a huge difference in quality, and features of the two and of course Price. An example of this would be a small mackie mixer is quite able to supply Phantom power to a few mics in a home studio with only maybe 25ft of cable between the two. If you took that out and loaded up all sixteen channels with condensor mics with 250 ft of cable between them, I guarentee you'll hear the difference. The power supply of a Professional console is gonna easilly be able to handle upwards of 48 condensors with no problem. Most manufacturers offer consumer and professional products in the audio world. While I realize you were mainly asking about guitar gear, I thought I would put this forth as you will at some time probably have to deal with other things including audio in your musical persuits. And in all actuality you can show up with a 15 watt amp if, You have a professional sound system to deliver the goods. In time you'll learn the difference. The reference is changing now also in that Manufacturers are calling what used to be Consumer or Musical Instrument /M.I. gear, Portable Systems. Which in the end I think only means one person can actually move it. LOL
I know a DJ who has about $50,000 worth of PA/light gear (or so he says). He tells me you can hear the difference in the higher end amps and boards at his volume playing in auditoriums. But in all reality, playing in the local bars and nightclubs, we don't even max out our modest system.
Pro Gear, at my level, is just something that stands up to the road abuse in the band's van and the constant loading/unloading at every gig. Give me a hard case for the guitars and something to protect the mixer and amps, and I'm happy. If it's heavy, it has wheels to move it or it gets put on my four wheel dolly. It should have handles for two man lifts so we don't throw our backs out trying to lift the bulky stuff by ourselves. I'm willing to pay more for something that will take the abuse. But most \"Pro Gear\" I read about is way out of my budget.
For 4 or 5 bills probably not ... LoL
When I saw this a couple years ago auditioning for another group I seriously had to laugh. Went there and the drummer had Camber cymbals and a mock piece swapped kit. Bassist with a Behringer bass amp, monitors were Squire PA and Monitors, and most guitars were sub $350 at best. One was an Omen 6 ( which aren't bad btw). PRO GEAR was an understatement.
I played and as expected, they were about as pro as their gear. I asked them why they had that in their ad, and they said cuz every 15 year old wil call you. These guys were cool, but I wasn't looking for originals ( which they never suggested in the ad.. Local Cover group needs guitarist).
Yeah, I have a 120 watt Rogue Bass amp which I don't suppose anybody would call Pro Gear. On the other hand, I had it paid for on my second gig and it is still going strong almost two years later. Made some good money on an inexpensive bass amp. If it dies tomorrow, I'd upgrade. Until then, I just send the signal out to the main/subs and eq the bass to where I like it. No complaints from anybody in the audience yet.
I have one bandmate who \"suggested\" I upgrade my bass amp because he doesn't like the Rogue logo on the amp. If I had a GK logo on the same amp he would be all happy - even though he has no idea of what a GK sounds like, he just knows it costs alot more money. Some people are really into the brand name idenitity. Maybe someone could clue me in on that aspect. Would upgrading to a $1000 GK bass amp make my sound any better if we still play out of the same PA speakers where most of our sound is mixed? Since our stage amps are used mainly as our personal monitors, and our sound is mixed and sent through the amp to the mains, I don't know if I would get much better bass out of our same PA speakers we have now. It seems to me that you can do alot just with the eq, but, maybe I'm all wrong.
Also, since I have a GNX4, I have mostly given up on amps anyway. When I play guitar, it's straight from the GNX4 to the mixer and I put some of my guitar into the monitor to hear myself. That's it. Don't want my Twin Reverb on stage anymore. Feel pretty much the same way about the bass except that routing the bass back through the (vocal) monitors is harder on our small stage monitors. Hence, still using the Rogue as my stage monitor.
Budget gear does not mean it's not good. Depends on how it's used and maintained. Behringer had some issues in their day but now you see a lot of pro studios and sound men alike using B gear. My other guitarist has 4 or 5 or the new B pedals and likes them pretty well. Cost effective, and they work and sound great. Phonic, Behringer, Alesis, Tapco, Alto are about the same imo.
For guitars-
You kidding? I have had 2 Les Paul customs fall off a stage and crack the neck/headstock in my years and I won't play with expensive guitars at clubs.
Currently using an OLP Petrucci I modified, Santana SE, and MIM Strat. No worries if those get beat up or broken.
I only bring out the better instruments at a wedding gig or similar ( LP or an old 80's ES335, Strat) . For Clubs, out come the knockoff's
As for names.... funny story. Guy had an old off brand Marlboro amp and found a white Marshall Logo and tossed it on there. He used to get guitarists ask him where he got that amp from all the time. He'd tell them \"he knows Jim\".
I always consider I don't care what kind of car someone has. Does it get them where they need to go and on time.. good enough. High profile equipment is choice most of the time. I've seen ED, Lynch, Satch, and other players at clinics jamming on cheap guitars and sounding like themselves on their own branded gear.
I always felt a good craftsman can do as well with a SKIL saw as they can with BOSCH, Makita, or Dewalt. There is a difference though. But if you use good drills and good quality blades, should be able to get decent quality performance. Most of the time, they come with crappy blades. Just like cheap guitars come with cheap hardware and pickups. Toss some locking Schallers and a good nut and better pickups, you can have a sweet instrument.
You hit the nail on the head though that audience don't care what you have. If it sounds good they won't complain. You only get the laughs from a few musicians maybe, but at times, they are even humbled.
haha, I have one of those \"Marlboro\" amps. It's a 4 channel p.a. that I run to a 15\" Bugera bass cab. works good for a nice \"un-colored\" bass tone. Also works awesome for my electronic drums.
I have a really nice Yamaha 5 string bass that originally sold for over $1000. I watched that bass go down in price for about a year and got one of the last one's available from MF at closeout price of $400 when the new models hit the floor. It's a beautiful bass but I leave it at home. I take my good old Kramer 4 string to the gigs. I got it used for $50 from a friend. But it does the job and stays in tune. Also, I don't have a problem letting others play it at open jam/open mic nights that we host on occassion. If it gets broken, it can be replaced. My Yamaha would be much harder to replace because of the cost. So it stays at home. Bad things can happen to good gear at a gig. One dropped expensive guitar could wipe out months of hard gigging at our pay. I'll leave the best guitars at home, thank you.
My OLP has been road abused. Finish scratched, chipped. That one don't bother me as much. Santana SE is on it's way out for neck repairs. Fretboard shrunk down and some burrs on the fret ends need filing.
My other guitar player has a LP Standard GT w mini's. He dropped his years ago and split the headstock. He has this metal plate and woodscrews that are about 3 1/2\" going toward the neck he had to add to remount the joint. That added mass sounds pretty good considering. It's beat up pretty bad. Real relic job from road abuse.
I on the other hand had some Epis and such and upgraded to Gibsons (es 137 & songwriter deluxe) and am just as happy now...Its whatever helps you sound and play your best.
Greg needed to down grade his equipment and I needed to upgrade mine
crazy man 8)
whatever works :roll: :twisted:
I actually do. The rest looks like this (from my most recent gig). I don't have the rest of the accessories because this is a company picnic and I have to maintain at least some professional image. I have a variety of head gear and matching eyewear.
Most of the time, the heading means solid, or stable gear. Guys will snuff at Peavey entry gear but their EV 15's won't match a JBL Pro, or a Peavey array on any given day. The classification intended to sort out serious players from less than in my experiences. That means at times, you might miss a really great player with entry level gear when that gear can be acquired for him if he fits the role your band seeks.
I must admit I get quite a bit of laughs out of musician want ads.
I have a sneaking suspicion that Jimmy Bruno could make a cheap Squire, sound like a million bucks..
He said the same about bass (being a bassist). A 15\", a 4x10, and at least 1000 watts. Those were his exact words.
I always like to tell the story about how my first git'r was a cheap LP copy. I sounded just as bad on it.
Then one day a friend comes over - a really good player - and just shredded the thing. Although good gear helps, it's the player, not the gear.
It's kinda like this:
Most want ad's I've seen prompting pro gear are either KB, Drummer, or Vocalist. I really don't see many ads for guitarist asking that, since it's GUITARIST'S that are usually placing the ad's for other members.
Now, once you are on the other side of that, there are differing levels of pro gear depending how much money you have to spend and how large a venue you are playing.
I agree, regarding \"looking for musician ads\" it is a weeding out statement which basically says, \"if you have never played professionally before and are loading your gear from your bedroom to come and audition,...don't bother\".
I don't think it is really anything more complicated than that. Nice analytic thread though.
JV
I think JimmiV hit the nail on the head when he said Pro Gear is something you can gig with and not crap out during show.(I am paraphrasing here)
It aint what you got, its what you can do with it :? (oops wrong forum)But it does apply here as well.