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What's in your gig bag?

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 Crow
(@crow)
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Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 549
Topic starter  

Every few years I have a notion to get my chops together and go out and try to sell myself as a guitar player. (It never goes anywhere, but I keep trying.) I'm presently in one of those phases, so all my gear is getting a second look, including the satchel full of stuff I absolutely must have if I'm going out with a guitar.

Assuming I'm going out only with acoustic instruments (one six-string, one 12-string, a mandolin), I've got my necessities down to one relatively compact bag. Here it is:

The bag came from a medical convention in San Francisco. I'd like to get a sticker for it: "CAUTION -- Contains Pig Glands." That would guarantee no one would touch it, much less steal it. 8)

Outside pockets hold an old, soft piece of terry cloth and an Intellitouch PT-2 tuner. Inside:

Capos and capo accessories, string winder, flatpicks (rarely used), spare strings. I need to get a few single .012s, the most likely ones to break.

Main compartment:

Extension cord, Fender mini-stand (I need one or two more), and my Slide Bag:

Slides are Dunlop brass shorty, radiused Dunlop brass, Craftsman 17mm socket, and (the Number One slide) hand-cut glass bottleneck.

There is still room in the main compartment for my guitar toolkit -- I'll spare you details for the moment -- and for teabags, flashlights, gaffer tape, switchblades, Super Glue, nail files, whiskey and other gig essentials.

So... what's in your gig bag?

"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

A tuner, a set of finger and thumbpicks, and a slide are all I'm carrying. The little easel guitar stand I'm lugging separately.

Nice bag!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4459
 

Looks like a bag for a laptop Crow. The pig is cute though.

I don't really gig much other than a few open mics and I haven't taken much there only some pedals a tuner and some lyrics. If I break a string or have an equipment malfunction then my night is over no big deal. I do have another gym bag filled with the kind of things I'd need if I were to gig regularly liek tools, strings, duct tape etc.

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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 Crow
(@crow)
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Topic starter  

Looks like a bag for a laptop Crow.

I don't know what the endocrinologists have in mind. The bag dates from June 2002 (specifically, the day the San Francisco Giants first faced the Baltimore Orioles -- baseball history!). Our present-day laptops don't fit in it, so I kinda doubt it was intended for a computer.

"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
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Hmm mine looks almost just like that. Maybe when I get a new laptop I'll use the one I have for a gig bag too!

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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(@broughtonizb)
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Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 7
 

I got a nice little backpack that I picked up at a flea-market. In it I carry; Cables, power cords, a mini power strip, straps, picks, extra strings, needle nose and regular pliers, screwdrivers, tuner, a rag, 9-volt batteries, a flask, and a severed head.
Peace!


   
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(@alangreen)
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Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

.....a severed head.

Anybody we know?

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
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(@slejhamer)
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Joined: 19 years ago
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My entire bass rig - and a backup - fits in my gig bag!

Korg Pitchblack Tuner
Sansamp VT Bass preamp pedal
DBX DI box
Behringer DI box/bass preamp (this is the backup)
One-spot power thingy
Cables
Folder full of lead sheets.

If needed, I could also fit my Eden 500 watt bass head (not severed) in there too.

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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 Crow
(@crow)
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Topic starter  

My entire bass rig - and a backup - fits in my gig bag!

You are living the dream! But you're at the mercy of whatever PA you happen to encounter, eh? I'd pack that Eden at every opportunity, myself. But then, I'm risk-averse.

"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa


   
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(@wattsiepoops)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 270
 

All i carry with me is in my guitar case's.

With my Fender AM STD Tele i carry a selection of pic's, a tuner, a lead, a strap, a cloth, all the alan keys and wrenches to acompany the guitar. Yeah, thats it with my electric guitar.

Now, with my acoustic its a lead and strap, collection of pics, a capo and a little bit of music i need most weeks at church.

Thats it for me, dull and boring gig bags.

David Watts
Takamine G-Series - £229
Fender STD American Telecaster (Cola Red) - £849
Vox 15watt AMP (Valve pre amp) - £129
Acoustic/Electric Rhythm and Lead (Occasionally) Southport Elim Youth Band
Former Aftershock 24/7 Rhythm Guitarist (Band split)


   
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(@dogbite)
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Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

it's more like my gig baggage. I have another for mic and mic stuff. funny. I haven't gigged in quite a while.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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All the guitar-related stuff I lug around with me fits in my guitar bag.....plenty of pockets in that!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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 Crow
(@crow)
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Joined: 14 years ago
Posts: 549
Topic starter  

All the guitar-related stuff I lug around with me fits in my guitar bag.....plenty of pockets in that!

Spare bridge pins... excellent! Is that whammy bar a spare?

(Since I started this thread I've noticed a few things I don't pack but should -- like a nice sharp Number 2 pencil, for nut/bridge lubrication & fixing bad lead sheets, & my old DeArmond soundhole pickup. Spare bridge pins are on my list now, along with tuner batteries.)

"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa


   
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(@dogbite)
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Joined: 19 years ago
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always always always carry an extra pack of 9V batteries. and AA's for some tuners.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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Spare bridge pins... excellent! Is that whammy bar a spare?

It's actually an old photo, but the only one I have of all the "spare parts" I lug around. The whammy bar was off a Squier Strat - I never used it, and gave it to a mate when the thread wore out on his. Most of the other stuff's the same, though - and the most important thing there is the writing pad. Lost count of the times I've forgotten to write down an idea for music or lyrics, so that goes everywhere!

There's also a folder which I put inside my case - tabs of songs I'm working on, lyrics to songs, my own songs, etc etc etc...

It's always better to have something you don't need, than to need something you don't have!!!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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