Tool kit to take on gigs

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 21 Dec 2006 1:15 pm

I always make sure I take the following items to gigs in case I need to do repairs on my pedal steel or leads.

* Allen Keys
* String cutters
* String winder
* Screwdrivers
* Soldering iron and solder
* Sharp penknife
* Gaffa or Duct tape

Any other useful items worth adding to my kit?

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 21 Dec 2006 1:28 pm

I add

* Small volt-ohmmeter
* Pliers, usually 1 needlenose, 1 regular
* Small pen-sized flashlight
* Micrometer to check string gauges

Cliff Kane · Post by **Cliff Kane** » 21 Dec 2006 1:31 pm

A flashlight is handy. Wrenches for pedal rods and jacks? Sometimes I keep a spare volume pedal in my seat, in addition to the one I carry in my guitar case. I find a pen and paper handy, too.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 21 Dec 2006 2:16 pm

Used to fit in this Shure mic case ok but things is getting a bit overflowing.

Charlie Willcockson · Post by **Charlie Willcockson** » 21 Dec 2006 2:47 pm

I'm usually the guy that has to borrow from prepared folks like you because I'm not far-sighted enough. Thanks everyone, for sharing your tool kits and reminding us of the need for them.

Charlie

John McClung · Post by **John McClung** » 21 Dec 2006 3:03 pm

You should also have:

at least one 2-prong AC adaptor for when the gig venue is ancient and doesn't have 3-prong grounded outlets

spare 9V and AA batteries for stompboxes, tuners, ebows, etc.

owner manual/user guides for key gear: FX processors; amps

I carry spare George L cable and jacks, in case one goes bad and time is so limited it's faster just to quickly exchange cords rather than snip and rebuil the bad one

I used to carry channel locks to loosen/tighten a very tempermental guitar leg!

headphones for private tuning and touchup (out of my PodXT)

I used to always carry a mic adaptor that turns it into a 1/4 inch jack, in the old days someone would inevitably have a crappy old Shure Vocalmaster PA or some such antiquity, and without that adaptor I couldn't sing.

clip-on drinkholder, of course!

I generally bring both my full size and single page size Accommodator music holder racks, and use whichever one seems appropriate. Any gig where I'm reading charts gets on eor the other put up and handily used.

one piece of advice: always carry a spare bar and set of picks in a separate place from where your regular picks/bar are stored. I got to a gig once and had left behind my briefcase where my bar/picks normally live. Luckily I had a spare bar in my pack-a-seat, but no picks, that was a dreary night.

I'd actually recommend keeping a spare volume pedal in your car, in case your normal one gets left behind, or just craps out for some reason.

I keep blank tablature and song chart paper in my briefcase, never know when you'll find a cool lick, or have to quickly do a song chart. Pencil, paper, and Sharpie markers, too, of course.

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E9 lessons
Mullen D-12 9+9/Carter SD-10 4+5/Webb amp/Profex II+Lexicon MPX-110 OR Line 6 Pod XT / BJS bars / George L strings & cables

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 21 Dec 2006 3:24 pm

4x6 index cards & a felt pen for quick charts. They can lay on the strings of the C6th neck or pad of an SD-10/12 and you don't have to look "up" from the strings to see them as your playing the song!
JE:-)>

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Emmons D10PP 8/4 -75'
MSA Legend SD12 5/5 - 06
Emmons SD-12PP 3/4
Zum SD-12 5/5 - 91'
75'Session 400
06 Nashville 1000
06'Nashville 112 x 2
w/Knob-Guard

Daryl Stogner · Post by **Daryl Stogner** » 21 Dec 2006 3:50 pm

A 1/2 ton utility truck with boxes to carry it all in? Or just don't use that broken knee lever, play with 9 strings and hum the part of the missing string?

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 21 Dec 2006 4:25 pm

I carried about all of the above mentioned items to gigs with one exception.....I have learned to hate regular flashlights! HA! Those bulbs burn out or break just when you need them most!! Aarrrrgggghhhhhh!!!

When they first appeared, I bought an LED flashlight. Still have it and it never lets me down. 2 fresh AA batts and it's good for an amazingly long time and it's almost indestructible.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 21 Dec 2006 4:33 pm

Mike:I just got an LED flahlight that dosen't need batteries,you shake it and it holds a charge for a long time,I keep it in the pak-a-seat with a lot of other junk.

Mike Wheeler · Post by **Mike Wheeler** » 21 Dec 2006 5:14 pm

Yeah, I just got one of those this past summer as a gift, Stu. Your post reminded me that I wanted to get another one for my steel tool kit...thanks.[This message was edited by Mike Wheeler on 21 December 2006 at 05:19 PM.]

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 21 Dec 2006 6:13 pm

Damn, you guys carry a lot of stuff! You mean nobody brings a small drill press, a bandsaw, and, just in case, a Bridgeport milling machine to the gigs?

I travel light. My pack seat holds:
1. two sets of strings, plus 1/2 doz. each .011, .017, .020.

2. a 3"x6"x1" plastic Plano box holding 2 BJS bars, 2 7/64 Allen wrenches, 6 JF fingerpicks, 4 Fred Kelly thumbpicks, a spare 9v battery and 2 AAA batteries

3. a small 4x6x2 soft tool bag holding a double-sided reversible screwdriver, a small pair needlenose pliers/diagonal cutter, a tuning machine wrench, a 5/64 Allen wrench (for bellcranks), a George L tuning wrench, a spare amp fuse, a ground lift, and a spare wingnut for my pedal rack.

4. 3 10' George L cords, 4 3' GL cords.

5. Small Seiko tuner

6. Kick'n Steel DB5 reso simulator w/9" GL cord

7. Alesis Nanoverb effects box (in case my amp reverb goes south, or I need delay or rotary for some reason) with power adaptor

8. Hilton volume pedal.

All of which easily fits into a standard size Steeler's Choice EZ Rider seat. When I have my larger Sidekick seat (currently back at Kenn Rollans' place being refurbished) I can carry more stuff, but I rarely find the need to.

As for soldering iron, larger tools, etc., the drummer or our road manager usually has that stuff covered.

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 21 December 2006 at 06:17 PM.]

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 21 Dec 2006 7:38 pm

And my Superman tuning wrench.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 21 Dec 2006 9:43 pm

Jumper cables, to get home from the gig!

Walter Killam · Post by **Walter Killam** » 22 Dec 2006 10:26 am

Don't forget your harmonica in case the electricity goes out!

I always carry extra strings, a leatherman tool, tuning wrench, & ground/phase detector, my cell phone has a nifty LED flashlight built in. My goal over the last 5 years has been to lighten up & put wheels on everything I can.

John Roche · Post by **John Roche** » 22 Dec 2006 1:04 pm

Just my breakdown card

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 22 Dec 2006 4:15 pm

Chainsaw and an arc welder pretty much cover it all for me...(oh yeah, a 32oz ball peen, too)...

Howard Tate · Post by **Howard Tate** » 23 Dec 2006 7:47 am

I've been wondering about those flashlights that you shake, sounds like y'all are having good luck with them. The main thing to carry is Dr Bobby Bowman's phone number, in case the guitar breaks down, or you need to know how to play something.

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Howard

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 23 Dec 2006 8:10 am

I've always had a "gig box" with me - having spent many of my younger years as a guitar/amp stage-tech, I built up an arsenal of "emergency maintenance/repair items. They are all carried now in a rolling $40 toolbox from Home Depot, which also serves as a great steel seat!

My general list (I'm sure I forget a few things:

Circuit tester
Digital multimeter
soldering iron, solder, flux
small propane torch (for Fender steel cable soldering)
various plier, screwdrivers, wrenches, allen tools etc.
dial caliper (for identifying "loose" strings
feeler gage (for setup on 6-string etc.)
Spare George L cable (50' or so) and assorted ends
Picks of all types
Strings of all types, sorted by gage/type & srign winder/cutter
Ground-fault unit
Power strip (GOOD one)
line filter/voltage regulator
"Wart removers" (keep wall warts from crowding power strips)
fuses
Spare tube sets of all types
Speaker cables, 3', 6' and 20'
Speaker cables - Speakon type
mic cables
mic transformers (for using low-impedance mics in high impedance inputs)
Coat hangers (for emergency pedal rods, Fender cables, and for when the drummer locks his key in his car and needs to break in to get the bass player out..

)
effect power adapters - every voltage/polarity/tip type plus adapters and multi-voltage units
dual footswitch and adapters for various amp jacks
various slides, bars, capos (including dobro and banjo)
Various small parts - screws, tuners, bridge saddles, trem arms etc.
Spare critical effects - overdrive, chorus, delay, boost
Spare volume pedal
tuners - plug-in and clip-on types.
Flashlight
Knife
extension cord - 50'
paper, pens, business cards
Duct tape
contact cleaner/lube kit

That's most of it. I can bail almost anyone in the band out of a "spot" quickly.

Charlie Willcockson · Post by **Charlie Willcockson** » 23 Dec 2006 11:02 am

"get the bass player out"!

That was funny, Jim!
As I said earlier, I'm always thankful when trouble comes and someone in the group is prepared enough for everyone. I played in a band with a lead guitar player who carried everything in nothing it seemed like. He knew how to travel light and yet cover all the bases. What saved us more times than I can count was his cheap Wal-Mart box fan!

Thanks again!

Charlie

Scott Shipley · Post by **Scott Shipley** » 23 Dec 2006 11:02 am

My add ons.....
1. a bottle of something from Scotland that tastes like burnt wood and dirt...(it was named after me, I was the 17th man of Tain)
2. a new liver (see #1)
3. ear plugs with auto tune built in for the "hey my buddy's drunk but he sings real good" kinda nights...or, the "hey I play really good after 7 shots" kinda nights...
4. a bottle of something from Scotland that tastes like burnt wood and dirt...(see # 3)
5. a blunt instrument, like a b*njo, for self-defense (or offense as the case may be)...(also see # 3)

Things to leave at home.....
1. a big ol bag full of give-a-rip.

Ok, that last one was only a joke.
Kinda.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 23 Dec 2006 3:41 pm

I don't know if you would consider it a tool or not, but I carry and always use a Tripp-Lite line conditioner/voltage stabilizer. Used to play too many gigs where the band would hit a power chord and all the lights would go dim in the bar. This keeps your voltage pretty constant at 120v.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 26 Dec 2006 4:32 am

All of the above, plus a Glock 22 and 2 extra clips down here. Sad but true.
Lefty[This message was edited by Lefty on 26 December 2006 at 04:34 AM.]

Kelly Hydorn · Post by **Kelly Hydorn** » 30 Dec 2006 9:22 pm

I usually bring along a smoke wrench in case I pull the end out of a rod or something. A kerosene lantern in case I need a light, matches are helpful for that. Course I can always use the kerosene oil for lubrication on the moving parts. Extra strings when I break one from banging on my geetar to hard. Don't need much else, right now but after the first of the year I understand we're gettin something called 'lectricity which will probably open up another can of worms for us here up in Montaner.

Gary Carriger · Post by **Gary Carriger** » 30 Dec 2006 10:23 pm

I carry a couple of small screwdrivers, a pair of diagonal pliers, a set of strings, extra cords, an extra tuning key, couple of extra 9 volt batteries, and generally a bunch of old set lists in the bottom of my pack-a-seat. A tip I picked up from some one back down the line.......I have extra finger and thumb picks clipped around some of the rods under the guitar. They are always there when I need them...unless I forget the axe.
Gary