Tip Jars ?

[SpiderTrap]

I've never put any kind of TIP JAR out durring a gig , but have had people actually throw money at me . The usual tip jar is an open guitar case , which to me looks amateurish , hard up , tacky , just not right, altho easy to hit with a few coins . A tip Jar I would think ( something extra to have to carry around I know , ) But should be 1. Transparent to SEE other money Thru , 2. NOT GLASS 3 . Maybe a plastic round fish bowl . ?? Or SmaLL CUBE plastic recepticle, something which did not look embarassing ... mAYBE A SMALL JAR WOULD GET YO MORE TIPS ?? It's Psychological ..... III don't know But if anyone has any interesting pics of their Tip Jars , post them ... I'd like to see what you're using......No open Guitar Case pics please .........

[JonPR]

At our small pub gigs (where we're paid, but entry is free), we have someone go round the crowd at some point - usually in the last set - with a pint beer glass to collect donations. It's a fairly common tradition here in the UK. It can add anything up to £50 to our basic fee.

The kind of scenario you're talking about is more like busking, where a solo performer - unpaid - has some kind of receptacle (typically the instrument case as you say) for passers-by to drop money in. I wouldn't call those performances "gigs", personally (seeing as they're makeshift and unpaid).

But whatever kind of performance it is, it's good to have a friend who can take a jar around a crowd (assuming you have a static crowd and not just passers-by). If not a jar, a hat is of course traditional: the phrase "passing the hat round" gets used even when the object is not actually a hat; but a hat is a good-sized object and (naturally) easy to transport (eg, on your head ).
People who might be reluctant to come forward to drop money at your feet will be happier to go into their pockets if a jar or hat or whatever comes round; especially if your friend is particularly attractive/persuasive/threatening .
But then, are you obliged to give your friend a cut...??

[ADK]

I would be more likely to toss a tip (or a bigger than usual one anyway) in an interesting jar or bowl, and I think others would too. How about one of those bowls made from old vinyl records?

There's one here, along with some other cool items....

http://www.crookedbrains.net/2009/06...esting_26.html

[MikeBmusic]

'Passing the hat', as its called in the US, happens at certain events, and are usually advertised ahead of time that they do that. Usually its for the featured performer at an otherwise-free open mic situation.

For a plastic clear container - how about a 'sun tea' jug? It need not be huge, a half-gallon size would be adequate. Don't forget to drop a few coins and $1 bills in before starting.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

'Passing the hat', as its called in the US

In the UK too.

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

, happens at certain events, and are usually advertised ahead of time that they do that. Usually its for the featured performer at an otherwise-free open mic situation.

Again, same here.

[jseth]

I've used a number of different types of tip jars through the years, and I've seen a few very inventive ones, as well...

Although it seems patently obvious, I have found that a sign or writing of TIPS, or DONATIONS is always needed... personally, I don't like having the thing directly in front of me, as I'm unwilling to deal with the distraction. Multiple locations are great, especially highly visible ones!

Over the past holiday, I saw a pretty neat idea... on a twisting metal framwork, about 4' high, these players had a glass-blown "trumpet/flugelhorn"-shaped bowl, with a sign at the top of that dish that read "tips"... bypassing any need for a table to rest it on, the thing even had it's own soft illumination, and was positioned next to a table that held the "cd's for sale" of the bands involved...

Without a doubt, the MOST EFFECTIVE method I have ever used was having a comely bar waitress take a pitcher around the room during my breaks, gong from table to table, and ABSOLUTELY NOT TAKING "NO" FOR AN ANSWER! She'd even berate guys who weren't "getting to the hip", so to speak! A most remunerative device, that one!

[Davis Webb]

Cowboy hat. Works great.