equipment failure

eyesore · #1 01-12-2019, 08:56 PM

has anyone experienced this yet? last night i played a littlle coffee shoop and could not get mt Loudbox to work.the guitar channel would not amplify. mic side was ok.so i plugged my guitar into "AUX IN" in the back.guitar and mic were the same level . no effects . sounded terrible but got me thru . took it apart today and sprayed with contact cleaner . now it is fine... anybody have equipment failure / what dod you do? cancel?

noledog · #2 01-12-2019, 09:00 PM

I carry two Loudbox Performers and a Presonus Air10 to every show...I've blown the subs on my LBP a few times.

Mandobart · #3 01-12-2019, 09:32 PM

This is where I can use the skills I learned as an electronics tech in the USN. We learned a disciplined, structured troubleshooting approach. It also led to a great career when I got out. I've repaired several amps, cables, cabinets, etc. for my impoverished musician friends over the years.

rockabilly69 · #4 01-12-2019, 09:37 PM

I have multiple PA systems in my car at every gig. I also carry a back up pedal board and spare guitar pickup. I don't leave gigs up to chance.

varmonter · #5 01-13-2019, 08:44 AM

Quite a few places i play have there own
systems . if i had catastrophic fail i could use
theirs. Im big on not lugging more than i need.
Will probably bite me some day.

Nymuso · #6 01-13-2019, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I have multiple PA systems in my car at every gig. I also carry a back up pedal board and spare guitar pickup. I don't gigs up to chance.

Agree, you simply have to be prepared for eventualities if you want to call yourself a professional; if you are taking any money at all for performing, you are a professional and are held to that standard.

We have a backup for everything: We use two L1Cs (and can get by with one,) we carry an extra mixer, mics, wires and assorted whatnot, plus a spare guitar. Much of it stays in the car.

SpruceTop · #7 01-13-2019, 09:09 AM

Back in 1979, my Bose Power Mixer's amp blew out right near the end of the night and that was it for that gig. Fortunately, I was lucky as it was the end of the 4-set gig, and it didn't matter. I took the Bose Power Mixer back to where I bought it, Whirlwind Audio, and they ordered another one (the first one was still under warranty) from Bose and it arrived before my next weekend gigs.

drive-south · #8 01-13-2019, 09:53 AM

Carrying 2 complete PA systems to every gig? You must drive a big rig.

I usually carry a spare PA mixer as we cannot get by without a working mixer. Between all the mains and monitors we carry, we can easily get by if 1 goes down.

Most equipment failures are due to faulty cables or dirty plugs/jacks. Deoxit 2 contact cleaner should be in every musicians gear bag. I am a stickler about preventative maintenance before leaving my home for a gig and always arrive early to gigs. I check every connection on my pedal boards before powering them up, especially power cords between power supplies and efx. I've been burnt by this before.

For electric guitar, I always bring 2 amps. If everything is working properly I run in stereo. If an amp goes down I play mono.

I have also learmed to simplify my setup. The more gear I'm using, the more problems can occur, and makes trouble-shooting more difficult.

I was the only tech-savy person in my last 5 piece band, so I had to do most of the setup and any trouble shooting required to get us up and running. I gave up trying to explain the differences between active/passive speakers, sheilded/unsheilded cables, ground lifts, etc.

jonfields45 · #9 01-13-2019, 11:15 AM

I carry XLR Y-cables, a passive mixer, and spare cables that I can get buy with everything going down except the powered speaker. I have had one gig where the mixer power supply failed (it was outdoors and very high humidity) and we got by fine plugging directly into the DBR10. That power supply worked fine at home the next day but I discarded it anyway.

The Kid! · #10 01-13-2019, 01:42 PM

Powered main and monitor. If one goes down, I go without a personal monitor. I can get by or work around just about anything. I do over 250 dates per year. I keep all my gear in working order. I have extra cables and a back up K&K in my guitars in case my main pickup goes down.

I don't bring two PA's, just enough speakers to get by if one fails. I have two channels mixers on the side of my Line 6 L2T's and L3T.

I bring a backup for everything on weddings and corporate events, and I charge accordingly.

rockabilly69 · #11 01-13-2019, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drive-south

Carrying 2 complete PA systems to every gig? You must drive a big rig.

I usually carry a spare PA mixer as we cannot get by without a working mixer. Between all the mains and monitors we carry, we can easily get by if 1 goes down.

Most equipment failures are due to faulty cables or dirty plugs/jacks. Deoxit 2 contact cleaner should be in every musicians gear bag. I am a stickler about preventative maintenance before leaving my home for a gig and always arrive early to gigs. I check every connection on my pedal boards before powering them up, especially power cords between power supplies and efx. I've been burnt by this before.

For electric guitar, I always bring 2 amps. If everything is working properly I run in stereo. If an amp goes down I play mono.

I have also learmed to simplify my setup. The more gear I'm using, the more problems can occur, and makes trouble-shooting more difficult.

I was the only tech-savy person in my last 5 piece band, so I had to do most of the setup and any trouble shooting required to get us up and running. I gave up trying to explain the differences between active/passive speakers, sheilded/unsheilded cables, ground lifts, etc.

DeOxit had saved me many times! I'm also a stickler about being early to gigs!

All the preventative maintenance in the world won't stop accidents, and like you, I have very simple setups, but, I run into lots of different sound reinforcement situations. This month I am doing 25 gigs.

I have 2 cars and both are used for gigging, both AWD, as I do most of my gigs in ski resort areas. One thing that helps is that I don't use monitors, so I don't need those. This is what is in my car right now (Mitsubishi Endeavor)...

2 Mackie HD1210 (in my other car Saburu Imprezza Sport which is smaller I have JBL PRX 710 cabs). I keep the powered speakers in each car and move everything else to the car I'm using. I never used the back seats of my cars they are always folded down for equipment.
1 Schertler Jam 400
1 Schertler Jam 200
1 Schertler Bass 200 sub
1 Allen and Heath ZED 10FX
1 Bose T1 Mixer
1 clip in DiMarzio Angel pickup
3 Audio 2000 tripod speaker stands (sometimes I use a Jam 400 on one stand, and the JBLs on the 2 others)
2 mic boom stands ( I only need one)
2 Shure Beta 87a microphones
All the cables I need (with extras of everything)
1 pedal board (with backup programmed Digitech Multi FX)
Tool kit (with soldering iron)
1 rock and roller cart utility cart
A small rug for setting my pedal board on hard surfaces

I have specific ways to load both cars that I don't veer from so none of the equipment moves around when driving, and so that I know everything is there visually. I carry my guitar with me in the front of both cars so that it is about the same comfortable temperature I'm in

Fortunately for me 8 to 10 gigs a month are house gigs where they provide the PA (Full stereo BOSE F series rig subs and tops). I just walk in with my pedal board, cable bag (small backpack), and my guitar for those